Jesus' Message

In response to Brett's post Tuesday on the new gospel presentation for InterVarsity, here's the message that Jesus commanded the apostles to preach.  Peter sums up the core of Jesus' message--the most essential part--in Acts 10:42-43:

[Jesus, who healed people then died on the cross and was raised from the dead (vv. 38-41),] ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.  Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.

InterVarsity is trying to correct the next-world focus it sees in Evangelicalism by replacing it with a focus on this world, but both of these miss the mark.  We ought to be God-focused.  If God is the central focus of our lives, it makes sense that the most important part of the message we give to others would be forgiveness and reconciliation with Him.  Our good works flow out of that reconciliation as a way to glorify God "so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God."  God (our thanks for and our praise of Him) is always the focus whenever we are exhorted to do good in the New Testament. 

So when I see Gospel presentations where Jesus seems to be promoted as the best means to an end (in this case, a good society) as one who "taught us a better way to live" and provides us with the Holy Spirit so we can have the "resources" we need to "join his movement to heal the planet," where He is not The Way, but instead He's the way to a utopian society, I see a group of people more focused on this world than on God. 

Not only is this a tragic loss as people miss the most central point of being a Christian, but I honestly believe that this view can't sustain itself.  If we focus on God, we are empowered and moved to serve others as we glorify Him in thanks and become merciful as He is merciful.  If we focus on serving others as the end goal, we dishonor God and lose the sustaining relationship, power, and purpose that caused us to to serve others in the first place.  Just as C.S. Lewis said, "Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."

Comments

[Sage S]

"it’s often a message that feels increasingly irrelevant and
arbitrary in today’s culture."

What is lacking in the gospel that we need to tailor it to the felt needs of our culture? Cultural values provide an entry point into the gospel, as do personal values; but these are doorways to the message of Christ crucified, not demographic indicators of the need for a "new Gospel presentation" (spinning the eternal message).

Christ's crucifixion and resurrection are not a white light of truth that may be fragmented into diverse colors to suit different felt needs. It is a single event that applies in the same way to all people everywhere - to reconcile us to God. It is after all the ministry of reconciliation, and not Greenpeace (bless their souls).

The Zealots wanted Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom. He refused the offer. I presume He will also refuse to chair an international environmental organization - until He returns.

[Sage S]

To clarify-
The redemption of all things (humanity, creation) will be consummated in Christ's second coming. Until then, healing the planet is a stewardship issue, not a central part of the Gospel.

[Vitali Zagorodnov]

I expressed my opinion on this in my blog

http://yahwehhagah.blogspot.com