Transformed by the Word
In high school, I had a favorite band. I listened to them every day. I had their t-shirts, and followed them with a level of active interest that only a teenager can maintain. One day, I met someone else who also liked this band. We were destined to be best friends forever, right?
Well, it became apparent fairly quickly that this person was not at all what I would consider a good person, and, more to the point, not a person it would be wise to spend a lot of time around. In fact, if I'd gone on their path with them, I would likely be in a prison or graveyard right now.
Now I am not about to equate our deepest held beliefs with popular music fandom. But I am pointing out that taste and goodness are two vastly different things, and I am also about to employ a simile.
As a new Christian, I began going to a church with very kindhearted people, but with virtually no doctrinal content to the ministry. As one does when growing in Christ, I became hungry to know as much as I could about him and to grow closer to him. But his word was never opened in that church. The focus was on impressions and emotional reactions. So I started going to a church where the Bible was taught.
There I met a group that was passionate about the scriptures and correct biblical doctrine. But there was a lot of pride in that group. There was harshness toward those who didn't know what they knew, and no love for those who had different interpretations. I was thinking about that group last week. Less than half of them are Christians today. Though, we had gathered around a common interest, we were, in fact, traveling on different paths.
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
Last week, Pastor Heath taught from Christ’s sobering words about Hell: “the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness” (Mt. 8:12). Previously in Matthew, Christ said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (7:21).
It is essential to understand what God's word says about him. We know from church history that when someone departs from essential points of biblical doctrine, dangerous heresies follow. Some, for instance, have added to scripture’s teaching about the virgin birth and ended up venerating saints. Others have misinterpreted the doctrine of sanctification and ended up burdening the church with legalism.
Understanding scripture is essential! And one of its most essential teachings is the effect the Gospel has on the believer! Yes, we are saved by faith alone in Christ alone. But that faith changes us. When we trust in Christ Jesus as Savior, he replaces our dead, sinful heart with a heart for the Gospel. The things we find important change. And scripture tells us that we will bear fruit in keeping with what we now know about God's goodness and love (see Mt. 3:8; Lk 3:8). Paul lists the Spirit’s fruit in our lives: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). In seeking to know Christ, we grow, and as we grow we bear good fruit.
We can never exhaust all there is to learn about Christ, nor should we ever want to. It is not a question of either knowing correct doctrine OR being a gentle and loving person. The truth of Jesus Christ our Lord transforms us.
Maybe it's because I just lost my earthly father, but I've been thinking a lot lately about the man I want to be and about the men I've known in my life. I know some men I want very much to be more like. And I've known quite a few that I do not want to be like at all. I want to be a man whose words and actions point others to Christ. Along these lines, Paul encourages Timothy to 'flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim. 2:22).
Unworthy as I am, I call upon him who is worthy. I turn continually to his word, and I want to point you to his goodness and the great thing Jesus has done in dying on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins and raising from the dead, all so that we may be reconciled to God and live with him eternally. I pray that knowing this will direct my words and my actions so that my life will be a testimony to Christ. And I pray the same for all of you. May we all, together, be transformed by God's word.
