Nonconformist Chronicles

Is the Gospel Social?

Did Jesus mean what he said when he claimed that his preaching would be good news to the poor? Did he really mean what he said about proclaiming freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and release of the oppressed? (Luke 4:18-19).

As Jesus thus summarized his mission, he was citing Isaiah 61:1. The passage is about the restoring of justice to society by an anointed deliverer. "Justice" is a key theme in this passage, as in other Isaiah passages that were later applied to Jesus (see previous post). There can be no doubt that those awaiting a Messiah were expecting a restoration of justice, especially since the Jewish people had been oppressed for most of the last several centuries.

But Christians have often sought to "spiritualize" the text of Luke 4:18-19. Some have argued that the poor are actually the poor in spirit, the prisoners are those imprisoned by sin, the blind are those who haven't seen the light of God's truth, and the oppressed are those oppressed by Satan. So it is argued that the mission of Jesus, and by extension his body, is to meet spiritual needs and not physical ones. The gospel's societal dimension is either denied or obscured to the point that it really isn't good news for the poverty stricken unless we're talking spiritual poverty. Nor is it good news for the unjustly incarcerated or for those persecuted under despotic regimes. The ministry to the blind would certainly not include medical missions or church-sponsored clinics that provide early detection of glaucoma or vision screening for children.

The lines drawn between physical and spiritual needs are often drawn too sharply. It's too often assumed that a "spiritual" need is only one which meets the incorporeal part of a human being. So the condition of one's "spiritual" self is all that is thought to matter.  

But ministry to souls is holistic ministry to whole persons. It is not only ministry to the lost, but also to the poor and marginalized. So the gospel certainly has a social dimension. Gospel proclamation involves a call to justice. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech was a gospel sermon. He longed for the day when justice would roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream (Amos 5:24). He spoke the kingdom language of "every valley being exalted and every hill and mountain made low"---words first recorded in Isaiah in anticipation of the coming reign of a just king (Isaiah 40:4).

Both the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. and the end of apartheid in South Africa were launched and largely carried through by those whose belief in the gospel prompted their proclamation of release to the captives. The gospel includes the good news of societal transformation. When injustice is overturned, as when civil rights are finally granted, society starts bearing a bit more resemblance to the kingdom of God.

I'm not naive enough to think that the church will transform all of society. The kingdom of God will never be fully consummated until the return of Christ. But in the meatnime we are called to transform whatever corner of the world we can into a greater likeness of the realm in which God's rule is unchallenged. The miracles of Jesus were foretastes of a fully consummated reign of God in which no one will be sick or infirmed. Our participation in this mission of Christ is clear in light of Matthew 25, where those receiving the kingdom are those who have fed the hungry, shown hospitality, clothed the naked, looked after the sick, and visited the prisoners (Matt. 25:31-46, esp. verses 34-36). The gospel is good news to the poor when Christians are good to the poor.

All that being said, I understand the resistance of some to grant that the gospel has a social dimension. Much of the "Social Gospel" movement has equated gospel with social justice---period. It's no surprise that many mainline Protestants advocating such an approach have been theological liberals. When the deity of Jesus, substitutionary atonement, and Christ's bodily resurrection are viewed as inconsistent with rational thought, what of Christianity is left to be preserved?

What is left is whatever difference we can make in this world. While making a difference in the world is certainly a part of gospel proclamation, it is the only hope theological liberals have of finding relevance. But as Paul stated, "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men" (1 Corinthians 15:19).  

While there is undoubtedly a social dimension to the gospel of the kingdom, there is also an eschatological dimension. Life is meaningless and eternity hopeless apart from reconciliation with God which depends upon faith in the atoning death of Christ on the cross as he shed his blood for the remission of our sin. He was then raised from the dead granting us the expectation of following him into life everlasting. There is no gospel without that message.

(Photo by Robertboaz).                       

Gospel: Toward a Definition (Part 5)

When Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, his Jewish listeners would undoubtedly have thought of King David's restored dynasty. In the glory days of Israel, David (and later his heir, Solomon) had reigned over God's people. After Solomon's death the kingdom was split into northern and southern factions. This was followed by numerous captivities and deportations beginning with the Assyrian assault upon the northern kingdom and the Babylonian assault on the southern kingdom over a century later. 

Israel was subjegated to various pagan nations in the centuries that followed. Most Jews were persecuted and many were dispersed throughout the known world. By the time of Jesus, the nation of Israel was under Roman occupation.

