2. Faith in God (Hebrews 6:1, Philippians 3:9)
Hebrews 6:1 and Philippians 3:9 identify
the second step of maturity as “faith toward God” or “faith in Christ.”
Faith in God does not just mean believing He exists; it is agreement with the
Bible about what He has done and what He is like.
This means believing our sins are really
forgiven, He really loves us, and our relationship to Him is the foundation of
our purpose and value. When we believe this from our hearts, not just as an
intellectual concept, dead works are no longer necessary – there is no reason
to work for something we already have.
Jesus said in John 15:9-10, “Just as
the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep
My commandments, you will abide in My love.” Christ loves us exactly as the
Father loves Him – infinitely. It never changes or wavers in the slightest. Our
obedience or disobedience to His commands doesn’t affect it one iota. It only
affects whether we “abide” in it, which means we allow our lives to be
directed and shaped by it.
3. Knowing God (Philippians 3:10)
The apostle Paul in Philippians 3:10 sets
apart “…that I may know Him…” as distinct from other steps. This refers
to knowing God relationally and experientially. It means having a
unique personal history together. Like any relationship, it means two-way
interaction.
Relationship with God can be hard to
define since He is invisible and inaudible, but it is probably more familiar to
each of us than we might initially realize. For example, ask yourself the
following questions:
·
Have
you ever experienced God giving you wisdom about a situation in your life?
·
Has
He changed your desires or priorities over time?
·
Has
He ever orchestrated circumstances in a way that His hand was evident?
·
Have
you ever gone to church and the message “coincidentally” addressed exactly what
you were going through?
·
Have
you ever felt His presence in a palpable way?
·
Has
He ever opened your eyes to a sinful pattern you were previously oblivious to?
·
Has
He ever healed you from a past emotional wound?
·
Has
He ever comforted you during a time of grief?
·
Has
He ever empowered you to overcome a fear or anxiety or bitterness that
previously seemed insurmountable?
·
Has
He ever guided you through an important decision, perhaps by imparting a sense
of peace or clarity about what to choose?
·
Has
He ever touched you with overwhelming emotions during a time of worship?
·
Has
He opened your mind to understand a scripture you did not previously understand?
·
Has He shown you
how to pray for someone by guiding your thoughts during the prayer?
·
Has He given you
just the right thing to say to a hurting friend in need of encouragement?
·
Have you ever had
a dream you felt was from the Lord?
·
Has
He ever spoken something timely and personal to you through His word, during
prayer, or through other believers?
Most believers have experienced several,
if not all, of these. Knowing God is our source of life. It is what
enables us to live out every other step. It is how biblical truth moves from
our minds to our hearts.
No matter how much we agree intellectually
with correct doctrines, we will only give up dead works to the extent we experience
how much God loves and values us. We will only find freedom from guilt to the
extent we experience His forgiveness. We will only be sanctified or
fulfill our calling to the extent we experience His grace at work in our
lives.
I’m not saying there isn’t a place for
exercising faith when our feelings or experiences don’t seem to line up with
biblical truth. But there is nevertheless a maturation that only takes place as
a result of time and experience.
Christians are encouraged to read our
Bibles, spend time in prayer, and assemble in community. However, we are not as
frequently told why to do them. These are primary vehicles through which
God’s Spirit interacts with us. They are food and water. We cannot grow
spiritually without these things any more than we can grow physically without
eating or drinking.