Most Christians leave the gospel at the door of the Christian life. They see the good news about Jesus as the key to getting into the Christian life, but then struggle to see how the gospel is also the engine that drives the Christian life. As a result, they end up running on fumes and living the Christian life like a non-Christian.
The message of the gospel is unlike anything we’ve ever heard before. The idea that Jesus loved us even though we didn’t deserve it is counter-intuitive. To think that Jesus died to take the punishment that we should have received is hard to get our heads around. And to think that through faith we can receive forgiveness, acceptance and eternal life as a free gift goes against everything we’ve ever experienced. But this is the good news message that we receive to begin the Christian life. The problem is that we often never figure out how this good news relates to the rest of the Christian life. So, for instance, when we sin, we feel bad, make resolutions and try harder. There’s no good news, no grace and no Jesus in the way we approach things. That changes when we see the gospel as the engine and not just the key to the Christian life. Let me give three ways to do that.
1. Make the gospel the most important part of your life.
In 1 Corinthians 15:3, Paul makes an important statement, “I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received.” Then he goes on to explain the gospel and how it relates to the issue that they’re discussing. Notice that the gospel is of “first importance.” Is the gospel the most important thing in your life? People can let politics, entertainment, social justice, family, morality, prayer, or Bible reading become the centre of their lives, but unless those things flow out of and are informed by the gospel, they take on a role that distorts their importance.
2. Relate everything you do to Jesus.
In Colossians 1:28, Paul wrote, “[Jesus] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” In order to lead Christians to maturity, he knew that he had to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Jesus. Flowing out of the knowledge of Jesus that he proclaimed, Paul also mentions, “warning,” “teaching,” and “wisdom,” but if our warnings, teachings or wisdom aren’t rooted in Jesus, we’re left with a religion of rules and principles. Jesus is our example, our help, our motivation and our strength and so we need to see everything we do in relation to Him. As Robert Murray McCheyne famously said, “For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.”
3. Live the Christian life the same way you started the Christian life.
I think Colossians 2:6-7 should be highlighted or underlined in everyone’s Bible. It says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Notice that we’re supposed to “walk” the Christian life the same way we started it, i.e., “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord.” How did you receive Jesus? Was it by feeling guilty, beating yourself up that you’re not good enough, or trying harder to earn God’s approval? No, we receive Jesus by humbly admitting and turning from our sin, putting our faith in Jesus as the only hope for our forgiveness and receiving the grace and power that He gives to His children. That’s not only how we receive Jesus, though, that’s how we’re supposed to live the Christian life. The gospel is the engine not just the key.
When someone describes to me a sin that they’re struggling with, I’ll often ask what they’re doing to deal with it. I listen for words like confession, repentance, faith, grace, promises and the name of Jesus. Those words indicate that the gospel is guiding their response. But I often don’t hear those words. Instead, I hear the person talking about their effort, resolve, and discipline or worse their denial, excuses and justification.
The gospel is the engine not just the key to the Christian life. Next week, we’ll look at another important way to connect the gospel with how you live and then in subsequent weeks we’ll apply this to some concrete examples. In the meantime, let the good news of what Jesus has done guide the way you live the Christian life.
In awe of Him,
Paul
