The Gospel and Zombies

Most people wouldn’t peg me for a die-hard Walking Dead fan. There’s a lot of evidence in my life that would support this assumption. I cannot, for the life of me, watch horror movies or TV shows. I take them much too closely to heart and remain a terrified mess for weeks after viewing anything scary. Needless to say, I’m incredibly jumpy and an overall easy target to scare – no need to test this out, just take me at my word.

Yet despite all of this, I bear through the fear, close my eyes when necessary and (excitedly) watch every new episode. The story is just too good.

Over the series, there have been many different kinds of villains – from (spoiler alert) zombies to an insane, spikey-bat wielding tyrant, there has always been something for the main characters to fear or fight.

But back in Season 9, we were introduced to one of the most terrifying villains yet – the Whisperers.

Now for actual spoilers.

Leading up to the introduction of the Whisperers, viewers knew something was going on with the zombies. We were led to believe that they were becoming sentient and more advanced. The most notable sign that something was going down was when two characters heard a group of zombies whispering to each other. Yikes.

But the reality of the situation was much more terrifying than talking zombies. What was really happening was there was a group of humans who were very much alive yet choosing to look like, act like and walk with the undead. Double yikes.

You can imagine this group of people is quite barbaric. Spending that much time acting like zombies isn’t the best medicine for the soul, for sure. They made choices that made me cry. They acted in outrageous violence towards each other.

(Why do I watch this show again?)

Anyways, all of this leads me to this - There has always been a clear distinction between characters who are alive and characters who are dead. Even those who were “freshly dead” and did not yet bear the marks of decay acted in ways that were obviously different than those who were alive. There is never a moment in the show where someone says “I don’t know, maybe they’re dead? They don’t look like they would…oh rats, no that’s for sure a zombie.” It’s obvious from the get go.

Until now.

Now you don’t know if you’re coming against a weak and easy-to-defeat zombie or someone who looks like they fall in that category but then gives you the fight of your life.

(Not-so-smooth-theological-transition alert!)

So here’s my question. Why is it so easy for those who have been made alive in Christ to resemble those who are dead in their sins?

Think about it. We hear from so many people “Oh yes! I believe in God!” But as we get to know them and see the fruits of their lives, we can’t get past the stench of death they still seem to wear.

I’m not the first person to ask this question. In his letter to the Roman church, Paul asks these questions:

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”

Romans 6:1-2

As believers, redeemed by the work of the cross, our old self has died. Our flesh, our sin, all of it is dead and defeated. We have been made alive in Christ! We are a new creation! We see the demand of this truth in Paul’s letter to the Colossians.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature…”

Colossians 3:1-5a

He continues by telling us to take off the old clothes we wore – anger, malice, lies, sexual immorality -  and to put on the new clothes we’re called to wear – compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12) We were dead, now we’re alive! There has been a complete and total change and our lives should reflect that!

And yet, we constantly dig up our old self.

Let’s make it personal. Most of my life I have struggled with anxiety. When I became a believer, Jesus’s work on the cross set me free from that! That part of me is now dead and buried. The glory of the gospel promises peace and hope, unchanged by circumstances. But then something worrisome would come my way and while Christ was calling me to trust in him, I ran to the grave of my flesh, dug up my old self and put it back on, basking in the comfort of my familiar sin. To most onlookers, this rancid flesh I carried with me wasn’t super noticeable. But the more I talked to you about my faith and the life changing truth the gospel holds, at some point you would start to notice that this dead flesh I’m carrying around with me doesn’t quite add up. If I’ve been made alive, why am I acting like I’m still dead in my sin?

Friends, hear me out. We will not reach perfection this side of heaven. Our salvation is not based on our performance and our works do not earn us anything. My struggle with anxiety is not greater than the work of the cross and my eternal security has never been put into question because of my sin.

But the question remains, why do I and so many other believers run back to our old self and try and put it back on? Why are we more comfortable in chains we’ve been set free from than in the actual freedom found in Christ?

Christ has defeated sin! It holds no power over us. Our perfect, holy God condescended to earth and became the perfect sacrifice necessary for our salvation. The work was done, once for all. This means that one day we will get to be with him for all eternity, not only free from the power of sin but from the presence of sin. But it also means that, in this life now, we have been given promises that are almost too good to believe – hope that does not falter. Peace we can’t comprehend. Love that surrounds us. Weapons for the battles we face. Wisdom in the questions. Grace in our failures. Power in our weakness.

But so often we forget that. Our sin is comfortable. Trust me, I know how to handle a situation with anxiety. I know how to let it overtake my reasoning and debilitate me. Choosing to rest in God’s sovereignty instead of running to my anxiety is an all-out battle in my mind. But it’s a battle worth fighting. We are called to so much more. We are called to live a life worthy of the calling we’ve received. We must fight every day against the desire to go back to our old selves. We no longer need to dig up what’s dead and carry it with us in this life.

Frankly, it stinks.

May our lives progressively look vastly different than what they were before Christ took hold of them. Fight the good fight friends! The battles are hard, but the war is won.