These thoughts are born out of a few things: a new passion I have for God's truth from taking theology this year, specifically from studying the Doctrine of Christ and the Doctrine of Salvation; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; and the questions and thoughts that the "Rob Bell controversy" have stirred in my own mind. Please understand this is not meant to be a response, critique or anything else directed at Rob Bell and his latest book. I have not read the book and am making no statements or claims as to what I think it contains or what its author believes. This is simply where my thoughts have been taking me based on the things I am personally learning and what so many around me are talking about.
I preached my first sermon in class this last week and in my preparation I was struck by the offensiveness of the gospel. The gospel is not a message that everyone wants to embrace. In fact, most have such a hard time with it that I guess they do not embrace Jesus. Honestly, as a believer, this is hard for me to comprehend.
The gospel saved my life.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." ~1 Cor. 1:18
So if this message that we are commanded by Jesus himself to make known to all (Matt. 28:19-20) is foolish to many who hear it and is offensive, then how would changing that message be beneficial for anyone? If it is not the whole truth then it is not the truth.
Right?
I think that concerning the gospel if some truth is being spoken then the Holy Spirit can most certainly lead an individual to the whole truth (Jn. 16:13). However, this does not mean that we should get sloppy or lazy in our presentation of the gospel. This does not mean that we focus in on certain parts that are easier to hear and accept and leave out the rest.
I think it is our responsibility to share the whole truth.
And what is that truth? This is my attempt to write out my understanding which I am aware is in no way a full understanding.
God created humanity (Gen.1:27).
Humanity did not maintain the relationship with the Creator that He intended (Gen. 3).
Throughout the Old Testament God promises that more is coming.
More arrives in the New Testament.
We cannot put God in a box or make him what we want him to be. He is every thing he says he is. And there are many seemingly contradictory aspects to his nature that are juxtaposed to one another. The one that stood out most to me last fall in my first semester of theology was that God is just and God is merciful. How can he be both?
God is HOLY. Nothing un-HOLY can be with God. Sin cannot be with God. And all of humanity is sinful (Rom. 3:23). We cannot be with God. It isn't because he doesn't want us to be, it's because of the Fall. The choice to disobey the Creator, which none of was able to escape once Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden.
Our sin deserves death and leads to death (Rom. 6:23).
But God is also merciful even while he is just (Rom. 5:8). God in his love and mercy sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sin. To be the propitiation for our sin (1 Jn. 4:10). We deserve the wrath of God because of our sin. But Jesus sacrificed himself and took on our sin, satisfying the wrath of God for those who believe. I believe God has made this available to all but it is only for those who believe that it is applied (Jn. 3:16). If someone chooses not to believe then don't they deserve the wrath of God because of their sin?
YES!
I deserve the wrath of God but I have a Savior who suffered that for me.
And anyone who believes does not have to face that wrath (Rom. 8:1).
So the world considers the cross foolish. But God's foolishness is "wiser than man's wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:25). If the world thinks me foolish because of what I believe, then what is the point in trying to make the gospel say or mean anything other than what it actually means? Once the whole truth comes out it's going to be foolish and offensive. I don't want anyone I share my faith with to miss the whole message. I believe there are different ways to present the message and that the same presentation does not work for everyone. But I also believe that if something is being left out of a presentation or if the presenter is trying to make the gospel conform, then the gospel is not being presented.
The gospel is what it is.
That's it and that's all.
I preached my first sermon in class this last week and in my preparation I was struck by the offensiveness of the gospel. The gospel is not a message that everyone wants to embrace. In fact, most have such a hard time with it that I guess they do not embrace Jesus. Honestly, as a believer, this is hard for me to comprehend.
The gospel saved my life.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." ~1 Cor. 1:18
So if this message that we are commanded by Jesus himself to make known to all (Matt. 28:19-20) is foolish to many who hear it and is offensive, then how would changing that message be beneficial for anyone? If it is not the whole truth then it is not the truth.
Right?
I think that concerning the gospel if some truth is being spoken then the Holy Spirit can most certainly lead an individual to the whole truth (Jn. 16:13). However, this does not mean that we should get sloppy or lazy in our presentation of the gospel. This does not mean that we focus in on certain parts that are easier to hear and accept and leave out the rest.
I think it is our responsibility to share the whole truth.
And what is that truth? This is my attempt to write out my understanding which I am aware is in no way a full understanding.
God created humanity (Gen.1:27).
Humanity did not maintain the relationship with the Creator that He intended (Gen. 3).
Throughout the Old Testament God promises that more is coming.
More arrives in the New Testament.
We cannot put God in a box or make him what we want him to be. He is every thing he says he is. And there are many seemingly contradictory aspects to his nature that are juxtaposed to one another. The one that stood out most to me last fall in my first semester of theology was that God is just and God is merciful. How can he be both?
God is HOLY. Nothing un-HOLY can be with God. Sin cannot be with God. And all of humanity is sinful (Rom. 3:23). We cannot be with God. It isn't because he doesn't want us to be, it's because of the Fall. The choice to disobey the Creator, which none of was able to escape once Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the garden.
Our sin deserves death and leads to death (Rom. 6:23).
But God is also merciful even while he is just (Rom. 5:8). God in his love and mercy sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sin. To be the propitiation for our sin (1 Jn. 4:10). We deserve the wrath of God because of our sin. But Jesus sacrificed himself and took on our sin, satisfying the wrath of God for those who believe. I believe God has made this available to all but it is only for those who believe that it is applied (Jn. 3:16). If someone chooses not to believe then don't they deserve the wrath of God because of their sin?
YES!
I deserve the wrath of God but I have a Savior who suffered that for me.
And anyone who believes does not have to face that wrath (Rom. 8:1).
So the world considers the cross foolish. But God's foolishness is "wiser than man's wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:25). If the world thinks me foolish because of what I believe, then what is the point in trying to make the gospel say or mean anything other than what it actually means? Once the whole truth comes out it's going to be foolish and offensive. I don't want anyone I share my faith with to miss the whole message. I believe there are different ways to present the message and that the same presentation does not work for everyone. But I also believe that if something is being left out of a presentation or if the presenter is trying to make the gospel conform, then the gospel is not being presented.
The gospel is what it is.
That's it and that's all.
well said, my friend. Yatiikallahfia. (God give you strength in your work.) Now when are you going to address the situation for those who don't have access to the Gos? And what about those peoples who don't care about sin, but rather honor & shame? Can you use the same verses/apporaches? How are we supposed to change it? (the approach--not the message.)
ReplyDeletelove you.
haha...well, I don't claim to have all the answers =) I just find a watered down gospel offensive and so I think if the message is being changed or watered down in any way then that's not ok. I really fell more in love with Jesus when we studied that doctrine this semester. I am still baffled and in awe at all the mystery that surrounds our God but what little I know for sure, found in the Word, is truth. So I think we can take those same truths and through prayer for wisdom and leading from the HS we can speak those truths to whomever in a way that may make more sense to them.
ReplyDeleteMegan, thanks for posting this. It's a good word, friend. A good word indeed. Keep on processing and sharing - the world will be impacted yet! -Martha
ReplyDelete