Bad News

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight."

Matthew 3:3

The "good news" doesn't always seem so good if one doesn't understand the "bad news" that precedes it.  Many live today that do not comprehend the meaning and significance of what Christ has done. I would submit that often these unsaved people are unmoved by Christ's death and resurrection, even though they have heard about it, because they fail to see their depraved state and/or their inability to rectify the situation through self work.  They do not believe the wrath of God remains upon them (John 3:36,  Eph 5:6). In fact, many do not believe God has wrath toward anyone -- that he loves and will provide good things for all in the end -- irrespective of one's love for Him and behavior. The "bad news" is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), God hates and cannot dwell with wickedness (Ps. 5:4, 5) and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). The wrath of God is therefore deserved by all. More "bad news" is that God's wrath must be exhausted for each sin that is committed by each one of us.  Therefore, if nothing absorbs God's wrath, we are in for a lot of pain -- and we deserve it.  This is the "bad news", that the wrath of God is coming, and his anger is aimed at us! As I was reading about John the Baptist this week, it appeared to me that John was the bearer of the "bad news" to his generation (and ours). He prepared the way of the Lord and made his paths straight by telling the people to repent and turn from their wicked ways because:  

"His (the Lord's) winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:12)

The fact is God's wrath for our sin can only be exhausted through punishment to us or to Jesus Christ. Every sin will be dealt with fully.  We can pay ourselves or Christ can pay for us, but someone will pay.  Who do you want to pay for your sins? Romans 6:23 begins with:  "The wages of sin is death" but ends with: "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." We can have eternal life only through faith in Christ and his propitiation (wrath absorption) as a gift.  Jesus comes after John and preaches the  "bad news" and the "good news", the gospel. 

I wondered this week how often we share our faith without really sharing the "bad news".  It seems "politically incorrect" in todays world to talk about hell or judgement. I know I often lean toward telling of the gospel without ever delving into the wrath of God.  But really, is not the "bad news" a necessary part of describing appropriately what Christ has done for us? John certainly thought so. 

Always Remember....

I am totally dependent on the finished work of Christ alone—not on my performance—as the basis for all my blessings, especially the blessing of being accepted by God as a beloved adopted son.
                                                                --Jerry Bridges

The Centrality of the Gospel

Excerpts from Tim Keller's The Centrality of the Gospel


The Christian life is a process of renewing every dimension of our life by thinking, hoping, and living out the "line" or ramifications of the gospel. The gospel is to be applied to every area of thinking, feeling, relating, working and behaving.

The main problem in the Christian life is that we have not thought out the deep implications of the gospel, we have not "used" the gospel in all parts of our life.

The key to continual and deeper spiritual renewal and revival is the continual re-discovery of the gospel.

What Is The Gospel?

Notes from What Is The Gospel? By Tim Keller

http://sermons.redeemer.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=18160&ParentCat=6

A Worldview

Gospel means good news. So what is the gospel? The gospel is a worldview. It is a grid through which we view all other things in life. It is not something that we believe once for all time to "get into Christianity" and move on in our lives trying our best to be morally right in our actions. It is not a moralistic worldview; one that believes we gain favor with God by our good actions and lose favor by our failures. This is the worldview of the elder brother in Luke 15 who does "what is right" but looks down on his younger brother who repents and turns from his tremendous sin. This is the worldview of the Pharisees of Jesus time who compared themselves to others with less tarnished lives thinking themselves superior. The gospel has a fullness of meaning which can only be described by breaking it down into it's parts or aspects and understood by combining those aspects into a worldview. Each aspect of the gospel describes part of the truth but gives only a part. Christian churches themselves can fail because they stress one aspect of the gospel without acknowledging the other aspects. There are three main aspects of the gospel.

I. Historical/Doctrinal Aspect

The gospel is news about what Jesus has done not primarily advice on how to live. It is good news, not good advice (primarily). Good news salvation is that we are saved by what Jesus has done. Good advice salvation is that we are saved by following the teaching that is given to you. The truth is that God came down and inserted himself physically into the world in history in order to live a perfect life, die a sacrificial atoning death and rise in victory in the body. We are saved by what he has done, not what we do. It is dependent on the fact that Christ lived, died and rose in history for our sins. It is not primarily advice on how to live, although it does teach us this, but the declaration of what God has done. Why because you are saved by grace.

Nutshell: Jesus lived the life I should have lived and died the death that I should have died (as my substitute), so that God can receive me not for my record and my sake, but for Jesus' record and for Jesus' sake.

II. Identity Aspect

The gospel is a status we receive now not just primarily a reward we will receive later. The gospel establishes our status now as sons and daughters of the Father in heaven. Righteously seen by God because Christ's righteousness is credited to us and our sin is laid on Jesus at the cross and paid for (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are dearly loved by God for the sake of Christ. Our salvation is not dependent on maintaining sinlessness after conversion as if we are being given a second chance, but on God's love for Jesus and us because of what Jesus has done. We therefore are assured of our salvation because we are the children of God now and our persistence as children is not dependent in any way on our actions after we believe. We do right things because we love God not because we need to to maintain our position with God. Why because we are saved by grace?

