What do we think of this quote:
“If we proclaim a gospel that focuses only on the private experience of the individual and the heavenly benefits for the next life, then we should not be surprised to see people dismissing the importance of good works in this life within the context of the Church.”
There are a couple of things that I would like to say regarding this quote:
(1). I'm not sure of the entire context in which this was spoken, so addressing it may be tough, but I'll give it a shot.
(2). The effect may not be due to the cause in this case. What I mean is "Proclaiming a gospel that focuses only on the private experience of the individual and the heavenly benefits for the next life," may not necessarily result in seeing "people dismissing the importance of good works in this life within the context of the Church." I am not advocating such a narrowly focused gospel presentation, but I was fed a lot of this type of "Christianity" growing up and it did not affect my good works within the context of the church. I loved my church and served it as best as I could and was excited of the gospel promises that await me.
(3). I think there may be a germ of truth in sone of what the author may be trying to communicate, but aside from it's full context it is hard to say.
I agree with the sentiment that is against the personalizing of Christianity. I am against the privatizing and personalizing of Christianity, because we are not so much individuals that are being saved, but a people who are being saved. We are the "called out ones." We are the people of God...His sheep. So I refuse to use phrases like "personal relationship" because it is a corporate relationship that we have with our Savior. In church we sing to the Lord and to each other, so I always discourage the privatizing of corporate worship--the kind where people close their eyes and get lost in the moment and forget that they are worshiping together with other believers and instructing admonishing one another through songs, hymns and spiritual songs.
I also think that a gospel that only focuses on the life to come is narrow in it's scope. Those things are not untrue, but they are not the only things that come with the gospel. The church, Christian or pastor that only preaches those as the highest goal of the gospel falls way short of what Scripture teaches. The highest aim of the gospel is to bring us to God and that happens at the moment of regeneration and it's subsequent faith and repentance. The new creation is simply the finalization of our salvation, the fulfillment, the completion.
I believe that we are saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. In other words, there is much more to the gospel than simply "we are going to be saved." We must include how Christ has saved us and is saving us from sin. Hearing the gospel proclaimed in it's entirety with clarity and accuracy is us hearing Christ speak to us. It is by Christ's Words that we are sanctified as believers. And we know that sanctification includes all sorts of holiness--including loving deeds towards our newfound brothers and sisters. Now because the gospel promises of heaven and bliss to come are true and faithful to the Word of God, even hearing these truths will results in the believer being sanctified, which will lead to good works within the church and without. But as I stated, that is not the fullness of the gospel promises and the work of Christ. By the way, that is why expositional preaching is so beneficial. It forces the preacher to preacher every nook and cranny of the gospel metanarrative found from Genesis to Revelation.
Just some thoughts. Heck, I may have entirely misunderstood the quote.
“If we proclaim a gospel that focuses only on the private experience of the individual and the heavenly benefits for the next life, then we should not be surprised to see people dismissing the importance of good works in this life within the context of the Church.”
There are a couple of things that I would like to say regarding this quote:
(1). I'm not sure of the entire context in which this was spoken, so addressing it may be tough, but I'll give it a shot.
(2). The effect may not be due to the cause in this case. What I mean is "Proclaiming a gospel that focuses only on the private experience of the individual and the heavenly benefits for the next life," may not necessarily result in seeing "people dismissing the importance of good works in this life within the context of the Church." I am not advocating such a narrowly focused gospel presentation, but I was fed a lot of this type of "Christianity" growing up and it did not affect my good works within the context of the church. I loved my church and served it as best as I could and was excited of the gospel promises that await me.
(3). I think there may be a germ of truth in sone of what the author may be trying to communicate, but aside from it's full context it is hard to say.
I agree with the sentiment that is against the personalizing of Christianity. I am against the privatizing and personalizing of Christianity, because we are not so much individuals that are being saved, but a people who are being saved. We are the "called out ones." We are the people of God...His sheep. So I refuse to use phrases like "personal relationship" because it is a corporate relationship that we have with our Savior. In church we sing to the Lord and to each other, so I always discourage the privatizing of corporate worship--the kind where people close their eyes and get lost in the moment and forget that they are worshiping together with other believers and instructing admonishing one another through songs, hymns and spiritual songs.
I also think that a gospel that only focuses on the life to come is narrow in it's scope. Those things are not untrue, but they are not the only things that come with the gospel. The church, Christian or pastor that only preaches those as the highest goal of the gospel falls way short of what Scripture teaches. The highest aim of the gospel is to bring us to God and that happens at the moment of regeneration and it's subsequent faith and repentance. The new creation is simply the finalization of our salvation, the fulfillment, the completion.
I believe that we are saved, we are being saved and we will be saved. In other words, there is much more to the gospel than simply "we are going to be saved." We must include how Christ has saved us and is saving us from sin. Hearing the gospel proclaimed in it's entirety with clarity and accuracy is us hearing Christ speak to us. It is by Christ's Words that we are sanctified as believers. And we know that sanctification includes all sorts of holiness--including loving deeds towards our newfound brothers and sisters. Now because the gospel promises of heaven and bliss to come are true and faithful to the Word of God, even hearing these truths will results in the believer being sanctified, which will lead to good works within the church and without. But as I stated, that is not the fullness of the gospel promises and the work of Christ. By the way, that is why expositional preaching is so beneficial. It forces the preacher to preacher every nook and cranny of the gospel metanarrative found from Genesis to Revelation.
Just some thoughts. Heck, I may have entirely misunderstood the quote.
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