Holy Hope
I have heard it said about the Church of the Nazarene that we have a very hopeful message. At our very core, we believe God, through Christ, not only saves but transforms us. When I first began to hear this message over thirty years ago, I couldn’t quite grasp it. But now through years of experiencing God’s love and transformation through a sanctified life, as well as observing countless others lives transformed by God’s power, I say it is a most hopeful message! People need to hear this hope each and every week!
It has been said that God loves us too much to leave us the way we are! Many times in God’s Word, we hear of this transforming hope. Romans 12:2 says ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ We are not to conform to the world but be transformed by Him. In I Corinthians 6, Paul speaks about those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. He lists several things that were sins and sinful lifestyles. But in verse eleven he says triumphantly ‘and that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God.’ I can testify that without this wonderful work in my life, I would be lost in my sin but Christ did not leave me in my sin. He brought me out by His power! All we must do is surrender and walk daily in His sanctifying love. By the way, it’s not just a onetime thing; every day we can walk in this Holy experience by walking in the Spirit. It’s not a boring life. It’s an exciting life of transformation.
Today in a world where people make up their own rules, choosing what’s right and what’s wrong, we look to God’s Word and the hopeful message of His grace. I believe it’s what people are hungry for if we can live it out in love and not legalism. We can present it to the world with our arms and church doors wide open. I believe the people will come if we invite them. The church is still the hope of this world!
In His Holy Hope!
Rev. Shawn Siegfreid, Lead Pastor Kansas City First Church of the Nazarene and NBC Board of Trustees member
Published: 04/08/2019
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