Kingdom Harbor

From the DI archives. -JB

In part 1 of my “Christmas Lights” series I explored the Ongoing Epic of God and His Flickering Lights. The Bible tells the story a humanity “unplugged” from the life of God by sin, and how Jesus came to earth to reconnect us to God by dying on the cross for our sins.

In part 2, let me highlight the way Christians tend to stop here in our understanding and teaching on “salvation” and the goal of faith. That is, we often make getting plugged back in — or being saved from our sins so we can go to heaven when we die — the main goal of salvation. I proposed that there are two sides of salvation and we have all too often forgotten the second.

Jesus came to

(1) save us from our sins, and

(2) save us for the purpose of living out our original purpose.

What was the gospel Jesus proclaimed? Jesus did not preach the gospel of salvation from sins through his death and resurrection — he hadn’t died yet! Rather, Jesus proclaimed the gospel of the in-breaking reign and rule of God on earth as in heaven. Jesus announced the life-giving message that “The Kingdom of God is at hand” – that everyone could begin here and now to experience the loving, renewing, restoring power of God in a new and more intimate way.

The challenge to us all is to open ourselves up to the supernatural power available to us through the Spirit of God. The main crux of the matter is this: Many people get “plugged back in” (saved, forgiven, etc.) by saying the prayer, coming forward at camp or walking the isle at a Billy Graham crusade but then never actually “flip on the switch” and begin to live a new life out of the supernatural power of God. We rest in the truth of the first side of salvation (our sins are forgiven and we can go to heaven when we die) but then we never begin to live out our original calling to be God’s image-bearers on earth, reflecting the light of God’s glory with our lives.

The following passage of Paul captures both sides of salvation. How often do we celebrate the first part and leave aside the second?

“For by grace you are saved (i.e., plugged back in to God) through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not by human effort, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship (i.e., his light displays), having been created in Christ Jesus for good works (i.e., to “shine”) that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” (Eph 2:8-10)

How can we “flip on the switch” and begin living out our calling by the power of the Spirit? I leave the following prayer of Paul to encourage you as you begin learning to lean into the supernatural energy of God and experience his life-transforming, dynamic power:

“I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, and how very great is his POWER (Gk. Dynamus) at work in us who believe. This POWER WORKING IN (Gk. energeia) us is the same as the mighty POWER which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world.” (Eph 1:18-20)