I don’t know about you, but I need a daily reminder of the truth of the gospel. Everyday I need a refresher on the miraculous nature of regeneration. I have to recite to myself again and again that my identity is no longer fluid or eligible for re-definition. I belong to Christ. When I repented of sin and trusted in the person and work of Christ, I was radically saved from the deadness of sin and granted the new life. It was only by the power of the gospel – the good news of Christ’s perfect life, vicarious death on the cross, and resurrection from the grave – that transformed me from a hater into a lover. The self-destructive, self-love that once defined my existence was replaced with a new set of desires and affections, or rather one primary affection – a love for God.
I pray you have experienced the same. If you have, then you know salvation is not something you achieved. It is the Holy Spirit who did this miraculous work. In cooperation with the God the Father (who planned our salvation) and God the Son (who accomplished our salvation), God the Holy Spirit applies salvation to our hearts. Nothing we have done or could do will ever merit our redemption. It is by grace alone through faith alone that we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 states unequivocally, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
But the very next verse reminds us of how we live in light of the gospel. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). The resulting gospel declarations and deeds are never performed in a vacuum. They are expressed in our relationships with others.
Just as miraculous as the new-found ability to love God is the new-found ability to love others. We are called to love everyone, but as Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:10 we should especially love “those who are of the household of faith.” When we are saved, we are essentially adopted by God as his child. But I’m not an only child. I belong to Christ and that means I also belong to his church. I have brothers and sisters to love and care for, and who love and care for me. The church is a household – a family. And there’s a special love and devotion that we possess for the family of God. There’s a priority to love, care for, protect, and encourage those within your family. And it is the same the Holy Spirit that delivers God’s grace to us that also supplies us with grace we express toward others.
How does the Holy Spirit equip us to love his people? Or to rephrase the question in a more pointed, personal way: As a member of God’s household, how do I love my family?
With the spiritual gifts that God has given you.
At King’s, we define spiritual gifts as “abilities that are sovereignly given by God to believers for God’s glory that empowers us for the building up of the body, the work of the ministry, and the advancement of God’s kingdom.” Every believer has been granted gifts by God for the good of others.
There are a variety of gifts which include (but are not limited to): teaching, preaching, hospitality, encouragement, generosity, administration, discernment, and faith.
The gospel compels us to use our spiritual gifts to the benefit of God’s family – to edify or build up the body of Christ, and to “stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). Not simply out of duty or obligation, although those are not bad words. Properly meditating on the gospel empowers us to operate out of a desire and love for the well-being of others. Paul uses the image of a body made up of many parts (1 Corinthians 12). Each part is interdependently connected to the others. A healthy body is one in which all of its parts are working together in harmonious movement, motivation, and mission. So too, the church functions properly when everyone recognizes their need for one another and serves out of his/her gifts to the benefit of the church and for the glory of God.
So the question is: do you feel a sense of belonging and humble obligation to the community of faith that Christ purchased with his very blood (1 Peter 1:18-19)? Do you view other believers as your brothers and sisters? Are you regularly exercising your spiritual gifts? If not, one avenue is by serving on a Ministry team at King’s Chapel. You can find a list of teams on our Serving Page as well as a link to the Serving Form where you can officially sign up. If you are unsure about your spiritual gifts, then we encourage you to complete the Spiritual Gifts Assessment and review it with one of the Pastor/Elders.