Introduction: Why Basics Matter
The 1960 NFL playoffs featured the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Eagles defeating the Western Conference champion Green Bay Packers by a score of 17–13 in the NFL Championship Game on December 26, 1960. In the first half, the Packers were sure to win, but in the second half the Eagles played better and won. The Eagles’ victory was the first and only playoff loss for coach Vince Lombardi during his time with the Packers.
It was the summer of 1961 and Vince Lombardi started the camp holding something that needed no explanation and said…
“Gentlemen, this is a football.”
In five words, he communicated his point: if you want to be successful, we’re going to remember the basics and make sure we’re executing the fundamentals. You never graduate past the basics. Yes, you build on them but you never move past them. His focus continued throughout the entire camp. Each player reviewed and remembered the fundamentals of their position: how to defend and tackle, how to catch and throw, how to stand and run, and ultimately, how to think. Six months later, the same group of men gathered together to hear another one of Vince Lombardi’s speeches. This time it was to celebrate their NFL Championship and their 37–0 victory over the NY Giants. By remembering the fundamentals, they had become the best in the league at the tasks everyone else took for granted.
In the same way, Jesus continually brings His disciples back to the fundamentals of the Kingdom, not a game: loving God, loving people, living as new creations, and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Getting “back to basics” in our faith means returning to what Jesus Himself calls most important and letting everything else flow from there.
Not Just Decisions: The Great Commission
GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND TALK PEOPLE INTO “MAKING A DECISION”???
[Mat 28:19-20 NKJV] 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, [even] to the end of the age.” Amen.
Jesus did not command us, “Go and get people to raise a hand or repeat a prayer.” He said, “Make disciples”—people who are baptized into the life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and taught to obey everything He commanded. So the basic question is not just, “Did I make a decision once?” but, “Am I learning to live as a disciple—obeying Jesus in every area of life?”
The Greatest Commandments: The Core of the Basics
If you get nothing else, start here:
[Mat 22:36-40 NKJV] 36 “Teacher, which [is] the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is [the] first and great commandment. 39 “And [the] second [is] like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Jesus tells us that loving God with all we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves are the foundation on which everything else in Scripture hangs. That means the basics of the Christian life are not first about activities or rituals, but about a life of love that fulfills God’s heart.
The World’s “Law”: Do What You Want
“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law. There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.”
-The Book of the Law, Aleister Crowley (1904) (Given to Crowley by a demon named Lam.)
This is the exact opposite of Jesus’ summary of the Law. Crowley’s “do what thou wilt” is essentially the serpent’s old lie in modern language: you define good and evil for yourself. It is the spirit of a world that says, “Follow your heart,” even when that heart is in rebellion against God.
[Gen 3:1 NKJV] 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
Genesis 3 shows that the original temptation was to question God’s word and replace His will with our own—“Has God indeed said…?” The basics of sin always begin with doubting God’s goodness and setting our will against His.
The Seed War: The Promise in the Fall
[Gen 3:1, 10-15 NKJV] 1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” … 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 11 And He said, “Who told you that you [were] naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” 12 Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” 13 And the LORD God said to the woman, “What [is] this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You [are] cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
Here God announces a long conflict between the serpent and the “Seed” of the woman. Ultimately this points to Christ, the promised Seed who will crush the serpent’s head at the cross, and to all who are in Him. From the very beginning, the “basics” of the gospel are in view: sin, conflict, a promised Savior, and a final victory.
The Basic Problem: Sin Separates
[Isa 59:1-2 NKJV] 1 Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden [His] face from you, So that He will not hear.
The basic problem is not that God is weak or distant; it is that our sins have separated us from Him. Every other “basic” in the Christian life rests on understanding that sin is serious because it cuts us off from the God who made us and loves us.
The Basic Solution: The Blood of Christ
[Heb 9:11-15 NKJV] 11 But Christ came [as] High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The basic solution is not our effort, religion, or “trying harder,” but the once‑for‑all sacrifice of Christ’s own blood. His blood not only deals with the penalty of sin; it cleanses our conscience so we can stop dead works and serve the living God in a new covenant relationship.
New Identity: Children of God Who Purify Themselves
[1Jo 3:1-3 NKJV] 1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
hagnizō – the passive has a reflexive force, to take upon oneself a purification.
When John says that everyone who has this hope “purifies himself,” he means that those who truly hope in seeing Christ actively cooperate with the Spirit to remove sin and live clean lives. Practically, that touches choices about what we watch, how we speak, how we treat others, and how quickly we repent when the Spirit convicts us.
Salvation: Past, Present, and Future (sozo)
[1Co 15:1-2 NKJV] 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you ARE SAVED, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain.
[2Co 2:15 NKJV] 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are BEING SAVED and among those who are perishing.
[Phl 2:12 NKJV] 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
The Greek verb sozo (σῴζω) carries the fundamental meaning of rescuing, delivering, preserving, or healing from peril, whether physical or spiritual. While sozo can describe a specific event—such as physical deliverance from danger or healing from sickness—its usage in the New Testament often conveys a broader, ongoing process of salvation.
