The gospel of Jesus Christ, while complex, is also very simple. Over the past several weeks I have been studying and thinking and praying in the hope of coming to a place where I can say, "Here is the gospel," and not have to sit down for forty-five minutes to explain it. While I believe that we will never totally understand the gospel (we can understand only that which God has revealed to us), I do believe that the gospel can be understood by anyone, even children. Not everyone has the desire or the patience to search out all of the intricacies of the gospel, and for them (and I am one of them!), a simple gospel is beautiful.
The gospel is really a story, beginning at the dawn of time billions of years ago and reaching into our lives now, and then extending even beyond eternity. God created mankind to live in an intimate dance with Himself, one another, and creation, but because of selfishness, greed, and indifference, this life that we are designed for (what the scriptures call "the glory of God") was lost. Now all of mankind swims in a sea of selfishness, greed, and indifference, in hostility against God, other people, and creation. God decided to make a nation for himself in the ancient world, a nation of Israelites, and He called these people His own. They were a very disobedient people, but yet through them God's plan for humanity began to unfold. Through the prophets He spoke a new kingdom that was coming, a kingdom that would involve God, mankind, and even creation.
When Jesus came some 2000-odd years ago, he taught us how to live in this kingdom (the rule of living in the kingdom is two-fold: love God and love other people), and he modeled this new life for us. His radical statements of this come and coming kingdom warranted him a death warrant, and he was crucified as a criminal. Because of this death, all who come to God in faith, confession, repentance and baptism become God's friends, and they become a part of His kingdom that is on earth now, though it will not be completed until Jesus' return.
Christians are those who have come to God in faith, confession, repentance and baptism. Christians have a new standing with God: they are His friends, not His enemies (the technical word for this is reconciliation). Christians are also Jesus' disciples: they follow Him, walking the road that He walked, a road of selfless, serving, sacrificial, humble, and kind love. Truly, Christians are a new kind of person in a world overrun by selfishness, greed, and indifference. Christians have a new life in Christ--they have been brought from the dead life of selfishness, greed, and indifference (sin) into a new life of love (the life found in God, a joyous and happy life)--and they are part of a new community, called the "Church." This is a community of forgiveness, acceptance, love, and belonging. Christians understand they do not have it all together, understand that they are sinners just like everyone else in need of grace and mercy just like everyone else. Christians, too, have a new future: instead of being separated from God, one another, and creation for all eternity (what we call Hell), they will now dwell with God, one another, and creation in a new universe (what we call Heaven).
So there's the simple gospel. It's intricacies are immense, but isn't it beautiful?
The gospel is really a story, beginning at the dawn of time billions of years ago and reaching into our lives now, and then extending even beyond eternity. God created mankind to live in an intimate dance with Himself, one another, and creation, but because of selfishness, greed, and indifference, this life that we are designed for (what the scriptures call "the glory of God") was lost. Now all of mankind swims in a sea of selfishness, greed, and indifference, in hostility against God, other people, and creation. God decided to make a nation for himself in the ancient world, a nation of Israelites, and He called these people His own. They were a very disobedient people, but yet through them God's plan for humanity began to unfold. Through the prophets He spoke a new kingdom that was coming, a kingdom that would involve God, mankind, and even creation.
When Jesus came some 2000-odd years ago, he taught us how to live in this kingdom (the rule of living in the kingdom is two-fold: love God and love other people), and he modeled this new life for us. His radical statements of this come and coming kingdom warranted him a death warrant, and he was crucified as a criminal. Because of this death, all who come to God in faith, confession, repentance and baptism become God's friends, and they become a part of His kingdom that is on earth now, though it will not be completed until Jesus' return.
Christians are those who have come to God in faith, confession, repentance and baptism. Christians have a new standing with God: they are His friends, not His enemies (the technical word for this is reconciliation). Christians are also Jesus' disciples: they follow Him, walking the road that He walked, a road of selfless, serving, sacrificial, humble, and kind love. Truly, Christians are a new kind of person in a world overrun by selfishness, greed, and indifference. Christians have a new life in Christ--they have been brought from the dead life of selfishness, greed, and indifference (sin) into a new life of love (the life found in God, a joyous and happy life)--and they are part of a new community, called the "Church." This is a community of forgiveness, acceptance, love, and belonging. Christians understand they do not have it all together, understand that they are sinners just like everyone else in need of grace and mercy just like everyone else. Christians, too, have a new future: instead of being separated from God, one another, and creation for all eternity (what we call Hell), they will now dwell with God, one another, and creation in a new universe (what we call Heaven).
So there's the simple gospel. It's intricacies are immense, but isn't it beautiful?
2 comments:
Its the beauty of simplicity that brings me to my knees...
It is! Too bad they don't pay attention to the gospel at our school.
I signed up at AIM, have no idea how it works but I'll find out.
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