The prophecies of Isaiah would have given Israel hope in these dark times. The prophet spoke of a restoration of David's dynasty. Isaiah described this restored kingdom as a reign of justice, equity, and fairness. Hope would be restored to the oppressed and marginalized. When Jesus came preaching the good news of the kingdom, people would naturally have expected an advancing reign of deliverance and justice. Much of Jesus' teaching on the kingdom has its roots in Isaiah's vision for a just and equitable society.

Matthew saw Jesus' kingdom proclamation in the context of Isaiah's words about light dawning upon the valley of the shadow of death (Matt. 4:15-17). In the Isaiah passage, the light dawns as an heir of David takes the throne and upholds a kingdom of justice (Isa. 9:7). With this Isaiah passage applied to Jesus' kingdom preaching, Matthew's readers would rightly expect a kingdom which restores justice.

Isaiah 11 is yet another passage which anticipates a Messianic deliverer on David's throne. With righteousness he will judge the needy and with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth (Isa. 11:4-5).

Isaiah 42 also anticipates an anointed deliverer who will bring forth justice and establish it upon the earth (Isa. 42:1-4). Matthew 12:18-21 applies the passsage to the ministry of Jesus who will neither break the bruised reed, nor snuff out the smoldering wick. He'll be a friend to the abused and downtrodden. The larger context of Matthew 11 and 12 portray Jesus as a healer of the sick (12:15), who prioritizes human need above the letter of the law (12:1-14), inviting the weary and burdened to come to him for rest (11:28-30).

By these actions, Jesus leads justice to victory as his good works demonstrate that the kingdom of God is advancing (Matt. 12:20, 28). So the kingdom of God is the realm in which justice for the helpless is established.

Still another passage of justice is found in Isaiah 61 which expresses the Lord's love for justice and his hatred for robbery and iniquity (Isa. 61:8). As with other Isaiah texts, the context points to a Messianic deliverer. He is anointed to preach good news to the poor (Isa. 61:1). Jesus, citing this Scripture, identified himself as this anointed deliverer (Luke 4:18-19). His stated mission is to bind up the broken-hearted, free the captives, give sight to the blind, and to release the oppressed.     

Jesus' mission was undoubtedly understood in the context of Isaiah's call for justice under a restored Davidic kingdom. How might the gospel continue to be good news for the poor, for those unjustly incarcerated, for the dominated, and even for the sick?        

Gospel: Toward a Definition (Part 4)

When Paul defined the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as "gospel" I don't think he meant that was all there is to it. But some had rejected the hope of bodily resurrection, so Paul's corrective is that a denial of resurrection rips the very heart out of the gospel (1 Cor. 15). There is no gospel without the atoning sacrifice of Christ for our sins and his resurrection which makes him the firstfruits of those who will follow (1 Cor. 15:23). Without forgiveness of sin, reconciliation to God, and the hope of eternal life, there is no gospel.  

For these truths to be routinely neglected by the preacher means that he is not preaching the gospel. These tenets were the staples of apostolic preaching (Acts 2 & Acts 13). Denial of these basic tenets removes the hope of life in the eternal kingdom which is delivered up to God at the end (1 Cor. 15:24)

So it's possible to define "gospel" too broadly as if everything counts as gospel so long as the preacher mentions God and quotes some Scripture. But it is the cross and the empty tomb that keeps us anchored in the center of the gospel.

While "gospel" can be defined too broadly, it can also be defined too narrowly. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is not the extent of the gospel as if the only real gospel sermons are expositions of the Passion narratives.

While the Passion narratives take up a significant portion of all four Gospels, revealing the heart of "the gospel," the entire message of these books consists of "gospel." Mark begins his account, "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). Along with his death and resurrection, Jesus' life and teachings are also gospel. To preach from the Gospels is to preach the "gospel."

Jesus' ministry is "gospel," for his coming powerfully brought the kingdom of heaven to bear on earth. His miracles demonstrated that the kingdom was advancing upon earth (Matt. 12:28). By doing good, Jesus granted a foretaste of a future life when the kingdom is fully consummated. In that day, all tears will be wiped away and there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away (Rev. 21:4). 

Jesus wiped away tears and reversed death. Just prior to rasing a widow's only son from the dead, Jesus said to her, "Don't cry." (Luke 7:13-14). Jesus reversed death and mourning, restoring life and wholeness. He touched a leper and made him clean (Mark 1:40-45). Jesus healed a woman who had been disabled for 18 years (Luke 13:10-17). These are all evidences of God's kingdom being brought to bear upon earth. 

