“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” (1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV84)

Christianity is not merely a philosophical set of presuppositions that one adopts as true, and that’s it. I am not saying that it’s not partially a philosophical worldview but rather that the Christian faith is more. I know a lot of propositional truths that for the most part I ignore. The truths of the Christian faith cannot be ignored. They must be understood with the head and believed with the heart and trusted with all that we are. The theologians of the reformation said that faith was the Spirit-empowered connection of knowledge, assent and trust. Without all three the faith falters.

In that last sentence I mention the key component to all of this: the Holy Spirit. He alone can bring power and conviction to the truths we believe, understand and live by. The Holy Spirit works constantly in our lives to keep our focus on the kingdom of God and not the kingdom of this world. Through the power of the Gospel He transforms our lives. He makes us born again. We Christians don’t just adopt a new thought process; we are converted to an entirely new way of living and being. We are not the same people we were before we met Jesus. This is the power of the kingdom of God. It isn’t just a philosophy that can be assented to outwardly. It is the very power of God that raises us to new life in Jesus Christ.

May we rely daily on the kingdom’s power to change us, transform us and sustain us.

Peace!

Pastor Tom