We believe. We believe less. We repent. We resist. We confess. We are blinded by our pride. We are sincere and then insincere. It is like every other circumstance in our lives where our emotions and our will battle it out on the furrowed ground of our hearts – but we are never less saved, less held, or less rescued in the conflict.

When something has been done on my behalf, even if I don’t believe it yet doesn’t mean that it still isn’t so. Even if I don’t know a particular truth yet doesn’t mean that it isn’t relevant. Once I finally begin to believe it, grasp it, or accept it is when the power of that truth comes alive for me personally. Truth was no less true before I embraced it. What changed my life was when I began believing it. It didn’t suddenly become true at that point. It became real to me, but truth was always true.

I have been thinking about the way we talk to people about the Good News. Rather than engaging in some exercise which tries to get people to say a certain prayer or sign on the dotted line to close the deal in some way I have begun to see this conversation more as leading with the answer.

I am more about telling people that they HAVE BEEN saved instead of trying to get them that way. What will change us is when we begin to believe it. I’m not asking someone to finally breakdown and admit that Christians are right. I’m not asking them to finally cry Uncle and give God the keys to their heart. I’m asking them to consider that something so outside of our influence happened on our behalf before we could have even known to ask for it.

What will change us is when we believe that. I have told people, “You have been saved. You just don’t know it yet. I’m not asking you to become something. I’m just saying that the peace that you’re hoping to find will begin to be realized when you begin to believe this, but you have been saved.”

Repentance comes when we begin to see the weight of what it all means. Sometimes that might be instantaneously. Other times it might be a gradual growing into repentance as all this becomes real to us. Either way, repentance isn’t a one-stop shop and I don’t know if anyone has ever been convinced into sincere repentance. Repentance is ongoing just as our believing is fluctuating.

We believe. We believe less. We repent. We resist. We confess.

This kind of coming to faith seems more organic to me than just watching people get their spiritual passports stamped. Putting the truth of who Jesus is and what he has done for us in this light keeps the truth the truth for me. Guiding others toward the way and person of Jesus is much different than trying to get them branded.

We believe. We believe less. We repent. We resist. We confess.