Good morning -
Assumptions can lead to trouble. If I invite you to visit me in my home and you assume that you know where I live, you're likely to waste a lot of time and mileage trying to get there. A precise address and an Internet map program will take the guesswork out of it.
A more dangerous assumption is that we all understand what the gospel is. Although "gospel" is a common word in the Bible, a wide assortment of answers would be given if we asked for a definition. Responses would range from "good news" to "the message of the Bible" to "Jesus died for us" to "the good news about the Kingdom". Assuming that we all understand the gospel is about the same as assuming that everyone knows where I live. Without a specific address you'll never find my home, and without a specific definition of the gospel we'll never find the real gospel.
The Apostle Paul was deeply concerned about a true understanding of the gospel. In writing to the churches in Galatia he said, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7)
Apparently these followers of Christ gave up on the original message they had received. They had deserted Creator God who had called them through the grace of Christ for a "different gospel", which is really an oxymoron - there is no such thing as "another gospel". They had traded the true gospel for what they assumed was the gospel. As Paul reveals in this letter to the Galatians, the real problem was that they had traded the gospel of grace for a so-called gospel of legalism. They assumed that lifestyle and good deeds were the MEANS to salvation rather than a product of it.
Before we point an accusing finger at these foolish Galatians, we need to consider just how easy it is to do as they did. We may not be tempted to offer animal sacrifices and perform ritualistic cleansings, but we may be in danger of believing too much in our own righteousness. It's easy to sit in church and believe that we've earned special favor and merit by our presence there. We can too easily see our service and giving as "points" on a reward scale. It can all become like a board game - the higher the points the further the progress.
Insight in itself is an act of grace. To understand that the biblical gospel is by definition, "the good news of the things concerning the kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12), is a divine act. If our Father did not reveal that specific definition and "address", we would be destined to wander aimlessly in search of the real thing. But we are privileged beyond measure to understand that this is the gospel of grace to which we are called. Every moment that we have on the path to the Kingdom is an act of sheer grace, made possible through the ultimate sacrifice of the Kingdom's King, Jesus the Messiah.
Enjoy the gospel of grace today. Rejoice not only in knowing the "address", but also in the warm fellowship with the Father and His Son and other believers that we find at the "home" located there.
Pastor Steve
Assumptions can lead to trouble. If I invite you to visit me in my home and you assume that you know where I live, you're likely to waste a lot of time and mileage trying to get there. A precise address and an Internet map program will take the guesswork out of it.
A more dangerous assumption is that we all understand what the gospel is. Although "gospel" is a common word in the Bible, a wide assortment of answers would be given if we asked for a definition. Responses would range from "good news" to "the message of the Bible" to "Jesus died for us" to "the good news about the Kingdom". Assuming that we all understand the gospel is about the same as assuming that everyone knows where I live. Without a specific address you'll never find my home, and without a specific definition of the gospel we'll never find the real gospel.
The Apostle Paul was deeply concerned about a true understanding of the gospel. In writing to the churches in Galatia he said, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-7)
Apparently these followers of Christ gave up on the original message they had received. They had deserted Creator God who had called them through the grace of Christ for a "different gospel", which is really an oxymoron - there is no such thing as "another gospel". They had traded the true gospel for what they assumed was the gospel. As Paul reveals in this letter to the Galatians, the real problem was that they had traded the gospel of grace for a so-called gospel of legalism. They assumed that lifestyle and good deeds were the MEANS to salvation rather than a product of it.
Before we point an accusing finger at these foolish Galatians, we need to consider just how easy it is to do as they did. We may not be tempted to offer animal sacrifices and perform ritualistic cleansings, but we may be in danger of believing too much in our own righteousness. It's easy to sit in church and believe that we've earned special favor and merit by our presence there. We can too easily see our service and giving as "points" on a reward scale. It can all become like a board game - the higher the points the further the progress.
Insight in itself is an act of grace. To understand that the biblical gospel is by definition, "the good news of the things concerning the kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 8:12), is a divine act. If our Father did not reveal that specific definition and "address", we would be destined to wander aimlessly in search of the real thing. But we are privileged beyond measure to understand that this is the gospel of grace to which we are called. Every moment that we have on the path to the Kingdom is an act of sheer grace, made possible through the ultimate sacrifice of the Kingdom's King, Jesus the Messiah.
Enjoy the gospel of grace today. Rejoice not only in knowing the "address", but also in the warm fellowship with the Father and His Son and other believers that we find at the "home" located there.
Pastor Steve
posted by steve @ 9:47 AM
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