Quote:
Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah
So, OBW, what does the gospel mean to you?
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The gospel is the good news of Christ.
It is must be lived before it can be preached.
It is evidenced by changed lives.
It is the true "formula" that makes those changes.
While it is good to know and understand it, it is better to do it and obey it.
Seeking sanctification is not the gospel. Neither is seeking transformation, glorification, or even justification.
But the gospel will provide all those things to those who truly believe and follow.
I had a brief discussion with my wife this evening about this. We agree that it is not harmful to understand the spiritual realities that happen because of our obedience to Christ. (Paul spent a lot of time telling us about those things as the reason that we should be obeying.) But seeking to know about them, and seeking them for their own sake outside of obedience is just as natural as doing the works because you think they will save you. It just has a more spiritual sound and so few would consider that it is just as great an error. Both are out of balance, and can be followed in the erroneous belief that you are following Christ.
All of the "spiritual" activities that are irrelevant to the rest of life are just our "sacrifices" (even if they are of praise). If they flow out of our life of obedience, then they are a pleasing aroma to God. If they are in lieu of a life of obedience, then we should recall that God loves obedience more than sacrifice.