1 Corinthians 1:18–"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Before I came to Christ I had this same perspective about the cross. It was maybe nothing more than superstitious foolishness. But after I encountered Christ everything changed. The reality of this verse was brought to bear upon my life and the power of God was transfused into me through the hearing of the Gospel. I cannot now deny, though, that the cross truly is the power of God. It speaks of His greatness, His creativity, His mercy, His justice, and, ultimately, His amazing power.
O the wonderful cross!
Showing posts with label gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gospel. Show all posts
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Monday, January 6, 2014
The Essence of the Gospel
Rom. 1:16–"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and then to the Greek also."
1 Cor. 2:2–"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
The heart of the Christian message is often misrepresented as a sort of cartoon caricature of social concern loosely mixed with some poorly interpreted verses of Scripture and some famous historical quotes like, "God helps those who help themselves (a Ben Franklin creation)."
In truth, though, Christianity is based singularly on Christ. Even more directly, Christianity is about Christ crucified and resurrected. And, as Paul asserts above, not only is this the essential message of Christianity, the Gospel as it were, but this Gospel is, in fact, the very power of God.
It is because of this, therefore, we should not ever forget the simple and offensive essence of Christianity, which is Jesus Christ crucified.
1 Cor. 2:2–"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified."
The heart of the Christian message is often misrepresented as a sort of cartoon caricature of social concern loosely mixed with some poorly interpreted verses of Scripture and some famous historical quotes like, "God helps those who help themselves (a Ben Franklin creation)."
In truth, though, Christianity is based singularly on Christ. Even more directly, Christianity is about Christ crucified and resurrected. And, as Paul asserts above, not only is this the essential message of Christianity, the Gospel as it were, but this Gospel is, in fact, the very power of God.
It is because of this, therefore, we should not ever forget the simple and offensive essence of Christianity, which is Jesus Christ crucified.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Synopsis of the Gospel
God is. He is holy, meaning that He is without blemish, pure, and unlike anything else that has ever been. He made human beings and commanded them to live by every word that flowed from His mouth. But His creatures were unable and unwilling to adhere to those commandments and thus became tainted by sin, which needs to be washed in order for a right relationship with God to be restored.
Only a truly atoning act could overcome the sin of man in order to reconcile creation to God and for God to remain just and holy. This is the story of the Gospel. Jesus is the perfect, atoning sacrifice that has restored humankind to a right relationship with Him. God remains just as He judged all sin in Christ. While God also proves to be faithful, fulfilling all of the covenant promises that He had made for centuries. This is the profound beauty of the Gospel. Remember: "For God so loved..."
It is through faith that this reconciliation is received and applied to the person. And while faith is a good thing and worthy of consideration at a later time, we should not forget the distinct content of our faith.
This is the Gospel in a nutshell.
Only a truly atoning act could overcome the sin of man in order to reconcile creation to God and for God to remain just and holy. This is the story of the Gospel. Jesus is the perfect, atoning sacrifice that has restored humankind to a right relationship with Him. God remains just as He judged all sin in Christ. While God also proves to be faithful, fulfilling all of the covenant promises that He had made for centuries. This is the profound beauty of the Gospel. Remember: "For God so loved..."
It is through faith that this reconciliation is received and applied to the person. And while faith is a good thing and worthy of consideration at a later time, we should not forget the distinct content of our faith.
This is the Gospel in a nutshell.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Romans 1:16–The Power of God
Romans 1:16–"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
This is one of those 'defining' verses for Christianity. In reality, the gospel of Christ is the power of God for salvation, meaning that to receive the gospel of Christ through faith is, in effect, to receive God's salvific power in one's own life. To be sure, this one of the most remarkable things about what believing in Christ affords the believer. What a beautiful thought!
Praise be to our glorious God!
Amen!
Praise be to our glorious God!
