Saving Faith Is From The Heart

Dec 24

How should we see basic spiritual issues? Our understanding of such issues must not be clouded by religious externals because insight is seeing things as they really are (Prov 1:4, NBV note). This happens when we have reverence for the Lord (Prov 1:7, Beck). Knowledge of God is never to be merely knowing about Him through studying the Bible. God’s enemies know about Him (Jas 2:19). Mere head knowledge has been used to persecute Christ and His people (Mt 2:4, CB note). We need to have our knowledge be accompanied by love for Him and a joyful experience of Him (Ps 37:4). After all, the Bible teaches that the purpose of spiritual knowledge is conduct that pleases the Lord (Col 1:9-10, WPNT). As our experiential knowledge of God increases, the ripening fruit is a deeper love of God and others (Jn 10:14, NJB note). It is faith that expresses itself through love that is what really matters to God (Gal 5:6). Child-like trust is more important than knowing things about God.

What basic issue must we see about Jesus Christ? That He is special, has God’s approval, and, even when He was an infant, is worthy of adoration and the submission of kings. At the end of his life, when the penitent thief was on the cross, he realized that he needed to get Jesus’ help with what would happen after death (Lk 23:42-43). The thief had a personal contact with Jesus. He almost surely had not come to love Him and undoubtedly knew little about who Jesus was and what He had come to do. Yet, Jesus’ response to him, that today he would be with Him in paradise, indicated that the thief had seen enough of the basic issues to be saved.

On the other hand, many, like the religious leaders of Mt 2:4, knew far more than basic issues about Christ but were not willing to follow God’s leading (via a star or whatever) so as to come to Him in trusting, committed personal contact. Like the repentant thief, come to Him. You can enter into life and forgiveness though you understand little (Lk 18:9-14).

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