Tag: Gospel

The Functional Centrality of the Gospel

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Evangelism, Practical, What is the Gospel?5 Comments

How does the gospel function as the central doctrine in our Christian walk? Mike Bullmore has been particularly helpful to me in answering this question. In an article I read recently, he informs his readers as to how the gospel functions as the central thing in our Christian life.

Defining: Gospel Truths and Gospel Conduct

In answering these questions we need to first understand the difference between “Gospel Truths” and “Gospel Conduct.” Bullmore says, “Gospel [T]ruths are specific, concrete doctrinal implications of the gospel.” Whereas “Gospel Conduct” is the connection the Bible makes between the gospel and our behavior.

Scriptural Evidence: Gospel Truths

“Gospel Truths” are concrete doctrinal implications of the gospel that take their shape from the gospel itself. In other words, because of the gospel, we have peace with God (Rom 5:1). Because of the gospel, we are not condemned (Rom 8:1). Because of the gospel, God will graciously provide for us (Rom 8:32).

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom 5:1).

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1)

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom 8:32)

Scriptural Evidence: Gospel Conduct

“Gospel Conduct” is the connection the Bible makes between the gospel and our behavior. In other words, because of the gospel, we are to flee sexual immorality (1 Cor 6:18-20). Because of the gospel, we are urged to forgive one another (Eph 4:32). Because of the gospel, husbands understand how to love their wives (Eph 5:25). Because of God’s generosity in the gospel, we are to be generous (2 Cor 8:7,9; 9:12-13).

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor 6:18–20)

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph 4:32)

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” (Eph 5:25)

“But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also….For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Cor 8:7,9)

“For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,” (2 Cor 9:12–13)

Implications of the Functional Centrality of the Gospel

When we see that “Gospel Truths” stem from the gospel itself, and when we meditate on those truths, our mind is renewed and we experience peace, no condemnation, and assurance God will provide for our daily spiritual and physical needs.

When we see that “Gospel Conduct” stems from the gospel itself, we begin to understand the power for change does not simply lie in our own power. Were it not for the gospel working in our lives, we would not be able to flee sexual immorality, forgive others, love our wives correctly, or be generous with our money and time.

Conclusion

The gospel is at the center of our Christian lives, and from it stem both “Gospel Truths”, which work to renew our mind, and “Gospel Conduct”, which works to renew our actions. Were it not for the gospel, our minds would not be renewed, nor would our conduct change. As a result, the gospel must always be proclaimed as the way to change. Without it, we are powerless and are not able to change or grow in our Christian walk. This means we must always ground our imperatives in the indicative. For if we do not, then we are teaching our people to be moralists.

Resources

Blog: The Primacy of the Functional Centrality of the Gospel in Paul’s Letters

Article: How Should the Gospel Function in the Life of the Local Church

Image: Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

X-Ray Questions: Whose Performance Matters?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Practical, X-Ray QuestionsLeave a comment

This week we continue our X-Ray Questions series, as we look at the question: Whose performance matters? You can read the other posts in this series by clicking here.

X-Ray Question:

(12) Whose performance matters?

On whose shoulders does the well-being of your world rest? Who can make it better, make it work, make it safe, make it successful? This digs out self-righteousness, or living through your children, or pinning hopes on getting the right kind of husband or wife, and so forth.

Understand

The only one who can truly make our world better is God. We cannot accomplish it on our own, even though we believe we can. Nor can anyone in our network – wife, husband, or children – make our lives better on their own. God’s performance is what matters, He is our Creator and our Sovereign Lord, who is holding everything together and working everything out in His plan.

Repent

We must repent by realizing God is the only one who causes anything to happen. He is the one who builds His church, places people in their careers, provides them with a home, family, and provisions. God alone is in control of our universe, and we must recognize this. Apart of doing so, is coming before God in prayer. By praying, we show we recognize that God is in control and that only His performance matters.

However, unless we first look to the gospel, we will not be able to relinquish control of our lives, and we will always either depend on ourselves or those around us because we will not recognize God for who He is, the all-knowing, all-powerful, holy, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, nor will we realize what He has done, namely, sending His Son to die in our place. Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection allows us the ability to commune with God. He paid the price for our sins, so that we may now experience a relationship with God.

When we realize all that God has done – Creator, Savior, and Sustainer – we realize it is only His performance that matters, not ours.

Scripture

Here are a few passages from God’s word to meditate on this week, as you consider the question: Whose performance matters?: Pss 49:13; Jer. 17:1-14; Phil. 1:6; 2:13; 3:3-11.

All X-Ray questions taken from David Powlison’s book Seeing with New Eyes.

Image: basketman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Understanding Your Idols

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals3 Comments

Are you aware that there are two types of idols present in our lives? One is more evident than the other. However, the one that is less evident is the one controlling everything. The two types of idols I am referring to are “Deep Idols” and “Surface Idols” [1].

