Transformative Faith: Understanding Over Willpower

 

Summary

In our journey of faith, we often encounter teachings that emphasize the power of the human will and the ability to choose our beliefs and feelings. However, this perspective can be misleading. True belief and transformation are not products of sheer willpower but are deeply rooted in understanding and insight. Dallas Willard, in his book "Renovation of the Heart," emphasizes that our beliefs and feelings cannot be changed by mere choice. Instead, they are influenced by the truths we internalize and the insights we gain.

The will is not meant to force belief but to respond to the truth and reality we perceive. This is evident in the story of Dallas's father, who quit smoking not by sheer will but by a profound realization of its folly. Similarly, C.S. Lewis's conversion was not a conscious choice but a realization that dawned upon him. These examples illustrate that belief is when our entire being acts as if something is true, not just when we profess it.

The teachings of Jesus become real to us as we grow in understanding. We cannot force ourselves to believe them, but as we see their truth, our actions naturally align with them. This is the essence of faith that transforms lives. It is not about generating feelings of certainty but about seeking understanding and allowing God to work within us.

In our spiritual journey, we must focus on understanding and openness to God's truth. As we fill our minds with the words and life of Jesus, belief will naturally grow as a gift from God. This approach respects the priority of the mind in spiritual formation and allows for genuine transformation.

Key Takeaways:

- True belief is not a product of willpower but of understanding and insight. Our beliefs and feelings cannot be changed by choice, but they are influenced by the truths we internalize. This understanding allows for genuine transformation. [02:18]

- The will should not be used to force belief but to respond to the truth and reality we perceive. This is evident in the story of Dallas's father, who quit smoking not by sheer will but by a profound realization of its folly. [04:53]

- Belief is when our entire being acts as if something is true, not just when we profess it. This is the essence of faith that transforms lives, aligning our actions with the teachings of Jesus. [05:22]

- We cannot force ourselves to believe the teachings of Jesus, but as we see their truth, our actions naturally align with them. This approach respects the priority of the mind in spiritual formation. [06:41]

- In our spiritual journey, we must focus on understanding and openness to God's truth. As we fill our minds with the words and life of Jesus, belief will naturally grow as a gift from God. [10:31]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - The Power of Human Will
[01:11] - Misconceptions About Choosing Belief
[01:39] - Dallas Willard's Insight
[02:18] - The Role of the Will
[03:20] - Belief and Reality
[04:12] - Lessons from "Top Gun"
[04:38] - Dallas's Father's Transformation
[05:07] - True Belief vs. Professed Belief
[06:02] - C.S. Lewis's Conversion
[06:56] - The Role of Feelings
[07:50] - God's Work in Belief
[08:15] - The Role of the Will in Action
[09:09] - Understanding God's Truth
[10:19] - Jesus's Victory Over Death
[11:00] - Closing Thoughts

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
2. Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
3. John 8:32 - "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

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Observation Questions:

1. According to the sermon, what is the role of the will in relation to belief and transformation? How does this compare to the common teaching about willpower? [02:18]

2. What example from Dallas Willard's life was used to illustrate the difference between professed belief and true belief? [04:53]

3. How did C.S. Lewis describe his conversion experience, and what does this suggest about the nature of belief? [06:25]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between understanding, belief, and the teachings of Jesus? [06:41]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Romans 12:2 relate to the idea that true belief and transformation come from understanding and insight rather than sheer willpower?

2. In what ways does Proverbs 3:5-6 challenge the notion of relying solely on human will and understanding in our spiritual journey?

3. How does the story of Dallas's father quitting smoking illustrate the concept of belief being a response to truth and reality rather than a forced decision? [04:53]

4. What does John 8:32 imply about the role of truth in the process of spiritual transformation and belief?

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you tried to force yourself to believe something. How did that experience compare to moments when belief came naturally through understanding? [06:41]

2. Consider an area of your life where you struggle to align your actions with the teachings of Jesus. What steps can you take to seek deeper understanding and insight in that area? [05:53]

3. How can you create an environment in your daily life that encourages the internalization of God's truth, as suggested by the sermon? [10:31]

4. Identify a belief or feeling you have tried to change through willpower alone. How might you approach this differently by seeking understanding and insight?

5. Think of a situation where you relied on your own understanding rather than trusting in God's truth. How can you apply Proverbs 3:5-6 to that situation?

6. How can you incorporate the practice of filling your mind with the words and life of Jesus into your daily routine? What specific changes can you make this week? [11:00]

7. Reflect on a recent decision you made. How did your understanding of God's truth influence that decision, and how might it have been different if you relied solely on willpower?

