The only Gospel there is

Yeah it's been like 4 months since I've written anything on here. I could make excuses, but I just lost my mojo and got lazy and burned out. Starting now though I'm going to be getting more serious about things.

Part of the problem is I kinda ran out of things to write about. Yes I could talk about politics, social issues, cultural changes, or whatever else. But I don't want to do that because that's not what I'm here for. I think that writing about those things will take focus off Jesus which is the last thing I want to do. I also don't want to do a cop out and just start in a book, and go through chapter by chapter about what's being said. But I think that's a place I need to start now. So be prepared.

Currently I'm working on my Thesis proposal. I've been reading a lot of different books looking for research, and I came across an interesting topic in one of them: What is to be believed in to be saved? Similarly the question of: What is the Gospel? was also asked. Some scholars and theologians say that Christ Crucified is the gospel and what should be believed in. Jesus himself though says that doing the work of God is believing in the one he sent, that is Jesus. Paul writes in Galatians 1.6-9 the only gospel is that of Christ. I almost wrote Christ crucified there because of notes that I made in my Bible, but Christ crucified I don't think is the gospel message. It's part of it I believe, but not the entire thing.

The entire gospel then is that of Christ. There is no other gospel besides this. Looking at the book of Galatians, this is one of the first things Paul addresses. "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting hi who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ."

There are some major problems going on in the Galatian church, and I think some of those problems can transition into today (not the Church exactly, but culture influencing church goers).

First let's understand what the gospel is: It's the Good News. What's the good news? That God died? No. That God died and came back to life? Closer. What about that through Jesus we can have a reconciled relationship with God? Bingo. That is the Good News. That is the Gospel. There is a narrative that explains how the possibility for reconciliation came about, and that's where we get the death and resurrection of God in the form of Jesus. And it's only through Jesus that we can partake in this good news. That's where things get controversial in today's culture.

Oh there's plenty of ways to get to what someone would consider heaven! That is if you believe in the afterlife. If not, that's alright too! When you die you won't go anywhere. All you gotta do though is be a good person in life and I'm sure you'll get to a positive afterlife. Thanks Oprah.

The Gospel says something different though. It's not just about "the afterlife." It's about reconciliation with God. It's about peace and love (not like hippy peace and love but peace after a war and reconciliation). And there's only one way to gain this peace and love, and that's through Jesus.

This is something today's culture does not accept, that there is only one God, and his name is YHWH, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It is only through repentance that we receive his forgiveness, and only out of his grace may we receive his forgiveness. And it is only because of his forgiveness that we can be viewed as righteous and come into a restored relationship with him. This is the only Gospel there is.

Anyone who preaches a different Gospel, let him be accursed for leading children of God astray. Does this make you upset? Doesn't matter to me. I am here to please God, not man.

Galatians 1.6-10