The Sources of True Change

... there are a variety of factors that work together as God changes a Christian’s heart.

When Jesus crosses paths with you, he reveals you for who you are.

In response to him, people change—either making a turn for the better or taking a turn for the worse. 

A turn for the better means that Christian growth, or sanctification, is happening. But this is not the result of a single template of change. Because situations and persons come unscripted, fluid, and unpredictable, Jesus engages each person and situation in a personalized way. 

What are the sources of true change, and how does God work in those factors to transform your life? 

God himself changes you  

“It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13) 

God intervenes in your life, turning you from suicidal self-will to the kingdom of life. He raises you in Christ when you are dead in trespasses and sins. He restores hearing when you are deaf (you could not hear him otherwise). He gives sight when you are blind (you could not see him otherwise). He is immediately and personally present, a life-creating voice, a strong and strengthening hand. 

All good fruit in our lives comes by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said it was better if he went away, because the Holy Spirit would come (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit continues to do the things that Jesus does— continually adding to the number of books that could be written. The stories we tell are not just about what has happened to us and what we’ve done. They are about what Jesus Christ has done as he goes about saving and sanctifying us through all our days. 

The Word of truth changes you

“The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7) 

God communicates messages to us—many messages. Scripture speaks with a true voice into a world churning with false voices. Scripture reveals innumerable features of God’s person, purposes, will, promises, and actions. Scripture clarifies every facet of human experience. 

Of course Scripture and God work in harmony. In fact, all five dimensions are complementary—and all ultimately depend on the hand of God. One lovely expression of the interplay between the Word of God and the God of the Word occurs in Romans 15. Paul first points out how Scripture changes us: “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:3). 

A few sentences later, Paul asks God himself to change us, to give us the very things that his Word calls for and calls forth: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). In Scripture, God comes in person. We participate by hearing and responding. 

Wise people change you 

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise.” (Proverbs 13:20) 

Godly growth is most frequently mediated through the gifts and graces of brothers and sisters in Christ. At the most basic corporate level, you can’t call on God unless you believe in him; you can’t believe in him unless you hear of him; you can’t hear of him unless someone proclaims him (Romans 10:14). Good worship, preaching, teaching, prayer, and sacraments have radiant, fruitful effects. 

Similarly, the honesty and graciousness, humility and clarity, good sense and convictions of others have radiant, fruitful effects (James 3:17–18). Good role models make a huge difference (2 Timothy 3:10–11). It is a great mercy to know people who deal gently with your ignorance and waywardness, because they know their own weakness and sinfulness, and they know the mercies of Christ (Hebrews 5:2–3). It makes a huge difference when other people are able to comfort you in your afflictions, because God is bringing comfort into their afflictions (2 Corinthians 1:4). 

Jesus engages each person and situation in a personalized way.

Suffering, struggle, and troubles change you 

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8) 

God works on us in the midst of trouble because trouble catches our attention. Difficulties make us need him. Faith has to sink roots, as profession deepens into reality. Martin Luther called affliction, trial, difficulty, and struggle the “touchstone” of Christian experience. He said that hardships were his greatest teacher because they made Scripture and prayer come alive. 

The difficulties that we experience necessitate grace by awakening a true sense of weakness and need. This is where the Spirit is working. People change because something is hard, not because everything goes well; something—including myself—is off. Ministry traffics in trouble because Christ enters trouble, lives through trouble, is unafraid of trouble, speaks and acts into trouble. Struggles force us to need God. And we learn to love the way Christ loves only by experiencing the hard things that he experienced in loving us. 

You change 

“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:9) 

We turn—from darkness to light, from false gods to the only true God, from death to life, from unbelief to faith. You ask for help because you need help. You repent. You believe, trust, seek, take refuge. 

These are the fruitful characteristics of obedience to God and of a flourishing life. No one does any of this for you. You are not passive. You are not a puppet or a robot. You are 100 percent responsible, and yet you are 100 percent dependent on outside help. Any other way of putting it makes you either far too independent or far too passive. 

Notice, too, that none of these active verbs is a one-and-done. These are a way of life. As a Christian, you can rejoice in the transformation that God has made possible in your life. And since you have turned from darkness to light, you should now turn to your neighbor, your friend, your relative who does not yet know Jesus to share the wonderful news of what he has done and of what he is willing to do for all those who come to him. 

Blogger author note: I often find tracts on my routine weekly rounds. It would be good to purchase this pack to share with others!

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This tract highlights the variety of factors that work together as God changes a Christian’s heart.

© 2001 – 2020 Crossway, USA

Jesus indicates that God is persistently pursuing the rescue of sinners

Luke 15:1-10

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Reflection

In these two stories we see that God does not reluctantly save sinners. Rather, his eagerness to extend grace is clearly seen in the shepherd who searches for the lost sheep “until he finds it” (Luke 15:4) and in the woman who seeks “diligently” until she locates her lost her coin (v. 8). In both cases, Jesus indicates that God is persistently pursuing the rescue of sinners. He does not delight to see people self-destruct in sin and brokenness. Instead he has taken vast measures to save us (cf. 2 Sam. 14:14), and he greatly rejoices in our restoration (Luke 15:7, 10).


Excerpt from the The Daily Devotional New Testament, © 2014 Crossway. 

Isaiah 41:10

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

In the Cool of the Day...

. . . The sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. 

-- Genesis 3:8

My soul, now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the voice of God. 

He is always ready to speak with you when you are prepared to hear. 

If there is any slowness to commune, it is not on His part, but altogether on yours, for He stands at the door and knocks, and if His people will but open, He rejoices to enter. 

But in what state is my heart, which is my Lord's garden? 

May I venture to hope that it is well trimmed and watered and is bringing forth fruit fit for Him? 

If not, He will have much to reprove, but still I pray Him to come to me, for nothing can so certainly bring my heart into a right condition as the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in His wings.

Come, therefore, O Lord, my God, my soul invites You earnestly and waits for You eagerly. 

Come to me, O Jesus, my well-beloved, and plant fresh flowers in my garden, such as I see blooming in such perfection in Your matchless character! 

Come, O my Father, who is the Gardener, and deal with me in Your tenderness and prudence! 

Come, O Holy Spirit, and saturate my whole nature, as the herbs are now moistened with the evening dews. 

O that God would speak to me. Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears! 

O that He would walk with me; I am ready to give up my whole heart and mind to Him, and every other thought is hushed.

I am only asking what He delights to give. I am sure that He will condescend to have fellowship with me, for He has given me His Holy Spirit to abide with me forever. 

Sweet is the cool twilight, when every star seems like the eye of heaven and the cool wind is as the breath of celestial love. 

My Father, my elder Brother, my sweet Comforter, speak now in loving-kindness, for You have opened my ear and I am not rebellious.

Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth For Life with written permission.