Amen!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Romans 1:16–Not Ashamed of the Gospel
Romans 1:16: "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
This verse speaks of not being ashamed of the Gospel because we understand its power for those who would rest upon the truth of its promises. This is a good thing: to believe that Jesus is Lord and God has raised Him from the dead. But it is not enough to merely give assent to the theological assertions of the Gospel; it must be planted within our hearts for its power to take root and for lives to be transformed.
Here's the Catch-22: if we do not implant the Gospel deep within us, we will always think of it as a set of doctrinal assertions lacking any 'real' power to transform hearts and lives. Are only understanding of the power of the Gospel will be, by nature, second-hand. We will be able to see the Gospel working in other's lives, but because we have never committed to our own lives in faith, we will remain just outside the purview of experiencing the Gospel's power.
In a round-about way, that's part of what this verse is talking about. If we are embarrassed or ashamed of the Gospel we have, in the very least, affirmed a low, un-salvific view of the Gospel. This view will, in the end, prove to be self-prophesying, for as the power of the Gospel is applied through faith, if we do not have the faith overcome our own uncomfortability of the Gospel, we have, in fact, rendered the Gospel an innocuous set of theological propositions lacking any perceivable power.
But the Gospel is powerful. Therefore, if we the Gospel seems embarrassingly powerless, the issue is not the impotency of the Gospel, it is our faithlessness and doubt. The relevant solution to such a lopsided ordeal is not, it turns out, to find a 'new, more-powerful' gospel, it is to press in wholeheartedly to the Gospel to see its power for ourselves. In the end, if we find ourselves ashamed of the Gospel it is not the Gospel's fault; it is ours. It is ironic, then, that the only cure for such a spiritual malady is the Gospel!
If we find ourselves at the precarious position of feeling ashamed of the Gospel, the only tactic which will prove fruitful is to pray and seek ever more for the face of God in Christ, which is the Gospel. In this way, we will see the Gospel's power in all its glorious splendor as it is: the power of God!
This verse speaks of not being ashamed of the Gospel because we understand its power for those who would rest upon the truth of its promises. This is a good thing: to believe that Jesus is Lord and God has raised Him from the dead. But it is not enough to merely give assent to the theological assertions of the Gospel; it must be planted within our hearts for its power to take root and for lives to be transformed.
Here's the Catch-22: if we do not implant the Gospel deep within us, we will always think of it as a set of doctrinal assertions lacking any 'real' power to transform hearts and lives. Are only understanding of the power of the Gospel will be, by nature, second-hand. We will be able to see the Gospel working in other's lives, but because we have never committed to our own lives in faith, we will remain just outside the purview of experiencing the Gospel's power.
In a round-about way, that's part of what this verse is talking about. If we are embarrassed or ashamed of the Gospel we have, in the very least, affirmed a low, un-salvific view of the Gospel. This view will, in the end, prove to be self-prophesying, for as the power of the Gospel is applied through faith, if we do not have the faith overcome our own uncomfortability of the Gospel, we have, in fact, rendered the Gospel an innocuous set of theological propositions lacking any perceivable power.
But the Gospel is powerful. Therefore, if we the Gospel seems embarrassingly powerless, the issue is not the impotency of the Gospel, it is our faithlessness and doubt. The relevant solution to such a lopsided ordeal is not, it turns out, to find a 'new, more-powerful' gospel, it is to press in wholeheartedly to the Gospel to see its power for ourselves. In the end, if we find ourselves ashamed of the Gospel it is not the Gospel's fault; it is ours. It is ironic, then, that the only cure for such a spiritual malady is the Gospel!
If we find ourselves at the precarious position of feeling ashamed of the Gospel, the only tactic which will prove fruitful is to pray and seek ever more for the face of God in Christ, which is the Gospel. In this way, we will see the Gospel's power in all its glorious splendor as it is: the power of God!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Tozer and The Problem of God
If you have never read the book The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, I cannot more highly suggest it. It has been one of my favorites for a few years now and I just recently went back to it as a reference for a series on seeking intimacy with God for the youth group. While I normally would not make excessive quotations here from any book other that the Scripture, this one in particular struck me today:
"All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared to the overwhelming problem of God: that He is; what He is like; and what we as moral beings must do about Him.
