Living Vertically in a Horizontal World

by Laura Springer, Th.M., Ph.D.

Relevant Scripture: Galatians 5:25

           

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, we need to talk.

In October 2019, the Pew Research Center released statistics on Christian affiliation and church attendance in America. To the surprise of no one, both are going down. In changing times like this, churches may be tempted to focus on facilities and structures. While these are good things to do, they are not foundational, and they do not result in a healthy church that draws people to Jesus. Struggling churches nearly always have a heart problem that is deeper than design and structure can fix.

What's the proper focus? In the first century, a group of believers was struggling to be healthy in a complex culture.  They struggled in their relationships with one another.  They struggled to be spiritually mature.  In the midst of their struggle, they were being tempted by some to focus on the horizontal rather than on the vertical.  Certain legalistic persons had snuck in, attempting to convince these believers that one needed to follow behavioral rules to be spiritual. 

In response, their spiritual father wrote them a letter explaining what it means to live vertically.  He tells them that vertical living is not about following a set of horizontal rules.  It is not about doing good things to look better.

This group of Christian was the church at Galatia, and their spiritual father was Paul. In his letter to them, Paul gives them two truths that summarize what it means to live vertically (see Galatians 5:25).

"If we live by the Spirit…"  Becoming a healthy church requires that members know that life in Christ is made possible by the work of the Spirit.  All our struggling to be spiritual, all our horizontal rule-keeping, did nothing to give us new life, and it does nothing to give us a healthy church.  We are alive because we took God at his word, acknowledged our terminal weakness, and trusted that Jesus really did pay it all. Doing all the right things cannot make us a healthy church. But the Spirit can.

“…let us also keep in step with the Spirit” Following the Spirit is the only path to spiritual health and maturity.  Horizontal focus leads to slavery. Following the Spirit leads to life. Horizontal focus leads to struggle. Following the Spirit leads to peace. Horizontal focus leads to conceit. Following the Spirit leads to humble service.

Starting in January 2020, we’ll be exploring the Spirit and his work, considering together how we might deepen our relationship with him during this time of transition.