The Spirit Of Truth

Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

ACCORDING TO RESEARCH, many “Christians” no longer believe that God is the supreme Creator and Ruler of the universe. Such “Christians” believe that everyone is god or that maybe god is simply the realization of one’s human potential. More than half of “Christians” don’t believe that the Holy Spirit or Satan are real, and tens of millions don’t believe that Jesus is the divine Son of God. Finally, almost half of “Christians” don’t believe the Bible is completely true.^a

Such “Christians” are not really Christians. It is impossible to follow Jesus yet disregard, discredit, and disbelieve his Word. Simply put, to follow Jesus is to believe Jesus.

Believing Jesus has been fundamental to following Jesus from the beginning. When you read through the Gospels and observe Jesus’ interactions with his disciples, you see him continually teaching them truth and challenging their thinking. In every story and every conversation, Jesus turns his disciples’ minds upside down with his words. Though he never enrolled his disciples in a formal school or sat them down in a classroom, Jesus used every situation, every conversation, every miracle, and every moment to mold their minds to become like his.

Then, as Jesus prepared his disciples for his death and departure, he promised them his Spirit, “the Spirit of truth . . . [who] will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”^b (Note: According to Jesus, the Holy Spirit is real.) To be a disciple of Jesus was (and is) to be devoted to the words of Jesus. “If you abide in my word,” Jesus says, “you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. . . . If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”^c

From the start, the promises and privileges of following Jesus with your life were tied to believing Jesus with your mind. And according to Scripture, the minds, hearts, and lives of Christians revolve entirely around the words of Christ.

Pray that God would overcome any unbelief in you and give you faith to gladly submit to his Word.