The Power of the GospelExemplo

The Gospel Truth About Holy Living

I played basketball in high school. I remember one game in particular. I had just come off the bench, and the ball was immediately inbounded to me. I made a dash for the net. I was fast, and I could hear the cries of dismay from the other team as I raced for the easy layup.

Just as the ball left my fingertips, two realizations struck me:

First, it wasn’t the other team that was groaning; it was my team.

And second, I was shooting on my own basket.

There are some simple rules to basketball. One of them is that to score points, you need to shoot on the opponent’s net. I broke that rule and caused frustration for my team.

The Gospel informs us of how we should live. When we live in accordance with the good news, there is peace and harmony between ourselves, other believers, and Christ. When we break those rules, it causes heartache and dissension.

This is particularly true with our wives. The Lord is for your marriage! He wants you to be at peace and to live in close intimacy with your wife. The Gospel is full of directions on how you can achieve that. When you follow the guidelines set out in the Gospel, you will experience more of the joy that Jesus intended for you. When you break those rules, you will experience more heartache.

The Gospel is very good news for healthy and fulfilled living. We are happiest when we are at peace with God and the people around us.

The Gospel also tells us that we don’t do any good works to earn God’s love or our salvation, which has been fully taken care of by Jesus. We do good works because God has forgiven and loved us; the works are our response.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the guidelines You have given me so I can live the best life possible. You have come so that I might have life to the fullest, and since You created me, You know the best way for me to live. Help me to follow You. I want to be a faithful disciple and apprentice. Lead on, Master. I am all Yours. Amen.

Reflection: As you read through Romans 12:3-21, which directions are easiest for you to follow? Which ones are the hardest? How does the Lord Jesus want to help you find more success in your obedience to Him?