The man who comes to a right belief about God is relieved of ten thousand temporal problems, for he sees at once that these have to do with matters which at the most cannot concern him for very long; but even if the multitude burdens of time may be lifted from him, the one mighty single burden of eternity begins to press down upon him with a weight more crushing than all the woes of the world piled one upon another. That mighty burden is his obligation to God." (Taken from A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy. Harper Collins Publishing, 1961.)
I love this quote. The context surrounding it is equally profound and challenging, its truth keen and far-reaching. God's reality is a terrifying thing for all humans, as it is a weight of existence and of morality that we cannot escape. Thus the Gospel is Good News to those who would fall upon it in faith. For it is the Gospel received by faith that permits us forgiven access by grace into the holy presence of God Himself without the crushing heaviness of our moral failures. This is the beautiful problem of God!
"All the problems of heaven and earth, though they were to confront us together and at once, would be nothing compared to the overwhelming problem of God: that He is; what He is like; and what we as moral beings must do about Him.
The man who comes to a right belief about God is relieved of ten thousand temporal problems, for he sees at once that these have to do with matters which at the most cannot concern him for very long; but even if the multitude burdens of time may be lifted from him, the one mighty single burden of eternity begins to press down upon him with a weight more crushing than all the woes of the world piled one upon another. That mighty burden is his obligation to God." (Taken from A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy. Harper Collins Publishing, 1961.)
I love this quote. The context surrounding it is equally profound and challenging, its truth keen and far-reaching. God's reality is a terrifying thing for all humans, as it is a weight of existence and of morality that we cannot escape. Thus the Gospel is Good News to those who would fall upon it in faith. For it is the Gospel received by faith that permits us forgiven access by grace into the holy presence of God Himself without the crushing heaviness of our moral failures. This is the beautiful problem of God!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Does God Love Me Just The Way I Am?
We've all heard this phrase thrown around, "well, God loves me just the way I am." This claim is an interesting one and, although this cliched idiom has been asserted by more than a few harlots, under the current climate of diminishing love to a near-emotional reaction from its loftier senses and purposes, it warrants a critical consideration.
At the onset, it must be ascertained as to what sense this statement is being made. If in saying "God loves me just the way I am" we are meaning God has bestowed His great loving grace upon me whilst I was still mired in my slough of sin and transgression, then by all means, this statement is not only true it is profound and powerful.
On the other hand, however, if in professing "God loves me just the way that I am" I mean to say that God accepts and is content with my current wretched state, than by no means can this be acceptable for this would be to disregard the holy and righteous character of God Himself. He is loving. But this comes out of the reality that we are so horribly miserable in our sin. After all, if we were already acceptable and pleasing to Him, He would not have had to die on a cross!
The truth is that God loves us so much that He desires something more for us, He demands that we be discontent with who we are currently with the understanding that our pilgrimage presses us on to perfection. We should not think that God would tolerate anything less for us–now that would be un-loving!
Think of the man who loves His car. Although he loves his car no less when it is full of dirt and grime, it is that same measure of love that compels him to repair it when it is broken, scrub it when it is dirty, and to keep it properly maintained. To say that he 'loves his car just the way it is' would be to betray the intensity of his affections for his car.
In a similar though far-greater sense, God loves us just the way we are but He is not content to leave us in our sorry states. He purchased us at a great price–the blood of His Son–that comes with the expectation of reparation. He does love us the way we are but, thankfully, He is not content to leave us this way!
At the onset, it must be ascertained as to what sense this statement is being made. If in saying "God loves me just the way I am" we are meaning God has bestowed His great loving grace upon me whilst I was still mired in my slough of sin and transgression, then by all means, this statement is not only true it is profound and powerful.
On the other hand, however, if in professing "God loves me just the way that I am" I mean to say that God accepts and is content with my current wretched state, than by no means can this be acceptable for this would be to disregard the holy and righteous character of God Himself. He is loving. But this comes out of the reality that we are so horribly miserable in our sin. After all, if we were already acceptable and pleasing to Him, He would not have had to die on a cross!
