Thought for Thursday - Finish Line Faith
by Scott Hamilton on Thursday, 16th February 2012
Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement. And this we will do if God permits. - Hebrews 6:1-3 [ESV]
One of the great challenges of time management is finding time (as well as inclination) for exercise. Probably no industry makes more fad related money than home exercise companies. I pondered a elliptical trainer for a while (it rains a lot in Scotland... and no-one likes running in the rain... and the cold). In real terms the elliptical trainer is a curious piece of apparatus - unless you are exceptionally co-ordinated it’s hard to get away from the impression that you look like you are exercising to the actions of the great old camp song - Father Abraham.
Spiritually we are little different - up and down, fired up then washed out, passionate then passive. Hebrews 6 says quit with the spiritual fads and actually seek God’s face to build a legacy of God’s grace and greatness in your life. It offers us four simple truths to move past the part-time passivity of much of our walk with Christ to being a full-bore, fired-up follower.
Truth 1: The foundations are designed to be built upon (1a) When it says here elementary doctrine it is describing first and important truths. These things are foundational so we should know them already (they are the truths which first inspired faith) and we are called to live them. But foundations aren’t meant to stay as foundations. Hebrews says get past the base and be sure to build
Truth 2: Your faith must change your life (1b) Faith is not just belief but conviction, it designs to marry head with heart to produce lasting change. It performs a sharp u-turn from my way, in my time, in my strength (dead works) and says I’m not going to trust myself now but trust God. Dead works will always, always ask - have I done enough? Faith knows Christ has paid it all.
Truth 3: The fruit is there to be seen (2a) At some point we have got to get past the point of just saying that we are Christians and begin showing Christ and sharing Christ. Faith and repentance say my life is changed, baptism and the laying on of hands are a public declaration of faith in Christ. Want a solution to the fad you are living? Live a transformed life for a while and you will soon know the accountability and blessing of difference. ‘Wow, there’s something different about them...’
Truth 4 The finish is fixed in God’s promises (2b) That sounds costly, are you ready to yield all to God - it may cost you all. Here is something we need to realise - we disobey because we disbelieve. Whenever we choose our own way it is as if we say ‘God is not real to me’ or ‘God cannot be trusted with what matters to me’ or ‘God isn’t serious in ALL that He promises be it security or separation’
Consider this until you see there’s nothing that compares to it: His goal for your heart is transformation, He wants to bring you to maturity (finish what He has started in you). Are you living as if His best is not good enough, His worst is not bad enough but most of all His glory is not great enough or important enough. Give up the fad and give yourself fully today.