Deep Idols

Some “Deep Idols” we may have in our lives are a desire for (1) Influence and Power, or a craving for (2) Appreciation and Approval. Others may be (3) emotional and physical Comfort, or a desire for (4) Security and Control [2]. One of these categories is typically more prevalent in our life and is our “Deep Idol.” They control our actions and desires, and are often hidden well by those who are enslaved by them.

Surface Idols

“Surface Idols” are things such as our house, money, sex, possessions, our spouse, or our children [3]. The purpose of these “Surface Idols” is to appease and satisfy our deeper idols [4]. This means eradicating our “Surface Idols” may not always rid us of our “Deep Idols.” As a result, we must work to understand the different between “Deep Idols” and “Surface Idols”, and seek change at the deepest level.

Example

Surface Idol = Money

Deep Idol = Power or Approval or Comfort or Control

People will tend to use money as a means to gain power and influence people. Others will use money as a means to gain approval from the world. Still some will use money as a means to gain comfort, living a lavish lifestyle. While others may save all their money because they are seeking to satisfy their desire for control and security [5].

The Gospel

Only the Gospel can break the hold these “Deep Idols” have on us. When we understand the Gospel, we will no longer have a desire to obtain power and influence because we will see others as made in God’s image, not pawns in our own chess game. We no longer are stingy with out money because we see the grace God pours out on us as a result of the cross, remembering that Christ gave up everything and became poor, so we might live. In the Gospel, we also recognize that God is the only one in control of this chaotic world, allowing us to feel secure knowing whatever happens is the result of God’s plan, not our own. Lastly, in the Gospel we seek comfort in God, not in a lavish lifestyle, realizing only in Him will we find true and lasting comfort since only He is eternal and true [6].

Conclusion

We all have idols, some of our idols are “Deep Idols” and some of our idols are “Surface Idols.” When we are aware there are two types of idols, we will not be satisfied to rid ourselves of our “Surface Idols” only. Rather, we will want to tunnel down deep into our heart to see which idol we have more of a propensity toward, and rid our “Deep Idol” from our lives. While some of us may have more of a propensity toward Power, some Control, while others Approval, and still others Comfort, we can be assured that by applying the Gospel to our lives, we can rid ourselves of these idols.

Resource

[1] Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters,64.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid., 65.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid., 66.
[6] Ibid., 67-68.

Image: Sura Nualpradid / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

X-Ray Questions: What or Whom do you trust?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Practical, X-Ray Questions1 Comment

This week we continue our X-Ray Questions series, as we look at the question: What or whom do you trust? You can read the other posts in this series by clicking here.

X-Ray Question:

(11) What or whom do you trust?

Trust is one of the major verbs relating you to God – or to false gods and lies. Crucial psalms breathe trust in our Father and Shepherd. Where instead do you place life-directing, life anchoring trust? In other people? In your abilities or achievements? In your church or theological tradition? In possessions? In diet, exercise, and medical care?

Understand

The person or object that we trust is the one we believe will provide us with happiness, joy, protection, deliverance, comfort, etc. Our trust should be in God and God alone because finite persons, inanimate objects, your abilities and achievements, or thoughts (I have in mind here theological traditions, or health ideas) will always fail you.

Repent

We must repent by realizing that God should be the one we must place our trust in, not in our own abilities or achievements, our traditions, other people, or objects. For when we decide to place our trust in anything other than God, we are trusting in something that will ultimately fail us and we are leaning on our own understanding. Solomon writes in Proverbs 3:5:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding

Solomon also tells us that the one who leans on his own understanding is a fool (Prov. 12:15)

In Psalm 103, David tells his readers of the benefits of the Lord: He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your diseases, redeems your life from the pit, crowns you with both lovingkindness and compassion, and He takes care of the oppressed by performing righteous deeds and judgments for them. Not only does God do all those things, David also says He “satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

The Lord’s benefits are greater than we could ever imagine and ever hope. Since He is the Holy, Unchangeable, and Sovereign Lord, what David wrote will never change. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. As a result, we can place our trust in Him knowing He will bring us joy, comfort, peace, deliverance, protection, etc. In short, He alone will fill the longings of our heart.

Scripture

Here are a few passages from God’s word to meditate on this week, as you consider the question: What or whom do you trust?: Prov. 3:5, 11, 18; 12:15; Pss 23, 103, 131.

All X-Ray questions taken from David Powlison’s book Seeing with New Eyes.

How to Get Our People and Ourself on Mission

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Evangelism, Leadership, Pastoral, Practical5 Comments

Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to get on mission for Jesus and stay on mission? For most of us, we are excited to say we are living missionally, we throw the vocabulary around because it sounds cool, but the actual practice of living missionally is difficult. Why is it hard to live missionally? How we can actually get started and sustain our mission?

How Can we GET on Mission and STAY on Mission?

If we want ourselves and our people to be on mission for Christ, our affection for Christ must be the dominating affection of our hearts. If something else is the dominating affection, such as acceptance, status, or materialism, then mission will not be fully realized, and it is probably not going to start. Living on mission and staying on mission is a heart issue. It is not a program or strategy issue, which means we must attack a lack of mission at the heart level.

