Category: What Is the Gospel?

The Gospel Will Save You If You Believe

If we wish to clearly present the gospel, we must first understand what it is. Here is a very well-known summary verse found in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.

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. Romans 1:16 (NASB)

The gospel is God’s power and means to save people.

As important as prayer is, it cannot do what the gospel does. Prayer can never take the place of the gospel. Neither can good works, great worship, or the powerful gifts of the Spirit. Only the gospel, when it is communicated effectively and believed, can rescue people from sin and death. Only the gospel can provide the doorway into God’s favor and family. Only the gospel is the gateway into eternal life in God’s presence. Only the gospel saves people.

Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21 (NLT)

The gospel becomes effective in our lives when we believe it.

Belief is much more than the acknowledgement of a set of facts or agreement with the Bible’s logic or story.

Faith opens our eyes to Jesus.  It moves us to declare allegiance to the crucified Savior and risen Lord.

This is why Paul wrote that he was not ashamed of the gospel. His faith propelled him into a lifetime of obedient service to Jesus Christ and the gospel, regardless of the personal cost.

Faith can be thought of as a combination of trust and allegiance which produces a quality called faithfulness (loyalty + obedience) in those who believe.

People who are “full of faith” believe the gospel message that Jesus died for our sins and rose again as our Lord. With The help of the Holy Spirit, we endeavor to trust God with all our hearts and remain steadfastly loyal to him.

Such heart faith moves people to tell others about Jesus and the gospel. It is too wonderful to keep to ourselves.

Paul wrote to the church at Rome the following.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

Water baptism is God’s way for us to publicly declare allegiance to the Lord Jesus.

If you did not previously understand the gospel or believed it, now is a good time to make the decision to receive everything Jesus died to give you. It is a perfect time to recognize the Risen One as Lord of your life. Now is a wonderful time to confess aloud your allegiance to Christ. Below is a sample prayer you may wish to say aloud. If you pray that and mean it, Jesus will do his part. Then you will want to tell others about it and be water baptized. This will launch your life as a disciple. It is also important to become involved in a local church committed to helping you on your journey as a follower of Christ. The one I attend is called LifeNet. Let us know if we can help you.

Prayer

Jesus, I have never before understood the gospel, but now I believe that you died for my sins and rose again in victory over sin, death, and the devil. I acknowledge that you are my Lord and I dedicate my life in service to you. Thank you for forgiving my sins, setting me free, and giving me a brand new relationship with God the Father. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live in me. Thank you for giving me eternal life. Help me to tell others about you. Amen.

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Knowing Jesus as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit – Lord of the Harvest

The first two articles in this series showed how John the Baptist announced that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and the risen Son of God, who is Lord of all. This article focuses of Jesus’ third ministry or role as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit. Everyone who is a Christ follower knows about Jesus’ role as the Savior who died for our sins. Fewer, perhaps, fully embrace his lordship; although, acknowledging his rule is the gateway to salvation, according to Romans 10:9-10. Still fewer understand the importance of the baptism in the Spirit, acknowledge, and receive this key ministry of our Lord.

John the Baptist said the following about it.

“I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ John 1:33 (NASB)

As the baptizer in the Holy Spirit, Jesus takes his place as the Lord of the Harvest. The baptism in the Spirit is a gift he gives to his people to equip and empower them to be his witnesses.

Jesus admonished his followers to wait in Jerusalem until this gift was poured out on the first New Covenant Pentecost, saying:

...“Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before.5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”...8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:4-8 (NLT)

The baptism in the Spirit is so important that the first believers were commanded to refrain from announcing the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection and lordship until they first received it. In Acts Chapter 2 we have the account of when this happened, with the result that 3000 people surrendered their lives to Christ after hearing Peter’s Spirit inspired and empowered gospel message!

The power and presence of the Holy Spirit that was released in the disciples when they were baptized in the Spirit launched the church into fulfilling the Great Commission. God intended for this to be the model for all believers going forward.

(If you wish to learn more about this amazing gift, you may wish to purchase my book, Promise of the Father, which is available on Amazon, and read my other articles on the subject.)

As is the case with the lordship of Christ, this aspect of Jesus’ ministry opposes modern-day consumerism. Unless we surrender to Christ’s lordship, embrace the call to obey the Great Commission, and receive the empowering of the Spirit, believing in the Lamb of God may become a self-centered pursuit of blessings.

Rather than allowing us to comfortably settle for being churchgoers, the Lord of the Harvest, the Baptizer in the Spirit calls us to radical discipleship, evangelism, and obedience to the Great Commission – “Go and make disciples.”

It takes great courage to testify to the Lordship of the risen Jesus and to call people to repentance from a self-directed life. That is why we need to be empowered by the Spirit. When we share the gospel, we should include the challenge to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit as part of the complete package. We do not want anyone to settle for less than God intended. That is how the early Church did things.

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 (NASB)

They were committed to knowing Christ as Baptizer in the Spirit and fulfilling the Great Commission. We should do no less.

Prayer

Jesus, I received you as my Savior and declared allegiance to you as my Lord. Now I see that you want me to know you as Baptizer in the Spirit, too, and receive this marvelous empowering to be your witness. Jesus, I ask you to baptize me in the Spirit right now. I receive it by faith. Holy Spirit, overflow in my life and enable me to be a bold witness. Let your gifts flow through me without restraint. Lead and empowered me each day. Amen.

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Knowing Jesus as Son of Man – The Coming Glorious Judge

This article focuses on Jesus’ fourth ministry or role as the glorious Son of Man who will return to the earth to judge the living and the dead as prophesied the Lord himself and is found in the prophecy of Daniel. The first three roles – Lamb of God, Son of God, and Baptizer in the Holy Spirit – have already been fulfilled and are available to every person to experience, but his last role still waits for its fulfillment.

