Tag: Providence Reformed Church

God is not Embarrassed

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Christian, if you are honest, you will know what it feels like to have a person be embarrassed by the word of God. Perhaps even you have been a little ashamed of what the word says. After all, the claims of the word are so very counter-cultural. God’s word has standards for human sexuality, gender, and marriage that are unpopular. The word tells stories of violent conquest that our world has trouble understanding. The exclusivity of Jesus Christ is simply not socially acceptable.

But, Christian, it is worthwhile for you and me to remember that God’s word is the revelation of God himself. The Scripture is how we know God. If you want to know what God is like, you must know him from his revealed word. And there is no discrepancy. Jesus is God in flesh, the word made flesh, who reveals God to us. The writings of Peter, Paul, Moses, Isaiah, Luke, James, and the rest are also the word of God—God revealing himself and his ways to us. And we have no right whatsoever to pretend that we can look at the word of God and judge any part of it more appropriate or less appropriate than any other part. All Scripture reveals the Lord.

God is God. God is perfect. When God tells us who he is or what he desires, we must understand that his ways are perfect. And when God’s ways do not match our cultural sensitivities, we must understand that God is still God and we are not.

All this came to mind as I was reading through the opening of 2 Thessalonians. As Paul writes to a church facing persecution, Paul comforts them by reminding them of the coming judgment of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 – 5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

My goal here is not to unpack the whole passage, but to notice the way that God inspired Paul to speak of his coming wrath in the judgment. The words in the verses above are an unashamed proclamation that Christ is coming, and he is bringing the wrath of God with him for those who reject him. Paul in fact intends to comfort the church in Thessalonica by reminding them that, regardless of how they suffer now, there is a day coming when Christ will return, will bring vengeance upon those who have attacked and hated the church, and will be glorified and marveled at by his saints.

Notice that, as Paul writes this, there is no blush. There is no sheepish grin. There is no hint of Paul hiding from what the word is saying. Paul does not apologize for the barbaric idea of wrath to come. Paul does not suggest that we deemphasize hell since it is off-putting to the world. Paul does not act as though this promise of judgment is a figurative notion for the primitive that the mature can outgrow. Paul knows Jesus will return. Paul knows that Christ will reward the forgiven and judge the damned. Paul knows this, proclaims it, and brings the church comfort through it.

The only way that Paul could write this proclamation with such boldness under the inspiration of God is if God is also willing to boldly proclaim it. This is the point that gets my attention. God is not ashamed of hell. Many in the church today are, but God is not. God is not embarrassed by his promise of the judgment to come. God knows that his ways are perfect, regardless of the sensitivities of the secular culture or a weak church. And, Christians, if we are to be like our God, we need to say what God says about what God will do. If God is not ashamed of his ways, shame on us if we allow ourselves to be ashamed of them. Yes, communicate with kindness and sensitivity. But never, no not ever, allow yourself to be embarrassed by the Lord’s ways, as to be ashamed of the ways of God is to be ashamed of God himself. To be ashamed of God is to put yourself above him, morally considering your own mind superior to his. God is not embarrassed in his perfection. Neither should we be ashamed of the perfect ways of the lord.

Two Reasons for Thanksgiving

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When the apostle Paul visited the city of Thessalonica for the first time as a Christian missionary, he was only there for about three weeks before having to move on. Paul shared the gospel and taught the basics of the faith to the people as much as he could. But after his departure, Paul feared for the wellbeing of the saints. After all, he had not been there for long, and persecution had arisen.

Both in 1 Thessalonians and its companion letter, Paul receives word that the saints are holding strong in the faith. And this causes Paul to rejoice.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 – We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Notice the two reasons for which Paul gives thanks here. These are things that you and I must, if we are wise Christians, want to be true of us as well. Their faith was growing abundantly. Their love for one another was increasing.

How do you help your faith to grow? This is the process of sanctification. The Christians of Thessalonica were becoming more stable and firm in their trust in the Savior. God gives us tools to help in this area for ourselves. Prayer, Bible reading, participation in worship, Lord’s Supper, Christian fellowship, all these things (and more) are part of how we are strengthened in our faith.

What actually grabbed my attention in this reading, however, was the second thing for which Paul gives thanks. Paul said, “The love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” Two things get my attention. First was the scope of the love. The love that was here was a love of every one of those people for one another. Christian love in Thessalonica was not a thing only for persons of a certain emotional makeup. NO, the reason Paul gave thanks was that every Christian in the church was loving the brothers and sisters.

