“The very word or term “Gospel” has come to imply something less than “the whole counsel of God”, and to be applied almost exclusively to the beginnings of the Christian life.”
T. Austin Sparks (1954)
…for teachers and preachers today to share the gospel and salvation, and to make it exclusively about the beginnings of Christianity and heaven, is to neglect much of it. It produces a church obsessed with only the beginnings of Christianity and they struggle to mature and go beyond those beginnings. It also leaves the Christian in the dark about things such as, why God created, Jesus’ role in the present and future universe, the
We should understand ‘gospel’ to mean “the whole counsel of God” and if we have that gospel it should take months to preach and teach it all. Not 3 minutes conclusions at the end of random, entertaining topical sermons. There should be some accountability for those who claim to be ‘preaching the gospel.’
To Paul ‘salvation’ meant all the work that God has done to get us into his kingdom, and that includes all the work he intends for the church to do in the earth, here and now. Not only the future experience of heaven and resurrection.
Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken through angels proved to be so firm that every violation or disobedience received its just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,
Whichever apostle wrote the book of Hebrews, perhaps Barnabas or Paul or maybe Silas. He warns here in Hebrews 2 to watch out for a drifting away from the gospel and neglecting it. So this is something they were already experiencing and concerned about in the first century. We have no right to dumb down the gospel, and to condense it so it will fit into our 45 minute sermon conclusion, is to strip it of much detail. Condensing it and stripping it also robs those who hear it of much insight into Jesus Christ, into our current dispensation. And understanding of the purpose of creation, Christianity itself, and the ministry/ calling of the church. The gospel preached produces the church. A partial or a dumbed down gospel, changes the church that embraces it. It hinders it, it turns it into something the Lord never intended it to be. A mere idle audience of hearers, being told elementary things repeatedly, who are often used as tithers in support of a salary or a building fund.
In these two letters I’ve found what I think are about Five Foundational Stones upon which those letters are founded. Peter would make these spiritual points and then elaborate at great length on the implications to these points. He would assume knowledge of these points about the Lord in his readers, and then based on a good portion of new teachings on these points for his followers.
1. The Suffering and Glory of Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world, (God still has his Eternal Purpose, and Jesus Christ is still central to it, that should give us great joy and hope.)
3. Increasing in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian life.
4. Jesus Christ is currently an approachable, good and reliable shepherd for the Christian.
5. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ enables us to be born again. And his delay in returning is enabling more children into his kingdom through the preaching of his followers. The born again members of his kingdom on earth are the new Spiritual Israel.
The apostle Peter was an amazing man. I hope to teach in detail on the Apostle Peter soon and his gospel. And to elaborate on these five pillars and all there remarkable implications for the Christian today.
Part 1 and 2 of this article series covered what Jesus said about himself but now the question gets turned on us. All of us in humanity, we are forced to answer this question.
Who do you say that I am?
“But who do you say that I am?”
Jesus Christ asking Peter (Matt 16:15, Mk 8:29, Lk 9:20)
This question is the most important question of the universe. Who do humans say that Jesus Christ is? More importatn than existential questions like ‘why am I alive?’, or ‘what is the meaning of life?’
It is the chief question of life we are forced to answer. And actually there is only one accurate answer but there are also many answers out there. Answers of varying degrees of accuracy.
In the world of science it is possible to understand things on a surface level, one a professional level, and on a very deep detailed level.
In any field of sciecne there are associates degrees, there are bachelors degrees, there are masters degrees and then there are Phd degrees that can be obtained with great study, time, and tuition expense.
Another example is that a person might understand that if I take Advil (for example) ibuprofin it will make my headache go away.
A general practitioner doctor may understand that Advil contains ibuprofin which is an anti-inflamatory and that is how it reduces headache.
An ibuprofin medicine developer however with a Phd in inflamation and medical chemistry, understands to a great degree the mechanisms of how a medicine reduces inflamation, perhhaps why the body is inflamed, and even perhaps what the side effects of the medicine are exactly and why.
All three people are correct, the advil reduced headache but there are varying degrees of understanding about how and why exactly.
In the world of R&D it takes considerable skill to know when to stop studying and pursuing understanding and just start producing product with what is known.
Many people dont understand why exactly things work but just that they do work. I used to work for a laser manufacturer and almost no one fully understand everything within the laser and how it worked. There were experts who understood certain components deeply while others understood very little and just assembled and followed instruction. The experts would reduce their insight to practice, to working instructions and transfer enough knowlege to build lasers so that they could be sold for profit.
All this being said we can apply this to spiritual things.
