In an earlier post I told of how God opened my eyes to the reality that I was not following Jesus but rather a strict, unforgiving legalism similar to that of the Pharisees who so adamantly opposed the Rabbi. Since this epiphany, God has been taking me through a sort of detox for my addictions to legalism and religious piety. There has been many things He has used to help me on this journey but one that’s stood out the most was when He taught me to seek Life Transformation rather than Behavior Modification. It is Christ who takes us through this Heart Changing Process and we cannot do it without Him.

This is critical to Christianity but so many times we forget it. Instead of introducing others to Him so they can allow Him to transform their lives, we begin trying to convict (guilt), them into turning from their sinful ways. Conviction is the role of the Holy Spirit in people’s hearts but guilt is how Satan keeps people chained down, imprisoned in their sin. Conviction leads to repentance and is immediately followed by forgiveness that eradicates guilt. Guilt, on the other hand, makes people ashamed so they try to hide their sin and the deeper they bury it, the more the roots entangle them.

Sometimes, trying to remind people of this truth is tiring and difficult so it brings me great joy when I meet others who are also preaching and teaching it. David Murrow is the author of Why Men Hate Going To Church and recently I have been encouraged and inspired by his book. He’s blunt and succinct but thoughtful and deep. Most importantly, he understands the value of Life Transformation over Behavior Modification.

“Jesus’ message was one of repentance. To repent is to do a complete turnaround. The old man dies; a new man is born. Unfortunately, many teachers focus on moral improvement instead of total repentance. This was the method of the Pharisees: changing men one sin at a time. Erect enough laws, and men will be righteous. This brand of incremental moralism makes men resentful. They see it as nagging. It’s far more effective to call men to life transformation than it is to target specific sins. Once a man is following Jesus, he will accept moral instruction because of his transformed heart.” -David Murrow