Redefining the Gospel

Picking up from where Redefining salvation left off...

It's been one of those weeks when there are just too many news stories for a poor spare-time theology/ethics blogger to cover... and I've cleverly committed myself to a multi-post series on redefining Christianity. Synthetic life, the Marie Stopes TV ad and the conviction of two 10-year-old boys for attempted rape of an 8-year-old will just have to wait a few days. It's a good thing only my work colleagues are looking at this blog. Guys, I'd like some tea now please. There's nothing interesting for you here. Seriously. :-)

So, back to redefining evangelical faith and I think I'd got to no. 5 - the Larch... I mean the Gospel...

5. The Gospel

Evangelical definition: to evangelicals, the Gospel is the core of Christian faith and the key message to be conveyed in evangelism (q.v.). This message is that there is a righteous sovereign God, and that all people without exception are fallen sinners deserving his just wrath and incapable of saving themselves. The only way to escape an eternity of this wrath in hell (q.v.) is to accept the way of salvation (q.v.) that God has made for us through his only Son Jesus Christ, who bore our punishment and cancelled our sin-debt by dying in our place on the cross (see atonement, q.v.). If we repent of our sins and turn to Christ in faith, we can be saved. This gospel message of repentance and faith in Christ must be preached to all people, and must be accepted by them if they are to be 'saved'.

Re-definition: the Gospel is God's genuinely wonderful news of freedom, hope and life offered to all in Christ; his plan to restore, renew and redeem all creation through the resurrection of his Son, and to express his life, light and love through people and perhaps all creatures. It is the reaching out of God's overwhelming goodness and love, seeking out the lost, last and least. The gospel is a socially and spiritually transformative, liberating message of love to the loveless, welcome to the excluded, hope for the despairing; it has the redemptive power to bring life out of death, light out of darkness, good out of evil.

6. Evangelism

Evangelical definition: Evangelism is of central importance to evangelicals. It means preaching the Gospel (q.v., above); 'sharing Christ' with the lost in order to make new disciples; attempting to move people along the spiritual-awareness scale from -10 (no interest in God) to +10 (full disciples). Evangelical evangelism often involves bringing conversations round to Christ, often with the use of apologetics (the rational defence of the Christian faith). Formulaic methods and techniques of evangelism are also encouraged such as 'friendship evangelism', 'servant evangelism' and practising giving your own testimony (story of how you came to faith).

Re-definition: though evangelism is important and does involve sharing the gospel, this needs to be understood in much broader and less formulaic terms, and may well not involve preaching or apologetics. I'd suggest that evangelism can be seen as bringing what you genuinely have of Christ into the lives of those who do not know him, not by force or argument but as a natural and authentic part of who you are and of your relationship with them. It means engaging sacramentally and incarnationally with others as flawed and partial images of Christ ourselves, and also becoming aware of Christ's image in them. It therefore involves being as deeply as possible in Christ, as truly as possible oneself, and as engaged as possible with the reality of the other person. It is inherently gracious, genuine and relational, and not formulaic, forced or false.

7. Mission

Evangelical definition: Evangelism (see above).

Re-definition: Mission is simply our engagement with the world and with people as those who are in Christ, expressing his love and goodness, bringing his healing and hope. Matthew 25 lists a number of possible ways: visiting the sick and imprisoned, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry. It can involve evangelism but is more than just evangelism.

8. Grace

Evangelical definition: Grace is the unmerited favour of God in Christ to sinners deserving punishment, enabling them to live holy and pleasing lives of service and mission. It is also the state of being in God's favour and receiving his blessings.

Re-definition: Grace is the overflow of God's overwhelming love, beauty, goodness and generosity to all through Christ, covering over sins, overcoming weaknesses, blessing with all goodness; releasing, restoring, redeeming and healing.

9. Holiness / Righteousness

Evangelical definition: Primarily moral purity, the opposite of sin; achieved by a life of obedience and spiritual disciplines - prayer, fasting, Bible study, resisting sin and doing God's will.

Re-definition: Holiness is reflecting and displaying Christ's image through a life fully lived in/with him. It is a quality of goodness that comes from closeness to Christ.

Next and final batch: sin, hell, salvation, atonement...