Knowing and believing that Jesus is the Christ is what prevents us from dying in our sins. John 8:23 “you are from beneath, I am from above, You are of this world, I am not of this world. 24b for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” – Jesus Christ speaking to Pharisees
It takes just a little faith to beleive this, it does not take intelligence or mental accumen or big degrees to believe this,. A little child can believe this, a down syndrome child can believe this or a Phd level astro physisyst can believe this.
But we should not stop there, with this basic spiirtual insight into Jesus Christ. Spiritual in that it comes from God, it does not come from academic study at all. Teh academic study comes later and are additional.
Spiritual Knowlege of Jesus Christ.
I’ve come to realize that there is a spectrum to knowing Jesus Christ. He is so vast and massive and there is such intricacy to him, its like a universe of detail that is spiritually discerned. To know he is the Christ is like the door to another universe.
Knowing that Jesus is the Christ, as Peter confested, is like just seeing and experiencing green light only.
In this analogy Jesus Christ is the entire electromagnetic spectrum. And knowing him is exploring him at all the other visible colors then all the other wavelengths. The chart above is on a log scale so if were on a regular scale the visible light would be much smaller.
Knowing Jesus Christ is, and should be a life long pursuit for the Christian. It is a pursuit that may include academic study but is not that exclusively. We know him through bible reading, we know him through prayer, we know him through life-situations, we know him through struggle and suffering, and we know him through other Christians.
But believing in Jesus, as wonderful and glorious as that is, is just walking through a door, and that door is miniscule compared to all there is to knowing Jesus Christ.
To continue in the spectrum analogy.
For Christians who believe in him, who answer the question like Peter did there is a spectrum.
On one end of that spectrum is the surface level belief that Jesus is messiah it goes no further than that. At the other end of the spectrum who knows how far it goes. In between include all the denominations, all the pastors, all the preists, and every Christian we have ever known. How we answer that question ongoing defines our ministry, defines oru lives, determines how much we worry, wehter or not we tolerate idols in our lvies, how we react to sin in oursevle and others, and how we spend our days. Jesus Christ defines the Christian on many levels.
For non-Christians who do not answer the question like Peter did, there is another spectrum.
One end of the spectrum is that Jesus was a great prophet of God, a good man, someone to listen to and learn principles from. But not God, and perhap they believe there is no need for God. At the other end of this unbeliever spectrum is the one that has contempt and anger toward Christ.
Perhaps the athiest who is angry with religion due to terrible experiences. Perhaps the religious person who is angry at who Jesus claimed to be.
How we answer the question “who do you say that I am?” defines us.
But Jesus remained silent. And the high preist (Caiaphas) said to him, 'I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.' Jesus said to him, 'You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand fo Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.' Then the high preist tore his robes and said, 'He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.'
Matthew 26:63-65
But also then again Where we are on our Spectrum Defines Us Further
For example the Christian who just answers he is the Christ, the messiah. But never goes further, never develops his insight and knowledge of Jesus Christ. That will determine a great deal of things about a person. For the Pastor who beleives in who he is but doens’t believe that JEsus will live through him and manage his ministry. Versus the servant of God who lets Jesus live through him in great detail, leaving the burden of ministry in his hands, beleiveing that he is active and involved in his life. The pastor in this example has a belief issue in who Jesus he is, his may be only an academic knowing of Jesus and not an intimante surrender to his life and his constant leading.
One the unbeleiver spectrum who believes Jesus is great, is a prophet, who embraces his teachings and lives by his principles. This person is blessed compared to the one who reject Christ out of hand, who has contempt for his teachings. Will have a whole different set of problems and situations to deal with in life.
The point I am trying to make in this article is that answering the Who do you say that I am question defines a person. But also where a person falls on the spectrum of who do you say that I am further defines us.
The Knowledge of Jesus Christ
Pursuing knowledge of Jesus Christ is one of the great purposes of life. It is the chief and highest form of living. It is our highest and best option and the most fruitful use of time.
Don’t just claim to be a Christian. Don’t imply that you know enough of God. Instead, always increase in your knowledge of God and his Son. Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”. The knowledge of God is inexhaustible. God is too massive and unsearchable for us to think we know enough of Him. We have so much to learn from Him and of Him.
Think of the known viisible universe, beyond our ability to even travel to in a lifetime, Jesus created that, and he is larger than it, beyond it, in a spiritual sense and even in a practical sense.
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-4, 8 ESV
“Everything related to the great destiny for which man was created is bound up inseparably with the knowledge of Christ.”
T. Austin-Sparks
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed. The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” Proverbs 3:13-26 ESV
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