While attending college I took a local youth group to camp where the leader manipulated the youth to artificially speak in tongues. I was appalled, determining to separate myself from that teaching if that was how it was supposed to be done. The good side of that experience was my hunger for truth led me to research that doctrine in the Bible. Through that I discovered truths about the gift of tongues I had never read or heard before.
When sitting in a seminary grad class on 1 Corinthians, the professor interpreted a passage about that gift of the Holy Spirit identical to what I had discovered in my studies. I could hardly sit in my chair!! I felt validated!! I’ll never forget that professor!
Dallas Willard once raised the question, “Do you believe what Jesus believed—not just what He said but what He believed?” Great question! It is one thing to say, I believe what Jesus said, but quite another to say I believe what Jesus believed! If I believed what He believed while on this earth, I would behave like He behaved and talk like He talked and even think like He thought.
What did Jesus believe about serving others when He taught the parable of the good Samaritan? What did Jesus believe that motivated Him to forgive the woman who had broken the law by committing adultery then told her to, “Go and sin no more”? What did Jesus believe about paying taxes when He told Peter to go fishing and he would find a coin in the mouth of a fish that would pay their taxes? What did Jesus believe about forgiving others when He told the parable in Matthew 18:21-35 about forgiving from the heart someone who owed you something or who you felt had somehow abused you?
No one can believe what Jesus believed without first having a personal spiritual regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Nor can one learn to believe as He believed without desiring to spend significant amounts of time mediating on God’s Word. The Bible is an expression of God’s mind. As a person reads and studies it intelligently, humbly and openly, that person comes to increasingly think like He thinks. There is a natural connection between a proper use of God’s Word and the fruit of being connected to the vine as Jesus said. John 15:1-2, 5-8 I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
I’m certainly far from thinking or believing all of what Jesus believed or thought. But I so want to be that kind of Christ-follower! That is one reason why I have such a passion to dig beneath the surface of what is said in His Word. By His grace I am convinced that His Word will transform my way of thinking and believing. If we dig in His Word together, we will be able to learn and be transformed faster. Can we take this journey together?
I’m challenged by this. We’re on a series now on Groeschel’s book called the Christian Atheist. It like having Christianity without Christ. Do we have a form or even a culture of Christianity, but no Christ?