God Alone Changes Minds

Scott Price

“For who makes you to differ from another?  And what do have you that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why did you boast as if you had not received it?” I Cor 4:7

It is constantly and freshly amazing to me of the contrast in love of the truth of the gospel of Christ and the hatred of it by the world, especially the religious world. The more we study, learn, and grow in the grace of our Lord the more amazing grace is to us and at the same time we continually see and detest our own unrighteousness and the supposed merit of our pitiful works that we used to think was impressive to a holy God. We now hunger for more gospel truth that gives our Savior glory. When this happens, it stirs us to meditate, praise, and worship the Lord. As God causes growth in us we see things that we did not see as clearly before and we rejoice in the gospel of Christ and are very thankful. Our life is hid in Him and He is the source of our constant joy.

The non-religious world has other priorities such as money, power, fame, pleasure, etc., which are all temporary. All these things and more to a greater or lesser degree are selfish and humanistic. The religious world is the most aggressive threat potentially to the physical well being of God’s people. Throughout history organized religion has killed more of God’s people than all else in history. False religion feeds off of what we use to, but we now hate and expose as evil: self-righteousness, prideful works religion, and a god that will accept it all.

Having dealt with people for years in the gospel of Christ, I have said that nothing would surprise me of the ridiculousness of false religion, but I am continually being shocked by the willful ignorance and utter blasphemy in the things I hear of it. It is not that we forget about the fact of their total depravity, but rather it is because of the love for the truth that God has worked in us. God’s people are caused to love the truth and to hate every false way. The same truth that we are set free with is the same truth, which is hated by the enemies of the cross. The same Elect and Precious Stone which is the Rock of our salvation and Chief Cornerstone is a stone of stumbling to self-righteous unbelievers. Christ Himself warned us of this fact of the contrast in thinking between them and us.

It is God alone that changes minds. This is what the good gifts of faith and repentance are all about, causing us to submit to Christ’s righteousness and reject our own in every form. We must give the unbelieving world the truth, in love. We, like them, were once in the position of unbelief. We are not on the believing side of the gospel because we were smarter than them. Who made us to differ? God has shown sovereign mercy on us and let us never forget it. We pray God will continue to show us the glory of His Son in the salvation of ungodly sinners and cause us to see it clearer everyday.