Then, of course, it does get my attention that loving one another is a significant reason for thanksgiving. After all, Christian love in the body is vital to the glory of Christ spreading around the globe. Paul can speak of strengthened faith and Christian love in the same breath because both issues are absolutely necessary for the church to be what God has called her to be. We cannot have strong faith and right doctrine and these be enough to please the Lord. WE must have a genuine love for one another, or our faith is empty and many of our religious actions are meaningless (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1-4).

So, Christians, do you want to be the kind of folks for which the apostle would have given thanks? This is, after all, a thanksgiving inspired by God, so it reflects the heart of God. If you want this, then strive for these two things: strengthened faith and Christian love. Do not be satisfied with your faith where it is. Seek to grow. Participate in worship, fellowship, and spiritual disciplines. And seek to grow in your love for other believers. Do not be satisfied with an all-head and no heart or an all-heart and no head faith.

What the Bible Really Is

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When you think of the Bible, what do you think it is? Be careful here. I’d ask that you not give me an answer that is a stock response, which is true, but which may not match your actual beliefs. If you say the Bible is the word of God, does your thinking in relation to biblical issues match that statement?

1 Thessalonians 2:13 – And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

When Paul preached to the people in Thessalonica, he spoke to them as an apostle. That means that Paul brought the message of God with the authority of God to those people. And Paul was thrilled to see that, when they heard this message of God with the authority of God, they welcomed it as such.

Paul saw that the Thessalonians received the word of God as the word of God. They heard the message, and they understood that they were hearing the word, the communication, the heart expression of God. As a contrast, to make his point clear, Paul said that they did not receive this message as the word of men. This was not a message that they could debate. This was not a message they could receive part of and leave the rest. It is an all-or-nothing proposition.

Dear friends, what Paul said of the Thessalonians needs to be true of us. The Lord as inspired and preserved his holy word. God has spoken. And we need to receive the Scriptures, not as the words of men, but as they truly are, the word of God. We cannot take part and leave the rest. We cannot debate with the Bible. WE cannot adopt what we like or what is popular while letting the rest fly away. We need to read the Bible and realize that, in doing so, we are hearing the voice of God.

Signs of Election

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How do you react to the use of the word “chosen” for those who are the children of God? Some folks get very excited about the concept of election. OF course, others are strongly put off by the whole notion. And many have bigtime questions about how it all works.

What we cannot deny is the fact that the idea of being chosen or elected to salvation is a concept that runs through the New Testament. WE find it in book after book and teaching after teaching. So we should not ignore it.

The debate over sovereign election is not what is on my mind. Rather, I am thinking a bit about how we know who are the elect. After all, we do not have access to God’s perfect knowledge of the future. We do not have access to the Lamb’s book of life that was written before the dawn of time. How can we tell who is among the elect?

1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 – 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 1:4 that he knows that the people in the church of Thessalonica are chosen by God. How does he know? It is not because of any sort of apostolic knowledge of the secrets of the Lord. Instead, Paul knows those people are elect because he shared the gospel with them, and they responded.

Paul says that the gospel came to them in power, Spirit, and conviction. As Paul shared the word of God with these people, the power of God and the Spirit of God brought about genuine, life-changing conviction. The people changed in how they thought about Jesus. They changed in how they lived their lives.

Notice that the Thessalonians willingly received the gospel message even though they suffered to do so. They experienced the genuine joy of the Spirit of God, even in the face of persecution and hardship. They also let their faith be known to others, they shared the gospel.

Yes, I know many folks are bothered by discussions of election. Many are harshly and emotionally divided over this issue. And while I have a strong opinion here, one which I believe to be biblically informed, I think there is something to learn from the simplicity of what Paul said and did here. Paul shared the gospel with these people. He did not worry about who was or was not elect. And when people responded to the gospel in faith and repentance, he knew that those folks had been chosen by God.

What then do we need to do? We need to know that God is almighty. We need to take the gospel to all people everywhere. We need to trust that God changes hearts and saves souls. And we can expect to see genuine changes in the lives of those who are genuinely saved. There will be joy. There will be a willingness to follow Jesus even in the face of persecution. There will be repentance, worship, and evangelism. And when we see those things, we should, like Paul, be confident that someone has been chosen by God.

Victory — Another Important Question of Faith

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The Christian life is a life of faith. WE must believe the word of God. We must trust that what he has told us about himself, about what he has done, and about what he will do is true. The presence or lack of such belief is definitive for the follower of Jesus.

