One of the joys of parenting is to watch children grow in their understanding of God and faith. To a toddler the Jesus figure in a Palm Sunday parade is literally Jesus and needs to hear the explanation that he is Mr. Jones, acting like Jesus. Beyond toddler literalism, middle-grades school children focus on fairness and see God as the judge handing out penalties for wrong behavior. They have a First Stage Merit-Based Faith. That’s the stage of most world religions.
A second stage is recognized by mainline churches at confirmation. Eighth graders affirm the faith they have been taught by their church—with as much understanding as a fourteen-year-old can have. In earlier centuries most church members remained at this Second Stage Confirmed Faith because they ran into few challenges. We are, of course, in a different world now. High school and college now present basic challenges to fundamentals of biblical faith, and many teens and college students abandon their confirmed faith.
We need now to focus on Third Stage Convicted Faith. With the help of supportive pastors and campus Christian organizations, some mainline young adults do reach that new stage and come back to their faith. Mainline churches that want to do well in this new culture will have to get better at helping youth reach third-stage-convicted faith. They should be asking, how do we get beyond confirmation faith?
Recognize also the fourth stage described by Paul: “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5: 16,17). Call this a Fourth Stage Close-to-God Faith. This is what Paul also described: “We are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3: 18) . I suspect in this passage many are confused about whose glory is increasing. The root meaning of the Greek word “glory” is a brilliant radiant light that comes from God. It is God’s radiance that is increasing as his people reflect his light in their Christ-like living.
Martin Luther himself offered a three-stage model very useful today. It appeared as an illustration in a sermon preached in 1521. Using the analogy of a sanctuary, he described a church-yard conscience, which concentrates on getting the rules of church life right. A nave (pew section) conscience characterizes those who are living faithfully but out of guilt with no joy. Progressing forward, those who are living with a heart changed by the Spirit have a chancel conscience. “Conscience” in classical theology describes what I am calling motivation.
Here is Luther’s ideal stage: “When the Spirit comes, he makes a pure, free, cheerful, glad and loving heart—a conscience made righteous by grace, seeking no reward, fearing no punishment, doing everything with joy.” Getting to this kind of glad and loving heart takes the Spirit’s work. It is not a human achievement.
Here is the proposed four-stage understanding of the faith-based relationship with God:
- Stage One — Merit based Faith
- Stage Two — Confirmed Faith
- Stage Three — Convicted Faith
- Stage Four — Close-to-God Faith
With Luther, I believe that all those who confess Christ as Savior will have eternal salvation, whatever the stage of their personal faith. Indeed, Jesus taught that unless you receive the kingdom as a child you will not enter it. The fourth stage is what the Apostle Paul described when he urged the Thessalonians to ”be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.”
A reasonable goal for a church pastor is to help participants move from Stage Two Confirmed Faith to at least Stage Three Convicted Faith. Congregations where most stay at Confirmed Faith are not going to do well in this new American culture we face. Further, what more practical question can church leaders deal with than guiding believers to be moved by the Spirit to the transformed life of Stage Four – Close-to-God Faith.
Stages Three and Four are an opportunity, not a duty. They are available only through the work of the Spirit. Reaching conviction brings welcome assurance of who a believer is in this current conflicted culture. Stage Four of living close to God brings the life-affirming special blessings of the fruit the Spirit produces: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I believe I heard something similar years ago by the Professor Dr. Theodore Jungkuntz on the images of faith in the Lutheran Confessions. Faith is receptivity (as a child receives from the parent nourishment and love) then comes trust (based on limited knowledge) then it grows in knowledge leading to assent. The development of a child towards adult hood and the development of faith as mere receptivity to assent are quite similar. Lutherans tend to focus on the first two images and miss out in growing a robust faith. Evangelicals by majoring on the last two miss out on the pureness of grace in the first two. Conclusion we need each other’s emphasis on both ends.
Thanks, John. I knew Ted Jungkuntz from Valpo. The Lutheran charismatics laid a good foundation.
This is why we work so hard in getting the free PACK Outreach program into the classroom and onto the campuses of every Christian university & seminary in the world. A concentrated effort by those who are already filled with the Spirit to easily & effectively reach out to others and draw them into your family in Christ on campus. Through simple acts of kindness and your Connect Cards you can bring the love & grace of Jesus to life in a place where Satan is working overtime to uproot the young fragile beginnings of faith. This refreshing & unusual approach makes it very easy to interact with others because the needs of college students are plenty, but funding is not. So to freely offer something that is very simple, but practical in the moment easily grabs their attention. The Connect Card helps to explain that the true source of these gifts as well as the reason for our joy, peace & hope is Jesus! On the back of the cards offer up an invite for them to come to your next event where they can come and experience more of the love that Jesus has for them. PACK serves as a firsthand example of what God’s grace through Jesus is like, something that cannot be earned or bought at any price. The most powerful faith-building aspect of PACK is experiencing “God moments”! Through loving on everyday people (in this case students) you will witness the awesome power & love of Jesus at work through His Spirit. At a timing you just can’t fathom and from those recipients of your kindness that you would least expect, will come the most powerful testimony of a crisis they are right in the midst of. You are left with absolutely no doubt as to His divine presence! These “moments” serve to boost one’s faith levels through the roof and they are easily & eagerly shared with many others. This has been my firsthand experience in doing monthly PACK events for more than 25 years! PACK (Planned Acts of Christian Kindness) is a totally FREE resource that is now at work in 114 countries around the world. To get your free program download go to http://www.acts18.org. PACK will help you get to level 4 in your faith and you will bring many others along with you! God bless!
Yes, growth in service to others is basic.
Thank you, David. This article is such a gift. Explaining how we can grow, as Christians, in our faith by detailing that, that extraordinary faith can be accomplished by experiencing the four stages, but to know and fully understand that the third and fourth stage will take our fellowship with the Spirit to accomplish and to be truly transformed in our life journey. As you said, it is an opportunity for all of us to live and truly experience the fruits of the Spirit. There is so much more one could say, but profound thanksgiving is felt for your sharing of this blog today.
Have a blessed day.
Thanks, Elaine. I surely hope the idea of growing in your faith will catch on. It provides such a focus for pastoral work.
The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He does not barge in where He is not wanted or invited. In Revelations, we are given the picture of Jesus standing at the door of or heart-life and asking to come in. There is no door handle on His side of the door. I am grateful to the Trinity that Jesus continued to knock until I i invited His Spirit to come into my life and heart. God is the creator of llfe, booth physial and spiritual. Glory be to God.
Hi, Marilyn. I like your phrase “The Holy Spirit is a gentleman.