A new understanding of the Gospel

Growing up, I believed that because I had a moral conservative bent that equated to Christianity. I have had a heart for those who have grown up in church their whole life but never really understand the gospel. Those who have grown up with the theology of Moralistic deism. I feel like we can all relate to the tug of moral improvement that led to self righteousness to earn our salvation.  

But this is the reason we see Paul preaching to those who already have been saved. 

1 Corinthians 3 Paul is preaching the gospel to people who already know the gospel. He does this many times in the New Testament. 

Rom 1:13-15

Gal 2:20 -36

Phil 1:12-17

“ I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,”

But over and over again his message is

The gospel didn’t say, “ you implemented some disciple and you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps.” 

No our mear efforts of righteousness are filthy rags. 

We were sanctified in our rebellion - yet He moved toward us like the kind father He is. 

He made everything that is good.

The point of his creation the the glory of God. As I step into those gifts it points me to something greater. 

But we all prefered Creation to the creator

Gods not after moral conformity God is after internal transformation 

Have I surrendered life trusted in finished work of Christ in my life? 

Many time us as Christians hear that salvation is a doorway we step through- but it is a daily surrender to Christ’s redeeming work in you. There is nothing in us done by us at any stage of our earthly development to earn our salvation. we must be accepted for Christs sake. 

Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing nor does the nature of our relationship to him later depending ever alter not matter what our attainments or Christian graces or achievements in behavior may be - it is by his blood and righteousness alone that we can rest. 

What does it mean to stand in the gospel today? It means to believe that you are free from your sinful nature

He designs it to give us his presence as the fuel and vitality- to be in the presence of God and to be alive in Him.

 The way we often identify with our struggles is unbiblical. Rom 6:1 what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? We are not owned by our struggles.

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God has given me the ability to step out of sin make war against it! It you struggle with anxiety? Be violent against it don’t be passive- You struggle with anger? Hate that sin and make war against it. 

Declare I’m a priest in the household of God and seek holiness - Search out wherever devil is at work.

What does it mean to stand in gospel presently? To make an ongoing effort of confession and repentance. To choke out the devil is to be rid of darkness. It means to believe that you’ve been set free from your sinful nature. 

How could we who have died from sin still keep living in it?

That sinful compulsion in you is dead- you have been given a new identity- the priesthood of God- sonship into the kingdom. 

Satan will whisper to you - he will whisper lies to get you out of where God has placed you.

That is not our struggle to own God needs you to make war against it. To be far more violent to your sin. 

I’m a son and sin is not my master. He is calling us to hate our sin and to be violent. Where ever the devil is at work- you kill it.

Your primary weapon is the ongoing ethic of confession and repentance with one another. Bringing dark to light. 

This is we choke out the enemy. 

The gospel is not -fine me and everything will be OK. The gospel is give your life to Jesus and you will find me to be enough in the darkest night of your soul. To live is Christ to die is gain.  We will blow it again- confession and repentance. 

These are not means of salvation they are evidences that Jesus dwells within us- 

Through confession and repentance he reorients us to the gospel- He will pull you out of sin and walk in the fullness and new life in Christ in us. 

Another thing I have seen is that my obedience is justice of disobedience

We quench the spirit when the body just becomes a suggestion and the culture/our feelings become our authority

We grieve the spirit when we quench the

Presence and power of God in our lives

The spirit who raised Christ Jesus from the dead is the same spirit that lives inside of me!

The Holy Spirit doesn’t illuminate and reveal some thing that he does not give you the power to step into

What he offers is an invitation bto step into something better surrender to that conviction

This is the hope we find in Him today and what I long for our middle schooler s to really understand to their core. What our kids can embody as they show the beauty of His love and His holy work in us.