The truth is that God loves us so much that He desires something more for us, He demands that we be discontent with who we are currently with the understanding that our pilgrimage presses us on to perfection. We should not think that God would tolerate anything less for us–now that would be un-loving!
Think of the man who loves His car. Although he loves his car no less when it is full of dirt and grime, it is that same measure of love that compels him to repair it when it is broken, scrub it when it is dirty, and to keep it properly maintained. To say that he 'loves his car just the way it is' would be to betray the intensity of his affections for his car.
In a similar though far-greater sense, God loves us just the way we are but He is not content to leave us in our sorry states. He purchased us at a great price–the blood of His Son–that comes with the expectation of reparation. He does love us the way we are but, thankfully, He is not content to leave us this way!
Monday, December 10, 2012
Communicating with God through Christ
Whenever Charlie Brown, the lovable oaf of Charles Schultz' creation, heard his mother or his teacher or really any adult character attempting to communicate with him, all the audience would hear would be a mix of garbled gibberish and unremarkable, indistinct tones. This rendering the communication pathways useless, messages left unsent, and the relaying parties separated by the barriers of interface.
This seems a good analogy to the lines of communication between God and man, having become impotent due to sin and disbelief. As a result, God's communication to man is hampered just as man's communication to God is similarly hindered. The net effect of such confusion of language is that man cannot receive the communication of God because of the sin of man, and God cannot hear man due to the same thing.
To overcome this, an interpreter is needed to mediate and correct the deficiencies of communication that act as a barrier to separate God and man. But praise be to God who in His good pleasure sent His Son Jesus to die as a substitutionary atonement for sin in order to reckon the sin of mankind, and thus repair the broken linees and redeem mankind in regeneration.
Although salvation is often seen as a forensic event, let us not forget that God has made a way for us to truly communicate with Him. Now, through faith in Christ, humans can not only hear God when He speaks by way of the Holy Spirit resting within them, but even more so they can speak to God in faith and have assurance that God hears fully. Let us then take joy that God has made a way, mediating for us through His own torn flesh and shed blood, and redeeming us!
This seems a good analogy to the lines of communication between God and man, having become impotent due to sin and disbelief. As a result, God's communication to man is hampered just as man's communication to God is similarly hindered. The net effect of such confusion of language is that man cannot receive the communication of God because of the sin of man, and God cannot hear man due to the same thing.
To overcome this, an interpreter is needed to mediate and correct the deficiencies of communication that act as a barrier to separate God and man. But praise be to God who in His good pleasure sent His Son Jesus to die as a substitutionary atonement for sin in order to reckon the sin of mankind, and thus repair the broken linees and redeem mankind in regeneration.
Although salvation is often seen as a forensic event, let us not forget that God has made a way for us to truly communicate with Him. Now, through faith in Christ, humans can not only hear God when He speaks by way of the Holy Spirit resting within them, but even more so they can speak to God in faith and have assurance that God hears fully. Let us then take joy that God has made a way, mediating for us through His own torn flesh and shed blood, and redeeming us!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Treating the Gospel like the Good News it is
A 17-year-old opens the mailbox everyday in hopes of finding that letter, that one letter that could change his very life. Everyday he opens the box with eagerness and closes it with sorrow at another depressing day without the letter and without relief from his anticipation. Then, one day, like the hundreds before, there it is. He pulls the envelope out of the box and breaths it in, opening it with deliberation and exhaling a scream of jubilant release. From the mailbox, he sprints to his home, almost falling through the threshold as he leaps into the kitchen to yell at his mother across the kitchen: "They accepted me! I'm going to Harvard!"
Good news, like finding out that you're going to Harvard, or going to have a baby, or you've finally been offered the dream job, or the reports are in that the cancer is gone. This sort of news will always demand to be expressed. Undoubtedly, the joy of genuine good news will cause us to tell everyone we know because truly good news is nto something to remain hidden, but something to be shared.
