I am a Christian today because I was confronted with the merciful presence, purity and power of the holy love of God, through his Son, Jesus Christ. Since discovering the present reality of Jesus Christ, it has been my experience that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is an invasive and destructive power: Jesus Christ invades Godless philosophies and ways of living, overcoming the power and destroying the works of the devil.
I observe that there is, around us, a spiritual dimension – powers and principalities – in and through which a very real personal, power of evil – the devil – seeks to govern and dominate the lives of men and women. Jesus Christ sets people free from this. Jesus’ ministry, during his time on Earth, was punctuated by casting out demons from people, healing the sick and teaching with authority. His follower, Paul, would declare, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done – by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way round to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:18-19).
Working and witnessing in today’s secular environment, it is all too easy to lose sight of this dimension of Gospel reality. When it is lost sight of, however, church becomes sick and ineffective. It has to be emphasised, therefore, that it is by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, bursting into and working in the lives of Christian, that a bedrock to meaningful Christian witness is established. Healthy Christian living and effective discipleship formation involves discovering the purifying power of God at work in our lives, challenging, changing and transforming us.
Challenged and changed by God: this is the kind of people that Christians are called to be. We constantly need to develop ethics that demonstrate love, show mercy and do justice, on the basis of lives that are experiencing the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit, enabled for life and ministry in the way of Jesus Christ.
What does it mean, for you, to experience the power of God at work in your life, enabling you to overcome the devil: to contend against powers and principalities, not flesh and blood? What does it mean, for you, to seek purity and holiness manifested in and through your own life and that of the church? We live in a world where people are crying out in need of this help: who will help them and stand with them, that they may know the power of the Gospel released into their lives, to overcome the principalities and powers that would destroy them?
This dimension has to be part of any conversation we have, among Bible believing Christians, when discussing how we live and deal with our sexuality and gender. Unless we can address the Bible’s call to know the transforming power of God’s holy love in these aspects of our life, as well as in others, leading us into the pursuit of purity and consecrated living, we will fail to be either helpful to people or faithful to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
This introductory essay concludes a six part introduction to,‘A Clear Witness’, seeking to highlight critical issues that need to be addressed when engaging with contemporary issues of sex and gender. For now, I pray these introductory essays prove to be helpful in developing your convictions and practices, placing them in a wider context: the call to a clear and effective witness to Jesus Christ.
May you know His presence, purpose and power worked out in and through your life, in this coming year.
