So I'm meeting the DDO again tomorrow, where we will look criteria G: faith. One of the questions is; 'what is your gospel?'. Its a really interesting question; one that I have probably answered in many ways through the last 16 years. Today I think it is..
'God made humanity to live in relationship with him, we chose to wander away from that and so the world has ended up essentially still good but just a shadow of what its meant to be. Thats true both of us individually and humanity in general. God has made a way for us to restore our relationship with him, and to become agents in restoring how things were always supposed to be. That way: is Jesus. As part of God, he lived on earth modelling the way that God chooses to change things. He kicked out demons, healed the sick, dignified the poor, and chose to subject himself to a world that hated him. He invites us to live like him- and gives us hope of doing just that through the Holy Spirit. The Bible uses the image of the Holy Spirit being a deposit, enough of God in us to remind us how it will one day be. God invites us to live back in relationship with him, and in doing that we bring his Kingdom a little closer to completion'.
Now the astute among you will realise that I have not mentioned heaven, hell, the cross, church or God's wrath. I seem to have slipped from evangelicalism..
Hmmmm..
What's your gospel?
'God made humanity to live in relationship with him, we chose to wander away from that and so the world has ended up essentially still good but just a shadow of what its meant to be. Thats true both of us individually and humanity in general. God has made a way for us to restore our relationship with him, and to become agents in restoring how things were always supposed to be. That way: is Jesus. As part of God, he lived on earth modelling the way that God chooses to change things. He kicked out demons, healed the sick, dignified the poor, and chose to subject himself to a world that hated him. He invites us to live like him- and gives us hope of doing just that through the Holy Spirit. The Bible uses the image of the Holy Spirit being a deposit, enough of God in us to remind us how it will one day be. God invites us to live back in relationship with him, and in doing that we bring his Kingdom a little closer to completion'.
Now the astute among you will realise that I have not mentioned heaven, hell, the cross, church or God's wrath. I seem to have slipped from evangelicalism..
Hmmmm..
What's your gospel?
Comments
I like.
For what it's worth, I'd be encouraging you to read your bible more if you thought the condition of humanity in general was "essentially still good but just a shadow of what its meant to be."
If that's us, if we're essentially alright, we don't need the work of Jesus on the cross, which you have highlighted for us.
I'm not usually the confronting sorta person, but i must ask, Where are you getting this very, very cool gospel from?
jsbirt@bigpond.com
Thank you also for telling me to read my Bible more.. how about you tell me your gospel?