There is no Immunity
January 21, 2008 No Christian group is immune to preaching a Gospel-less Christianity. Whether you are of the Osteen-ian variety or the Fundamentalist (varieties), it matters not. When the Gospel is not preached, morality becomes the message- become a better you or pick yourself up by your bootstraps. The message focuses on what we can do rather than who we are in Christ. Yes, some Christian preachers are more faithful to God's Word than others. However, and read this very carefully as to what I am saying, faithfulness to God's Word is not the litmus test of good Christian preaching, but faithfulness to the Gospel for the Gospel is God's Word in the flesh, the pinnacle, focal point, and cornerstone of Scripture (and our faith).
"The law came in to increase the trespass," is reason enough to connect our doing (the law, commands, indicatives of Scripture) to the Gospel. For if the Gospel is disconnected from our doing, we heap fiery coals of condemnation and guilt upon the hearers. Yes, God has commanded many things, however, He has commanded us to believe in His Son for salvation above all else. You see, God perfects our doing through our faith in the Son. The Son is the Author and Finisher of our faith, He is the Beginning and the End, the Chief Cornerstone and it is only through Him that our eating and drinking is glorious to God.
"The law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20). The Gospel is the source, means, and end of grace abounding all the more. God's blessings upon us can only be found in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). Without the Gospel, God's commands are unattainable, but with the Gospel, we are becoming what God has already commanded us to be. Therefore, our doing flows out of who we are... in Jesus.
If our preaching is not centered on the Gospel, we have failed in our understanding of the Gospel and we dishonor God's Word Made Flesh.
January 21, 2008 No Christian group is immune to preaching a Gospel-less Christianity. Whether you are of the Osteen-ian variety or the Fundamentalist (varieties), it matters not. When the Gospel is not preached, morality becomes the message- become a better you or pick yourself up by your bootstraps. The message focuses on what we can do rather than who we are in Christ. Yes, some Christian preachers are more faithful to God's Word than others. However, and read this very carefully as to what I am saying, faithfulness to God's Word is not the litmus test of good Christian preaching, but faithfulness to the Gospel for the Gospel is God's Word in the flesh, the pinnacle, focal point, and cornerstone of Scripture (and our faith).
"The law came in to increase the trespass," is reason enough to connect our doing (the law, commands, indicatives of Scripture) to the Gospel. For if the Gospel is disconnected from our doing, we heap fiery coals of condemnation and guilt upon the hearers. Yes, God has commanded many things, however, He has commanded us to believe in His Son for salvation above all else. You see, God perfects our doing through our faith in the Son. The Son is the Author and Finisher of our faith, He is the Beginning and the End, the Chief Cornerstone and it is only through Him that our eating and drinking is glorious to God.
"The law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more" (Romans 5:20). The Gospel is the source, means, and end of grace abounding all the more. God's blessings upon us can only be found in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). Without the Gospel, God's commands are unattainable, but with the Gospel, we are becoming what God has already commanded us to be. Therefore, our doing flows out of who we are... in Jesus.
If our preaching is not centered on the Gospel, we have failed in our understanding of the Gospel and we dishonor God's Word Made Flesh.