The Gospel of Dependence

You are not good enough, strong enough, or wise enough on your own. The good news of Christianity is that you don’t have to depend on yourself. The Gospel shows us that we don’t have to try to be anything on our own. 

The first sermon of the New Testament church was preached by Peter on the day of the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-40). Peter preached about the mighty acts of God through Jesus – especially the resurrection. Jesus had just been crucified and everybody knew it. But God had raised Jesus from the dead, and the disciples had seen and touched him after his resurrection. Now Jesus was seated on God’s throne! God had made Jesus, whom they had crucified, “both Lord and Christ!”

Many in the crowd were cut to the heart.

They cried out, “What shall we do?”

Acts 2:38 gives the answer:

And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…

Dependent in Repentance

They were urged to turn from their sins. This they could only do because God, in his grace, had sent his messengers. Without the illuminating and convicting work of the Spirit through Peter’s preaching no one would have turned their backs on their sins and their faces toward God.

Dependent in Baptism

Water baptism is the common entry rite of Christians everywhere. The New Testament indicates that this baptism involves being fully submerged in water (typifying death, burial, and resurrection among other things). Unlike some earlier (Jewish) baptismal practices, Christian baptism was administered by some other person. We don't baptize ourselves. Baptism reminds us that we need each other.

Christian baptism introduces us into a new life that involves a new community from the start. 

Dependent for Forgiveness

As we trust God to allow us to enter into Christ’s death and life he gives us something we could never give ourselves. He forgives our sins against him. We all need his forgiveness.

Dependent on Jesus

This baptism is a baptism into the name of Jesus. What is meant by being baptized into Jesus’ name? When we call on the name of Jesus and are baptized into his name we declare our utter dependence on who he is and what he has done. Our lives become hidden in Christ. His death becomes our death. And his life becomes our life!

Dependent on the Spirit

Becoming a Christian involves receiving a wonderful gift. Jesus first received this gift from the Father (Acts 2:33). Then he poured out this gift upon his people. The gift is sometimes called baptism in the Spirit and was prophesied of by John the Baptist and Joel (Luke 3:16; Joel 2:28-29). We cannot perform this baptism ourselves. We are utterly dependent on Jesus to pour out this gift upon us.

Then, to add to the good news of dependence, the Holy Spirit does impossible things through us. On the day of Pentecost the disciples spoke in languages they’d never learned! This let everyone know that something supernatural was taking place. And that wasn’t the only time or way that God's people did the impossible through the power of the Spirit (Acts 10:44-46; 13:9-11; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 14:18)

Freedom in Dependence

You don’t have to save yourself. You can’t anyway! Just as certainly as you can’t start speaking in a language you’ve never learned you also cannot save yourself. You cannot forgive yourself for what you’ve done against God. You cannot raise yourself from the dead. The good news is that God freely does these things that we could never do for ourselves.

God wants us to enjoy the freedom of dependence. He never intended for us to live life independently. From start to finish, the Christian life teaches us to depend on our heavenly Father and our earthly brothers and sisters. In our interdependence we find what we need – freedom, acceptance, forgiveness, and love. 

Are you saved in your sins or from your sins?

The claim that Jesus saves us from our sins is not very controversial, at least not among Christians. We believe that were it not for the sinless life, sacrificial death, and righteous resurrection of Jesus we would still be "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1).  

But who would dare to claim that what Jesus did for them goes so far as to actually save them from committing sin in this present life. Saved from hell? Yes. Saved from the penalty of our sins? Yes. Saved from the practice of sin? No. "No one is perfect." "We all sin."

Do you know why Jesus was given the name Jesus? He was called Jesus (Joshua), meaning "Lord saves", because he would "save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). That means that Jesus sets his people free from their sins -- not just sin's penalty.

The New Testament describes the lifestyle of God's people as: "blameless", "unblameable", "without offense" and "without blemish" (Luke 1:6; Philippians 2:15; 1 Timothy 3:2, 10; Titus 1:6-7; 2 Peter 3:14; Philippians 1:10; Ephesians 5:25-27). God demands that his children have a holy lifestyle (1 Peter 1:15; 2 Peter 3:11).

One might object, "but isn't God full of grace?" Since God is so generous we should be able to continue to practice sin. This very objection is raised and refuted in the Bible (Romans 6:1-2). Many people have misunderstood the power and purpose of grace. God's grace teaches and enables us to turn our backs on sin in this present age (Titus 2:11-13; 1 Corinthians 15:10).

We are not saved by our works. We are saved by grace. But no one is saved who does not have works (Matthew 7:16-21). Jesus taught his disciples that they would practice good works because of his life flowing into them (John 15:5). Truly, without Jesus we can do nothing. But with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). When we walk in the Spirit we really are free from sin (Galatians 5:22-23).

Jesus came to do more than save you in your sins. He came to save you from your sins!