In the last article I said that the most fundamental issue in our discussion about the gospel is the issue of authority. The complete and exhaustive authority of the Bible in our study is of critical importance. That is, we must be completely submissive to the Word in all things. If, in the study of any issue, we leave the umbrella of submission to God’s Word (whether intellectual or otherwise), we revert to our natural and comfortable rebelliousness. Intellectual rebellion is sin, too!
Foundational accuracy is especially important because we are prone to rebellious, self deceived error. We cannot trust our own judgment on any issue. We certainly cannot trust our judgment on such a serious issue as the gospel. In our natural state we are dead in our sin, insensitive to Spiritual realities, deaf to God’s Word, convinced that we know truth apart from God, and actively opposed to God’s Kingdom and authority. We were lost, sick, and dead while thinking we were healthy, morally good, and justified in our rejection of God’s revelation.
Our salvation comes to us through the Word of God. The Spirit uses the Word to convince us of our sin, its heinousness to God, and its consequences. The Spirit then uses the Word to display Jesus Christ to us as the answer to our sin problem. We are convinced of his loveliness, the sufficiency of His work, and the availability of His grace and mercy. The Spirit changes our heart and mind by the Word. The Word is the instrument by which a heart of stone is transformed into a heart of flesh. We throw off our rebellious God-less-ness and submissively embrace His offers of grace and mercy. We repent and believe the Word. The Word is now our guide and authority. Any rejection or diversion from this foundational principle is a return to our own autonomy and a rejection of the authority of Christ. We grow in holiness as our minds are transformed and renewed by the Spirit’s application of the Word of God.
Our gospel (definition and dispersion) must be God’s gospel. God’s gospel is the gospel that is given in God’s Word. If the message given is not God’s gospel, it is a lie. And those who tell lies are called….
1 comment:
I think your point that intellectual rebellion being sin too, is really good to keep in mind. Something we, as fallen humans, like to fall back to in the discussion of Gospel related topics, is philosophical ideas. We are so prone to think in a philisophical way instead of a Biblical way. Thanks for this post, Scott. Im glad you are old, stable and reformed so I can benefit from your thoughts and actions.
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