Threefold Pattern For Spiritual Renewal

When God sends reformers, He sends them in the likeness of Ezra.  

Ezra 7:6, 10 ESV “this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the LORD, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. . . . For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.”

It was 458 BC and the remnant who recently returned from exile in Babylon was already in need of a reformer.  The temple was completed 58 years earlier.  And it was only 80 years earlier that about 50,000 Israelites returned to their homeland.  Nevertheless, the people had started to compromise purity in their worship and their lives. 

The Pattern of Renewal

Ezra is a model reformer because of his personal pattern of renewal which he also sought to impress upon the people.  The pattern is this:  first study, then do, and then teach the Scripture and its applications.  And this is why Ezra had such a positive and enduring influence.

Having “set his heart” means he was firm and settled in these convictions.  These three resolutions are in order and have great meaning:  study, live, and teach the Word of God.  Following this pattern creates continual renewal in one’s life and prepares us to meet the spiritual needs of others around us.

The Recurring Need 

Of course this three-fold commitment applies directly to church leaders and teachers of all kinds.   All would-be reformers are only as good as their dedication to faithfully follow Ezra’s pattern.

When is such major reform required within churches?  It is when they are no longer characterized by commitment to the core doctrines and godliness as defined by the Scriptures.  It is when they lose the love for these things and compromises build up to the breaking point.  But, if churches stay in the mode of constant renewal this point of reform should never have to be reached.

True transformation and long-lasting reformation will need to be thoroughly Biblical, not primarily theological.  This kind of reformation is at its heart exegetical (studious), ethical (livable) and expository (teachable).  In addition, God’s hand of grace must be upon His reformers and His People. 

By following a pattern for continual reformation, the People of God will make progress in spiritual stability and also enjoy strength from the Lord’s love and favor upon them.

The Personal Need 

We ought to be people who are eager to answer the question:  “What has God been teaching you through His Word lately?”  This demonstrates that we are experiencing spiritual renewal.

When you know you need to grow more spiritually, follow Ezra’s pattern.  Set your heart on three things.  Study the Bible with prayerfulness, deep reflection and love for God.  Live out what you learn, again with prayerfulness, faith in Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Look for opportunities to teach what you have just learned in the Bible and by personal experience, to further encourage yourself and those around you.

May we be reformers in our time, after the pattern of Ezra.  And may the “hand of the Lord our God” be upon us for strength, joy, maturity, and success.