It seems as if lately God is continuing to drill something into this thick skull of mine, and what at times can be a hard heart too! “What is that?” you ask. Well, the Gospel. Yes, the Gospel! It would seem that my understanding/believing/living of the Gospel has been incomplete or insufficient to the truth of Scripture! God has been hitting me with this over the last year and a half from a variety of angles! My director at the AIA Training Center, sermon after sermon I listen too, books I’m reading, blogs I stumble across, one of the first talks here at XTRACK (Crusade’s International training in Ft. Collins, CO), and many, many other angles! God, it would seem, is trying to get something across to me. So as I sit at a Panera Bread, in Ft. Collins, and get some time with God, surfing the net, doing a prayer letter and so fourth He HIT ME AGAIN! This time through a usual source – Mark Driscoll. This time it was on the Acts 29 Church Planting Network’s site.
Here is the link for the actual post, but you can read it below. I pray that God would use these words to shake you and me to the core! Because it would seem I’m chasing after religion far, far too much!
Religion says, if I obey, God will love me. Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.
Religion has good people & bad people. Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.
Religion values a birth family. Gospel values a new birth.
Religion depends on what I do. Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.
Religion claims that sanctification justifies me. Gospel claims that justification enables sanctification.
Religion has the goal to get from God. Gospel has the goal to get God.
Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin. Gospel sees hardship as sanctified affliction.
Religion is about me. Gospel is about Jesus.
Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key. Gospel believes that being honest is the key.
Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God. Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus’ work.Religion sees Jesus as the means. Gospel sees Jesus as the end.
Religion ends in pride or despair. Gospel ends in humble joy.