Theology for Everybody: Romans预览

In Romans 15:18–19, Paul talks about what Christ has accomplished by “word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.” In your life, God the Holy Spirit is working. One of my favorite things to do as a pastor is to get together with other leaders in my church and share stories about what God is doing in the people's lives.

Not only is God at work in your individual life, but He is also at work through the Holy Spirit in the collective life of your church family. This is to encourage us and, remember, to encourage someone is to “put courage in” them. This world can be very discouraging, and sometimes our decisions can be very discouraging. But if you keep paying attention to where the Holy Spirit is working in your life and your church, then your hope will grow. You will be encouraged and stronger and more resilient for the future that God has for you.

I like seeing where the Holy Spirit works in Grace and our children. At dinner or while driving in the car, I often ask open-ended questions such as, “What is God telling you? What is God showing you? What is God teaching you? What do you think God is doing in your character right now? What is God revealing to you about Himself?” The kids will ruminate for a few moments, and then they will say, “Well, I feel like God’s saying this,” or “God’s showing me that,” or “I’m grateful for this,” or “God is helping me overcome that.” My point in asking these questions and hearing the answers is that I want to see the Holy Spirit at work. I want to see the progress in my wife and kids, and I want to encourage them.

Now, to be honest, I think I do a better job at encouraging the kids than I do my wife. Sometimes I can be more critical of Grace as I jump too quickly to a correction. I don’t always make enough deposits through encouragement. I love how Paul starts with all the amazing things God is doing and the progress the believers are making before he gets anywhere near a correction or criticism.

Paul encourages the believers in Rome as a church family. He talks about what a Spirit-filled church looks like. What happens when the Holy Spirit shows up among a group of people? What does it look like? How is it different? A Spirit-filled church loves one another because the fruit of the Spirit is love.

God is one God in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father loves you with a father’s affection. He is devoted to you, and He cares for you. He knows our sin has separated us from Him, so He sent God the Son, Jesus. Jesus is fully God, and when He became a human being, He added humanity to His divinity. Jesus came down to mend our broken relationship with God because of sin. He lived, died, rose, and returned to heaven. Are we going to be abandoned? Are we going to be orphaned? No, because Jesus sent God the Holy Spirit, you and I can live by the same power He did. The Christian life—the “little Christ” life—is lived by the power of the Holy Spirit. God gives you the same power that empowered the life of Jesus.

Today’s Reflection

Have you taken more withdrawals than given deposits in your close relationships? How can you work toward giving deposits before needing to make a “withdrawal”?