Becoming Established

I think it not unlikely that when we hear that some one is involved in preaching the gospel we think of an evangelistic effort designed to bring someone to faith in Christ. Paul’s language from Romans 10 tracks along these lines: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved . . . But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” Yet, in this same letter, when writing to Christians, Paul speaks of the gospel being used by God in an additional way: “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ . . .” (16:25). This is what we considered on a recent Sunday: how the message the church preaches, the good news that God has acted to save us from his just condemnation, not only saves us, but also strengthens, or establishes, us.

The goal that God has for his children (and, therefore, the goal that we his children should have for ourselves) is that they would become increasingly mature and steadfast in the faith. According to the apostle, this requires that we not leave the foundational message of the church behind after having been brought into the church by it. God intends to use the reality framing truth that we are sinners saved by grace to continually shape our thinking, responses, motivations, and plans.

How does this work? Well, knowing that all you deserve is hell yet you have been given heaven, and this gift was not anything you earned or bargained for, should temper any temptation you might have to think of yourself more highly than you have a right to think. Such humility will do wonders for your relationships across the board! It will also allow you to be grateful for your successes rather than boastful. On the other hand, knowing that God has expressed his love so profoundly and concretely in giving his son to intervene on your behalf, and that at the cost of his son’s life, should allow you to rest in the knowledge that you are cherished by God even when everyone around you devalues you to the point of virtual non-existence and you are inclined to agree with their estimation. Either response, self-exaltation or self-denigration, will be tempered by a deepening appreciation for the gospel. The shedding of both of these mind sets, along with a host of others, will mark us out as mature, established, strong men and women of the faith. And the source for such transformation is the gospel.