The Gospel, The Election, and Hope

The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the Kingdom, but the way we make all progress in the kingdom.  We are not justified by the gospel and then sanctified by obedience, but the gospel is the way we grow and are renewed.  It is the solution to each problem, the key to each closed door, the power through every barrier.

Tim Keller, "The Centrality of the Gospel"

Late last week, I began a discussion about the centrality of the gospel in spiritual warfare.  Yesterday I began to define what I mean by the gospel.  I believe the gospel is not merely the ticket that gets us into heaven, but it is the well of divine water that must constantly nourish our souls.  Without a solid comprehension of the gospel and a solid application of its truth, we will be constantly defeated and frustrated in the battle for true life and restoration of what was lost.

Yesterday, I presented two key ideas that frame the definition of the gospel: all was created very good and yet it is fallen from its good created state.  We explained that these two premises are the basis for almost all great literature and the stories that resonate deeply within us.

Why and how?

These first premise explains why we long for something more, why we know the inherent goodness of creation and people, and why we cry out against the injustice in this world.  The second premise explains why we should long for more, why creation and people have such tragic flaws, and the cause of the injustice in the world!

If we were left at this spot, the story of the Bible would make for good philosophy, but it would offer no hope.  Thankfully, the story of the gospel is hope!  God has launched a rescue operation into our fallen world.  He has launched a rescue mission to transform all of creation and our individual fallen worlds!  

Knowing our need, God planned and executed the plan of bringing redemption into our fallen world.  This redemption is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.  

Jesus lived a perfect life in the midst of a fallen world.  As a reward, people like us killed him.  Actually, we tortured him and then killed him in the most painful manner possible.  He was buried.  On the third day, by the power of God, he rose again to break the power of sin and death.  He then appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days before he ascended to sit at the right hand of the throne of God.  From there, he poured out the Holy Spirit to bring people to faith and to build his church.  We have the promise that one day He will come back to restore all things to their created good!

Jesus is hope.

I know I am jumping the gun by several chapters; but on this election day in America, I think a brief foray into the subject of hope is in order.  So many, including believers, think the result of this election will restore their hope.  Folks on both sides of the political divide believe that getting their candidate elected with 50.1% will redeem and restore hope.  Somehow they forget that winning means 49.9% will be disappointed!

In fact, Barack Obama first ran for President on the theme of "Hope and Change."  He was supposed to be a figure that would restore hope.  Four years later, America is more divided than it has been in my life time.  Hope has turned to resignation for his supporters or indignation and despair for his detractors.  His second campaign for President was the most negative I can remember.  There is little talk of Hope, but much talk of how evil and demonic the opposition party is.

Why the change?  No man and no political administration can bring about the "hope and change" that we truly need and for which we long.  While the media has made President Obama into a sort of religious figure that represents their ideals, they have done so in ignorance and foolishness.  Their allegiance illustrates our world system of hope, which is always going to disappoint.  No worldly change can bring about the heart transformation needed for true peace and joy.

No, true hope is only found in the restoration that Jesus can bring!  Jesus is the promise of hope and change that is life-changing and eternal.  He is the hope for which we long.

What does this mean?

Our greatest problem is our unbelief.  Instead of resting in God's love and protection, we run to false gods/false hopes that can not satisfy.  Whether it be political ideals, financial security, the comforts of sex or food, or protecting and promoting our leisure time, all of us run to something apart from God for hope, rest, and security.  The gospel story calls us to repentance from these tendencies and faith in Christ as our only hope!

So, if you are reading this today, the Spirit is leading you to a deeper dependence upon Jesus.  The Spirit is leading you to repent and believe.  

I can see the question some are asking.  "Does he think we don't believe?"  No, I know that most who read this blog already believe!  The problem is that we do not believe the rest of the story of the gospel. We focus on being redeemed by faith, but we do not realize that the message of Jesus, the gospel story, applies to all of life!  It is not something we believe once and then we are done.  The gospel is how we are changed and transformed every day!

I began with a quote from a contemporary writer, Tim Keller.  I will end this post with an older author who also impacted many with the message of the gospel.  We will return to this theme over the next week or so.  I will end today with a quote from Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality (1971).

Yet, having said this about the beginning of the Christian life, we must also realize that while the new birth is necessary as the beginning, it is only the beginning.  We must not think that because we have accepted Christ as savior and therefore are Christians, this is all there is in the Christian life.  In one way physical birth is the most important part in our physical lives, because we are not alive in the external world until we have been born.  In another way, however, it is the least important of all the aspects of our life, because it is only the beginning and then it is past.  After we are born, the important thing is the living of our lives in all their relationships, possibilities, and capabilities.  It is exactly the same with the new birth.  In one way, the new birth is the most important things in our spiritual lives, because we are not Christians until we have come this way.  In another way, however, after one had become a Christian, it must be minimized, in that we should not always have our minds only on our new birth.  The important thing after being born spiritually is to live.  There is a new birth, and then there is the Christian life to be lived.  This is the area of sanctification, from the time of the new birth, through this present life, until Jesus comes or until we die.

Schaeffer, True Spirituality, 4-5.