The Gospel, the Good News about our Lord Christ Jesus saving all of humanity from sin and restoring a broken relationship with God Almighty, is something that should prompt us to share with everyone. This Good News is the best news because it means that by faith we can spend eternity in the presence of the Lord. Therefore, we should be ever-compelled to think of the Gospel at least as amazing as any other possible good news, and should be treated accordingly with the same joyous vigor.
In new believers, those who have recently made a confession of faith in Jesus, this kind of joyful sharing of the Gospel comes naturally and with ease. Unfortunately, because of stagnant comfortability, the Gospel seems to loose some of its luster and awesomeness in their hearts and they don't share it with as much joy and gladness as news of its kind demands. Pray that we never cease to think of the Gospel as any less than it is because it is the very power of God. May we never think of the Gospel as common for it is supernatural and amazing. In this way, let us seek to praise God for the Good News of His Son to be quick and excited to share it with everyone we can!
Good news, like finding out that you're going to Harvard, or going to have a baby, or you've finally been offered the dream job, or the reports are in that the cancer is gone. This sort of news will always demand to be expressed. Undoubtedly, the joy of genuine good news will cause us to tell everyone we know because truly good news is nto something to remain hidden, but something to be shared.
The Gospel, the Good News about our Lord Christ Jesus saving all of humanity from sin and restoring a broken relationship with God Almighty, is something that should prompt us to share with everyone. This Good News is the best news because it means that by faith we can spend eternity in the presence of the Lord. Therefore, we should be ever-compelled to think of the Gospel at least as amazing as any other possible good news, and should be treated accordingly with the same joyous vigor.
In new believers, those who have recently made a confession of faith in Jesus, this kind of joyful sharing of the Gospel comes naturally and with ease. Unfortunately, because of stagnant comfortability, the Gospel seems to loose some of its luster and awesomeness in their hearts and they don't share it with as much joy and gladness as news of its kind demands. Pray that we never cease to think of the Gospel as any less than it is because it is the very power of God. May we never think of the Gospel as common for it is supernatural and amazing. In this way, let us seek to praise God for the Good News of His Son to be quick and excited to share it with everyone we can!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Waking Up to God
Sometimes the warm cocoon of bedding is nearly impossible to leave. When the alarm clock rings its obnoxious clatter in a concerted effort to either wake me up or just make me angry. Often times it feels more like the latter, and I would rather just stay in bed, holed up against the world hidden behind a covering of blanketed bliss. Unfortunately, as much as any of us would prefer to remain cuddled in a cocoon of covers, life persistently calls us to crawl out and meet the day.
This seems a most appropriate metaphor for belief. Though we would rather hang around in the coma of comfort behind the veil of sinful slumber, God beckons the unbeliever to leave their state of eternal night and to step into the eternal light of His glory. The fleshly, natural self is asleep (dead) to God because of sin. But God calls for us to awaken.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks to this regard. He paraphrases Isaiah, "Awake, O Sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you (Eph. 5:14)." This is fundamental. God desires to light our lives, to illuminate us with the glory of His majesty. However, unless we, by faith, crawl out of our comatose cocoons of sinful slumber, we will be ever-unable to receive Him.
In a sense, we have an advocating heavenly alarm clock in the Holy Spirit who is ringing in an effort to prompt us to awaken from our sin. And, like being awoken in the morning, we have a choice to make: will we either hit the snooze and pull the covers of unbelief over our heads to sleep for all eternity in hell, or will we heed to the prompting of God and awake to meet His day and His light? These are the two choices, and they have everlasting consequences. We should be compelled to awaken so as to embrace the day that the Lord has made, which is belief in the Son, Christ Jesus.
A brief note is in order for those who have already chosen the latter. For those of who have already made our choice to awake from our sinful slumbers and to leave the ignorant envelop of our walking death, there is a sincere and distinct task to wake up those who are still asleep. It is our obligation to the world to, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, announce that the day has come in Christ Jesus and that everyone should be made awake in order to leave the darkness of death and to live in the light of the Lord. Let us then take seriously the call to awaken to the Lord and to wake others up too!
