Blake Robert Templeton argues that real faith in Christ demands radical transformation, not just learning church rules. He cites 2 Corinthians 5:17 on becoming a new creation and defines pistis as perpetual persuasion by the Holy Spirit. Many men, he says, have learned the language without actually changing.
the real Jesus, he doesn't leave men unchanged. Like, when I see men claiming Christ while remaining passive, disengaged, spiritually dull, like, I know the issue is not information. It's actual surrender. Because Jesus is not a mascot for man's lifestyle. He's to be Lord. And when he's truly Lord, man, He touches everything. How a man thinks, how he leads, how he repents, how he loves, how he shows up in the home when pressure comes, how he literally handles it. The Bible says that if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation. The old has passed away and the new has come. All right, a new creation. Like, not slightly improved, not still dropping F-bombs, not externally polished to look the part. Bro, he's new. He's cut ties with all the other junk. So if a man has faith that never actually changes him, he may have learned church, but he doesn't have faith in the real Christ. Let me hit you with this. The Greek word for faith, is pistis. It means perpetual persuasion. So ongoing persuasion of the Holy Spirit's conviction. That's why the world has seen plenty of religious men, but far too few men on fire for Jesus. A question for you is, have you actually changed?
