“Jesus said, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.'”
(John 14:6 NLV)
If you could imagine the path of your life between two points – the point where you said yes to God’s invitation to eternal life and the point where you will enter into that eternal life – what shape would that path be? For some people it may be pretty straight, but I’d guess that for most of us it has some turns and twists. Those turns and twists aren’t necessarily because we turn our backs completely on God (although that can happen, too), but because our hearts aren’t always wanting to go where God wants us to go.
Recently our pastor shared something his pastor had said about the journey of the Christian faith. The first step, of course, is to receive the gift of grace that God offers us. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 NIV) Once we become believers we are “converts,” convinced that Jesus is our Savior and now set on the path to eternal life lived with God.
As we learn and grow as a believer, the teachers in our lives write the Word of Truth on our hearts and we find ourselves changed. The second level in becoming a disciple is becoming an “epistle” or letter. This is someone who begins to be not just a hearer of the Word but a doer of the Word of God. In fact, others around you can see the changes in your life. One of the great teachers of the faith, Paul, said it this way, “Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.” (2 Corinthians 3:2 NLT) An “epistle,” then, is a believer who is continuing to grow and the growth shows.
As an epistle grows in their faith, they grow into the role of a full disciple – someone who is dwelling or abiding in the Word, obeying Christ’s teachings, living in accordance with them. “So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word [continually obeying My teachings and living in accordance with them, then] you are truly My disciples.” (John 8:31 NIV). An immature believer just follows Jesus when the circumstances are right or they feel like it. But a disciple’s life is more and more disciplined to look more and more like Jesus. And, as a result, the fruit of that life is God’s Light shining out for all to see.
So, when he taught on this, I immediately began wondering where I was on this path of convert-epistle-disciple. I know myself and my struggles with sin, lies of the enemy, bad habits and practices, bad attitudes, the desires of my flesh, and so much more that can keep me from staying on the perfect path of Jesus’s call and grace. I can certainly say that during some times in my life my path looked more like the child’s travels in a “Family Circus” cartoon. Maybe your life has looked much the same. Thank God for his Grace!!
But maybe God’s grace is kind of like a fishing line. When you first hook the fish, you give it some leeway and let it run out a bit. But soon enough you reel it in closer and closer so the line has less give and you are closer and closer to your fish. Maybe when we are just converts God lets us have more “play” in our lines. As baby Christians we wander around somewhat cluelessly like a preschool child, making mistakes, stumbling and even falling down, but our loving Father encourages us to get up, try it again, and get back on the discipleship path. As we get spiritually older he lovingly tightens the boundaries, showing us the benefits and blessings of being more mature in Christ. He shows us how it delights his heart to see us growing, serving, loving, and generally reflecting his Goodness to the world. Our “line” to the Father may be tighter, but we know the benefits of closeness!
No matter what our actual path may have looked like, I think God is pleased if we are continually – generally – going toward him in what author Eugene Peterson’s book called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. There is only one Path, one Way, one Truth and one Life. That One is always calling us to move forward toward the Abundant Life he offers us, both here on earth and for eternity. No matter what our struggles or sins may be, let us hold fast to the teachings that have been given to us and run the race set before us – a long obedience toward Jesus.
God of Grace,
Thank you for your invitation to become your children and for your Holy Spirit you set within us when we became converts. Thank you that no matter the shape of our spiritual path, you continually love us, will forgive us, and encourage us to move forward on that path. Thank you for all the teachers in our lives who challenge us and encourage us to become more and more like you. Help us to throw off everything that hinders and entangles us so we can run with perseverance the race marked out for us, a long obedience toward the direction of being fully Christ-like. Guard us, guide us, and never let us go. We pray in the strong name of Christ, Amen.
Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life.” (John 14:6 MSG)
Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. (John 14:6 AMP)
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15 NIV)
“[L]et us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)
I’m not going back, I’m moving ahead
Here to declare to you my past is over in you
All things are made new, surrendered my life to Christ
You make all things new (you make all things new)
Yes, you make all things new and I will follow you forward**
**Songwriters: Israel Houghton / Roger SanchezMoving Forward lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Sentric Music