Theoretical Faith or More
Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
The Bible use a challenging term for saving faith: “believe in.” Saving faith is more than a casual connection to or admiration of Jesus. It’s not being on the outside looking in, and it’s different from a philosophical alignment.
I just heard an interesting way to think about this: Let’s say you are dating someone (Do they date anymore?). And the person you’re dating is honest, caring, humble, and all those things you think a mate should be. When you say, “I do” you’re not committing to a set of attributes. You are committing to a person and a relationship.
This is what Jesus was getting at when he asked Peter, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). And asking this question three times forced Peter to think about it instead of a quick “Yes I do.” and moving on. Jesus wants to be more to us than the instrument of our salvation. He is not honored when we want God’s gifts but not God. Another biblical way to describe the relationship is having a meal together.
So there’s good news and bad news here. The bad news is that I don’t love Jesus the way I should. I am broken and self-centered. The good news is that he loves me. His love for me is my only hope – not my love for him.
Jesus, you are worth more than my admiration or gratitude. In the end, you are everything. I’m sorry that I so often, like a child, focus on your gifts to me and leave you in the corner. Thank you for loving me with a perfect love. I want to see you the way I should, love you the way I should, and trust you the way I should. Please cause that to happen.
Song: Turn Your Eyes