This seems a most appropriate metaphor for belief. Though we would rather hang around in the coma of comfort behind the veil of sinful slumber, God beckons the unbeliever to leave their state of eternal night and to step into the eternal light of His glory. The fleshly, natural self is asleep (dead) to God because of sin. But God calls for us to awaken.
Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, speaks to this regard. He paraphrases Isaiah, "Awake, O Sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you (Eph. 5:14)." This is fundamental. God desires to light our lives, to illuminate us with the glory of His majesty. However, unless we, by faith, crawl out of our comatose cocoons of sinful slumber, we will be ever-unable to receive Him.
In a sense, we have an advocating heavenly alarm clock in the Holy Spirit who is ringing in an effort to prompt us to awaken from our sin. And, like being awoken in the morning, we have a choice to make: will we either hit the snooze and pull the covers of unbelief over our heads to sleep for all eternity in hell, or will we heed to the prompting of God and awake to meet His day and His light? These are the two choices, and they have everlasting consequences. We should be compelled to awaken so as to embrace the day that the Lord has made, which is belief in the Son, Christ Jesus.
A brief note is in order for those who have already chosen the latter. For those of who have already made our choice to awake from our sinful slumbers and to leave the ignorant envelop of our walking death, there is a sincere and distinct task to wake up those who are still asleep. It is our obligation to the world to, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, announce that the day has come in Christ Jesus and that everyone should be made awake in order to leave the darkness of death and to live in the light of the Lord. Let us then take seriously the call to awaken to the Lord and to wake others up too!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
The Good News of the Gospel
An emotionally-spent struggles to sleep. For the past two years her son, a marine, has been deployed overseas. Everyday the mother watches the reports, praying that she will not hear her son's name listed among those soldiers who had lost their lives in battle. She is strained and worn from worry, having been for several months since her son's last correspondence.
Early one morning, before the sun dawns its brightness over the horizon, the mother hears rustling in the kitchen. She gets herself dressed and walks down the stairs with reservation. When she gets to the doorway of the kitchen, tears begin to wrench from her eyes as she is startled to see her son making her breakfast. He had returned stateside days earlier and wanted to surprise her with good news.
Good News, that news which is a salve to our hearts and an encouragement to our lives. The Word of God speaks of the greatest news to ever be received, which is the Gospel of Jesus, the story of sweet salvation. The Gospel, the good news of Jesus, is the story of God's grace, the redemption from sin, death being conquered, and the reception of life eternal through the torn flesh and shed blood of God's Son, Christ Jesus.
Although the whole of Scripture speaks to the Good News of Christ Jesus, perhaps the most concise verse is the oft-quoted John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life." The richness of this well-known passage is its theological density and literary precision. John, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is indicating that at the heart of the Gospel of Christ is nothing less than God's very love for us!
Moreover, the Gospel, the Good News of salvation brought about by God through Jesus, is story that took centuries to write. The Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament) prophesy of it (Rom 1:2-3; Heb. 1:1-4). Profoundly, the Gospel was a centuries-long preparation of God for the redemption of humanity by the work of His Son, Christ Jesus. This is certainly Good News. Let us not eschew our passion for this news but let us, like the mother in the above story, weep tears of joy at the joyfulness of the Good News of Christ Jesus!
Early one morning, before the sun dawns its brightness over the horizon, the mother hears rustling in the kitchen. She gets herself dressed and walks down the stairs with reservation. When she gets to the doorway of the kitchen, tears begin to wrench from her eyes as she is startled to see her son making her breakfast. He had returned stateside days earlier and wanted to surprise her with good news.
Good News, that news which is a salve to our hearts and an encouragement to our lives. The Word of God speaks of the greatest news to ever be received, which is the Gospel of Jesus, the story of sweet salvation. The Gospel, the good news of Jesus, is the story of God's grace, the redemption from sin, death being conquered, and the reception of life eternal through the torn flesh and shed blood of God's Son, Christ Jesus.
