Introduction

In praying with others for our local area the Lord began to share another key to the transformation of cities and nations. We were praying that the hope of the resurrection come to the hordes of depressed and despairing folk around us – the masses of indigenous people seeking solace in the bottle, single parents struggling to make ends meet, little children sent to school without breakfast, the drug addicted, victims of domestic violence, those who feel life is against them and battle on day and day, those broken through divorce, suffering through chronic illness and so on. With sadness we interceded for those many Christians known to us who are on anti-depressives[1]. As we prayed about “the hope of glory” the resurrected Lord brings the Spirit took us in a fixed direction. What follows below is an expounded record of our scriptures and prayers.

He began to say that the things of the kingdom of God are simple[2], even if difficult, and the key to seeing the manifestation of the power of God depends on what we say. In our words are the power of life and death. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Prov 18:21). In the risen Christ however our words can impart the fruit of eternal hope. However, there are a number of obstacles to such hope being communicated in our neighbourhoods. The first obstacle is unbelief.

A Foundation for Faith

The Lord gave us this verse, “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” (Phil 3:20-21). This teaches that everything is presently under the Lordship of Christ[3]. Even now, though people might not see or receive it, Jesus is Master over their lives. He is presently, “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:16). Because human rebellion is so manifest, we struggle to accept that this universal mastery of Christ is true. This deception is so deep that most Christians practically live as if the universe has been fundamentally corrupted through evil.

When Hebrews says, “He (Christ) is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (1:3), it teaches that the resurrected Christ is preserving all things in existence. Jesus is at the deepest level of all being. Even if the nations do not know it, ““‘In him we live and move and have our being’” (Acts 17:28). Jesus is the ultimate inner truth underlying all reality, even the lives of sinners, for people are still in the image of God. The consequence of believing these things in our hearts is immense.

The Christian Testimony

By the quality of their lives and words Christians confess the final triumph of God’s goodness, this flows directly from our regeneration[4]. Peter puts it like this, “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of corruptible[5] seed but of incorruptible, through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Pet 1:22-23).

Peter appeals for a pure heart, since “the pure in heart see God” (Matt 5:8), when the Christian community lives with a pure heart we will see the manifestation of God’s presence. The “incorruptible seed” that has regenerated us is actually the word of the resurrection[6]. Through the resurrection power of the gospel (Rom 1:16) we have been given a new heart/spirit (Ezek 36:26-27) which shares in the eternal character of God’s nature (2 Peter 1:4). Christians know in their hearts that the destiny of this world is to end on a positive note. The Christ who dwells in our hearts through faith (Eph 3:17) imparts the “hope of glory” (Col 1:27). These realities must impact the way we speak.

Jesus said, “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt 10:34), this means a new heart will speak new words. These must be positive “words of grace” (Acts 14:3; 20:32 cf. John 1:14) that build up to eternal life. As believers speaks the word of Christ to one another (Col 3:16) and to their despairing neighbours hope is actually created because the reality of eternal resurrection life is imparted. This is what God is seeking.

The overwhelming positivity of the hopefulness of Christians will prove to be immensely attractive to those who observe them in schools, offices, shops, on the streets and in every place of human activity. I see all over the city the unsaved approaching the people of God and asking, “What is it about you that is different?” Whether it is in a time of economic certainty, flu epidemic, concerns about terrorism or more local issues, the followers of Jesus will “shine as lights” (Phil 2:15) in the midst of a perishing world. As this happens again and again, the spiritual tone of individuals, families, communities and cities will be transformed from negativity to positive faith.

If the way forward is as simple as I have indicated above, what is blocking the manifest resurrection presence of God in our midst? To answer this the Lord led us very directly to the following scriptures.

Blocking the Light

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Eph 4:25-30)

The Holy Spirit, by whose power Christ was raised from the dead (Rom 1:4; 8:11; 1 Pet 3:18), is grieved when we speak words that imply that evil is somehow the master of any life- situation. When we complain or grumble we speak words that “corrupt”[7] rather than words that create new life. Such negative words bring us into fellowship with evil powers (1 Cor 10:20).