Often, when we talk about questions of faith, we talk about Jesus. WE talk about his life, death, and resurrection. Are you willing to believe in Jesus in such a way as to entrust your soul to him and his finished work? Are you willing to believe that he can and will save you? These are important questions of faith.

But there is another question of faith we ask less often. It has to do with the promises of God for the future we are still awaiting.

Revelation 15:2-5 – 2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
4 Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

In this section of the book of Revelation, John looks and sees victorious saints of God. They have conquered the beast and his number. They have refused to be marked out as followers of the world’s system. They have refused to bow to the evils of the age for temporal success. And they stand as victors.

The victorious saints will sing the praise of the Lord. And look at that song. God is great and amazing. God’s ways are perfect and just. And, catch the promise, all peoples will fear the Lord. All nations will come and worship the Lord. God will have this world for his very own.

This question of faith is significant. Do you believe the song? Do you believe that the Lord will be victorious? Do you believe that the Lord will have people worshipping him from every corner of the globe? Do you believe that all people will fear the Lord? Do you take any time to rejoice in the certain victory of Jesus Christ?

Friends, we serve the conquering King. Jesus has been through death. He has come out the other side. He will not go through defeat again. Jesus will be victorious. HE will build his church. His gospel will spread over the globe. He will return in power and glory. He will be acknowledged globally as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Stop and think how important this is. How important is it to remember that our savior is not defeated and will not be defeated? How important is it to remember that all who love the Lord Jesus will reign with him eternally? How important is it to remember that, no matter how polarized the world appears, there is only one winning side? How important is it to remember that the God who made this world will have it as his own?

This is a question of faith. Christian, do you believe in the victory of Jesus?

Salvation Belongs to Our God

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In Revelation 7, we see a multitude of people from every nation offering praise to God. Often when I read that passage, I am struck by the content of the multitude, the multi-national collection of people to the glory of God. But this time I am more interested in the content of the song of praise.

Revelation 7:9-12 – 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

The claim that is made by the multitude, a claim intended to honor our Lord, is what has my attention. These people declare that salvation belongs to the Lord. O, I know, that is not a shocking thing. You’ve read this before. But stop and think. God inspired in his holy word a reminder for us to see that the proper way to worship the Lord includes an understanding that the Lord owns salvation.

Compare this to how many people think, and perhaps you will see the implications of the claim. I’ve been in multiple conversations with people about the issue of salvation. Sometimes these have been with folks who claim Christ and sometimes not. But I’m no longer surprised when I hear people being critical of the plan of salvation. I am not surprised when a person, whether by word or by tone, lets me know that they simply do not approve of the way that God has chosen to save. And here I’m not even thinking of the issue of sovereign election. I’m simply thinking of salvation that is exclusively by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

If you talk with folks who do not know Jesus, and with some who claim to know Jesus, you will find that there is something off-putting about the idea that there is only one way of salvation. You will find that folks are bothered by the fact that God does not bring about the salvation of every human being. You will find folks bothered by the biblical claim that those who are faithful followers of other world religions are lost.

But remember what the song of praise in Revelation 7 tells us, “Salvation belongs to our God.” The entire issue of salvation, from its doctrine to its accomplishment, belongs to the Lord. It is God’s property. It is up to him and to him only to determine how he will save, by what means he will forgive any. We must recall that it would be totally just of God not to save any human being.

If salvation belongs to our God, if it is his and his alone, how can we be anything but sinful if we question his goodness for saving in the way that he saves? If this is God’s property, we have no right to tell him how things should be done. WE have no right to pretend that, were we the owners of salvation, we would do it differently. That is, of course, just another way of telling God that he is wrong for not saving in the way that most pleases us in our limited understanding.

Christians, be careful not to allow yourself to look at that which is God’s property and then make a moral judgment as to how God ought to dole it out. Be careful not to let yourself think you know things better than God. Be careful not to assign to yourself cleaner motives or greater kindness than the Lord displays. Be careful not to allow your lack of understanding of the ways of God lead you to question the perfection of those ways. Salvation is God’s. It is right for him to accomplish it in exactly the way he does. To question that is to put yourself above and against the Lord, and that is dangerously sinful.

Who Can Stand?

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It is funny what happens to us when we let our minds become too focused on the present. We look at a world where so much is wrong, and it can be easy to want to hide. Politics is ugly. Social standards are not godly. Many churches seem to be focused on all sorts of things other than the word of God and his worship.

