The Centrality of the Gospel

The Centrality of the Gospel

Just prior to the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus encountered a young man seeking to know how he might have eternal life. Luke chapter ten records the following conversation:
25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" 27 And he answered, "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 28 And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE." NASB.

None of us can ever fully obey this command.  This is why we always need the gospel.  To make sure we truly understand the relationship of the gospel and salvation, let’s look at some Scripture.  Check yourself to see if you are truly in the faith. 

Romans 1:16-17  NIV: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.”
Salvation includes everything from the initial calling by grace, to justification, sanctification, to ultimate glorification.  The gospel is the only hope for forgiveness, the deep change of the heart that keeps us from self-righteousness, the only power to live a life that honors God.
Let’s review the main points of what we mean when we talk of the ‘gospel’.

1. Condition of Man: Since the rebellion of Adam and Eve against the rule of God over their lives, mankind is under the curse of sin.  Sin is a fatal disease –much worse than AIDS or cancer.. ”There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” [Romans 3:10-12 NIV].  In case this is not bad enough, consider this : 1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. [Ephesians 2:1-3 NIV] “The wages of sin is death.” [Romans 6:23 NIV]  Not only are we all sinners, we are dead sinners!

2.  God’s Nature: God is both righteous and holy.  We were created by and for God.  God is relational and this is His nature.  The creation of mankind is not the beginning of relationships.  Man was created in the image of God so we might share relationally first with God then with one another.  This means we need two things to escape the condemnation and death we so deserve. We need forgiveness of sins.  We need righteousness in place of unrighteousness.  We must realize that there is no way possible we can satisfy God in these matters by our own self efforts.  All of our righteousness is like filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 says, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;” NASB.  However, in His mercy and grace, God the Father determined from before the worlds were created that the Son of God, the Lamb of God, would be the satisfaction for the wrath of God against the sinfulness of humans.  All humans need a mediator, someone to stand between God and us..alike in our humanity, but sinless, in every way keeping the Law of God and obeying the will of the Father. This Son of God, Jesus, Emmanuel, lived righteously in our place, fulfilling God’s demand for perfect righteousness.  Jesus died an atoning death to fully satisfy God’s just wrath.  Jesus was a perfect or sinless substitute and also a willing substitute. Hebrews 10: 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. NASB.

The gospel teaches that through faith in Jesus Christ we can be fully forgiven and made completely righteous.  Ephesians 2:8-9 states: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” NASB.

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Romans 3:21-25 NIV. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NASB.

The response to the gospel must be to trust in Jesus Christ by faith as the sole mediator of a new covenant of grace with God.  We must repent of our sins, coming under the authority of the Lordship of Jesus Christ who purchased our redemption by offering Himself a blood sacrifice unto God the Father. The great exchange happened as Christ Jesus died on the cross. His death for our life.  His robe of righteousness for the sin-stained garments of our own attempt to merit the favor of God.

Now that we know what the gospel is, how is the gospel essential to raising children to the glory of God?
Watch first this lesson from Paul Washer.

Family Catechism #1: Introduction to the Family Catechism Series from HeartCry Missionary Society on Vimeo.
If our method of discipline is on identifying how behavior has strayed or what corrections are needed, we miss the heart.  This approach focuses on what I do rather than on who I am.  Addressing the heart issues will change behavior, but in a way that remains!
Let’s explore a common issue..telling lies.

Parent: Dear, you know I am concerned that you lied to me.  Telling the truth builds trust. Without trust, relationships fall apart.  You understand?
Child: yes
Parent: Do you know what concerns me more? 

Child: no

Parent: You are like me.  We lie because we think telling a lie is better than telling the truth.  Sometimes we love ourselves more than we love God. So we tell lies. This is why Jesus came.  If the problem was just that we needed to know telling lies is bad, God could have sent a prophet.  However, our problem is in the heart and just knowing what we should do is not sufficient to cause us to do right.  We need a Savior who has the power to deliver us from our sins.

Child: Did you ever tell a lie? What did you do then?

Parent:  There are many ways to lie.  Sometimes we lie by making others think things about us that aren’t true.  We desire to be liked or admired, so we let others think things that aren’t really true. When I lie I need to confess my sin to God.  God says He will forgive my sins when I confess them.  Also I need to go to the person I lied to and ask their forgiveness.  I need to think about my heart. Who or what was I loving more than God when I lied? I must confess this also.  Dear child, I need God as much as you do everyday. I need God’s forgiveness and His power which changes my heart to love Him and others above myself and all other competing affections.

Every time you need to correct your child is an opportunity to share with him his need of forgiveness and grace.   Correction of outward behavior produces Pharisees, clean on the outside but full of dead men’s bones inside.
Next post, more on corrective discipline, grace and communication.