Becoming the Gospel Church

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Romans 8:1-11

 

Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

(ESV)

 

The Church has a mission to spread the message of the Gospel and make disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). To facilitate the spreading of the Gospel, Jesus reminds us to lift Him up so He can draw all men unto Him (John 12:32). Unfortunately, as we witness the awakening of evil in the world, many Churches have fallen asleep. Romans 8:1-11 teaches about life in the Spirit and serves to remind the Church of its need to awaken through living life in the Spirit of God, tapping into the power of the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11).

 

Romans 8:1-11 begins with a declaration that there is no condemnation for those in Christ because the law of the Spirit has set those in Christ free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). However, this is not a blanket declaration declaring that all humanity is free from condemnation because of the work of Jesus on the cross but it is conditional and reserved for those dedicating their lives to living for Christ. It also does not imply perfection for those living in Christ as evidenced by Paul alluding to his internal struggle with the flesh in Romans 7:21-25. Instead, the lack of condemnation is in alignment with the purpose of Christ coming into the world to save it and not condemn it (John 3:17; Romans 8:3-4). Condemnation is not God-inflicted but self-inflicted due to one continuing to live in sin and not for Christ (John 3:18).

 

Whether one lives in condemnation, or the freedom of the Spirit depends on their mindset. Jesus taught that our hearts will be in what we treasure (Matthew 6:19-21). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus equated thoughts of lust and murder with actually sinning, indicating that what dominates one’s thoughts indicates where their heart is (Matthew 5:21-30). In Romans 8:5-8 Paul contrasts a life treasuring the flesh through thoughts dominated by the flesh as a life leading to death whereas a life dominated by thoughts in the Spirit, is a life of peace (Romans 8:6). The text continues by teaching that a life of fleshly thoughts is hostile to God and cannot please Him (Romans 8:7-8).

 

The text continues by offering encouragement to those in Christ, reminding them that they do not live life in the flesh but in the Spirit if the Spirit of God lives in them. This indwelling of the Spirit occurs at salvation (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9). However, confusion exists between the indwelling of the Spirit occurring at salvation and the filling, or baptism, of the Holy Spirit, empowering one for ministry and living for Christ (Acts 1:8). Therefore, a believer has the Spirit of God dwelling within them when they accept Jesus as their savior with life in the Spirit being one seeking to be filled with the Spirit of God for empowerment to minister and live for Christ (Romans 8:10-11). Unfortunately, Churches have focused on the signs of the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4) instead of the fruits of the Spirit demonstrated in the life of one filled with the Spirit, living a Spirit-filled life (Galatians 5:22-23). The Church must focus on the fruits and not the signs.

 

In Romans 7:14-25, Paul wrote about his internal struggle with the flesh. Romans 8:1-11 continues this discussion by teaching about life in the Spirit of God. The Gospel is good news with the establishment of a pathway to life in the Spirit that is not dependent on one's efforts to live in obedience to the law but on the work of the sinless one, Jesus Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8-9). To live in the Spirit, one must experience a shift in their mindset from minds conformed to the world to minds transformed by the Word of God and the Spirit of God (Romans 12:1-2). This passage contrasts a mindset on the world with a mindset on the Spirit of God by teaching that a mind set on the flesh is death whereas a mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:6). A life in the Spirit is also a life connected to the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, bringing power into the life of a believer (Romans 8:11).

 

In our chaotic world, we are witnessing an awakening of evil in the world. Mass shootings are becoming common in our society to the point that they no longer dominate the media and if they do, with little attention given to the reason an individual would commit such violence, instead focusing on the weapon they used. Instead of the media focusing on mass shootings, the media focuses on maintaining the legal murder of the unborn and threatening violence against justices that reversed Roe v. Wade. The traditional family is under attack with the world and media condoning gay marriage and transgenderism.

 

Unfortunately, while evil awakens in the world, the Church has fallen asleep. Some Churches no longer speak out against sin out of fear of losing members or financial contributions and instead entertain congregants and deliver self-help feel-good messages, the liberal Church. Other Churches speak out against the evils in our society but do so in a pharisaical holier than thou manner instead of pointing people to Christ, the legalistic Church. What is needed to combat evil in our chaotic world is the Gospel Church that speaks out against sin through the Word of God in a manner pointing people to Christ, the source of salvation and eternal life (John 3:16; Romans 6:23).

 

The Church is not the building but the gathering of believers in the building. Therefore, for the Church to become the Gospel Church the believers comprising the Church must live life in the Spirit of God. This requires a transformation from a mindset of conformity to the world by focusing on entertaining congregants and giving them a feel-good message to a transformative mindset of worship of God and preaching the Word of God, challenging congregants to live like Christ. Instead of judging sin in the world, the mindset of the Church must point people to Christ and forgiveness from sin through the Word of God, lifting up Christ so He can draw people in through the Holy Spirit (John 12:32). I invite anyone reading this who has not prayed to accept Jesus as his or her savior, to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

I challenge those reading this to become students of the Word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to guide their lives instead of the desires of the flesh. As evil in the world continues to awaken and increase, it is time for the Church to allow the Spirit of God to awaken in their lives, pointing people to Christ, and bringing revival to our world. May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.