Although the whole of Scripture speaks to the Good News of Christ Jesus, perhaps the most concise verse is the oft-quoted John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life." The richness of this well-known passage is its theological density and literary precision. John, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is indicating that at the heart of the Gospel of Christ is nothing less than God's very love for us!
Moreover, the Gospel, the Good News of salvation brought about by God through Jesus, is story that took centuries to write. The Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament) prophesy of it (Rom 1:2-3; Heb. 1:1-4). Profoundly, the Gospel was a centuries-long preparation of God for the redemption of humanity by the work of His Son, Christ Jesus. This is certainly Good News. Let us not eschew our passion for this news but let us, like the mother in the above story, weep tears of joy at the joyfulness of the Good News of Christ Jesus!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Necessary Boldness for the Gospel
The story goes something like this:
Michael, a father of three, decides to take his kids to the County Fair for a good time. Once there the family goes on a few rides, plays a couple of carnival games, sees the animal exhibits, and after awhile is ready to leave. On the way out Michael and his family are walking next to a dad and his son. The son is, presumably, misbehaving and the father seems to be reprimanding him for it. As they continue walking the dad becomes increasingly physical with his son. In fact, not after long the physicality has moved beyond a reasonable reprimand to something more akin to abuse.
Michael has been watching the scene unfold and can no longer sit idly by as this young boy is being beaten by his dad. Michael walks over to the dad as he is reeling back for another swing at his son. He grabs the dad's forearm and sternly says, "That's more than enough. I'd thank you to stop doing that. But if you have to hit someone to feel like a man, you're more than welcome to hit someone your own size, like me." The father, in utter shock at the scenario, staggers back and sizes up Michael before yelling, "What makes you so bold to think that you have the right to tell me how to discipline my son?!"
The issue is boldness. The question is: at what point do we, as believers, stand up and boldly proclaim, "Jesus is Lord!"? Many evangelicals hold to a theology of evangelism that is so focused on living out the Christian lifestyle that it neglects the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel too. Certainly, both things are important. And we should not easily excuse ourselves from either of the two. Nor should we so overvalue one that we neglect the other.
In this case, boldness refers to a dynamic proclamation of the truth of Christ Jesus that may make others uncomfortable. Although this may strike some as obstructive or offensive, because it is our reliance on the Gospel that ensures our very life, we should be only-too eager to share the Gospel. Therefore, if we truly love others we need to preach the Gospel to those who would otherwise never know of it.
The common response to such boldness is to make a case for living it out or walking the walk, as in, people will know the Gospel by the way we live. And while there is merit to this proposition it is useless unless we accompany that lifestyle with a sincere Gospel presentation. Consider that there are many unbelievers who live far more moral and far more Christian lifestyles than most Christians themselves do. What is the difference then? Although "walking the talk" is necessary and valuable, living like a Christian is not enough on its own to encourage others to learn about Christ. Nor is the Christian lifestyle salvific in itself apart from the content of Christ.
In reality, the Gospel is not primarily a lifestyle. It is a theology that encourages a lifestyle; it is a relationship with the Holy Lord who, by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, informs our lifestyle. However, the lifestyle is not enough. In truth, living the Christian lifestyle without holding on to Christ will end up in eternal damnation just as surely as living a sinner's lifestyle without Christ will too. The Gospel is the good news about Christ Jesus, that He has, by His blood shed upon the cross, reconciled the severed relationship between God and man, and now, by faith, believers can enter into that restored relationship.
The content of the Gospel needs to be proclaimed. Not just by those who may have the spiritual gift of evangelism but by every believers whose salvation is made sure and secure in the blood of the spotless lamb, Christ Jesus. Paul, Jesus, and John all point to the necessity for believers to boldly proclaim the Gospel (Matt. 10:33, 28:18-20; Mark 8:38; Rom 1:16; 2 Tim 1:8-16; Heb 3:6, 11:16; 1 John 2:28). This is not just a suggestion, this is a requirement of faith in Him.