This is particularly evident in the passive form of the verb, sozesthe (σωζεσθε), which emphasizes that salvation is initiated and sustained by God’s grace, not human effort. The present tense of this verb implies an ongoing action, aligning with the biblical concept of salvation as both “already” accomplished through justification and “not yet” fully realized, as believers grow in sanctification until glorification.
The Bible speaks of salvation in three tenses:
- We have been saved from sin’s penalty (justification).
- We are being saved from sin’s power (sanctification).
- We will be saved from sin’s presence (glorification).
Although sozo can be used in the context of a single event, its application in passages like 1 Corinthians 15:2, where Paul speaks of being “saved” in the present tense, underscores a continual process of spiritual growth and preservation. This process involves active participation by the believer—working out our salvation with fear and trembling, learning God’s Word, resisting sin, and enduring trials—while relying completely on God’s grace.
However, this participation is not a work that earns salvation; rather, it is the response of a genuine faith that has already been initiated by God’s grace. The verb’s use in the context of spiritual salvation, which includes forgiveness of sins, faith, and peace, reinforces that the process is one of being continually kept and preserved by God. Therefore, while sozo can denote a specific act of rescue, its theological significance in the New Testament often points to a continual, God‑ordained process of deliverance and sanctification.
New Creation: The Basic Identity of a Believer
[2Co 5:17 NKJV] 17 Therefore, if anyone [is] in Christ, [he is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
[Rom 8:1 NKJV] 1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
The basic question is not just, “Did I pray a prayer?” but, “Am I in Christ—a new creation with a new nature?” In Christ, the old life under the rule of sin is counted dead, and a new life empowered by the Spirit has truly begun.
The Helper: The Indwelling Spirit
[Jhn 14:16-17 NKJV] 16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– 17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
[Jhn 16:13-14 NKJV] 13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own [authority], but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare [it] to you.
Jesus promised the Spirit as our permanent Helper, Teacher, and Guide into truth—not as an optional extra for advanced Christians. The basic Christian life is life in fellowship with the Spirit who dwells with us and in us, leading us into truth and glorifying Jesus in us.
[Eph 1:13-14 NKJV] 13 In Him you also [trusted], after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Being “sealed with the Holy Spirit” means God has put His own mark of ownership and guarantee on us until the full redemption of our bodies. The Spirit Himself is the down payment of our inheritance, assuring us that God will finish what He started.
[Rom 8:11 NKJV] 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
!!!!!!THIS SHOULD BE YOUR LIFE VERSE!!!!!!
Evidence in Character: Fruit of the Spirit
Evidence
[Gal 5:16-26 NKJV] 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those [who are] Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The basic evidence that the Spirit is at work in us is the fruit that looks like Jesus: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self‑control. If the Spirit is truly at work in us, over time the fruit will grow—so we can ask, “Which of these traits is the Spirit highlighting in my life right now?”
Evidence in Ministry: Gifts of the Spirit
[1Co 12:4-11 NKJV] 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit [of all]: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another [different] kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
[1Co 14:1-5 NKJV] 1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual [gifts], but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands [him]; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies [is] greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
The basics of Spirit‑filled ministry include both the diversity of gifts given to build up the body and the priority of love as their motive and boundary. The gifts are supernatural manifestations of the same Spirit, distributed as He wills, not as badges of spiritual status.
[1Co 14:14, 16-19 NKJV] 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. … 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
[Jde 1:20 NKJV] 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
Praying in tongues builds us up personally, while prophecy builds up the church; both are part of God’s design for a strong, Spirit‑filled life when used in love and order. Paul’s emphasis is that whenever gifts are expressed in the congregation, the goal must be to build others up in love.
So the basics of Spirit‑filled life are both power and character: spiritual gifts that serve others, and fruit that looks like Jesus.
Power with a Purpose: Witness
What is the real power of the Spirit?
[Act 1:8 NKJV] 8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
[Mar 16:14-20 NKJV] 14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with [them] and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
At the most basic level, the power of the Spirit is not just for our meetings; it is to make us bold, loving witnesses to Jesus in everyday life, confirmed by the Spirit’s gifts and signs as He wills. Our “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth” includes our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and the nations where God sends or connects us.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Romans 12:2 NKJV — And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1 NKJV — I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
D.L. Moody said, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar.”
This is why salvation is not a single act of “Making a decision” so that the church can put that in their annual report, it is a daily act of self sacrifice and seeking holiness, repentance, and restoration to the Father.
Getting back to basics means: presenting our whole selves as living sacrifices, refusing the world’s pattern of “do what you want,” and letting the Spirit renew our minds through the Word so we can live out God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will. A simple way to respond is to ask the Holy Spirit: “Where are You calling me to surrender afresh, and what one step of obedience will I take this week as a disciple of Jesus?”
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