Imagine: Gospel Transformation

[featured_image]I watched the Closing Ceremonies of the XXX Olympiad and the tribute to John Lennon with his song Imagine.

Read through the lyrics…

Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say
I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one
I hope some day you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

I don’t want to imagine that there’s no heaven or no hell. I don’t want to imagine that we are just living for today or that there’s no religion. I don’t believe that will lead us to people living life in peace or the world as one.

The problem with imagining like this is that it fails to acknowledge the problem of sin. This type of thinking is a post-modern religion that chooses to abandon the truth or reality of sin in this world.

No matter how hard we try to imagine a world that lacks selfishness and sinfulness, it’s not possible apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You can dream and imagine that the human race can live in peace with one another someday, but the only way this will happen is through peace with God first!

And this takes us to the cross!

Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I dream of a world transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Imagine what would happen in this world if men and women would repent of their sin and trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross!

Imagine lives transformed, forgiveness, grace abounding, reconciliation, peace, hope and love. All of this is possible only through the Gospel.

Imagine the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. It’s only possible through the power of the Gospel.

Imagine no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!

Imagine we are not under law but under grace!

Imagine being alive in Christ and raised up with Christ!

Imagine we are fellow citizens with all the saints and members of the household of God!

Imagine the church of Jesus Christ being the hands and feet and voice of Jesus throughout the world!