gospel

The Purity of the Gospel

~ ForCommonGround ~ Leave a comment

In a world full of noise, opinions, and ever-changing values, the Christian gospel stands as a clear and unwavering beacon of truth. Its message is simple, yet profound: salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The purity of the gospel is not something we invent or evolve—it is something we receive, guard, and proclaim.

I realize some who read this may not know exactly what the gospel is. At its core, the gospel is the good news that God, in His love and mercy, took on human form in the person of Jesus (Colossian 2:9), walked among us (John 1:14), lived a perfect life knowing that no person ever could (2 Corinthians 5:21), allowed humanity to hang Him on a cross to be a sacrifice for our sins (Romans 5:8), was buried and rose from the dead three days later (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), giving us the hope of new life and a future resurrection. This message is not about human achievement or moral performance. It’s about divine intervention—God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves. It is unearned, undeserved, and freely given.

The gospel is pure, and holy, and beautiful. And that is why everyone needs to hear it. It does, however, pact a punch. The gospel requires we take a hard and accurate view of ourselves, our needs, our shortcomings, our brokenness, and our sin. Only then can we see the beauty that is the gospel.

When we dilute or modify the gospel—adding works, subtracting grace, changing who Jesus is, softening the reality of sin, or removing the need for repentance—we rob it of its saving power. A compromised gospel may feel more comfortable or inclusive to some, but it cannot save anyone. We have to fight the desires for what is “good in our own eyes” and embrace what is actually good for us. Humility. Embracing grace. Accepting God’s love. Allowing Him to transform us more and more into His own likeness. That is when we become the best version of ourselves. That is when we experience the deepest joys and peace that every soul searches for.

The gospel’s purity is what makes it powerful. It tells the hard truth about sin but offers the glorious truth about redemption. It doesn’t offer self-help; it offers a new self in Christ.

Many voices today claim to speak for God. Some offer “prosperity,” “comfort,” or “love is love” as gospel substitutes, but these fall short of the cross. The true gospel does not promise comfort or success; it promises forgiveness, transformation, and eternal life through Jesus.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). That statement is both exclusive and inclusive—exclusive in that Jesus is the only way, but inclusive in that He invites all who will believe.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to preserve the purity of the gospel message, not tamper with it. Jude writes, “Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). The gospel is not ours to edit—it is God’s truth to trust, live out, and share. May we never lose sight of the beautiful simplicity and power of the gospel. In Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone—that is our eternal hope. And it can be yours too.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”‬‬

Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV

Peace in Christ brothers and sisters.

Not a 50 Cent Gospel

~ ForCommonGround ~ Leave a comment

“To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,”

Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

There is a story I came across recently, about a plantation owner who left a substantial inheritance to a former servant who had served him faithfully his entire life. Once the man had passed, the now former servant was told of the immense wealth that he now possessed. An amount that would equate to around a million dollars today. However, weeks went by and the man never went to withdraw any of his inheritance money. Until one day, he entered the bank and asked the cashier if he could please 50 cents to buy some cornmeal.

The man was seemingly unable to grasp the fullness of what he had been given. The inheritance was so much and was at his fingertips. I feel as though many of us behave in such a way as inheritors of the riches of Christ. We tap into pennies when He offers us abundance.

The gospel is big and beautiful and full. But how many of us are limping through life, burdened with anxieties and stress? How many of us are crippled by selfishness and pride? The gospel is a message of life and peace. One of healing and joy. Through Jesus, we experience the fullness of life God meant for us all along.

“My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.”

Proverbs‬ ‭8‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In this passage, the wisdom of God brings about riches more valuable than gold or silver. It is that wisdom that guides the follower towards that inheritance. It is that wisdom that helps us abide in the One who grants the inheritance.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,”

1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You and me, brothers and sisters, have been given such a great gift. The gift of life. The gift of hope. The gift of peace, healing, and wholeness. Our debt has been paid. Our sin atoned for. The weights of life carried on the shoulders of our Creator. We need to stop living as though we haven’t been given everything. We have to stop living out a 50 cent gospel when we are meant for so much more.

Peace in Christ brothers and sisters.

A Walk Through Ephesians Two: Reflections on the Gospel

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The Gospel is intertwined throughout the pages of the Bible, from the Book of Genesis to the last page of Revelation. The Bible is a story of God’s heart towards an imperfect humanity. It is ultimately His story, revealing His perfections. In comparison, humanity has proven itself totally far from the mark in every way. In light of that, God has proclaimed the good news of His love, pursuit, and salvation for a world in need. The Apostle Paul was excellent at reminding his readers of this good news. In one of his letters, in particular, Paul walks through the gospel in 10 concise verses. This passage is a go-to for myself. I also like to take youth groups through the reflection of Ephesians Chapter two. I would invite you to set aside some time, grab a cup of tea, remove distractions, and sit with this passage and these questions.