Thinking back to the story of Michael. It was not enough for him to be an example of a loving father, for when push came to shove he had to proclaim the truth to the abusive dad at the threat of being offensive. In a similar manner, it is not enough to exemplify Christianity in lifestyle, we also need to be bold in declaring the reason for our confidence. Let us then be bold in proclaiming Christ Jesus, because we know the goodness of the Lord is for all people to hear!
Michael, a father of three, decides to take his kids to the County Fair for a good time. Once there the family goes on a few rides, plays a couple of carnival games, sees the animal exhibits, and after awhile is ready to leave. On the way out Michael and his family are walking next to a dad and his son. The son is, presumably, misbehaving and the father seems to be reprimanding him for it. As they continue walking the dad becomes increasingly physical with his son. In fact, not after long the physicality has moved beyond a reasonable reprimand to something more akin to abuse.
Michael has been watching the scene unfold and can no longer sit idly by as this young boy is being beaten by his dad. Michael walks over to the dad as he is reeling back for another swing at his son. He grabs the dad's forearm and sternly says, "That's more than enough. I'd thank you to stop doing that. But if you have to hit someone to feel like a man, you're more than welcome to hit someone your own size, like me." The father, in utter shock at the scenario, staggers back and sizes up Michael before yelling, "What makes you so bold to think that you have the right to tell me how to discipline my son?!"
The issue is boldness. The question is: at what point do we, as believers, stand up and boldly proclaim, "Jesus is Lord!"? Many evangelicals hold to a theology of evangelism that is so focused on living out the Christian lifestyle that it neglects the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel too. Certainly, both things are important. And we should not easily excuse ourselves from either of the two. Nor should we so overvalue one that we neglect the other.
In this case, boldness refers to a dynamic proclamation of the truth of Christ Jesus that may make others uncomfortable. Although this may strike some as obstructive or offensive, because it is our reliance on the Gospel that ensures our very life, we should be only-too eager to share the Gospel. Therefore, if we truly love others we need to preach the Gospel to those who would otherwise never know of it.
The common response to such boldness is to make a case for living it out or walking the walk, as in, people will know the Gospel by the way we live. And while there is merit to this proposition it is useless unless we accompany that lifestyle with a sincere Gospel presentation. Consider that there are many unbelievers who live far more moral and far more Christian lifestyles than most Christians themselves do. What is the difference then? Although "walking the talk" is necessary and valuable, living like a Christian is not enough on its own to encourage others to learn about Christ. Nor is the Christian lifestyle salvific in itself apart from the content of Christ.
In reality, the Gospel is not primarily a lifestyle. It is a theology that encourages a lifestyle; it is a relationship with the Holy Lord who, by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, informs our lifestyle. However, the lifestyle is not enough. In truth, living the Christian lifestyle without holding on to Christ will end up in eternal damnation just as surely as living a sinner's lifestyle without Christ will too. The Gospel is the good news about Christ Jesus, that He has, by His blood shed upon the cross, reconciled the severed relationship between God and man, and now, by faith, believers can enter into that restored relationship.
The content of the Gospel needs to be proclaimed. Not just by those who may have the spiritual gift of evangelism but by every believers whose salvation is made sure and secure in the blood of the spotless lamb, Christ Jesus. Paul, Jesus, and John all point to the necessity for believers to boldly proclaim the Gospel (Matt. 10:33, 28:18-20; Mark 8:38; Rom 1:16; 2 Tim 1:8-16; Heb 3:6, 11:16; 1 John 2:28). This is not just a suggestion, this is a requirement of faith in Him.
Thinking back to the story of Michael. It was not enough for him to be an example of a loving father, for when push came to shove he had to proclaim the truth to the abusive dad at the threat of being offensive. In a similar manner, it is not enough to exemplify Christianity in lifestyle, we also need to be bold in declaring the reason for our confidence. Let us then be bold in proclaiming Christ Jesus, because we know the goodness of the Lord is for all people to hear!
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