When God's kingdom is the only rule left, when "the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ," the traits of a fallen world will be reversed as creation is redeemed (Rev. 11:15; Rom. 8:19-21). The effects of sin will be reversed as the barren wilderness of thorns and thistles is restored to the garden of God where the tree of life forever stands (Gen. 3:18; Rev. 2:7; 22:2). The enmity existing within creation will give way to harmony (Gen. 3:15; 9:2; Isa. 11:6-9). The curse will give way to blessing in the kingdom.     

Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom (Luke 8:1; Mark 1:14-15). But he did more than just preach about the realm of God's future rule. Jesus brought the kingdom to bear on earth in the here-and-now. To pray that God's kingdom come is to pray that his will would be done on earth as it is heaven (Matt. 6:10). So if we are to pray that the kingdom be brought to bear on earth, then we are certainly to partner with Jesus in bringing the kingdom to bear on earth. We put our prayer into action as the kingdom advances through our efforts as the body of Christ in this physical world.

So what kind of kingdom did Christ proclaim and how does it advance through our service ?

More later.  

Gospel: Toward a Definition (Part 3)

When religious people talk about having "got saved" the language sounds strange to the uninitiated. Outside the sphere of religion if someone gets saved we conclude that one's life has been saved. Maybe the lifeguard saved one from drowning, or the firefighter pulled one from a burning building, or the Heimlich maneuver saved one from choking. To be saved is to be rescued from an otherwise tragic outcome. 

But in regard to religion the question is posed, "Saved from what?" According to Romans 5:8, believers in Christ are saved from God's wrath. All have sinned and are therefore deserving of condemnation (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:3). Our sins had separated us from God, but "when we were God's enemies we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son..." (Rom. 5:10). So Jesus died to bring us back into a relationship with God. 

But first the sin barrier standing between ourselves and God had to be removed. Jesus' death on the cross paid the penalty for our crimes against God. Christ took the penalty for our sins in our place (Isa. 53:5). Since the price has been paid with his blood, we are now justified (acquitted) of all our wrongs (Rom. 3:23-25). The innocent has died so that the guilty might be freed, saved from God's wrath against sin. The wrath has now been poured out at the cross.

It is good news that Jesus died to save us from God's wrath. The gospel (which means 'good news') is the power that God uses to save (Rom. 1:16). This gospel, Paul summarized as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-8). Yet before these events occurred we are told that Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom (Luke 8:1). Can Luke and Paul be reconciled? Does the gospel consist of a cross and an empty tomb or is it the message of God's kingdom?

There is really no contradiction, since it was through Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection that he won the decisive victory for God's kingdom. Jesus "disarmed the powers and authorities...triumphing over them by the cross" (Col. 2:15). At the cross and the tomb, Jesus delivered the decisive blow against Satan's kingdom. Through the shedding of Christ's blood, he purchased sinners, redeeming them from slavery to sin and Satan. He also delivers us from slavery to the fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15).

Redeemed from slavery at the price of Christ's blood, believers are now delivered out of the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son God loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14). Now brought into God's kingdom, our lives are under new management. We now live within the realm of God's rule as we submit to his will.

So what does it mean to have come into God's kingdom? It certainly has something to do with eternal destiny, but what are its implications for the here-and-now? Is salvation only relevant when life is over or have we been saved from more than eternal condemnation becauase of our sins?

More later.

(the photo is of the annual sand sculpture done by a local artist each Easter season)

Gospel: Toward a Definition (Part 2)

The "gospel of the kingdom" is the "good news of a new world order." The new order doesn't come about through political restructuring or violent revolution, but it consists of the redeemed community. The redeemed are those who've been delivered from enslavement to sin and death. As they go about doing good in the name of Christ, the kingdom advances in the world.

The miracles and ministry of Jesus were manifestations of the advancing kingdom of God through which the lost are found, the sick receive care, and the oppressed are granted justice. While this new order is not fully consummated until Christ's return, in the meantime his followers make whatever difference they can, bringing the rule of heaven to bear on earth.

The Romans defined the gospel of a new world order as the Empire under Augustus, whereas Christ-followers define it as the Kingdom of God under Jesus. While Augustus established a new order by force, Jesus, ironically, achieved victory in what appeared like defeat. He conquered by the cross. There he paid the penalty for sin, releasing those who follow him from its enslavement. Having been laid in the tomb and raised from the dead, Jesus conquered death, thereby delivering his followers from the fear and finality of this enemy of humanity.