MY PAST

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Ephesians 2:1-3

There is no doubt that without God…before God intervened in our lives…we were in a desperate situation. We were in BIG trouble! It’s powerful to remember who we are apart from God and the person He’s rescued us from. When we made the choice to follow Jesus, it came with a cost. We made the choice to lay things down, live for a different purpose, and make different choices. We chose to let Him in.

Reflection: Take some time to contemplate who you once were before God and who you may struggle to be now without keeping your focus on God. In what ways were you dead? What else do you need to be rescued from?

MY PRESENT

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus

Ephesians 2:4-7

The greatest invasion in world history was Christ’s invasion into the world of darkness. His victory over death has not only set the world free but has set you and me free. He breathed life into creation back in the early pages of Genesis, and He did it again when Christ rose from the dead. Death no longer has the final word. As if that wasn’t enough, God never stops at the cross with His children. He continues to love, nurture, guide, protect, prosper, and bless us. He does this so that we will know along with the world, that He has immeasurable kindness and goodness.

Reflection: Take time to thank God for His amazing grace in your life…for His unfailing love and mercy. It always helps to write them down. If you don’t already have one, maybe create a gratitude journal. Take some time to pray, sing praises, and maybe even take Communion.

MY FUTURE

…For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Ephesians 2:8-10

God has a future for all of us. He has prepared one for you. The cross opens up a new door for us. Jesus, Himself said that He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). God promised that He has plans for us that are good and hopeful (Jeremiah 29:11). There is a plan and a life ready for us to embrace.

Reflection: What is your future hope? What is your purpose? What makes you come alive and how can God use that? How can you be used by your Savior to make a difference? What are your talents and how can they be used to point others to Jesus?

Always remember, you are loved more than you could ever know. Peace in Christ brothers and sisters.

God Pursues the Undeserving

~ ForCommonGround ~ 5 Comments

What is Passover about? That’s really the question that I want to answer in this post. I am aware that some of you may fully know what the Passover is. And the idea of the Passover is not a new one, nor do I want to present a brand new concept around what the Passover is. But in answering my initial question, that is, what is Passover all about? I am going to attempt to answer a couple of other questions. The first question I want to look at is, in the Passover, did Israel deserve to be saved? The second question is, why did God rescue Israel in the Passover?

You can read about the story of the Passover in the book of Exodus, starting in chapter 3 with the call of Moses and through the 10 plagues. However, I would argue that the theme that the Passover represents was not new with the event of the first Passover nor did it end with the first Passover. What are some of the themes of Passover? Some big themes that stand out are redemption, rescue, salvation, and God saving Israel from slavery.

This brings us to our first question: Did Israel deserve to be saved? The simple answer is no. Let me classify. In both Joshua 24:14 and Ezekiel 20:6-9 Israel is described as a people who served the gods of Egypt were rebellious, and set detestable things before their eyes.

I think it’s easy for us to think of Israel as a godly people in captivity. But they were essentially a pagan idolatrous people by the time that Moses hits the scene. Moses doesn’t even know who God is when they meet at the burning bush. Moses wants to know what to call God when he tells Israel about Him, most likely because the people of Israel would have lost connection with Him over the previous 400 years.

So we know Passover is about redemption and rescue and is not deserved in any way. I say that, not to single out or harp on the people of Israel. Lord knows you and me would have most likely been the same way had we lived then. The undeserving element, in my opinion, adds so much encouragement.

Now for our second question: why did God rescue Israel in the Passover? When God is speaking with Moses He says things like…He was watching over them and that He remembered the covenant with Abraham.

“The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”

Exodus 34:6 ESV

This verse is how God describes himself. And His track record more than proves it. God delivered Israel for the same reason He delivers anyone, He is abounding in love and faithfulness. He makes promises and He keeps promises. God promised Abraham, back in Genesis 15:12-14, He would rescue his descendants. There was no stipulation tied to it. God’s faithfulness to His promises is why the Passover happened.

In addition to His faithfulness, another reason for the Passover is God’s desire to make His name known. In Speaking with Moses, God said that He will send plagues in order to make His name known. God also wanted to make Himself known to Israel. And through Israel, He would be made known to the world. And in Exodus 12, we see not only Israel going out of Egypt, but a mixed multitude of other peoples with them. God’s wonders humbled the most powerful kingdom in the ancient world at that time, rescued an entire nation of people from slavery, and convinced a multitude of non-Israelites to go with them.