It is, I believe, for seasons like this that God gave us a book like Revelation. This glorious book is so much less about giving us a firm timeline for the future and so much more about showing us the victorious Savior. Revelation shows us that, in a hard world that hates its Creator, the Lord Jesus is gloriously victorious.

Consider how this scene of prophecy might change how we think about our circumstances.

Revelation 6:12-17 – 12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

With the opening of the sixth seal in Revelation 6, we see a scene of stunning power. Jesus is changing the world. Without getting into what the signs in the heavens may tell us, just look at the very end. When this day comes, the mightiest in the world will tremble. When the Savior returns, the greatest will not stand arrogantly or defiantly against the Lord. Instead, these will cry out to the mountains. They would prefer to be crushed than to be seen by the Lord who is coming.

Right now, in our world, there is a great deal of bluster. Many people mock the things of God. Many rebel purposefully against the standards of the Lord. And it appears that there are no consequences. But the Book of Revelation reminds us that a day will come when the Lord returns. A day will come when the Savior is seen by all. A day will come when the biggest and brashest of braggarts will realize that they no longer have a place to stand. A day will come when all will realize that Jesus is God in the flesh, that Jesus is Lord, and that Jesus will judge. A day will come when those who oppose Jesus would rather be under an avalanche than under his holy gaze.

I’m not here taking delight in the death of the wicked. But I am taking delight in the fact that, no matter how backward the world looks today, Jesus will set it right. And this gives me confidence today. If I know that Christ is coming, if I know that his judgment is inevitable, if I know that his grace is mine through faith, then I can live with that hope. I need not let this world discourage me. Jesus has promised to return. Jesus has promised victory. And I am counted in Christ with a secure hope.

A Most Important Mindset

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When you read the New Testament, there are certain truths that are vitally important. God wants you to grasp the identity of Jesus as God the Son. God wants you to grasp that your salvation must come by his grace alone through faith alone in Christ. God wants you to grasp that a person who is saved obeys the commands of God, loves other believers, worships and fellowships in the church, shares the gospel, and lives for God’s glory in the family. And, of course there are many more top issues.

If we watch throughout the New Testament, we also see an issue of mental perspective that is vital for Christian living. This issue is all over the place in the New Testament, and when we miss it, our lives are significantly more miserable. Wen we get it right, we do far better.

Check out the mindset Jesus wants the people of the church in Smyrna to have.

Revelation 2:8-11 – 8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. 9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

This note from the Savior to a church in Asia Minor at the end of the 1st century begins with a hint at the mindset I’m pointing toward. Jesus identifies himself as the one who lives after death. That is a key, the resurrection and eternal life of Jesus. Then Jesus makes it plain that the church in Smyrna is headed for some significant persecution. In fact, this church is headed for the kind of persecution that will cost some believers their lives. At the end of verse 10, the Savior says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

In verses 8, 10, and 11, Jesus points to eternal life after death. Jesus is the risen Savior who lives forever (v. 8). Those who are faithful unto death will have the crown of life (v. 10). The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death (v. 11), an eternal death.

What then is the mindset that is so important? Jesus is calling the people to have an eternal perspective. He is calling for the people to see that their lives are not bound up in the 70 or 80 years that people live on earth. Jesus wants his followers to have their hope firmly set on life after death. Jesus wants us to see that the crown of life and participation in his resurrection, a genuine and physical resurrection, is more important than the sufferings that we might face today. Even should our hardships cost us our lives, they are overcome by the glorious truth that Jesus died and yet lives, and so shall all who are in Christ live eternally.

Christians, check your mindset. Are you focused on eternity? Is your hope in the life after this one? Are you longing for the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the saints? Or is your focus on this life, its’ comforts and heartaches? May we have the mindset that would stand strong in the face of good or evil in this life, because we know that our hope is in eternal life with Christ.

A Verse I wish We Believed

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Sometimes we see truth told to us with absolute clarity. Sometimes we hear it and understand it. And sometimes, even when we say that we do, we do not believe it.

Isaiah 55:6-9

6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We see, as Isaiah speaks to the people, that God is inviting people to turn from their sin and turn to him for mercy. This is a beautiful reminder from the Lord that he forgives sin and pardons those who come to him at his invitation. And I would suggest that, in general, people tend to believe it. They may have varying definitions in their minds as to what sin is or what is the way to find God’s mercy, but many agree that God will pardon us for our wrong if we will come.

