John Ortberg has a clever way of describing the ABCs of faith.

He says we must Abandon our old life, Believe God’s promises are trustworthy, and Commit to a new journey. 

The reason I like this is because it’s biblical. 

First, in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul writes: “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Second, the idea of believing in God and the truth about what he says permeates the Bible. Jesus himself says that God’s word is truth (John 17:17). This new outlook changes our life and trajectory. 

Third, we need to commit to a new journey. The pre-Jesus version of your life will be different than the with-Jesus version of your life. Paul says we will put on a “new self” (Ephesians 4:24). In the book of Acts, Christians are described as followers of “the Way” (Acts 9:2). As the God-glorifying hands and feet of our Master, everything is now different.

I like acronyms because they help us remember things.

A: Abandon our old life
B: Believe God’s promises are trustworthy
C: Commit to a new journey

Change can be scary. But it can also be exciting. In fact, now that I think about it, none of this is about change for the sake of change. It’s about transformation for the kingdom. It’s about growth in Jesus’ footsteps for his truth, love, redemption and hope—not only for you, but for the people around you who God wants to bless.

The pre-Jesus version of your life will be different than the with-Jesus version of your life. Let’s trust God with today, tomorrow, and everything after that. And may we be always open to the good work that he wants to do for—and through—his people.

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Notes:

-*John Ortberg, All the Places You Go (Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), 6.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.