Now let’s go back to our overarching question: what is the Passover? It’s salvation, initiated by God, towards undeserving people, out of His love and faithfulness, to make His name known. What does that sound like? The Gospel right? Look at these New Testament passages.

He saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace…

2 Timothy 1:9a ESV

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”

Romans 3:23-24 ESV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

This is our message. The one that God has been telling since the beginning. God sacrificed an animal to cover Adam and Eve after they sinned (Genesis 3). God rescued Noah and his family (Genesis 6-9). God saved Israel time and time again through the Judges from Othniel to Samuel (Judges and 1-2 Samuel). God brought Israel out of Egypt and out of Persia (Ezra and Nehemiah). God preserved Israel through Esther and Mordecai while they were still in Persia (Esther). He has been in the business of rescuing and redeeming undeserving people since the beginning. Passover is a major expression of that. And one that pointed to a future Passover in which, not just a lamb, but the Lamb would suffer and die.

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

Romans 5:6-10 ESV

I don’t deserve Jesus. You don’t deserve Jesus. That’s the point. Thank you Lord for the Passover. Thank you Jesus for loving us and saving us. Help us grow in gratitude for all you’ve done.

“And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

Luke 22:14-20 ESV

Live like we have life

~ ForCommonGround ~ 2 Comments

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John‬ ‭5:11-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The gospel message is pretty clear: Jesus equals life. An eternal life and the life blood of God’s Spirit here and now. But how many of us are actually living like we believe that? How many of us are filled with unmovable hope? Does joy mark our existence or are we weighed down by the worries of this life? More than all of this, what are we doing to get the message out? If we believe Jesus is life, shouldn’t we do everything in our power to let others know that? But many of us keep to our own Christian circles and rarely look for chances to share the gospel with those outside. I guess until we fully realize the magnitude of the offer Jesus has given to us, we can’t fully understand what we are meant to share with the world. Lord please renew in us a full appreciation for your loving grace. Awaken our hearts again to the joy of your salvation.

Pray for me to be bold and I too will pray for you all. Peace in Christ brothers and sisters.

Fascination

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Teach us to marvel again, to be fascinated with the Good News of Jesus Christ, that God became a human.

Francis Chan

I am as guilty as anyone when it comes to routine readings of the Bible. When I heard Francis Chan say these words I realized how much of an injustice it was to passively read the words of Jesus and not marvel. How dare we treat them as just letters on page. God’s word contains life and power and the gospel is anything but ordinary. Lord please forgive our moments of indifference. May your abundant mercies cover our times of apathy. Restore in us an awestruck wander every time we read your words. Help us to feel the full weight of the gospel’s beauty and magnificence.

Start at Home

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christian-home-1

The pastor must first be the shepherd of his family. The missionary must first be witnessing to their spouse and kids. Before we were charged to go to the nations, we were charged with teaching our children in the ways of the Lord. The man who proclaims the gospel to the world, but does not love his spouse as Christ loves the church, has abandoned his greatest calling. The woman who pours her heart out for everyone but fails to devote her heart to her husband has missed her greater purpose. Parents that devote so much time to the church and so little to their children are missing the mark. Loved ones, the call of Christ will take us all to different places, but it will always start at home. 

Jesus said GO, not stay

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whoWillGo

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Mark 16:15 NIV

So many of us are spending our lives staying put, waiting on something or someone, working away through the drudgery of life. When we live that way, we are ignoring the life mission that our Savior has given us. Our life mission is to be on mission, wherever we are, and whenever there is an opportunity. Jesus tells His followers to go, not to stay. That warrants the question: what does it mean to ‘go’? Well, I would say that depends on several things. What are your passions? Are you using them to make Jesus known? Where do you work? Is the gospel proclaimed there? Who is in your sphere of influence? Do they know Jesus? What’s your financial situation? How can your possessions and/or money be put to use to further the mission of Christ? Where are the hurting and needy in your community? How can you come to their aid?

Going means knowing the needs of those around us and doing what we can to fill those needs. The world needs Jesus. The world needs genuine love. The world needs a truth that is unwavering and doesn’t bend to cultural pressures. The world needs to value life and human dignity. We can, and should be bringing those things to our home, our work, our schools, our community, and beyond our shores. Whatever we do, we cannot waste this life we’ve been given by staying where we are, emotionally, physically, or spiritually. Stagnation always leads to regression. The call to “go” beckons us to move forward…to progress. Jesus didn’t say, “wait until I call you.” We’ve already been called. Let’s make Him and His love known. The world awaits us.

…but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Acts 1:8 NASB

Jesus’ Burden is ours

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*image from Mosaic church

I recently read an article through Voice of the Martyrs about the burdens we carry. Some we put on ourselves. Most we were never meant to carry. Many of us feel weighed down and find ourselves without the strength to do what really matters in life…to love others well and share the message of Jesus with them. Check out the following excerpt from VoM and see if you’re convicted as I was.

