Teaching Life Change (part 3)

In my last post, I stated that spiritual growth is the fruit of an increased understanding (2 Pet. 3:18) – not to behavior management. I am talking about, specifically, an increased understanding of the Gospel (who Jesus is and what He has done for us). As those with regenerate hearts come to understand the gospel, there will be a strong desire and motivation to live in obedience to the clear teaching of Scripture and to reflect God’s glory in all that you say and do. True, the visible effect may seem to be the same, but it’s what lies within us, driving our actions and behaviors that matters most.

True life change (what theologians call sanctification) is an inside job – a work that the Spirit of God does in our hearts. What often complicates and confuses the issue is that Christian behavior can also be faked. In fact, in the last post I warned against reducing spiritual growth to a learned behavior. It is sad that in many Christian circles people are kept in bondage by such “cattle prod” approaches, where a “gospel” is preached that in essence is not the gospel at all. (note: the word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news’) It is hardly “good news” to be told that to be a Christian you have to avoid certain “taboos” and learn to look and act like “good Christian church folk ought to”. This even goes as far as how one dresses or how one votes. After all, you have to learn to tow that party line!

Now I know I am exercising a little hyperbole to make my point, but it really is an abomination in light of the true gospel of God’s grace. Beyond learning all the new behavior, one might even get the sense you have to learn a new language (i.e. “Christianese”). Maybe much of this makes no sense to you – or maybe – if you’re like me and have lived in that world at some point in your life, you know all too well what I’m talking about. I hope that somehow you have been set free – but not in the way of reacting in the opposite extreme. Rather, set free by the truth of what the Bible really teaches (not what men have added to the Biblical teaching). I think Jesus addressed such madness as He rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-28 .

As I also previously stated, I prefer the “measuring stick” approach which says “because we have understood the gospel (good news of God’s grace) we can rest in God’s love and acceptance of us as demonstrated in the Gospel, these are the things we might see in our lives as evidence of spiritual growth”. Joe Thorn puts it will in his blog (read here) that deals with Moralism – and this blogger will continue to discuss this in more posts that follow this one. I hope this is helping somebody think through this issue for themselves. Too many have blindly “drunk the Koolaid” of American Christianity.