Nutshell: You are more wicked and flawed than you ever dared believe but you are more loved and accepted than you ever dared hope at the same time. Simultaneously both just and sinful.

III. Kingdom Aspect

The gospel is a complete reversal of values in our daily lives leading to an establishment of the kingdom of God in part here on earth to be perfected in eternity. It is not just a new strength to live the life you had before faith according to the world's system and values. The gospel is received by admitting our spiritual bankruptcy not by what good we bring. It is only when we give up the right to determine our own life that we get the power of God. Jesus, the King of kings, came to earth as a baby in a manger. The gospel is received, achieved and reunites in ways that are in reverse of what you would expect. The first shall be last. Those who serve shall be greatest. God loves to work through the weak, the marginal, and poor.

Nutshell: The way up is down, the way to real power is to give up coercive power and serve others, the way into God is to go to the margins in repentance and faith.

The Core of the Gospel

The thread that runs through the three aspects and ties them together is that we are saved by grace. All three are necessary to understand the gospel and apply it to our lives and the glue is God's grace.

Preach The Gospel

The Gospel is really, really good news! This week I interacted with a teenager who is a believer in Jesus but who has struggled with anxieties and feelings of inadequacies that are perceived much more than real. This person has been raised in church and believes that Christ died and rose again for forgiveness of the sins of all who believe. But this person has struggled with sadness and anxiety. This week we were talking about God and these issues arose. I then went through the meat of the Gospel with this person as listed below:

1-When Christ died for believers the full cup of the wrath of God against the sin of all believers was poured out, emptied on him for all sins past, present and future. (Isa 52:13-chapter 53)
2-Christ lived a perfectly obedient sinless life and the righteousness of Christ is credited to the believer so that when God looks at us, he sees a perfectly righteous person. (2 Cor 5:21; Rom 1:17)
3-We are reconciled to God because of the above and are in right relationship. Therefore we can approach him with confidence. (Heb 4:16; Rom 5:1)
4-God is not angry with those who believe and are struggling with sin. He may discipline us in order to sanctify us, but he does not punish us. (This is not to say there are not consequences to sin which come about from the world, our culture etc).
5-God loves us and will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5) and promises us good (Rom 8:31,32).

I could see a visible peace develop as this teenager considered the above. This week I have I have been trying to preach the Gospel to myself daily. It is not just for those who do not believe. It truly is good news every day for all! (Rom 1:15)

From Faith for Faith

16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Ro 1:16-17

Looking at verse 17 and again gaining insite from John Piper's sermons on Romans, Paul says the righteousness of God is revealed in it (the gospel) from faith (our faith). The righteousness of God is credited to us by God resulting from God's grace to us in our faith in him. Righteousness is established in faith and this empowers our persistence in faith (ie from faith to faith). Paul quoting Habakkuk 2:4 finishes verse 17 with the words, "the righteous shall live by faith." There are two possible interpretations for this ending. Both I believe are true, but the latter makes the most sense in context. The first is that we will live our lives here on earth by faith. So, as Paul says in Galatians..."the life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal 2:20)" We are sustained and energized for life in faith. The second interpretaion is that the word "live" refers to eternal life in glory. We receive eternal life in heaven by faith. Piper discusses Romans 1:17 as being the verse that transformed Martin Luther as he realized the meaning and significance of Paul's words.

Observations:
1) The gospel reveals the crediting of righteousness to those who believe.
2) Faith is the "vehicle" through which righteousness is applied.
3) God is the power by which we receive righteousness.
4) Eternal life is the result of faith.
5) By inference, works are not necessary for imputed righteousness and eternal life.

I Am Righteous!

I am righteous! That is a profound statement. A statement that when taken out of context is really ridiculous (Rom 3:10)....especially if you know me. I just spent an hour in anger and sinful response to an occurance in my life, and I am struck with amazement at the thought of being considered righteous. I am so far from righteousness in my actions at times it sickens me. But there is good news for me and for you if you feel like I do (John 3:16). For Christ atoned for my sins on the cross 2000 years ago. First, Jesus came in the form of man and through active obedience to the law he fulfilled what you and I could never do...he lived a sinless life (Heb 4:15, 1Pe 2:22). He was and is righteous. Then he bore the sins of all who believe in him in his body on the cross (1 Pe 2:24). He paid the ransom for our sins (1 Tim 2:6; Rev 5:9). The entire cup of God's wrath against my sin was poured out on Christ. His wrath is spent for my past and my future sin. The sin I committed in anger today was upon Christ, and the sin I commit tomorrow was on Christ. So through his passive obedience unto death on the cross the penalty required for my sin was paid in full. I am redeemed. I am justified before God (Rom 5:1), Christ having served vicariously for me my sentence. But that's not all. Christ's righteousness for his obedient perfect life is then imputed or credited to me (2 Cor 5:21). Through this, I am reconciled in my relationship to God. He sees me as having the righeousness of Christ. All this through faith in God's person, his Word and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amazing grace.