Back to Basics
I like the story I heard about the late Greenbay Packers Coach, Vince Lombardi. Many years ago, the packers lost to a lesser team. The next morning, Coach Lombardi assembled his team and began practice by saying, “Gentlemen, this is a football…” He went on to give these seasoned veterans a lecture on the fundamentals of throwing, catching, running and tackling. Sometimes, I give a variation of his speech by saying, “Brother, this is a Bible…”
What does that have to do with God, church or spirituality? Sometimes, I feel like I need that lecture from Coach Lombardi. For example, when I allow my feelings to be offended during a particular trial, already knowing that James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Or, when I fail to allow God to be my defender after I have been misunderstood. And then there are times when I am too quick to speak instead of being “slow to speak…” according to James 1:19. As I was writing this, I recalled the old saying that “confession is good for the soul but bad for the reputation.”
In the Christian life, just as in sports, occasionally reviewing the basics is the key to living a successful life. What are some of these basics? How can reviewing the basics help us in our Christian life? Can we learn the basics alone?
First, we must remember how we got saved. If you have never experienced that event, there are no basics to return to. The Apostle Paul gives us the following snap shot of the gospel. Without believing the gospel or the good news, you cannot be saved. This is the foundation of orthodoxy or correct teaching. Look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” Who first shared the gospel with you? When did you believe the gospel? How often do you think about the gospel? How often are you thankful for your salvation? How often do you share the gospel with someone else? Believing the gospel is essential to our born-again experience. Please reread aloud and meditate on the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) by which you were saved.
Secondly, we need to return to the simple application of the scriptures. In theology, this is called orthopraxy or right doing. Coach Lombardi called it throw, catch, run and tackle. I call it reading, doing and saying what the Word says. Centuries ago, James 1:22 put it this way, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” With salvation, comes God’s grace (empowerment) to do what the Word says. God wants us to succeed in our Christian life. We get into trouble when we forget from where God brought us and when we neglect to do what the Bible says.
Thirdly, we need to return to the basics of healthy relationships with other believers. I am sure that Lombardi’s football team enjoyed “hanging out” with one another. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” After salvation, we become part of a vast family called the Church. Like other families, there are wonderful siblings and “interesting” siblings. Learning to live with each kind is both fun and exciting. I have met many people who tried to navigate their lives without the benefit of other family members and others who have embraced healthy relationships. The former often veers off into heresy while the latter has checks and balances in his life. The fellowship of believers is the central place where orthodoxy and orthopraxy develop and mature. A great place to learn to apply these two concepts is in any of our hundreds of small groups.
Our salvation and subsequent walk with God constantly requires that we revisit the basic doctrines of scripture. The deep things of God will never omit obedience to God’s Word and interaction with the people of God. The intangible work of the Spirit in each of us is essential in taking cognitive concepts and transforming us into what 2 Corinthians 5:17 calls, “a new creation.” Let us commit to remember our spiritual heritage and to do foreordained works (this could cause a lot of questions) by God’s grace.
Selah,
Pastor Mel Waters