The problem comes in the next verses. In verses 8-9, God makes a claim that, again, I would suggest that most people would say they agree with. The problem is, we say we believe it and we actually do not. God claims that his thoughts, his ways, his mind is infinitely beyond ours, as far above us as is the sky.

Why do I say that we do not believe that verse? The reason is that so many people, inside and outside of local churches, put themselves in a position to judge the actions, standards, and ways of the Lord. People will look at what God says about marriage, about sexuality, about justice, about worship, or about something else, and they will suggest that what the word says is not good enough. They will see what God says about how he saves, and they will make it clear that they are not fond of God’s ways. Perhaps they will buck against the idea of one way to God, by grace through faith in Christ. Perhaps they will battle against the idea of God’s sovereign election. Perhaps they will simply oppose the concept of eternal hell. But people look at the ways of God and assume that we can propose a better idea.

Or look at our own lives under divine providence. How often do we think that God has not treated us as we deserve? How often do we see the injustices done to us and believe that God should have done things differently? I’ve been hurt in my life. I’m sure you have been hurt in yours. Do we not, if we are not careful, act as though we should be able to understand God’s ways in why he has allowed certain things? But, just as God answered Job, we too must see that we are too finite to grasp all that is behind the mysterious ways of the Holy god. And, just as Job answered God, we should be humble before the Holy One.

We should, of course, be grateful to God for what he has revealed to us about himself. God has made himself known throughout the Scriptures. God sent his Son to live a human life so that we might see a more tangible display of his character. God has given us his Holy Spirit that we might better understand his word and his heart. But the truth is, while we live in our sin-scarred forms, while we live seeing through a glass dimly, we are not going to grasp the vast wisdom of the Lord. Yes, we continue to study the word. Often, if we will study faithfully, we will learn that the Lord has great and solid reasons behind every law, every standard, every plan, every action. But there will also be times when we must grasp that God is good, God is perfect, God knows all, and God’s ways are not ours.

Christians, do not give up on knowing the Lord or his ways. Do not even give up on understanding the why behind the commands of the Lord. But let your understanding of the Lord be from his revelation of himself in his word and not from your own mind. God’s word is perfect and profitable to teach you. Your mind and thoughts, left to your best wisdom, is far beneath that of the Lord. Your best philosophy, even your best science, will not match the perfect mind of the Lord. Come to him humbly. Accept his word and ways with the knowledge that his mind is greater than the greatest human minds. Believe his word. And come to him for mercy just like a little child coming to a loving parent for care.

Saving Faith or Non-Saving Faith

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We know we are saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone. We also know that there is a kind of faith, or a thing often called faith, which is clearly not a saving faith. If one looks at John 2:23-25, the concept is quite clear.

John 2:23–25 – 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

In this passage, we see people believing in Jesus, but not in a saving type of faith. Many people, the text tells us, believed in his name. The word there for believed is the same word for faith as in saving faith, so there is no language study that makes this passage say something we do not see clearly. They believed in Jesus. Jesus would not entrust himself to them. They had a type of belief, but not one that saved.

Take a peek at a few things that I’ve grabbed from John Murray on this topic, and perhaps it will help you to see the things that must be present in saving faith. Murray offers us 3 characteristics of saving faith, and I think they are quite helpful.

***

There are three things that need to be said about the nature of faith. Faith is knowledge, conviction, and trust.

1. Knowledge… We must know who Christ is, what he has done, and what he is able to do. There must be apprehension of the truth respecting Christ…

2. Conviction. Faith is assent. We must not only know the truth respecting Christ but we must also believe it to be true…

3. Trust. Faith is knowledge passing into conviction, and it is conviction passing into confidence. Faith cannot stop short of self-commitment to Christ, a transference of reliance upon ourselves and all human resources to reliance upon Christ alone for salvation. It is a receiving and resting upon him. [John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955, 2015), Part II, Chapter IV.]

***

In the passage in John 2, people had knowledge of Jesus, to a certain degree. They even believed what they saw, to a certain degree. But there was no wholesale entrusting of themselves to Christ. The people believed in facts and power, but they failed to trust the person of Jesus. Saving faith is a resting of one’s entire self, one’s entire soul, one’s entire eternity on the person and work of Jesus. You must know the facts presented about Jesus, you must believe those facts, and you must entrust yourself to Jesus. Miss those things, and you miss saving faith.