What is a streak?

So, what is a streak. I would say it is:

Consecutive accomplishments with a never ending expectation of it ever ceasing.

For me, this epitomizes and could be considered the fundamental core of legalistic, fire and brimstone, anecdotal, Pavlovian teaching in the western church. For about three years, I attended a 12-step program that was Christ-centered. In the end, I was not better for it until I left the “program”. The program or teaching mixed the bible with 12-steps to sobriety. The steps are awesome, but what ended up happening for me is it became an ultra-level of legalism. You would get a physical award for days, months or years of sobriety. Biblically, our rewards are spiritual. The physical reward was a chip denoted the duration of sobriety. From the outside looking in it appears normal or right. I think for some this type of program is needed. My experience could be considered a spiritual stunt in growth and or a regression.

The principle of it all is to not break that streak. Stay sober. Understood. Makes sense. Forgiveness, mercy and love are there waiting also if you regressed. Seems okay once again, but what the subtle dynamic in it is the streak. You see people walk up and get a five year chip and you’re on day one. As I’ve said so many times 2 Peter 3:18,

Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..

In Christ, I am already dead to the “streak”. Paul told the Galatians if you keep one part of the law you must keep all of it. Romans 6 & 7 say we are dead to the law by the body of Christ. This means we are to not keep the law. We are under a new covenant put into effect by the blood of Christ. So, do not keep the law. Instead, live by revelation based on the primer of sound doctrine. The zōe life of revelation diffuses into your being. Hebrews 11:3, says,

“Through faith we understand…”

This spiritual understanding permeates your being even your soul. It regenerates it perpetually with an inherent dynamo power with is the resurrecting power of God. With this power, we are new, unprecedented, extraordinary, uncommon, novel creations in Christ.

Hopefully, with that brief share I was able to convey a contrast between a religious streak to be kept versus a new unparalleled spiritual life.

Another way of saying it possibly could be the effect of a streak is:

An unseen exponential pressure employed by a compound list of accomplishments.

The pressure increases exponentially each time unless grace is there then no streak should matter. There is a rest that Hebrews promises us. If I am at rest then I quit trying. I am at rest then I am that I am by the grace of God. I am at rest because I am not trying to be the new creature. A new creature in Christ is unaware of the streak, but more aware of Phil. 3:14,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Reading this now in context of what I have shared should sound much different. He presses on not keeping a streak. The goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. All in all, he is saying what he told Peter in 2 Pet. 3:18 with the active action in present tense of “pressing on”. A doer compelled by grace regardless of natural circumstance.