Hello, beautiful daughter of God, I have missed you. I have had to take some time off but I am glad that to be back to blogging! Our topic of discussion is one I have pondered for years, and I am happy to be able to discuss it here hopefully you are helped by it! Here we go...
I didn’t grow up in a biblical church, so I was exposed to and believed in some unbiblical views that are common in mainstream Christianity. As I have come out of the unbiblical pseudo-Christian movement and been exposed to the true gospel of Christ, I have had scales fall from my eyes. One of the scales is the misuse of the phrase 'Christianity is a religion of the heart'. This phrase is often misused to support contradictions between a person’s profession of faith and their way of life. The purpose of this post is to correct this misconception. I will explain why I think this phrase is used incorrectly by reviewing a believer’s testimony, which is divided into life Before Christ (BC) and After Christ (AC).
We believe that when a person is saved, they undergo a progressive, regenerative, sanctifying internal work by the Holy Spirit. This sets Christians apart from the rest of the world, as Christianity begins with a change of heart, not just external works of righteousness. An important question we would ponder here is whether this internal work brings about an external change in the believer, and if so, if this change is ambiguous or difficult to observe? and is it relevant today? We would consider these questions with the following points.
What the bible teaches us about the state of a man BC. vs AC.:
In 1st Corinthians 6:9-11, a list of traits commonly found in fallen man is presented. Today, these sinful traits are now often normalized, with people who display them being described using euphemistic terms. For example, an extortioner may be called a "smart businessman" and a drunkard labeled "a fun person." Every unsaved person falls into one or more of these categories listed by Paul. However, verse 11 shows the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. The phrase "and so were some of you" used by the Apostle Paul emphasizes the remarkable change that occurs in the saved individual. The general testimony of a saved man thus has two stories, who he was Before Christ, and who he became after Christ. So here we know for a fact that this change does happen because it is affirmed in the Bible.
What we learn from biblical characters who encountered Christ:
In this study, we will examine the testimonies of two biblical figures: the Apostle Paul and Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. Let's start with the Apostle Paul. The early chapters of the book of Acts introduce us to a character named Saul, a Pharisee and blasphemer (Paul’s words, not mine). He was also an accomplice to the murder of Stephen and an oppressor who threatened to slaughter Christ’s disciples (Acts 9:1). However, everything changed when Saul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus. Saul's transformation to the Apostle Paul was not just a change in name or title, nor was it limited to his heart alone. Rather, following the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, Paul was converted from the violent man he was (B.C.) to a man who was brought to the point of tears for his love and concern for his fellow Christians after encountering Christ (A.C.). This change led Paul to openly condemn the things he used to be proud of, counting them all as loss. The transformation in the Apostle Paul was not only talked about by Paul himself, but it also became a hot topic among the Jews, who asked in disbelief, "Is this not Saul?" (Acts 9:21). Paul did not simply reduce his threats or become indifferent to the Christians; instead, he made a complete U-turn and became a champion of the cause he once sought to destroy.
Secondly, let's consider Zacchaeus, who could be seen as the equivalent of a successful businessman in our modern times, perhaps even making it onto the Forbes 100 list. A chief tax collector with questionable business methods, profiting off the poor. This fraudulent businessman Zacchaeus encountered Jesus and immediately recognized his sin. In a state of repentance Zaccheaus’s business ethics changed and he expressed his need to make amends for past wrongs. An encounter with Christ also brought about a charitable behavior in him, as he went from being an extortioner to willingly (not manipulated) offering his money to help the poor.
Our study of the testimonies of the Apostle Paul and Zacchaeus confirms that the Holy Spirit's regenerative work brings discernible changes in believers. An internal change that brings forth an external transformation.
What we learn from the testimonies of other believers today-
I felt it important to include this section because a lot of Christians today have been conditioned to believe that essential biblical truths only applied to ancient times. Unfortunately, many prominent voices in mainstream Christianity downplay the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers as though it is an outdated 'old-fashioned' concept. To challenge this notion, I recently asked some members of my church to share their testimonies of how they came to faith, and one thing was clear from their answers: every one of them experienced a change in their hearts that led to a forsaking of old habits and desires. Each of these believers had a life before Christ that was significantly different from the life they lived as believers. I suggest speaking with sincere believers in your vicinity to hear their testimonies, and I am confident that you will notice a consistent pattern of life BC vs AC. From the testimonies fellow believers, we see that the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit is still effective today.
Why is this being discussed?
Dear believer, contrary to popular belief the Christianity of the Bible remains unchanged today. God has not softened (and never will) His stance on sanctification, and He is still in the business of regenerating His people. Zacchaeus's experience was not a one off as it reflects the norm (the gold standard) of the Christian faith. The nonchalant attitudes of some Christians toward the biblical call for Christians to be set apart stem from a misunderstanding or complete ignorance of God's Holiness requirement for His chosen people to be holy. We must stop propagating the falsehood that God, although powerful enough to part the red sea, cannot change those who belong to Him.
I chose to write this because I believe it's beneficial for us to distinguish between sheep and goats. Contrary to todays culture, Christianity has a look and it is not judgmental to think this way. The notion that faith and behaviour can be dissociated is a dangerous myth propagated in mainstream Christian circles. There is no complex formula to this, so no, that habitually adulterous churchgoer who is at ease with sin is not a true Christian and it does not matter what religious box they tick on a form, if they frequent church meetings or the position they hold in church.
Another reason for this post is to address the confusion that us young believers may feel when we see people who identify as 'Christians' live like devils. This confusion is magnified when these people hold leadership position in church. If you, like me, are a 'take-it-all-or-not-at-all kind of person, this contradiction can be especially distressing. I hope this post can reassure you that God's modus operandi has not changed, and that the work of the Holy spirit continues to regenerate those who are saved. To emphasize, Christianity has an identifier and no, the evidence of salvation is not speaking in tongues, rather the evidence of salvation is a regenerated heart and way of life.
Dear sister, I do not want you to use this post to focus on other people, rather I want you to put yourself under the microscope because I know that it is easier and tempting to examine others. Now examine your life before and after Christ. The Apostle Paul and the believers whose testimonies I listened to testified of a life BC vs AC can this be said of you? Do you have a life before Christ vs after Christ story to tell? Have you changed? Can you use the past tense to describe your way of life before Christ? Do people say you have changed? If you do have this a BC vs AC testimony I would encourage you to reflect on the changes and thank God for His regenerative work. If you cannot see how your life has changed I hope this post encourages you examine yourself and see if you truly are in the faith. If you conclude after your examination that you are not, there is hope for you in Christ.....
Those who misinterpret Christianity being a religion of the heart as a means to ease the guilt of sin, may find this post offensive. While you read this post, you could be incorrectly using different expressions to soothe your guilty conscience, such as "we all sin." It's a fact that we all sin, but the Bible makes it clear that no one who continues in habitual sin can abide in Christ (1john 3:6). Please do not attempt to suppress those guilty cries of your conscience. Instead, acknowledge your guilt before your Heavenly Father and sincerely repent for your sins. He is faithful and just to forgive you.
See you in the next post
Your fellow heir in Christ.
Isabella
Comments