By Dr. Don Bierle, FaithSearch President
In the previous two parts of this series on faith, I explained that a faith which will not become extinct is based on evidence, is reasonable, and has Jesus Christ as its object.
Here I want to explore the dynamic nature of faith which results in a transformed life and a certain eternal destiny. Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). He also said that “…apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Obviously, the power capable of transforming our lives must not be “natural,” that is, a result of human endeavor.
woodcut by Gustave Doré (public domain).
When John the Baptist introduced Jesus, he revealed two gifts of His ministry. First, Jesus came to “take away the sin of the world,” and second, to “baptize in the Holy Spirit” (John 1:29, 33). Regarding the latter gift, the apostle Paul identified this as the power that transforms: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV).
Though faith is not the power that transforms, it is certainly the conduit for Holy Spirit transformation. The apostle Paul said that “by grace you have been saved through faith…” (Ephesians 2:8); the apostle John said, “[T]his is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” (1 John 5:4); the apostle Peter says that we “are protected by the power of God through faith…” (1 Peter 1:5); and biblical author Jude says to build yourselves up “on your most holy faith…” (Jude 20).
I want to conclude this faith series with three transformations in my thinking which resulted from the Holy Spirit in my life. How thankful I am!
A Personal Relationship – not Religion
In my adolescent mind, church was about a set of behavioral rules. Christians followed the teachings of Jesus while disciples of Muhammad and Gandhi tried to live by the rules these leaders left behind. This was “religion.” Only after I was born again and received the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8) did I realize that Christians don’t think of themselves as following the teachings of Jesus, but rather Jesus Himself. The reason is simple – Jesus is alive! Muhammad and Gandhi are dead.
Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:37-39). The Spirt of God within a person? The naturalistic presuppositions of my scientific training caused me to view this with skepticism. But this teaching is everywhere in Scripture: John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 1:13-14. On my knees with tears of repentance this truth was affirmed in my own experience. The result was a faith in which I experienced the gift of God’s presence changing me from within instead of one which controlled me by an external code of dos and don’ts.
A New Freedom – not Performance
As a new Christian I wondered how I could possibly maintain my faith. A serious look at what Jesus taught would “blow” even the most devout and disciplined person out of the water, so to speak: “…love your enemies…”;
“…every one who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart…”; “…no one of you can be my disciple who does not give up all his own possessions…”; forgive one another “seventy times seven” times; “…you are to be perfect…”! How could anyone perform that?
They can’t. Trying to live like Jesus is not just difficult – it is impossible (1 John 1:8). Performance for approval was not God’s solution for sinful people. The apostle Paul explains God’s plan (Romans 5:15-18): “the free gift of grace…through Jesus Christ…presents all men freely acquitted in the sight of God” and “presents all men righteous before God.” As I embraced Jesus through faith, I was forgiven (Romans 8:1). Meanwhile, His gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit transformed my fallen nature and my desires from within (Philippians 2:13). Instead of trying to be good enough to earn God’s approval, by grace I was set free of guilt and sin to follow Him, motivated by gratefulness and joy.
What if the Holy Spirit Himself is placed at the center to create a supernatural dimension? If, by His prompting, we respond and accept the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up permanent residency within us. He transforms our fallen nature and desires from within, and provides the power to travel the triangle.
A Certain Hope – not Apprehension
I grew up thinking that no one in this life could know whether they had been good enough to go to heaven. It was God’s job to tally the good and bad deeds after I died and issue His judgment. It left me with a “I hope, I hope” apprehension.
It gradually dawned on me as a new Christian: How can my deeds be the deciding factor of going to heaven if my relationship with God is based on grace? God’s Word provided my answer:
…God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13, NIV). The apostle Paul said, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 6:23)
God has already revealed the basis on which I can know whether I’m going to heaven. Because of my faith in Jesus Christ I can know right now that is my eternal destiny.
Will Jesus Find Faith When He Comes?
We began this faith series with that provocative question from Jesus (Luke 18:8b). Was He implying that faith might become extinct? Surely apostasy (falling away) is a sign of the time before He comes again (2 Thessalonians 2:3). This need not happen for you, if you heed the key factor of faith survival.
After recounting an entire chapter of the historic heroes of faith (in chapter 11), the author of Hebrews directs his readers to the key of faith survival:
“…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith…” (12:1-2). Some translations say “pioneer” [source] and “finisher” [goal] of faith. In other words, He is the “vine” and we are the “branches” and “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Jesus is the source, the object, and the finisher of faith. Abide in Him and His love, let His words abide in you, and let His joy fill you (John 15:7, 9, 11) – then your faith will be a testimony to Him when He comes.
