The Divine Blessings of Faithful Faith

The divine blessings of faithful faith are incalculable.

This post was written by Kyle Swanson, Pastor at Redeemer Bible Church in Gilbert, Arizona. He is also a contributor of Redeeming Truth Podcast. Find him on Twitter as @KyleJSwanson.

One of the most common deficiencies I see in pastoral ministry is a focus on the “why” of being a Christian. So often the focus becomes the “what” or the “how,” without instilling into the believer the underlying motivations given by God through His Word for obedience to His Word. The practice (whether active or passive) of avoiding divinely granted motivations and blessings seems to be creating a functional gap in connecting the head, the heart, and the actions of believers in Jesus’ Church. So the question is, what is the cure?

It is my contention that the cure for motivating Christians toward holy and righteous living in accordance with the Word of God is the proper instruction and application of the divine blessings of faithful faith. Why word it that way? Because we can always encourage God’s people to have faith. And we can always encourage them to BE faithful. But the notion of the faithful practice of faith, with the self-effacing and Christ-centered posture that it requires, would be simple asceticism without God the Father’s kind and gracious motivations.

Foundation of Agape Love

Everything the Christian life calls for is founded in self-sacrificing love. Love as a verb, not as a feeling. When we properly understand the human constitution having multiple heart functions (namely knowing, feeling, and doing), the Christian life becomes easy to counsel. It is difficult to counsel someone to change their feelings. However, if the underlying truth of the matter is different than you might think, and a new truth or reality is what is true or real, then feelings are easier to shift.

I often use the analogy for anxiety issues of the ground beneath the feet of the person. Are they afraid to take another step, thinking that the ground would open up and swallow them? Had they ever even considered that as a fear? When they inevitably answer NO, I ask then, how could you then have more confidence in the 40 miles of rock beneath your feet, than in the God of the Universe who upholds that rock by the word of His power? The example is apropos, the knowledge dictates the feelings.

With this framework, it is easy to counsel people’s love as God-instructed and directed actions. Those actions are to be obeyed in faith, based on the good and unchangeable character of God who is worthy of our obedience, praise, and worship due to His nature. And thus, agape love becomes the mode by which our affections fall in line to the truth we live and obey, based on that divine character.

God-Given Motivations for Faithfulness

The Westminster Confession of Faith teaches us that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Most Christians focus exclusively on the “glorify God” aspect, and forget that God also designed for us to “enjoy Him forever!” And with a New Creation mindset, understanding that our actions in this life as believers have weight for eternity, we know that God has prepared wonderful gifts and rewards for faithfulness. Jesus called them “treasures in heaven.” And I reject the notion that somehow these are spiritual in nature, or ONLY spiritual in nature. God gave us motivations, blessings, gifts, crowns, rewards, and positions in His Kingdom to motivate us BEYOND simply our desire to bring Him glory. The two elements work hand in hand!

Conclusion

The joy of the Christian life is unspeakable and multi-faceted. However, God in His infinite grace and wisdom not only determined to save His people, but to offer us His only Son, the righteousness of Christ, the gifts of grace, forgiveness, and salvation, adoption into His household, and also to accomplish righteousness and good works THROUGH us… and then reward us for it. Christian, if that doesn’t excite your soul and show you God’s immeasurable love for you and His immeasurable WORTH of our worship, then I don’t know what does!

God created a world for you to bring Him glory. And through the faithfulness of your faith, He desires to give you gifts, to shower you with blessing, to establish you for eternity as a member of His household and His Kingdom, and to grow you in joy in each successive moment of eternity. The divine blessings of faithful faith are incalculable, and are indeed worth suffering the loss of this world in order to gain.