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Point of Reference
by Fred Price
What is the Gospel or good news of Jesus Christ and how should it impact our daily lives? I believe it was summed up by Jesus himself when he said, "…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16; which was the universal application of God’s love announced to the shepherds by the angelic host, "…saying… I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." Luke 2:10
To inaugurate his ministry, Jesus announced, "The time has come… the Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:14,15 While his concluding instructions to his disciples was for them to, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15 And so they did as, "Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ." Acts 5:42 Eventually leaving the confines of Jerusalem and Israel, they evangelized the surrounding countryside and eventually the world as Paul and others preached, "…the good news about Jesus and the resurrection." Acts 17:18
So what does this good news entail? First off, we must realize that the gospel is specifically targeted at sinners (Matthew 9:13) of which we all are; the purpose of His invitation being that we would be delivered from the consequences of that sin. Kind of a bad news - good news type of thing. The bad news is that God can’t and won’t tolerate sin. (Hebrews 1:13), the good news is God loves us too much to allow us to remain in sin – and thus separated from Him (John 3:16); more bad news being that as sinners we are worthy of God’s displeasure (Romans 3:10; Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:23; James 2:10), the good news is He provided a way out from under the stigma of sin – through the sacrifice of His son (John 3:16; Romans 5:8); the really bad news being we can’t do anything worthy of salvation (Ephesians 2:8,9), the really good news is we don’t have to do anything to gain salvation but believe in Jesus! (John 3:16-18)
Sin is loathsome in God’s sight, the very thing that can – and does – separate us from Him; sending Jesus to the cross in our place. (Hebrews 9:22) Yet God’s grace is greater and His love more powerful than the demands or consequences of sin. If we accept the means by which our salvation is secured, repenting of the rebellion that keeps God at a distance and loving him unconditionally in return, then a victoriously abundant life can be ours. (John 10:10)
Reconciling sinners to a right relationship with God is the purpose of the cross and its message of redemption is the good news of Jesus Christ. Before that reconciliation can take place though, we must realize the full extent of the power of sin – making it possible for us to then appreciate the full redemptive power of the cross in our lives. For it is only when we recognize sin’s unyielding nature and its overwhelming consequences in our lives that we will be convinced to confess and repent of it; allowing forgiveness and regeneration to take place. (1 John 1:9) We must be convicted (convinced) of our guilt to gain a sense of urgency for grace and salvation. (2 Corinthians 7:10), leading to a deep-seated appreciation expressed in obedience to God’s will. (Luke 18:10-14, Romans 7:15-25) Grace is free, but not cheap; exacting a terrible price from Jesus and costing many of his followers their all. (Romans 3:24 - 1 Corinthians 6:19b, 20) Dietrich Bonhoeffer defined cheap grace as that which justifies (or excuses) sin whereas true grace justifies the sinner by freeing him from sin’s allure and effects, allowing him to live life through and for God. That’s why Paul exclaimed, "I am not ashamed of the gospel… the message of the cross… because is it the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes,…" Romans 1:16 and 1 Corinthians 1:18
The gospel doesn’t so much convict us of bad attitudes, lewd thoughts, gossip, grudges, unhealthy lifestyles or any of a dozen other things; rather it convicts us of a natural inclination to selfishness – which all the rest are derived from. Without a consciousness of sin and a sense of guilt, we won’t see the need for grace, salvation or a Savior. (Galatians 3:24) (Even the saved needing to exercise caution against self-satisfaction and complacency in following Christ. (Romans 3:7))
A proper recognition of sin and it’s consequences will drive us to repentance, as we desperately seek forgiveness and joyfully accept dependence on God; investing our choices afterwards with an orientation away from self to sacrificial service to God and others. (Matthew 6:27-29) Choosing between things of eternal consequence and things that merely distract; as indicted in Matthew 4:1-11, illustrates the importance of our daily decisions and choices. This is not the time for life as usual, dictated by the world’s standards. Now is the time of God’s favor and the day of salvation. Now is the time to act as He would have us to. (2 Corinthians 6:3)
The good news is that we have been saved from missing the mark of perfection God embodies, thus our separation from Him has been repaired; a right relationship now restored through His son Jesus Christ. God loves you – period. The only thing powerful enough to make a lasting difference in your life is that love. (Ephesians 3:17-19) His gospel is the revelation of that love; the motivating force behind all God does. The changes that occur as a result of our responding to the good news are rooted in experiencing that love. Justification and sanctification can be ours. Righteousness – achieved by virtue of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross – is instantaneous. Our attainment of a righteous lifestyle – or holiness – is ongoing, a process and by-product of our salvation that involves a lifetime. Yet both are a work of grace.
The message of the cross wasn’t delivered by a social worker, politician, military commander or moral teacher; although his ministry – and our lives – may at times encompass all those disciplines. The good news is about someone much more basic, a Savior.
* Inspired by "Living Beyond The Ordinary" by Tom Kraeuter Published by Emerald Books
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Fred Price - married (50 years), father of two grown children, grandfather of six.
Fred retired earlier this year after 42 years as a factory worker. He has always had a heart for young people and the challenges they face today. Over the years Fred has taught Discipleship Groups for High School and college students.
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