How can we increase Our affections for Jesus?

(1) We must have an unwavering commitment to understanding the Gospel in a greater way.

We have to be willing to make a commitment to understanding how every aspect of our life is affected by the gospel, and how every aspect of our life can be a gospel moment. Here is what I mean. Our life is a gospel moment when others witness the radical change Christ has performed in our lives. For instance, when a Christian’s view of sex, money, and power is radically different than our cultures, the gospel’s power to transform our life is demonstrated, not only to the world, but to ourselves. But that gospel change won’t result unless we commit to understanding the gospel in a greater way. An understanding that should result in our affections for Jesus changing as we recognize how wicked and depraved we really are and how great Jesus’ salvation really is.

(2) We must be willing to fail.

In our willingness to fail, we show we realize we are not the ones who expand the kingdom; rather, it is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who expand the kingdom. As we depend on God, see Him sustain us, and even use us to expand His kingdom, our affection for Him should increase and stimulate us to further mission.

(3) The travailing of our souls should cause us to pray.

As we face the laborious task of mission, our soul will inevitably groan with pain, because, let’s be honest, being on mission is hard, much harder than we might have first thought. The difficulties of mission should drive us to pray more often and more fervently. Prayer creates intimacy with Jesus and that intimacy should increase our affections for Jesus.

(4) Become an expert in proclaiming Jesus.

We become an expert on proclaiming Jesus by studying Scripture. As we study Scripture, we should gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and that should increase our affections for Him.

Conclusion

Changing the affections of our heart is key to getting on and staying on mission, which we are able to influence by committing to understand the gospel more deeply, be willing to fail, praying, and becoming an expert in proclaiming Jesus’ message through the study of Jesus’ Word. Doing these things should change our heart’s affections and drive us to mission, one that is more joyful and sustainable.

Resources

This post was developed from Tyler Jones’ sermon “The Church Planters Mission,” which you can find on iTunes under the Acts29 Network Podcast, or by clicking here (Note: it will be the one initially highlighted in light grey).

A great article on the subject of evangelism is Brent Nelson’s article Woe to Me if I don’t Evangelize

What is the Wrong and Right Way to Seek Change in Our Life?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, PracticalLeave a comment

I recently read an article by Tim Keller entitled: Gospel Preaching. In Appendix B: Applying Christ, he gives reasons people may say no to ungodliness before giving us the real way we can change. I would like to quote Keller at length, rather than attempting to summarize. Keller says,

The Wrong Way to Seek Change

Think of all the ways you can ‘say no’ to ungodliness. You can say “No-because I’ll look bad!” You can say “No-because I’ll be excluded from the social circles I want to belong to.” You can say “No-because then God will not give me health, wealth, and happiness.” You can say “No-because God will send me to hell.” You can say “No-because I’ll hate myself in the morning and disappoint myself and have low self-esteem.”

But virtually all of these motives are really just motives of fear and pride – the very things that also lead to sin. You are just using sinful self-centered impulses of the heart to keep you compliant to external rules without really changing the heart itself.

Also, you are not really doing anything out of love for God. You are using God to get things – self-esteem, prosperity, or social approval. So your deepest joys and hopes rest in other things beside God. This kind of ‘obedience’ does not issue from a changed heart at all.

How to Change

Paul is saying: If you want to really change and gain self-control you must let the gospel teach you – a word that means to train, discipline, coach you over a period of time. You must let the gospel argue with you. You must let the gospel sink down deeply until it changes the structures of your motivation and views of things. John Stott says on Titus 2:14: “Grace not only saves, but undertakes our training. Grace bases her teaching upon the great facts in which her first grand revelation of herself was made, and finds all her teaching power in those mighty memories!”

This Does Not Mean

This does not mean that Christians should not use every possible means to exercise self-control in the crucial moment. If you feel an impulse to pick up a rock and hit someone with it – do anything at all to keep yourself from doing it! Tell yourself “I’ll go to jail! I’ll disgrace my family!” Anything. There’s no reason why in the short run a Christian can not simply use ‘will-power’ like that to make a change that is necessary.

But in the long run change will only come from changing the heart’s deepest affections with the melting, moving grace of God.

Conclusion

In this article, Keller provides us with three things that are happening when we do not seek change at the heart level: (1) We will not truly change. (2) We end up using God to build our self-esteem, prosperity, or social approval because our hope lies in something other than God. (3) We end up using sinful self-centered impulses derived from fear and pride to exact external change in order to remain compliant to our social circles accepted actions, or because we believe compliance to rules will gain us favor with God; thus, meriting us health, wealth, happiness, and a ticket out of hell.

In contrast, the only way for us to really change is if our heart is affected by the Gospel. Instead of forcing ourselves to keep external rules, we need to seek change at the heart level by preaching the Gospel to ourselves and allowing the grace of God to melt away our hearts deepest affections for our own self promotion, glory, satisfaction, and pleasure.