What is the gospel to me?
I said a bit in post #7. And while I agree that many have hamstrung the gospel into a decision in favor of a proposition that causes a once-for-all-time transference from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light (often referred to as a “ticket to heaven”), I do not believe that the term “higher gospel” is such a good term, especially as used by many, including the LRC, that want that higher gospel to be about “spiritual” things and not so much about our daily lives in our families and in the world.
UntoHim started with a poem/song. I will do the same. This one from the UK in the mid 90s.
This is the message of the cross, that we can be free,
To live in the victory, and turn from our sin,
My precious Lord Jesus, with sinners you died,
For there you revealed your love and you laid down your life.
This is the message of the cross, that we can be free,
To lay all our burdens here, at the foot of the tree,
The cross was the shame of the world, but the glory of God,
For Jesus you conquered sin and you gave us new life!
You set me free when I came to the cross,
Poured out your blood for I was broken and lost,
There I was healed and you covered my sin,
It's there you saved me, this is the message of the cross.
This is the message of the cross, that we can be free,
To hunger for heaven, to hunger for Thee,
"The cross is such foolishness to the perishing,
But to us who are being saved, it is the power of God!"
You set us free when we come to the cross,
You pour out your blood for we are broken and lost.
Here we are healed and you cover our sin,
It's here you save us,
You set me free when I come to the cross,
Pour out your blood for I am broken and lost
Here I am healed and you cover my sin,
It's here you save me, this is the message of the cross.
Let us rejoice at the foot of the cross,
We can be free, glory to God.
Thank you Lord, thank you Lord,
You've set us free, glory to God.
Written by Martin Smith �1994 Curious? Music UK
Admin note:
See here for a nice song written/sung by Martin Smith
http://www.louderthanthemusic.com/document.php?id=1670
Some may say that this is just about that simple first step of salvation that is the “low gospel.” But I beg to differ. Look at the three choruses. They start with the two words “You set” but are different each time. The first speaks of when I came to the cross; the point at which I made that transfer from darkness to light. The second speaks of “us” in a way that is not certain as to its object — whether many broken, unsaved people, to the ongoing condition of even those who are already saved, or both. But the last is clearly about my condition of relying on the continual saving of the cross. Not in terms of initial salvation repeated, but in the kind of salvation that we must be active to work out.
But when I think of the gospel, I think of various passages in the “gospels.” I start with Matt 5 and following. Here we find the condition of the kingdom people:
- Aware of their poor state, hungering for righteousness, showing mercy, making peace, being persecuted.
- Living this life out in the open for men to see.
- Attaining to a higher standard of righteousness than even written in the law.
- True to their word.
- Not seeking revenge, but loving even their enemies.
- Freely giving to the needy, but doing it without fanfare.
- Praying for and about everything; both the high and the low.
- Not focused on attaining this world’s wealth.
- Being clear of your own faults before daring to point at another’s.
- Knowing that their entire life must be built on the firm foundation of these teachings.
There are many more passages. We know that the whole of the law hinges on “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
It is important to understand John 6:28-29 where it is stated that doing the work God requires is to believe in the one he sent. Yet some “high gospels” turn this into excuse to omit all the things I have mentioned previously. They elevate “believing in” in a way that is not what is meant here. “Believe in” does not simply mean to assent to or to have a mental knowledge of something or someone. It means to believe. And so if that someone says to do certain things, then the one who “believes in” will seek to do those things because to do otherwise is to make a mockery of your alleged belief.
Then in John 8:31-32, Jesus speaks of the truth that sets us free. But it is not from scouring the scripture. And it is not from speaking a “higher language.” It is from holding to Jesus’ teaching. And once again, holding to does not mean to know it well, or stand firm for that knowledge even against opposition. It means to do it. And doing is not just in meetings. It is on the street and in the workplace. It is not just “spiritual” but in practical righteousness. It is how we behave among the unrighteous. It is how we haggle over prices in the marketplace. It is how drive our car in rush hour traffic. It is how we behave toward people that we consider the worst sinners (think marches in opposition to gays, abortion clinics, illegal aliens, etc.) I am not saying that any of these may not be legal and/or moral offenses. But how does the Kingdom of God act toward them during this age?
And then there is Paul. Gave us a lot of help. Especially for the Gentiles trying to find their way in a religion based on Judaism. But when I read Lee’s take no Paul, it is as if he is trying to find the truth in Paul’s words about being crucified with Christ and trying to live as crucified rather than doing what Paul is telling the Galatians. He is telling them that even if they have been given freedom, they should be seeking righteousness. The point is not to try to live as “crucified with Christ” but to be obedient to the call to righteousness. To seek being crucified with Christ is to seek the truth that sets you free without holding to the teachings. Hold to the teachings and the rest will follow. Yes, our salvation freed us from needing to obey the law — but not if you read Matt 5. Ignoring the law, and teaching in that manner is the way to be the least in the Kingdom. Not out of the Kingdom, but the least. Trying to find the truth that will set you free outside of obedience is a spiritual farce.
And that is what so many “higher gospels” are about; finding the truth that sets you free outside of obedience. The more we are focused on the ethereal during our regular life, the more we are trying to avoid obedience and still get what the gospels promise.
I recently heard a brief comment about spirituality. They likened spirituality and the spiritual as being the way that man relates to God. And if we take the examples from Genesis and the Psalms, among others, we can find that our relationship with God was not intended to be a constant, never-ending time of falling on our faces saying “holy, holy....” He created the angels for that. He created us to have daily tasks, and our own lives, and within those tasks and lives to relate to Him. Sort of like we do with our families. Whether with our spouse, siblings, parents, or others, we do not obsess over any of these at all times of the day. We think of them off and on at times, but they have their time of the day. And even at that time, for example, from the time you arrive at home until you fall asleep, you are not constantly focused exclusively on your spouse. You still have a normal life that includes, among other things, real time spent focused on your spouse. But many “higher gospels” want to refocus us to such an extent that our “time at home” is all about our “spouse,” even to the ignoring of making dinner, taking out the trash, paying the bills, or whatever. And once you are good at that, you should constantly be figuring out how to think about your spouse while you are making fine cabinetry, designing infrastructure or software, keeping the company’s books, selling its products, or whatever you do to provide food and shelter for your family, or while going o school if that is where you are in life. The “higher gospel” people want you to be half-assed about your normal life (quite a testimony, for sure) so you can be “spiritual” all day.
Now I do not despise the ethereal aspects of spirituality. But they have a place. I am not saying that it is relegated. But it is part of a whole life. It is not your whole life. It seems so odd to me that those who focus so strongly on being spiritual all the time think so poorly of those who willfully do acts of kindness out of their love for God. And they think so poorly of those who thoughtfully focus on the awesomeness of God as they partake in aspects of tradition, like reciting a creed, reading a prayer together, singing songs (like “The Message of the Cross” above) to the accompaniment of guitars, drums, keyboard, bass, etc., or coming to the front to pray.
I feel sorry for those who think that their whole life is a series of spiritual events into which they have to relent to allow the “low” things of life to interrupt. That is not how it was from the beginning. And it was never that way in the scripture. Note that it does not say that in that day, two will be calling on the Lord in the meeting. One taken and the other left behind. In fact, among the examples, all were engaged in normal activities of life. Spirituality, is something that happens among — not in place of — life. The gospel is everything about our life, from rising in the morning until laying down to sleep at night. It is in our work, our play, our eating, our interacting with everyone around us, etc.