All Christians want to “shine as lights”, but Paul puts forward a very clear condition. “Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:14-15). Where believers grumble, grizzle and complain they cannot possibly be “the light of the world”[8]. Our negativity explains why we do not visibly shine for Christ (Matt 5:16).

““You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 5:13-16). Sadly, in Australia today the church seems to have lost its flavour and preserving power, and its light[9] seems largely invisible. How can the taste and light be restored?

A Covenant of Speech

The Old Testament speaks of “a covenant of salt” (Lev 2:13; Num 18:19; 2 Chron 13:5), by which it means permanence and inviolability. God is calling for a new and risen quality of speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15), this is a command to “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt” (Col 4:6). In spiritual terms salt loses its saltiness and light is dimmed when we embrace the negativity of the world. Whilst negativity images condemnation[10], the hope-filled talk of Jesus’ people images the opposite reality, resurrection[11].

The covenant of salted and enlightened speech means an adamant refusal to listen to, utter or entertain any words about anyone that are essentially destructive, negative or aimed at pulling down rather than building up. This is not to deny the presence of sin and evil in the church or the world, but rather to believe in our hearts and confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord of all (Rom 10:9) and has triumphed in his death and resurrection over everything that would destroy.

When the whole church is committed to speaking in this way, “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3) will flow amongst us and the promises of scripture for renewal and revival will come to pass[12]. As Christians in every place- schools, homes, offices, clubs, churches, factories…refuse to share in the negativity of our culture, salt will be tasted, light will shine and people will enter into the reality of genuine resurrection hope.

Such godliness can only come from a deeper conformity to the likeness of Christ. Whilst Jesus could speak strong words against sin[13], we never hear him complaining about the Pharisees, the Caesars, the actions of Pilate, the dullness and desertion of the disciples nor the betrayal by Judas. Jesus life was constantly filled with resurrection hope[14] because he never doubted, despite all appearances to the contrary, that his Father still ruled the world. To sustain this perfect hope verged on the impossible, but Jesus did it for us!

As Jesus was dying on the cross he cried out, ““Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”” (Luke 23:34). Committing the most unjust act possible, the killing of God himself (deicide), Christ’s killers deserved absolute and immediate incineration under the fiery anger of divine justice. Yet Jesus, the one who speaks God heart[15], speaks only a word of grace. This absolute refusal of Christ to condemn the very worst of sinners is the reality of our salvation. How then dare we speak in any other way than in the way of grace?

Conclusion

Christ, the hope of eternal glory is in you (Col 1:27), the Spirit, who filled Jesus hearts to speak forgiveness (Heb 9:14) at the cross is in you. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is first of all to speak as God speaks, and God speaks salvation rather than condemnation (John 3:17).

If this nation is ever to enter into genuine transformation the people of God must confess (1 Pet 4:17) that they have sinned against God’s majesty. Given the quality of life we enjoy, the peace, prosperity and climate of our nation, Australians are perhaps the biggest bunch of whingers on the planet[16]. We deride politicians and judges, complain about government services, gossip about others, enjoy “roast pastor” for Sunday lunch, grizzle about the weather, and even have a go at the umpires!

(With sadness I have been watching what has been happening to our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. Policies aside, Kevin’s very public Christian profession is being progressively defaced in the “bear pit” of parliament[17] as he is drawn into the usual adversarial tearing down of the opposition. These are people we have elected, they represent us, in the spiritual realm they image what we are like as a nation to the principalities and powers. No wonder we are in a desperate state before God.)

God rebuked me recently about my stubborn refusal to submit to his power in deep areas of my life. Since then I have been asking him to show me “the way of power”[18]. The truth is that the way of power is a way of grace that resolutely refuses to entertain the least negativity about the Father’s management of his world.

How big is your hope, is your faith big enough for the miracle of a culture so transformed, so Christ-like that negativity is abolished and edifying words abound? This transformation of speech must begin in the churches of our cities, it must begin with you and me.