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding Transforms Belief
True belief is not a product of sheer willpower but arises from understanding and insight. Our beliefs and feelings are not easily changed by choice; they are shaped by the truths we internalize. This understanding allows for genuine transformation, as seen in the story of Dallas's father, who quit smoking not by sheer will but by a profound realization of its folly. Similarly, C.S. Lewis's conversion was not a conscious choice but a realization that dawned upon him. These examples illustrate that belief is when our entire being acts as if something is true, not just when we profess it. [02:18]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a belief you hold that feels more like a profession than a conviction. What steps can you take to seek deeper understanding and insight into this belief today?


Day 2: Responding to Truth
The will should not be used to force belief but to respond to the truth and reality we perceive. This is evident in the story of Dallas's father, who quit smoking not by sheer will but by a profound realization of its folly. The will is meant to respond to the truth and reality we perceive, allowing for genuine transformation. When we encounter truth, our actions naturally align with it, leading to a more authentic faith journey. [04:53]

"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." (Psalm 86:11, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a truth you have recently encountered. How can you allow your will to respond to this truth in a way that aligns your actions with it today?


Day 3: Belief as a Whole-Being Response
Belief is when our entire being acts as if something is true, not just when we profess it. This is the essence of faith that transforms lives, aligning our actions with the teachings of Jesus. True belief is not about generating feelings of certainty but about seeking understanding and allowing God to work within us. As we grow in understanding, the teachings of Jesus become real to us, and our actions naturally align with them. [05:22]

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area of your life where your actions do not align with your professed beliefs. What practical steps can you take to bring your actions in line with your beliefs today?


Day 4: The Mind's Role in Spiritual Formation
We cannot force ourselves to believe the teachings of Jesus, but as we see their truth, our actions naturally align with them. This approach respects the priority of the mind in spiritual formation. As we fill our minds with the words and life of Jesus, belief will naturally grow as a gift from God. This understanding allows for genuine transformation and aligns our actions with the teachings of Jesus. [06:41]

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally fill your mind with the words and life of Jesus today? How might this practice influence your beliefs and actions?


Day 5: Openness to God's Truth
In our spiritual journey, we must focus on understanding and openness to God's truth. As we fill our minds with the words and life of Jesus, belief will naturally grow as a gift from God. This approach respects the priority of the mind in spiritual formation and allows for genuine transformation. By seeking understanding and allowing God to work within us, we can experience a faith that transforms lives. [10:31]

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Psalm 119:18, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you may be resistant to God's truth. How can you cultivate openness and allow God to work within you in this area today?

Quotes


Dallas writes our beliefs and feelings cannot be changed by choice. Read that again our beliefs and feelings cannot be changed by choice. We cannot just choose to have different beliefs and feelings, but we do have some liberty to take in different ideas and information and to think about things in different ways. [00:02:05]

We can choose to take in the word of God and when we do that beliefs and feelings will be steadily pulled in a godly direction. One of the worst mistakes that can be made in practical ministry is to think that people can choose to believe and feel differently. [00:02:28]

Following that we will mistakenly try to generate faith by going through the will, possibly trying to move the will by playing on emotion. Rather the will must be moved by insight into truth and reality. Such insight will evoke a motion appropriate to a new set of the will. [00:02:48]

This is the order of real inward change, to find something that I don't have to try to make myself believe in it is simply clear to me that this is true. Nancy and I recently just went to see the new Top Gun movie, and Tom Cruise had been in the original. [00:03:17]

Dallas goes on to talk about how his father had been a two-pack a day smoker up until he was in his 70s and then in the veterans hospital when he went for health care one day he saw a man smoking with the aid of a special machine that enabled him to smoke. [00:04:28]

Dallas says he saw the folly of smoking and he believed it he never smoked another cigarette. That is what belief does, though merely professed belief does not. There's a difference between what I actually believe and what I profess to believe. [00:04:50]

Belief is when your whole being is set to act as if something is so. Say that again, belief is when your whole being is set to act as if something is so, and that is how the commands of Jesus finally come to us as we grow we see them to be reality. [00:05:10]

I cannot force myself to believe that what Jesus said is true, but over time I can come to see it, and when my body is prepared to respond as though it really is more blessed to give than to receive, then I have come to the fullness of faith. [00:05:34]

C.S. Lewis tells how one day he got into the sidecar of his brother's motorcycle to travel a short distance. When he got in he was an unbeliever still, though much had happened was happening inside him when he got out, Lewis writes about this in his book. [00:06:04]

He did not make this change he discovered it after it happened, and then he could confess it, and it held him he did not hold it, and true belief at the deepest level is that way we cannot will ourselves into it. [00:06:25]

So we do not in general control our beliefs or those of others, we never choose to believe and we must not try to get ourselves or others to choose to believe, that is God's work. So if you find yourself today unable to generate a feeling of certainty don't try to do that by will. [00:06:37]

Respecting the priority of the mind in spiritual formation means that we seek to understand these things and to help others understand them. We can choose to turn our minds towards these truths, belief will come as God's gift within the hidden depths of our life. [00:10:20]

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Transcript
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