So the message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection is certainly core to the gospel, for it is through these events that Christ delivers us from our enemies by defeating them. While there is no gospel without the cross, the empty tomb, and the resurrection, this is not the extent of the gospel. If it were, then Jesus would not have been preaching the gospel prior to these events. But Scripture says that Jesus did preach the gospel---the gospel of the kingdom---a new world order.

So when Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, for example, was he preaching the gospel? Absolutely, for he was heralding a new world order, a new community under the reign of God. It's an order in which people keep their promises and love their enemies, resisting temptations to deceive or objectify others. The Sermon on the Mount holds up the model of life in the Kingdom of God and is therefore "gospel."

Since the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is crucial to the conquering of sin and death, this message is foundational to the gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-8). Because of the cross and the resurrection people are redeemed from the old order of sin and death, delivered into the new order of liberty and life. The gospel is neglected if the cross and the resurrection are conspicuously absent from one's preaching.

Mere moralizing is not gospel preaching. Stating the negative consequences of sin is not enough. It's not enough to say, for example, that fornication should be avoided since it could ultimately lead to disease or the second death. The primary motive for purity is because we've been bought with the price of Christ's blood so we are now his possessions (1 Cor. 6:18-20).

Having been redeemed by Christ's blood, delivered by his work on the cross, we are incorporated into the new order of humanity. We are now charged with the task of being agents of redemption in this world, helping to deliver others from what binds them.      

Gospel: Toward a Definition

Growing up unchurched, I often heard religious people talk about the "gospel" but I was clueless as to what they meant. We hear about "gospel singing," "gospel preaching," and the "gospel truth." But if you ask the average person on the street for a definition of gospel, one has no idea how to answer. I'm not convinced that even most religous people know what they're talking about when they say "gospel."

While the term "gospel" is an almost exclusively religous word in our day, the Greek word translated "gospel" in our Bibles did not originally belong to religious vocabulary. The same is true of other terms like "Savior," "Redemption," "Justification" and many others which are now considered high-dollar church words. The biblical authors didn't have any high-dollar church words. They used the existing vocabulary of their culture as metaphors to describe God's plan for reconciling people to himself. Today's theological terms did not start out as exclusively religious currency.

The word translated "gospel" means "good news" or "glad tidings." It was used by the ancients in reference to a new world order. During the reign of Caesar Augustus it was said that the day of his birth was the beginning of the "gospel." Augustus put a stop to the civil wars which followed the assasination of Julius Caesar. The entire known world was united under Augustus as an empire. The coming of this new world order of restored peace was said to be the "gospel" (good news, glad tidings). So Augustus was hailed "Savior of the world." He was called the son of a god, having been adopted by Julius Caesar who was thought to have been deified in death.

So the biblical authors used everyday language to say what was special about Jesus.  He preached the gospel of the kingdom, a new world order (Luke 8:1). Hailed as Prince of Peace, Savior of the World, and Son of God, it may have sounded like Jesus was in competition with Augustus and subsequent emperors. Some suspected Jesus' kingdom would be established through a militant revolution. His Jewish followers, unhappy with the Roman occupation of Palestine, were hoping to be led in battle against Rome.

Did Jesus intend to establish a political kingdom brought about by force? On trial before Pilate, accused of insurrection, Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). Elsewhere Jesus said, "The kingdom does not come with your careful observation...because the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21).

The "gospel of the kingdom" is indeed the "glad tidings of a new world order." The kingdom, however, does not advance by force or political manueverings, but by influence. It is like leaven working through the dough (Matt. 13:33). The subjects of the kingdom are those submitting themselves to the reign of God in their lives. They have believed the good news and thereby make up an alternative community characterized by justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23).

The kingdom of heaven currently co-exists with other world powers that have sought to bypass God's authority and do things their own way. The wheat and the weeds co-exist, growing together until the return of Christ when they are spearated and his kingdom will be the only one left stadning (Matt. 13:24-43).

In the meantime, believers are to pray for the advancing kingdom. To pray that God's kingdom will come is to pray for it's continued advanement and infleucne in this world (Mat. 6:10). We pray for, and do, God's will on earth, so that more beachheads of the kingdom are established in this world to reflect how things are in heaven where God's rule is unchallenged.