Neither drugs nor civil war can stop the spread of the gospel in Colombia. Juan and his wife, Maria, are missionaries among the indigenous people north of Cali, Colombia. Cali is controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a leftist guerilla group. Many Colombian pastors and missionaries have faced opposition from FARC and have fled the area. When Juan met with a group of fifty FARC guerrillas three years ago, however, twenty of them received Christ. As he says, “We exchange pistols for epistles.” Now, the National Liberation Army has been attacking Christian churches in the region. Recently, more than twenty churches were shut down, and many pastors fled for their lives. Guerrillas often come and demand all the tithes and offerings or take the pastor’s life. Now Juan is the only pastor left in the area, and he receives no outside aid. Still, Juan and his wife made a decision to stay and continue ministering to the people. They say, “If we are to die because we preach the Word of God, we would rather die than leave the church.” Juan does not condemn those who have left, nor does he talk about the difficulties they have faced. He prefers to share what God is doing and his burden for ministry. His mind is preoccupied, not with danger, but with reaching Colombia’s people for Christ.

Being burdened with the gospel is not the same as being weighed down with earthly concerns. Most of what we carry are earthly concerns. My wife and I joke about all the “first world problems” that we or others allow to get to them. But it’s no joke. Jesus called us to pursue what really mattered and allow Him to care for the rest.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The burden of the gospel simply means an awareness of others’ spiritual needs. I think that comes from a very real understanding of our own spiritual need. Juan has a “burden,” but his burden is light. In following Christ’s example, and Juan’s example, we must be burdened for lost people. It’s a light load because we are always giving it away. We are not supposed to keep the good news to ourselves. Let’s allow Jesus’ burden for the lost motivate us to hang in there one more day and to share with one more person. Let’s release what was never ours to carry and pick up the message of hope to take to the nations.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30

The Message Can’t be Stopped

~ ForCommonGround ~ 2 Comments

wpid-1403178005136

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
    and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
    and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV

ISIS swept through the Near East like a wildfire leaving havoc in their wake. But just like a fire, they burnt out. The ideology still persists among the radical Islamic populous, but movements are not sustainable. Even though that is the case, one cannot ignore the impact they had. But persecution and hate don’t have the final say. In a recent article, I read, the hot spot of death during the peak of ISIS has seen a rapid rise in followers of Jesus. Kobani was once in the spotlight for horrific reasons. Now, its making headlines because lives are being transformed and God is sweeping through the region with a revival and message of hope.

Kobani is just one example of how the word of God pervades all generations and all obstacles. As the western world becomes more hostile towards Christians, it is only skimming the surface of persecution that Jesus followers have faced around the world. But no amount of threats or violence have been able to extinguish the message of the Gospel. Check out these statistics below:

Africa: Home to many Islamic terrorist cells, Christians have long been the target of hate crimes. But the numbers of Christians are exploding. In 1900 there were around 9 million Christians. Today, there are over 600 million. Polls suggest that Africa will be home to the largest number of Christians by 2050. Nigeria, for example, just surpassed Russia, is way higher than former Christendom (European nations), and are estimated to catch the United States (highest Christian population) in the next couple of decades. Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania are seeing similar rises in believers.

Asia: This continent has a long history of religious struggles. It’s a broad mix of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and more. The rising faith, however, is Christianity. In Nepal, the world’s only Hindu kingdom, there are more than 500,000 Christians. This is amazing considering that the first modern church was planted in 1959. In Mongolia, the four Christians of 1989 have exploded to over 20,000 today. Cambodia is equally fascinating. In the late ’70s, there were around 2,000 believers. Today it’s approaching 250,000. What makes that even more incredible is that the communist wave swept through the country between 1975-1977 killing around 2 million people, many of whom were Christians. The most inspiring, in my opinion, is China. The introduction of communist persecution in 1949 caused a tidal wave in conversions and a burgeoning underground church. The Christian population went from just over 1 million in 1949 to over 100 million today.

Looking back through history, it was persecution that drove the spread of the faith. As psychotic Roman Emperors cracked down on followers of Jesus, the faith ignited into a world-shattering movement that eventually overtook the Empire itself. No ruler, ideology, or armed hate group can ever put down the Gospel. The message of Jesus transcends time. Its power is far greater than anything this earth has ever seen. Hope is rising in this world of darkness. The Gospel has prevailed and always will!

Don’t forget to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world who are choosing Jesus ahead of comfort and conformity. Their bravery is a beacon of hope and courage for the world to pursue.

I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Job 42:2 ESV

Peace brothers and sisters. The victory is His!