Jacked-up Gospel = Jacked-up Disciples

I need to take another step back before we try to move forward. We have to understand “sin” before we can understand the Gospel and Discipleship. And this is where the Church, especially here in America, is faltering.

I was listening to a preacher the other day and he was explaining our need for a Savior. He was talking about the “bad things” we do that deserve God’s “righteous wrath.” His presentation went something like this: “God is holy and pure and He can’t tolerate anything or anyone in His presence who isn’t also. And you and I have done bad things. That makes us bad people. Even if you have done a whole bunch of good things, they can’t erase the bad things that you have done so you deserve to be judged and sent to Hell. That’s why you need a Savior!” Is that a Gospel presentation which you have heard before? I have heard it dozens of times. The problem is: That’s just wrong.

Please don’t misunderstand me. There’s some truth in that presentation. God is certainly holy and pure (I would prefer the word “righteous”). But, if God can’t be in the presence of anyone “bad,” then how does He have conversations with folks in the Bible? Think about Moses on Mt. Sinai being told to remove his sandals – but not himself – because the place was holy (Exodus 3:5). None of us would say that Moses the murderer was “pure.” How about Satan standing in God’s presence and challenging Him concerning Job (Job 1:6-12).

And as far as the “good” things we do outweighing the “bad” things, Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “all” our righteous deeds are “filthy rags” before the Lord because we ourselves are unrighteous. Why do I hammer on this point? Because a jacked-up Gospel leads to jacked-up thinking and jacked-up Discipleship.

You see, Jesus is the One we should be looking to for an understanding of the Gospel, not a televangelist or pastor or even Peter and Paul. The Disciples’ understanding of the Gospel and their subsequent communication of it are indeed very important, but the One who knows best is the Person who actually is the Gospel. And Jesus did not come into the world proclaiming the 4 Spiritual Laws. In fact, time and time again, the gospels refer to Him proclaiming the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 24:14; Mark 1:15; Luke 4:43, 8:1). Look at two more examples:

Luke 16:16  “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the Kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.” This is Jesus’ synopsis of redemptive history. He says that up to the time of John the Baptizer, the Law and the Prophets were proclaimed. Later in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus would explain to two disciples on the road to Emmaus that the proclamation of the Law and the Prophets was about Him: He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses (the Law) and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

Acts 8:12  But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Notice that Philip is continuing the ministry of Jesus, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the person of Jesus.

The message of the Bible is not about how God is demanding that we “be good enough,” not for salvation and not for sanctification. The message of the Bible, from beginning to end, is about a Creator God who is actively involved throughout history bringing His Creation under His sovereign rule by means of the work of Himself in the person of Jesus. We don’t have the authority to speak of “good” and “bad” things apart from the reign of the King. There are those who throw themselves at His feet in subjection and those who are in active rebellion against Him. That is what “sin” is, sedition against the King. We do not have the authority to tell Him that, because we were loyal most of the time, He should or must pardon our treasonous activities. The King alone holds the power over life and death. All of Creation is His. There is nothing which exists that doesn’t fall under His authority. But He, in His love and mercy, has offered His grace to those who would receive it and pledge their undying devotion to Him.

More to follow…..

.