Here are John’s words.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? 8  Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9  Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10  Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire. 11  “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12  He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” Matthew 3:7-12 (NLT)

Even though John did not specifically call Jesus the “Son of Man,” the above passage fully describes his role as the Judge of all the earth.

Although Jesus’ death as God’s Lamb was crucial to our salvation, acknowledging his lordship is the criteria Paul gives for obtaining the benefits of that death and resurrection. (Romans 10:9-10) When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we acknowledge and voluntarily choose to come under his rule, which is the fundamental act of repentance. For the last two thousand years or so, we have been in the Great Commission phase of God’s plan, which the Bible calls the “last days.” As this epoch draws to a close, we anticipate the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophesy that he gave the night of his betrayal at the miscarriage of justice that was his trial before the Sanhedrin.

When Jesus stood before that group, whose determined purpose was to condemn him to death, those men asked him if he were indeed the Messiah King of Israel. In their minds, such a confession would justify their accusing him of blasphemy against God and treachery against Rome, earning him the death penalty. Instead of remaining silent, as any defendant usually does, Jesus gave them everything they wanted and more. Instead of merely affirming that he was the Messiah, he also identified himself as the glorious and divine Son of Man prophesied by Daniel.

But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64  Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:63-64 (NLT)

Daniel’s prophecy described a glorious heavenly being who will judge everyone who ever lived. (Daniel 7:13-14) At this future point in history, which is surely coming, there will no longer be any doubt at all for anyone as to Jesus’ true identity.

When God dissolves the firmament (2 Peter 3:10), revealing God’s glorious presence above us, naysayers will no longer be able to claim that our Lord was merely a prophet or a fine teacher. No longer will anyone be able to say that he was a mythical person. No one will say that his resurrection was a fable concocted by his devious followers. At that point in history, everyone will see him in his terrifying glory.

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”Revelation 1:7-8 (ESV)

Before his return, God gives people the opportunity to hear the gospel’s call to bow the knee to Jesus, the Lord of Lords. What we do in response to this call is on us and will determine our eternal destiny.

On that glorious day when Jesus returns as the Son of Man, it will be too late. On that day, every knee will be forced to bow and every tongue confess who he is. No longer will there be an option.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)

Although God the Father continues to mercifully delay the end, and Jesus continues to show mercy to those who ask him for forgiveness, do not think for a moment that he is too weak or kindly to enforce God’s justice and wrath at the proper time. Though he is patient, God the Father does not wink at sin or coddle rebellion against his Son’s rule. There is coming a day of judgment.

Those who do not tap into the river of God’s mercy by declaring allegiance to the risen Messiah King, the Lamb who was slain, will rue their mistake at the Second Coming when God’s judgment comes down like a hammer.

The Book of Revelation teaches us that we who believe will rejoice in God’s judgment of the wicked.

After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. 2  His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants.” 3  And again their voices rang out: “Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!” 4  Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the LORD!” 5  And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest.” Revelation 19:1-5 (NLT)

Until Christ returns we preach a gospel of hope to those who are willing to repent and declare allegiance to the risen Lord Jesus, but that gospel contains the warning of impending judgment.

God’s mercy can only be properly understood against the backdrop of looming wrath.

Just as artists use darkness to contrast with light, the gospel uses the beauty of God’s mercy to contrast with the horrors of divine judgment. If God is simply a heavenly smiley face who never judges anyone, our gospel message is farcical. Why on earth would Jesus have to die, in that case? He would be a misguided tragic figure at best. But, in fact, our Lord absorbed the wrath of God on the cross on our behalf so that we will be able to escape God’s wrath at the Last Judgment. (1 Thessalonians 5:9) The gospel holds out to us the promise that all who call upon the Lord will be shown mercy. This is the gospel that Peter preached. (Acts 2:40) It is the gospel Paul preached. (Acts 17:30-31) It is the gospel John the Baptist preached. It is what Jesus preached. How we respond to this good news will make all the difference for eternity.

Prayer

Jesus, I recognize that you are my Savior and Lord. I declare allegiance and submit my life to you. Help me to tell others about who you are and what you did for us so that they, too, may escape your wrath on the day of judgment. Thank you for your continued mercy. Amen.

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Son of God – Knowing Jesus as Lord

Not only did John the Baptist announce that Jesus is God’s Lamb, he also told the world that he is God’s Son, which is another way of saying that he is the Messianic King, the Christ, and the Lord of Lords.

“This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” John 1:30-34 (NASB)

This declaration corresponds to what is perhaps the most important revelation each individual person must receive from God in order to be saved.

Unless we understand by the Spirit that Jesus is Lord, we cannot be born again.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. Romans 10:9–10 (NLT)

In the previous article, I showed how John the Baptist introduced Jesus to Israel and the world as the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Jesus was able to forgive sins because he is the God-man, the eternal Word of God who became a human. This enabled him to be a perfect offering, without the blemish of sin, fulfilling the Old Covenant sacrificial requirements. Not only was it a shocking announcement that Jesus would be a human sacrifice to provide forgiveness of sins, but that also this blessing would be extended to the whole world! Jesus was not simply a Jewish savior, he was and is the savior of the world! (1 John 4:14) Likewise, when the God-man rose from the grave, he did so as the Lord of all creation, not just the Jews!

The Pharisees quickly recognized that Jesus had to be equal to God in order to forgive sins.

“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” Mark 2:7 (NASB)

Jesus was put to death for claiming to be God, and thereby Lord, not simply because he forgave. The early disciples were martyred for declaring that Jesus is Lord, not simply that he is Savior.

The world system does not object very much to our believing that Jesus is our “personal savior,” but it will resist any claims that he is lord over all creation.

The Antichrist and those influenced by that spirit of rebellion refuse to bow the knee to Jesus, the King. Our Lord was put to death because the Jewish religious leaders and Roman authorities condemned him for claiming to be the Messiah King of Israel and God’s Son.

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die because He made Himself out to be the Son of God.” John 19:7 (NASB)

Our witness as followers of Christ is that the crucified Savior is now the risen Lord.

Consider the following verses.

He [Jesus] *said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:15-17 (NASB)

Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” John 1:49 (NASB)

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 1 John 5:1 (NASB)

Here is where the true gospel radically departs from consumerism. The proclamation that Jesus forgives our sins appeals to our consumer instincts. We get something for nothing. Who can beat that? But what it means to be a Christ follower does not stop here.

The announcement that Jesus is Lord flips consumerism on its head.

Jesus died as God’s Lamb, doing for us what we could never do for ourselves – pay for our sins, but he rose as the Lord of Lords, who deserves and expects our worship and obedience.

and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 1:4 (NLT)

The primary revelation each person must receive in order to be a born-again follower of Christ pertains to our Jesus’ identity as Lord, who he is now. First and foremost, he is the risen Lord, the King of Kings, and the Son of God.

Seeing (believing) who Jesus is by revelation and faith and acknowledging his identity and greatness is what saves us.

...if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

Jesus asked his disciples to tell him how they understood his identity in order to discern if the Holy Spirit had yet opened their spiritual eyes. Our Lord did not make it easy for people. He did not say, “Repeat after me: you are the Son of God.” He depended on the Spirit to do the inner work in people’s hearts, just as we must. To try to help people “get saved” by some other method, such as asking them to repeat a prayer as their entry point into the new birth, can give people a false sense of security, if the prayer is not accompanied by revelation, repentance, and faith. Praying for Jesus to reveal himself to us as we surrender ourselves to him is perhaps a better way to go about it. God is looking for honesty and reality, not easy-believism. The Holy Spirit is perfectly able and willing to communicate to people what they need to know about Jesus. If we believe this, we will understand that we must never skip over the crucial step of a person’s receiving revelation about Christ from the Spirit. We will encourage our hearers to seek God until they find him.

The essence of the Christian faith is our acknowledgement of and surrender to Jesus the Lord. Anything less is suspect of being false.

Surrendering to Jesus’ lordship leads to repentance and turning away from our deeply ingrained determination to live independently from God.

Repentance, combined with the declaration that Jesus is Lord, is the antidote to the poison of self-centered living.

Prayer

Jesus, I understand now that you require me to abandon my quest to live independently from your lordship. I repent from my sinful determination to do as a please without regard for your will. I ask you to forgive me and set me free to live as your joyful servant. I acknowledge and confess that you are the risen Lord of Lords. Holy Spirit, help me to boldly tell others about Jesus. Amen.

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The Lamb of God – Knowing Jesus as Savior

Introduction

The first announcement John the Baptist made concerning his cousin, Jesus, was that he was the Lamb of God.

The Lord gave John the privilege and responsibility of introducing Jesus the Messiah to Israel and the world.

Although he did not do any known miracles and only a few of his words are recorded in Scripture, Jesus declared that John was the greatest of the prophets. Greatness in God’s eyes is often very different from how we perceive it.

John announced four important aspects of Jesus’ person and work, which we would never have grasped on our own and which are integral to the gospel.

John announced that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and the Son of Man. Each of these titles has tremendous significance and defines an important aspect of our Lord’s person and work. I will describe the importance of each of these titles in this and the following three articles.

The Lamb of God – Knowing Jesus as Savior
The next day he [John the Baptist] *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 (NASB)

I imagine that John shocked his followers by telling them that Jesus was God’s Lamb. Our impression of a lamb is probably a cute, gentle, and cuddly animal. But for the Israelites, this designation brought to mind the blood sacrifice and perhaps the prophet Isaiah’s words.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. Isaiah 53:7 (NKJV)

How many of them at that moment grasped that this meant that Jesus would be a human sacrifice? Not since Abraham’s day had such a thing been heard. Would God the Father actually sacrifice his Son? Looking back from our present day, the answer, of course, is yes, but try to put yourself in that time before the crucifixion and resurrection. How would they have conceived that God would carry through on the act he foreshadowed when he asked Abraham to slay his son Isaac, the son of promise, his only son by Sarah? Whereas God the Father relented and spared Isaac, Abba allowed his own Son to die an excruciating death to expiate the sins of his enemies.

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:10–11 (NKJV)

Amazing grace! Only by the shedding Jesus’ blood on the cross could God the Father forgive our sins.

The perfect Lamb made the perfect sacrifice that inaugurated the perfect covenant.

Even though John prophesied these words, I doubt that even he fully understood them. Jesus, however, grasped their import and what being God’s Lamb would cost him. At the Last Supper, he made this announcement to his bewildered disciples. Taking the cup of wine, he told them:

“...This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Luke 22:20 (ESV)

Probably most people who call themselves Christians know Jesus primarily as the Lamb of God, the One who died for our sins. Another way of describing this role is to call him Savior.

Those of us who become followers of Christ must first know Jesus as Savior before we can go forward on our discipleship journey.

We must first of all be forgiven, declared “not guilty,” and reconciled to Abba Father. Otherwise, we are imprisoned in the realm of darkness, sin, and Satan. Putting our faith and allegiance in God’s Lamb opens the door wide for us to become one of God’s born-again children, part of his eternal family.

If there is a “down side” to this, many of those who acknowledge Jesus as Savior may go little further in their understanding of who Jesus is.

Jesus is Savior, but he is so much more, and the Spirit of God wants us to know him in each way John prophesied.

In our consumer culture, it is only natural that Jesus would be presented and received in terms of what he can do for us, but the full gospel is not consumer oriented.

Whenever the complete gospel is presented, the benefit of experiencing forgiveness through the sacrifice of the Lamb is always in the context of radical surrender to his Lordship.

Presenting forgiveness without the call to surrender our total being to God is a distortion that can influence people away from following the Lord in joyful obedience as a way of life. Jesus said that his disciples must enter through a narrow gate and walk a narrow path in order to follow him. Preaching only forgiveness without Lordship, is much too wide a gate and path and can hinder a person’s development as a disciple. The Lordship of Christ will be the subject of the next article.

With that being said, it is absolutely proper and necessary to proclaim the forgiveness of sins. Jesus told us to do so.

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:45-47 (NASB)

 

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins as the perfect Lamb of God. I receive from you, my Savior, the forgiveness that I could never earn. Thank you, Father God, that you have declared me to be “not guilty” in your sight because of what your Son did on the cross by taking my sins upon himself. Thank you for raising him from the dead to be my Lord, too. Thank you for making me part of your forever family. Come, Holy Spirit, fill me to overflowing. Reveal more and more about what the Bible says about Jesus to me. Help me to live for Jesus from now on. Amen.

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Freedom from Fear of Death

The gospel has the ability to provide freedom from the fear of death.

The last enemy God will destroy will be death.

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26  The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 (ESV)

Death may also be the last fear we will face head on in this journey called life. Death lurks in the background of every moment, waiting for its time. The picture of the Grim Reaper knocking at our door tells the story. Adam and Eve opened the door to this enemy when they chose to disobey God, giving Satan permission to invade all our lives. The wages of sin is death, and God will not be mocked. We all will reap our wages because we all are sinners. Should we be afraid of death or should we regard it as a natural part of life, as unavoidable as taxes and as inconsequential as the sun coming up in the morning?

Death is unnatural, and God calls it an enemy. Our Lord never intended for us to experience death.

Mercifully, God did not walk away from us when we turned our backs on him. He determined from the outset to defeat Satan and death on our behalf.

He promised us that one of Eve’s children would crush the head of the serpent, but at great cost to himself. The serpent would bite his heel.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15 (ESV)

Overcoming this enemy came at a great price, the death of God’s only Son. Jesus defeated death by dying and rising again.

Death could not be avoided. Jesus faced, experienced, and conquered it through the cross and the resurrection.

Many people live as if they never expect to die, pushing out of their minds their inevitable demise, as if not thinking about it will make it go away. King Solomon warned us:

None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked. Ecclesiastes 8:8 (NLT)

Since we cannot avoid death, we should prepare for it.

That is why people make the effort to write wills and take other steps to make ready for the inevitable. It is more important that we prepare ourselves spiritually. Amos the prophet spoke this ancient warning to Israel, which applies to us today: “Prepare to meet your God in judgment.” (Amos 4:12)

Death is God’s judgment against sin, but there will follow another judgment on the other side of death.

Jesus warned us that we should fear that and prepare for it.

Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. 5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. Luke 12:4–5 (NLT)

If we do not face the fear of death and conquer it, it will capture us.

Thankfully, Jesus has done all the heavy lifting on our behalf.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15  and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-15 (ESV)

When Jesus died on our behalf, the Bible says that we were included in that death.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15  and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NASB)

For all of this to make sense, we must realize that there are two deaths, a physical one and a spiritual one.

All must die physically because God’s beautiful creation is under judgment for Adam’s sin. In addition, those who do not put their faith and allegiance in Christ will experience what the Bible calls the “second death,” which is an eternal spiritual death apart from God’s presence, who is the source and sustainer of life.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15 (ESV)

Jesus promised that all who put their faith and allegiance in him will never experience the second death.

Paul taught that God has removed us from the domain of darkness and death and transferred us into his kingdom of light and life. (Colossians 1:13) Jesus confirmed this truth, as recorded below.

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

Later Jesus explained himself in more detail to one of his followers named Martha following his friend Lazarus’ death.

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26  Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:25-26 (NLT)

Here Jesus promised that life continues after death, spiritually and eventually physically in the resurrection.

Our Lord made the glorious promise that believers will never experience the eternal second death. We who trust in him will never die, not really. We simply transition from earth to heaven when the body expires.

Those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ are united with him spiritually (1 Corinthians 6:17). Therefore, wherever Jesus is, so are we. Colossians tells us that Christ is seated on God’s throne in heaven, which is where we are likewise seated. (Colossians 3:1-3. See also Ephesians 2:6.) This means that, just as Christ told us in John 5:24, we have already passed from death to life. We are already in God’s presence in heaven in the Spirit.

When we believers die, we do not spiritually die or go anywhere. I believe that we simply “wake up” in heaven, where we have been spiritually all along.

Our bodies may die and decompose, but the spiritual part of us never dies. One day the body will be raised in a glorious new form that will no longer be subject to death.

For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:40 (NLT)

In John 11:26, Jesus asked Martha if she believed his words. Now we must ask ourselves the same question. The gospel provides the antidote to the fear of death, but will we believe and receive it? Those who do are delivered from their slavery to the fear of death. Hallelujah!

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Hope for People Who Feel Dirty on the Inside

The gospel provides hope for us to be set free from any sense of feeling dirty on the inside because of past sins and failures.

Many cultures have a clear understanding of the stark contrast between clean and unclean and between what is holy and what is defiled. In the West, we generally do not major on this, but this does not mean it is unimportant. Most Western theology of salvation (soteriology) is based on a Guilt-Justification paradigm, which is courtroom related and easy for litigation-conscious people to understand. Guilt and condemnation plague many sin-conscious people, driving them toward the gospel’s amazing offer of forgiveness, justification (being declared “not guilty”), and restoration to the family of God. However, in some cultures the guilt problem does not figure as strongly as being “unclean.”

In Western society, perhaps the closest we can come to understanding this is when people simply feel dirty inside because of some past sin they committed or was done to them. Sometimes we may feel tainted by some embarrassing family connection, thinking that we share guilt by association. People who have experienced sexual abuse often struggle with this. It is akin to shame, but a little different. Shame can be related to something specific we have done or failed to do, but feeling dirty on the inside is more pervasive and systemic and less specific. We can present the gospel in a way that can help people become free again.

The Guilt-Justification Paradigm

Simply put, under the guilt-justification paradigm those who commit serious crimes are guilty, condemned, and deserve to be punished. The judge has a responsibility to pronounce judgment on the convicted criminal, who must pay the price for his transgression.

Using the guilt-justification paradigm to present the gospel, we are all criminals who have violated God’s Law, God is the judge, and death is the just sentence for our crimes of rebellion and treachery against God and his rule. (Romans 6:23)

Since all have sinned, mankind’s situation seems hopeless. Old Covenant sacrifices merely delayed the inevitable “lowering of the boom” by a just God. Paul wrote that the Law’s function was to convince us that we are hopeless sinners and to prepare us to receive the glorious good news of forgiveness and justification in the gospel. (Romans 3:22)

Contrary to what anyone would have expected, Jesus, God’s own Son, died in our place, taking upon himself our just condemnation and punishment from God. As a result, we who believe this message and declare allegiance to Christ, are forgiven and declared “not guilty.”

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 (NASB)

The gospel offers the only way out of the hopeless situation of being justly condemned for crimes actually committed. This model for presenting the gospel has opened the eyes of countless people, enabling them to come to faith in Christ and escape certain judgment.

The Unclean – Clean Paradigm

But what about those from cultures in which guilt is not nearly so great an issue as being unclean? Here is an insightful quote from “The Gospel for Shame Cultures” by Bruce Thomas.

In observing one particular culture, I have noticed a curious thing. While my Muslim friends and neighbors do not worry much about “little sins” like lying and cheating, their daily lives and religious rituals seem to revolve around something which I would consider to be even less significant, namely their ceremonial purity. The intensity of this insecurity has caused me to consider that defilement might be a basic human problem as serious to some as sin is to others.

Suddenly a lot of things made sense. It had always puzzled me why Muslims make such a big thing out of not eating pork, not getting licked by dogs, and keeping the fast, when sins like lying, cheating, and stealing are treated so superficially. Few Christians seem to comprehend, for instance, the seriousness of eating pork. Dwell for a moment on the revulsion you feel when you think about a Stone Age tribe eating human flesh, and you will begin to understand something of the degree of disgust most Muslims have for the idea of eating pork. It is probably not a sin issue but an issue of ceremonial cleanness. Thus, because eating pork is the worst possible state of defilement, and more attention is given to ceremonial purity than moral purity, the pork eater (George Bush) is worse off than a murderer (Saddam Hussein). (Link)

If we are culturally aware, we understand that “our” way of seeing and doing things is not the only way. The Bible recognizes the significance of ritual or ceremonial uncleanness and also makes a big deal out of it, especially under the Old Covenant.

Jesus brought clarity and insight into our understanding of Old Covenant scriptures. He revealed that God is actually concerned with the condition of the heart, not outward ceremonial cleanness.

The Pharisees, who focused mainly on ceremony and the Law, criticized Jesus and his followers for not maintaining proper ritual cleanness. Here is what Jesus told them.

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15  There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” Mark 7:14-15 (ESV) 

17  And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18  And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19  since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20  And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:17-23 (ESV)

The Old Covenant Law served the purpose of revealing God’s holiness and our sinful state in order to lead us to Christ.

God has always been concerned with the condition of man’s heart. Ceremonial cleanness pointed to actual cleanness which requires a cleansing of the heart. Only God can do this for a person.

Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you. Deuteronomy 23:14 (NASB)

Old Covenant uncleanness was a serious problem. Its effect was to isolate offenders from God’s covenant people and blessings. It usually happened when a ritually clean person touched something unclean. Certain conditions of the body rendered people unclean, too. Leprosy was a particularly serious and incurable disease that rendered a person unclean and resulted in permanent isolation. Imagine the loneliness of a leper, knowing that he or she was cut off from family, friends, and the covenant community. Their situation was hopeless apart from God’s miraculous intervention. Many people today also feel cut off and isolated because of a sense of inward dirtiness and shame.

Importantly, whenever clean people or objects contacted uncleanness, they became unclean. In the Old Covenant, uncleanness was more powerful than cleanness.

In addition, unclean or unholy humans, without some sort of ceremonial purification, had no right to be in God’s direct presence or to touch the holy things of the temple. In many ways, God was off limits to ordinary people. They had to relate to him from a distance through mediators called priests.

Jesus, Communicator of Cleanness

This is where Jesus changed everything. He was (and is) the ultimate Clean Person, God himself. He was not subject to the same ceremonial laws as ordinary humans because he was the fulfillment of everything they represented and toward whom they pointed.

Our Lord was immune to uncleanness. He could touch unclean people and make them clean again, while suffering no adverse effects himself.

Jesus’ ministry demonstrated his amazing power over everything unclean. In Mark’s gospel, the first act of power Jesus did was to drive out an unclean spirit. (Mark 1:25-26) Later in the same chapter, Jesus healed a dreaded unclean leper by touching him and commanding him, “Be clean.” Mark wrote that “immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:42) In Chapter 5, a woman who was ritually unclean due to bleeding, dared to touch God’s temple (Jesus), hoping that she would be healed and cleansed as a result. In the Old Covenant, she likely would  have been struck dead for presuming to touch God’s Holy of Holies, especially as an unclean person; but, Jesus, the Author of the New Covenant, mercifully allowed her to touch him, which resulted in her being miraculously healed and cleansed.

The unclean touched the clean and was made clean while Jesus suffered no ill effects!

Later in the chapter, our Lord took a dead girl by the hand, which under the Law would have made him unclean, and he raised her from the dead. Once again, the clean triumphed over the unclean. Death was conquered by Life.

Ultimately, Jesus dealt with the real problem of mankind, internal sin induced uncleanness. He did this by dying on the cross, carrying in himself our uncleanness.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

And here we are again back at the Guilt-Justification paradigm. One flows right into the other.

New Covenant Cleanness

Under the Old Covenant, ceremonial cleanness only dealt with the external, never with the real issue – the human heart and our sin problem.

Jesus addressed the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, who prided themselves on keeping the external features of the Law, while remaining oblivious to the things about which God cared most.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28  "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28 (NASB)

We understand from the New Testament that cleansing and forgiveness are two sides of the same coin.

John the Apostle gave us the following insightful promise.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NASB)

This verse ties together justification and cleansing. Jesus’ blood sacrifice as the Lamb of God paid the just consequence for our sins, providing us with forgiveness and a right relationship with God. It also cleansed us from all moral uncleanness that made us a stench to God. This is a one time transaction with God that plays out day to day as we continue to live by faith in his faithfulness. However, since we still sin on a day-to-day basis, we need to be regularly cleansed through the confession of our sins.

Jesus compared this to having our feet washed, another example of cleansing.

Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” John 13:8-10 (NASB)

When we place our faith in Jesus and his finished work on the cross and his resurrection, we are made clean before God in the most basic and essential sense. We are recreated in God’s image and become his children for all eternity. However, as we go through life, we become dirty on the “outside” and need a less drastic cleansing that is provided when we confess our sins to God and one another.

Summary

Because Christ died for us “outside the camp” (Hebrews 13:13) as a person made unclean by our sin, those who put their faith in him no longer need to be concerned about ritual cleanness.

The ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Law were completely fulfilled by Christ and rendered obsolete. The moral requirements of the Law, however, are eternal. The “law of the Spirit of life” works in all children of God to assist us to live out these requirements from the heart through the power of the Spirit.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4  so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NASB)

When we share the gospel with people who relate best to a clean-unclean paradigm or who battle with feeling dirty on the inside, we should tell them how Jesus took our uncleanness upon himself so that we are no longer excluded, dirty, shameful, or cursed.

Jesus draws the unclean, the ashamed, and outsiders to himself, touches us, cleanses us, and makes us part of God’s forever family.

Prayer

Jesus, for so long now I have felt unclean, ashamed, and cut off from you, your presence, and all the blessings that could have been mine. Thank you for becoming unclean by taking my sins, shame, and guilt upon yourself so that I can be cleansed from everything that has blocked me from God. I confess my sin to you and thank you for forgiving and cleansing me in the inside. Help me to live for you from this day forward. Amen.

as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:33 (ESV)

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How the Gospel Liberates Us from Fear of Rejection and Abandonment

 

 

 

 

 

In the last post, I showed how the gospel sets us free from fears associated with invalidation or lack of proper affirmation. Our true identity is derived from the one who made us. Unless we are connected properly to the Creator, we cannot possibly know for sure who we are, our value, or our purpose. The lack of proper validation produces insecurity, often leading to the expectation of being rejected and maybe even abandoned because we believe we are not “worth” loving. When life corroborates these fears with the actual experience, it implants lies and fears deep in our hearts. The gospel can set us free.

Adam and Eve experienced partial rejection after they sinned when they were expelled from the garden of Eden. In actuality, they rejected God, bringing his judgment upon their lives. Even though our first parents were excluded from the garden and blocked from partaking of the tree of life, God did not abandon them. In the very process of addressing their sin and proclaiming his judgment upon it, he also graciously promised Eve (and us) that one of her descendants would crush Satan.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

This is the very first messianic promise and an important foundation stone in the gospel message. In a real sense, this is the first gospel presentation, which is a beautiful proof that God never even thought about abandoning his creatures, even after they so rudely rejected and rebelled against him.

Sadly, we have shown over and over again how susceptible we are to lies. Satan finds fertile ground in our hearts for sowing deception, of which he is a master. Jesus called him the father of lies. Men and women over the ages have continued to believe the original lie that God does not really love us. When we begin to attribute bad motives to God, we are in trouble. Adding to this original lie, Satan convinces people that God has rejected and abandoned us, too.

It is a natural and spiritual truth that we can only give away what we possess. Sadly, rejected people only have rejection to impart to others. We cannot “fix” ourselves. Only the Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer has that ability. Only God is able to break the chains of fear that are associated with these lies, and he began the process with his Son.

The dramatic proof that God has not and will never abandon us is the cross.

Jesus experienced the affirmation of his Father at his water baptism, at the transfiguration, and at many other times. He was secure in his identity, his value in God’s sight, and his mission. This allowed him to endure and triumph over the vicious and violent forms of rejection and abandonment he experienced during his ministry years, which crescendoed during his passion and crucifixion.

The prophet Isaiah informs us that Jesus was well acquainted with rejection. (Isaiah 53:3) He knew the pain of being called a bastard son of unmarried woman. (John 8:41) He knew what it was like to be spurned by those who held religious and political authority and power. (John 7:48) He knew how it felt to have masses of followers turn away from following him. (John 6:66) He experienced the pain of betrayal by one in his inner circle and being denied by one of his closest three. (Luke 22:48, Matthew 26:34) He was abandoned by almost all his followers when the passion began (Matthew 26:31), but his relationship with his Father enabled him to weather all that. God wants to establish us in his love, too, so we will not be moved by rejection and abandonment by people.

During his passion and crucifixion, the pain of rejection and abandonment reached its peak. He was spat upon, mocked, beaten, publicly humiliated, reviled, and finally crucified unmercifully. He maintained his composure and confidence through it all. At the last, in some mysterious way, it seems he experienced abandonment by his Father. Theologians speculate that when Jesus “became” sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21), the Father was forced to turn away momentarily from his beloved Son. The curse or judgment of God against sin fell upon the innocent Lamb of God. (Galatians 3:13) What agony Jesus must have felt when he uttered, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) This was a quote from Psalm 22:1, a prophecy by King David, which Jesus fulfilled.  In summary, Jesus experienced every aspect of invalidation, rejection, and abandonment at the hands of men and, at least for a moment, by his heavenly Father when he laid down his life on our behalf as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

As a result of what Jesus endured for our sake, we can experience freedom from the lies and fears associated with invalidation, rejection, and abandonment.

Here are some of the Bible promises we have if we put our confidence and allegiance in Christ.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT) 

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17  that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18 (NASB)

The gospel of grace informs us that our acceptance with God hinges upon our Lord Jesus’ perfect life and sacrifice, not on our own performance.

This pulls the rug out from under the accusation that we are not good enough for God to love us. Our relationship with our heavenly Father, the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer, is based upon our being “in Christ.” When Father looks at us, he sees his Son. (Galatians 2:20) When we worship him, we do so “in the Spirit.” The Spirit of Christ who resides within each believer cries out, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15) Although, we are not divine, we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, giving us the same relationship with Abba that Christ has. (1 Corinthians 6:17) This is the secret of the Christian life and the means of our liberation from fear.

God has done the “heavy lifting” through his Son, but we must do our part, too, which is to meditate upon the scriptures and believe them. The Holy Spirit within will help us.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32  and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:31-32 (NASB)

I leave you with this fabulous passage to think about. Hopefully you will be inspired to believe the truth about God’s love for you. You might even wish to pray the prayer below.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:16-18 (ESV)

Prayer

Father God, I have wrestled with lies and fears all my life. I now come to you because I put my faith in the love you have for me, which was demonstrated when Jesus died for me on the cross. I choose to believe the truth that you will never reject or leave me. I now realize that I am your beloved child. My sins are forgiven and my destiny is secure in Christ. Help me from this day forth to live and serve others out of the security of your love for me and the truth about what you say about me. Help me to be a faithful messenger of your love and truth to others. Amen

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Gospel vs. Culture: How the Gospel Confronts the Culture’s Idols and Lies

 

 

 

 

The Gospel

The gospel is a proclamation of truth about God, mankind, Jesus the Messiah and Lord, and the coming judgment. It offers a way of escape from the judgment that has been pronounced upon the world through the cross. It offers an opportunity to join God in ruling over a new creation at the end of time.

By nature, the gospel confronts the sinful status quo – the embedded lies and rebellion against God found in the human soul and the prevailing culture.

The gospel is powerful and is God’s designated means to overthrow Satan’s rule in individual lives and ultimately in nations and cultures.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NLT)

 

Culture, Idolatry, and Lies

One definition of culture is that it is…

…a shared vision of the nature of reality. This vision must include some understanding of both the immanent and the transcendent orders. It will incorporate unseen actualities and accepted moral verities that are believed to affect the arrangement of both the natural and social world. In short, a culture incarnates and expresses a religion. (From Sharper Iron Blog)

From the gospel’s perspective, cultures and the people who live in them thrive to the degree they embrace the truth about God and put into practice the values that define godly living. We see this historically. Those cultures that have embraced Christianity have thrived; whereas, those who reject the Bible’s testimony about God languish. Those cultures which attack the Jews and Christians descend into darkness, inhumane practices, and depravity.

Cultures degrade in proportion to how much they suppress truth and reject biblical norms. (Romans 1)

Human beings are idolators by default as a result of the Fall. We were designed by God to be dependent creatures, who are programmed to worship and serve him. When we turn away from God, the drive to worship and serve will be transferred to an inferior replacement for him, what the Bible calls an “idol.” Idols are products of the sinful human desire to have a “god” who protects and serves us, while condoning our sinful and rebellious behavior toward the true God.

In other words, idols are gods created in our own image which never confront our sin.

The Bible teaches us that we become like whatever we worship. (2 Corinthians 3:18) If we worship God, we become like him. If we worship something inferior, we degrade from God’s created purpose for us. This is by God’s design. God’s purpose is for humanity to reflect God’s glory as we worship him, but when we bow down to and serve an idol, we are transformed into that corrupt image. Idols are not always images made of metal, wood, or stone. Idols can be as subtle as devotion to the pursuit of wealth, if that pursuit displaces our worship of and reliance upon God who is our Provider. Jesus called this serving “Mammon.” In America, the pursuit and deification of “liberty” has led us to believe that freedom in and of itself is worth putting on a pedestal. Freedom apart from God, however, inevitably leads to slavery to our own sinful desires. True freedom is found in obeying God and always results in worshiping and serving him.

Our modern secular culture has major embedded idols and lies. Here are a few that I will cover in this article.

  • There is no God, and we got here by ourselves. The denial of God’s existence is the chief lie. It is intended to eliminate our accountability to our Creator and elevate us to godhood status, the pursuit of which was the original sin. We want to run our own lives without reference to God. A necessary corollary to atheism is self-creation or spontaneous evolution. This bold lie elevates man to the highest rung on the developmental ladder in a godless and amoral universe, giving him a virtual godlike status. Self-worship is the ugliest form of idolatry. Because of the deification of self, Satan receives our worship, too. Our culture has become grossly narcissistic.
  • Truth, sin, and morality are fluid human constructs. Having thrown out God and elevated man to be the measure of all things, our culture maintains that truth, morals, and laws are human constructs which can be changed or discarded at will. The first domino to fall was the belief that truth is absolute. If there is no God, then truth does not come from him. Once truth falls, everything else is up for grabs. Our concept of sin can no longer derive from what God says it is. Instead, sin is viewed as a violation of a societal norm, something changeable. Morality is the next domino to fall, as man attempts to redefine what it means to be good or right. Once again, self-worship is behind it all, propelling the culture to slide into behaviors and beliefs that ultimately destroy it from within.
  • We are accountable only to ourselves. If there is no God, we not only get to make our own rules, but we are accountable to no one but ourselves. The idol that this lie engenders is pure power. Cultures that reject accountability to God slide into totalitarianism.

How the Gospel Confronts the Culture

The gospel directly confronts each of these lies. The proper delivery of the gospel should challenge and refute whatever idol is being worshiped by the hearers. Remember, the gospel presents Jesus as the Lord of Lords, not simply as Savior.

The devil and the anti-god world system seek to encapsulate the gospel and render it impotent in a way that is similar to how a human body walls itself off from infection. The powers that be tell us that all religions are created equal, and therefore, none can issue a moral imperative. None have the “right” to tell people what to do or believe, since no religion is “right.” We are told that what we believe is a private matter and has no inherent authority in the secular public square.

The culture and ruling powers are not usually too upset with the gospel’s claim that Jesus forgives sins. What it hates and fights against is Jesus’ claim to be God, the sole arbiter of truth, the judge of all mankind, and the ruling eternal king.

There Is a God

The Bible declares up front that there is a God who is the Creator. Paul wrote that the entire creation unequivocally declares the existence and power of God for all to see. The only way people can arrive at the position that denies God’s existence is by deliberately suppressing the truth. (Romans 1:18-20) Deep down everyone knows there is a God. The gospel calls its listeners to acknowledge that he exists but that it is to him we owe our existence.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He existed in the beginning with God. 3  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. John 1:1-3 (NLT)

Unless we come to grips with God’s existence and preeminence, we can go no further. The gospel confronts the lie of atheism first of all and calls people back to our obligation to worship, serve, and glorify God the Creator. Our greatest joy in life is experienced in returning love to the God who loves us past comprehension.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)
We Are Dependent on our Creator

Not only is there a God, but everything we see and experience came from him and is sustained by him.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16  for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)

This gospel truth strikes a fatal blow at man’s desire to be his own god. As dependent creatures, we are humbled to admit that we need God every moment. Coming back into alignment with the truth about our relationship with God allows us to once again draw life, direction, and wisdom from our Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer. This gives us the greatest joy, freedom, and fulfillment.

Truth Originates in God and Is Absolute

Jesus the Messiah called himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) Truth exists because God is truth. Truth is defined by and comes from God. God is unalterably true in his words and deeds. He means what he says and says what he means. He never lies. The gospel confronts us with the truth about God, ourselves, our sin, judgment, life, and the our eternal destiny. Unless we repent of our lying ways and accept God’s truth, we cannot be saved. This includes accepting the gospel as God’s true testimony about himself, his Son, and his offer of salvation.

He [the devil] will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)
Sin Is Real and Produces Death

The Bible clearly teaches that every person born from Adam is a sinner. (Romans 3:23) All sin derives from our inborn rebellion against God, which is demonstrated by our choice to live on our own terms instead of in humble cooperation with and dependence upon God. Separation from God results from sin and always produces death. (Romans 6:23)

When we knowingly align ourselves with that which brings death, it produces a terrible tension and guilt within us. God gave us consciences to help us be aware of our terrible situation. When confronted with the truth, if we refuse to repent, our consciences can become unfeeling and useless. People become hardened in their rebellion against God, which darkens their ability to think clearly and correctly. (Romans 1:21) Many such people develop philosophies and theologies that agree with their sinful position in an attempt to soothe their guilty consciences. None of this works because we do not get to define sin for ourselves. All it does is keep people alienated from God and reserved for the coming judgment. (Acts 13:46)

The gospel identifies and confronts our sin. It calls us to turn away from our sins and reach out to God in faith to receive the complete forgiveness that Jesus died to give us.

Morality Is Part of God’s Order

Morality, the culture’s accepted standards of good conduct and justice, is woven into God’s creation order. We do not get to determine our own versions of what is good and virtuous. One reason God gave Moses the Law was so that we would have a written standard that reflects God’s righteousness. Society and individuals generally adopt a morality that agrees with their sinfulness. The further from God a culture drifts, the more its morals become skewed. The gospel calls the culture back to God’s moral order and gives people the transformative grace to live according to God’s ways.

We Are Accountable to God Who Will Judge All People

The last major lie confronted by the gospel that I will cover in this article is that people have no ultimate accountability to anyone but themselves. This untruth is a logical derivation from the lie that there is no God. Even people who acknowledge God’s existence often live as functional atheists, which means that by looking at how they live you would never know they believe in God.

The gospel directly confronts this lie by announcing that Jesus is coming back to judge the living and the dead.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31  For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NLT)

The gospel calls all people to repent and receive forgiveness and then live in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40  Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Acts 2:38-40 (NLT)

The Second Coming of Christ

The Second Coming of Christ is an integral part of the gospel. When we proclaim that Jesus is coming back again, it enables us to establish several important truths.

  • Jesus, eternal Word of God who created all things, became a man who died for our sins as God’s Lamb and rose again as Lord of Lords.
  • His Second Coming will finally and completely establish is God’s rule over the earth.
  • He is the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel who will judge the living and the dead.

Once he appears in the sky, every aspect of the gospel will be proved true. Then it will be too late to get right with him. Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to repent and believe the good news that in Christ God is offering to reconcile us to himself!

The gospel is not merely a presentation of what Jesus did on our behalf to save us from our sins. The gospel reestablishes who God is so that we can come into proper alignment with him through repentance and faith. The gospel affirms the honor and glory of the risen Lord. The gospel is a declaration of war upon the lies and idolatry of mankind. The gospel is a clarion call to become part of God’s eternal kingdom, which will eventually destroy all opposing kingdoms.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14  He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (NLT)
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