The Word of Life

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong -- that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith....I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last...(Romans 1: 11 & 16).

"I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God..."  At one time, before I knew the power of God, I was "ashamed" of the gospel.  Not exactly "ashamed," but embarrassed.  I wanted and needed the respect of others; I did not want them to think I was a religious fanatic.  I wanted to appear intelligent, reasonable, and in control.  But now I know the problem with that stance --- as long as we are offering ourselves to others, we have no "spiritual gifts" to exchange, nothing "to make you strong." It is not our own intelligence, our own brilliant insight, our own emotional strength that encourages others; it is the gift of God, given to us in Jesus Christ, that saves us.  It is the gospel, the good news that we do not have to rely on our own strength, but on the power and the grace of God to save us.

When John says that the law came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus, this is what he is getting at.  The law, excellent as it is above all other law on earth, could not save us.  It is a guide, a ruler, if you will, measuring a straight path in a crooked world.  But men in themselves have no power to walk a straight line.  We are thrown off course by the sin of the world inflicted on us, by our own sins drawing us away from the straight path.  And then we are lost, wondering in darkness, unable to find our way back -- until the light of the gospel begins to shine in our hearts.  Peter says, And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts (2 Pet.1:19).

Truth has the power to save us, to restore us, to heal our wounds, because it is alive and active.  The Word of God, the Truth, took on human flesh and pitched his tent in our midst, that we might no longer rely on men's opinions and empty promises.  Instead, "from the fullness of his grace, we have all received one blessing after another" (Jn. 1:16).  Jesus Christ is the "Good News" that God is with us and dwelling with us.  He is the shining Light that gives light to every person who comes into the world.  All we have to do is to turn to Him and allow His light to shine in our hearts. 

When the light of the gospel begins to shine inside us, we are born again, made new by its truth, changed from the inside out.  Everything previous to the coming of that light begins to fade away.  And those who are daily being renewed by the gospel of Jesus Christ find that He in them pours out spiritual gifts for their mutual encouragement and joy.  This is where we find "church:" in the body of believers transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.  One has a song of praise; one has a word of encouragement; one has an insight to share with others  -- and all walk away strengthened by the others.

The first letter of John the Divine says that he has "heard...seen with our eyes....looked at...and our hands have touched" the Word of Life, which was from the beginning.  John says, "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ" 1:1-3).

When the Word of Life comes alive to us, when we have begun to hear, and see, and look at, and touch it, we can never again be ashamed of the power of God to resurrect dead bodies and souls.  We must proclaim what we have seen and heard and touched, and in doing so, we have fellowship with one another.