Transformed by the Power of the Holy Spirit

If ever there were a people who would be transformed by the renewing of their mind, it would have been the Jews. They had the Word of God. They memorized it. They meditated on it. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and suggest they tried really hard to obey it. But, they did not obey.

God’s people lived in community. If ever a people were to be transformed in community, it would have been God’s people, the Jews. If ever there were a tight-night community of people who were trying to follow God, it was the Jews.

If ever there were a people who would have been transformed by worship, it would have been the Jews. The details of the worship they experienced were meticulously prescribed by God and carried out by God’s people. The temple worship was worship like no other. They experienced worship where God wrote the order of service. Yet, they were not transformed.

They were in community. They had the Word. They had worship. They had the discipline of God. They tried really hard. Yet, they were not transformed.

What was missing?

Is anything different today? What hope do we have of really living transformed lives if in the Old Testament we read of 2,000 years of mostly failure to live godly lives?

Much in every way. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV2011)

Get your hopes up! Abundant living really is possible. Get your hopes up, joy is available! The Kingdom of God is come. Joy to the world! 

How is this possible? How is it possible to lay hold of the John 10.10, abundant Christian life? If for 2,000 years God’s people tried and studied Scripture and participated in the temple worship and all the rest, and were largely unsuccessful, how are we able to live this life?

The forgiveness of sins through the cross is part of the answer. But, Old Testament saints also enjoyed the forgiveness of sins. They didn’t have the privilege of understanding exactly how God would deal with their sins, but if they believed by faith that God would forgive, they were forgiven. I ask again, what is different now?

Perhaps it is the teaching of Jesus. That certainly helps. Jesus was the greatest teacher to ever live and His teaching is invaluable in transforming our thinking so that we can be changed. But, there is more to Christian living than trying really hard to follow the teaching of Jesus. What is different now?

The Holy Spirit.

It is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life that makes Christian living possible.

Christian living in two words

One old hymn write wisely reduced Christian living down to two words: Trust and Obey. Obey is trying really hard. It is trying really hard to pray and forgive and start our day with our Bible on our lap. Trying hard to obey is important. But, if that is all you do, you will never lay hold of John 10.10 living.

We must trust. We must trust that God will live His life through us. We must trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us. We must trust that we really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

Charles Stanley has written an incredibly helpful book on this. He says:

For too many believers the Christian life boils down to simply doing the best they can. There is no power or distinction that sets them apart from the way everyone else in this world exists. The good they do can be attributed to their own discipline, determination, and devotion to God, rather than His activity in their lives.

I meet believers all the time whose doctrine can be summed up in two statements:

1. Nobody’s perfect.

2. God understands.

For them, life is one long string of joys and sorrows with the distant promise of heaven at the end.

There is often a deep chasm between what Christians sing on Sunday and what they actually do on Monday through Saturday. Many are quick to argue that they should have a meaningful relationship with God and that somehow the truth they hear on Sunday should seep into their daily lives. But somehow the details of their lives are void of the Father’s divine influence.

If you want to live a life that is more than, “Nobody’s perfect; God understands” you have to trust and obey. Trust that the God of creation is living in you. Trust that the God who spoke the stars in place will empower you. Trust that you, like Paul, can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Abundant Christian living is about trying as hard as you can to live the Christian life, while at the same time recognizing that you’re trying is wood, hay and stubble. Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing.” (John 15.5) He didn’t say you will be even more successful in Christian living if you trust in Him. He said without Him you can do nothing.

Nothing. Let that word sink in.

God requires that you bring your best effort of Christian living to the table, all the while recognizing that your best effort is worthless.

God required a little boy to bring a lunch to Jesus in order to feed the 5,000—even though everyone knows that a little boy’s lunch can never feed 5,000. God required that men push back the stone covering Lazarus’s dead body that would be smelly if God did not do His work. God requires us to, “Give of your best to the Master…” knowing that your best is nothing.

This is two-fisted Christian living. Trust and obey. Try as hard as you can. Strain. Strive. Struggle. Sweat. But know all that straining and striving and struggling is just hoisting the sail. Unless the Wind of the Sprit blows, you will never move toward John 10.10 living.

Trust and obey.