What Does It Mean To Be A Christian?
The gospel is the story of the one Creator God, making all things: space, time, matter, energy to display his nature to his creatures. God created human beings in his own image and likeness to know him, love him, and reflect his character in the world to one another for their joy and his glory. Our first parents then rebelled against God, choosing to live life their way rather than God’s way. They turned away from God and his provision for them, disobeying his commands and thereby bringing fracture in their relationship with God, one another, and creation. God in his grace set about to redeem a people back to himself and has pursued us throughout history to this end.
He promised in the very early days to send a human being, one born of a woman, to bring people back to God, reconciling them to himself and all things (Genesis 3:15). Throughout history he communicated with us and connected with us through prophets, men called to speak God’s message to humanity. He made covenants with his people that would culminate the sending of his Messiah, or chosen one, to the earth. He would be a Jewish person, the offspring of Abraham (Genesis 12, 15). He would fulfill God’s commandments perfectly satisfying the demands of the law completely and live without sin (Hebrews 4.15). He would be a king to his people (2 Samuel 7) and guide them into a life of love, joy, and peace. He would teach us the truth, show us perfected humanity, and ultimately die to pay the penalty for our own rebellion and sin.
This person, Jesus, gave his life for us in what theologians have called the great exchange. Our sin was placed on him as he took our deserved judgment and punishment by dying on a cross. God then raised him from the grave overcoming death itself and justifying us before God (1 Corinthians 15). We receive his righteousness and favor and good name before God the Father (2 Corinthians 5.16-21). We are thereby forgiven, brought back into relationship with God, our guilt is removed, God’s wrath no longer is upon us, and we now become his followers and agents of reconciliation in the world.
We receive all of this by his grace; none of it is earned by our works or moral actions. God will someday bring his kingdom in fullness where Jesus will completely and finally bring an end to all evil and usher in an eternal age of life and peace for all who follow him. Those who persist in rebellion against God will face judgment for all which was done in this life.
The Gospel Diamond
Creation – There is one God who created all things. The universe, energy, matter, rocks, trees, and you and I were created by God. He created all things good and in harmony with him and other things. As the crown of creation God created human beings in his image and likeness to be in relationship with him and one another. Reading: Genesis 1-2
Fall/Promise – God gave graciously to the first man and woman and told them that all of creation was theirs to steward yet they were to live by following God and his way. Our first parents chose to disobey God and do life their way and sinned against God. The world as a result has been living in a state of fracture, out of rhythm with God. Human beings, because of sin, now live separated from God and are under his just wrath and condemnation for sin. We feel life does not work, suffering is in us and around us, and we stand guilty before God either in active rebellion or passive indifference to our creator. Reading: Genesis 3
Yet while we sinned, God set out on his plan for humanity. God simultaneously promises to redeem people from sin and death and promised to do so through his own work in history. God himself promised to come and handle the problem of our sin. Reading: Galatians 4:4, 5
Cross – The person of Jesus was God come to earth to die for sin and forgive sinners. He displayed to us in his life and teaching who God is and what he has done. His death is the darkest day in human history (the unjust murder of the Son of God) and at the same time the brightest day in history (Jesus’s death for sin pays our penalty, satisfies God’s wrath, and brings us back in relationship with our creator). Reading: Romans 5:1-11
Mission/Redemption – Jesus’s mission on earth was to save us from sin, death, and hell and bring his Kingdom, a new way of life, to the earth. His resurrection from the dead was a sign of this coming new age where sin, death, and hell will be ultimately defeated. This mission intersects our lives when we hear of the love of God expressed towards sinners through Jesus’s death on the cross. We are called to repent (change our minds and turn away from) of our sin and receive his forgiveness by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9). The gospel teaches us that Jesus died a death that we deserve, his death for our sin. Additionally, he lived the life we could not live, a life without sin. By placing our trust/faith in him we receive forgiveness and pardon from God for our sins and are counted righteous before God in him. In Jesus we are brought back into relationship with God and given eternal life as the gift of his grace and love. We are then transferred from a dark path into the path of redemption and mission in the world. We intersect with eternity on Jesus’ mission which is manifesting and ultimately bringing into fullness the Kingdom of God. The restoration of all things.
All who trust in him and follow him become a part of his church, a community on mission to see others meet Jesus, have their sins forgiven, and then together represent his Kingdom in our community. At the end of time King Jesus will fully bring a Kingdom (heaven) where sin will be gone, death is defeated, and every tear will be wiped away. All who trust in him will be with him forever. Those who persisted in denying God and living their sinful path will be separated from him forever in Hell.