Nothing but the truth

The gospel is the whole truth, the bad and the good.  The bad is that we are dead in our trespasses, condemned by our sin and transgressions, hopeless before a holy and righteous God.  If this is all we hear (share), we are beaten (beat) down even further, hurting in their shame and guilt.  Yet the gospel is good news that turns the bad news upside down.  The good is that God had/has a plan to restore life, to redeem the captive from sin, and give the hope found in HIs Forgiveness, Presence and Peace.  These two halves of the gospel must be declared together.  

I see over and over the good news without the bad, which makes God a cosmic therapist or heavenly butler.  This type of sharing leaves the lost thinking that God will solve their problem(s) or extricate them from their situation or consequences of sinful behavior.  It is true that we come to God just as we are, but there is never a case where a person actually trusts Christ without a changed life, not even the thief on the cross.  

When we only share part of the message of Jesus to the woman at the well and only hear Jesus tell her that He does not condemn her, without his instruction to “Go and sin no more,” we share a half-truth which is no gospel at all.  When we call all men “good” or children of God, we proclaim a truth the Bible does not teach.  All men are not good, in fact none of us are (Romans 3:10 “There is none righteous, no, not one.”  Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”).  In fact, listen to Jesus’ response when the rich young ruler approaches Him: “Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.”  (Luke 18:19) We are all the creation of God, but because of sin we are not the children of God.  It is only through the work of Christ in our lives that we are the children of God.  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  

Sharing half-truths will condemn men by turning them from the grace and mercy of God or give them a false sense of security.  Believing half-truths will leave you separated and apart from a relationship with god.  Salvation comes as men hear the entire message of the gospel and as the Holy Spirit convicts and calls them to salvation in Christ Jesus alone.

I have heard it said that Billy Graham had three essential points in every message.  The order changed, but those three points never varied.  God – Man – Sin  Let’s make sure that as we share we tell the whole story so that the lost understand they are lost (and need to be saved by) and separated (and need to be reconciled to) from God; and that God, in His love for us, came to save, redeem, restore and provide a way that we are reconciled to Him.  

As I have seen numerous posts that only share half the message, I am tempted to respond and correct.  Yet I know that this will accomplish little if anything.  Instead, I have asked a time or two for a person to define their terms so that I can interject the full meaning, the whole truth, both good and bad.  Has worked well for me so far.

Pressing on…

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor