Thinking About the Gospel

In Paul's epistle to the churches of Galatia, he's concerned about them deserting the gospel for "a different gospel" (Gal 1:6). About that gospel he says it is "really not another" (Gal 1:7). Only one. So ... what is it? The first mention of "the gospel" is in Matthew. Jesus proclaimed it in Matthew 4. After His desert experience, He "was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt 4:23). He was saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). The gospel of the kingdom. The kingdom of God was at hand. The gospel. But what is it?

The erroneous gospel Paul was addressing was the ever-present gospel of works. Be good enough and you'll get in. Of course, "good enough" is relative and, as it turns out, impossible if you believe Jesus who said, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48). That "good enough" doesn't happen this side of heaven. Some want us to believe that the gospel is that everyone goes to heaven. Universalism, or something very much like it. Now, that's good news. Except, it's not the good news Jesus preached. He said, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt 7:13-14). There's no way to twist "there are few who find it" into "everyone." Some want us to believe that His was a social gospel, that He came to make life better for the poor and oppressed. Isn't that what He said (Luke 4:17-21)? But if it was about a better life for poor and sick people, He apparently failed. He helped a lot of people, but not all. And Jesus said, "You always have the poor with you" (Matt 26:11). So, while "a better life" would be good news, it doesn't appear to be the good news that Jesus intended. So ... what was it??

The gospel Paul taught and portrayed as the only gospel was that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree' — so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith" (Gal 3:13-14). Saved by faith apart from works. Now, does that make sense? Jesus said it was about the kingdom of God (Mark 1:15). He said it required repentance and faith (Mark 1:15). It was, then, especially good news for those who accepted it. But how does the better life for the captives, the poor, and the blind that Jesus spoke about fit into this? I think we find an answer in Galatians. Paul said we were to "walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Gal 5:16). He explains what the works of the flesh are (Gal 5:19-21), and he explains what the fruit of the Spirit is (Gal 5:22-23). Could it be, then, that the gospel Jesus proclaimed in the synagogue in Luke 4 was not a merely "best life now" gospel, but a spiritual one? Could it be that the poor find their wealth in Christ, that the captive find their liberty in Christ, that the blind find their sight in Christ? Could it be that this gospel is about God's kingdom coming into our hearts? Is that possibly the gospel?

Well, perhaps. There will always be people that want to tell you that the gospel is "be good enough" -- the primary teaching of every major religion ... except Christianity. There will be those who tell you that the gospel is that everyone gets to heaven ... in direct contradiction to Christ's words. There will be those that tell you that the gospel is that the marginalized of this world will have a better life in this world ... in direct contradiction to Christ's words and actions. I will hold that the good news of Scripture is that Christ died for our sins -- became sin for us -- so we can be forgiven and He rose from the dead so that we can have new life and that all of this is available through repentance and faith in Him. Scripture indicates that's the only gospel. Feel free to make up your own ... but keep in mind that Paul curses that kind of thinking (Gal 1:8-9).