I think a Christian life is a purification opportunity. The intent and desire of God is that we become more like him and the two primary characters of God are complete holiness and love. It is like a glass of water that was at first totally toxic but at salvation enough purity is applied to be called water, yet nowhere near pure. Additionally, God is in control of the process and thus controls the amount of change (i.e. some get more purification at salvation than other). Then as we allow He does more purification which is difficult and sometimes a very slow process. The reason it is difficult is for multiple reasons: (1) It hurts, purification means removing the bad, which means pain. (2) We are accustom to the toxic stage, it is a part of our nature. (3) We like the toxicity and mediocrity is more favorable than purity. This way we can have some of both worlds. (4) More purification means more responsibility and we feel overwhelmed with responsibility now. Additionally, responsibility to God is viewed as both massive and demanding. (5) More purification seems to mean we invest more time (a coveted commodity today). Living in a microwave world creates a tension with spending quiet time with God. (6) We either lose sight of the overall purpose of God and our eternal destination with him or have not learned it (lack of discipleship).
It is a purification opportunity because (1) God wants us to be pure (holy) like Him and (2) an opportunity because God desires us to want (love) to be like Him. Thus both of the primary characters of God is at work in us. This is good and yet difficult. The danger comes in the fact that we have a certain amount of control (freedom/opportunity). This is the only reason the process is slow and the slowness of the process is not God’s fault at all. It is an opportunity because God has allowed us a certain amount of time in this world (error of time) to complete this process and prepare for the next error of time (eternity/heaven/etc). This is also a danger because we tend to lose sight of the truth of eschatology (doctrine of end times). We also have a tendency to put things off and get distracted from the real and important things that are more futuristic in our minds. Let us not forget that God promises rewards in eternity yet the primary reason we are to want to be more like Him is because we love Him.
