Tim Keller in his article “The Centrality of the Gospel” writes:
We never “get beyond the gospel” in our Christian life to something more “advanced.” The gospel is not the rst “step” in a “stairway” of truths; rather, it is more like the “hub” in a “wheel” of truth. The gospel is not just the A-B-C’s but the A-Z of Christianity. The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we make progress in the kingdom.”
If you have been around Exodus long, you have heard that you never graduate from the gospel. The good news of Jesus is our hope for our past, present, and future. One of the ways we like to say this is that the gospel cleans, creates, and compels.
GOSPEL CLEANS
The Bible teaches that we are made in the image of God, to know God and re ect him in the world. But, rather than re ecting him, we have tried to become the stars ourselves. Rather than pointing people to God, we want all of the attention on us, following “the prince of the power of the air” into a sin debt that we rightly deserve. We are sinners in need of God’s gospel to wipe away our stain and make us clean. The gospel is the good news that we can be clean. God, who is rich in mercy, sent Jesus to die so that we might have our sins forgiven. Because of Jesus, our sin debt is wiped away. We are clean, but there’s more.
GOSPEL CREATES
The work of the gospel is not simply a transactional work of clearing our debt. We are also changed by the gospel. Our dead hearts are brought to life. Our old desires for disobedience are made new. Our affections are changed to want the glory of God rather than the glory of self. The gospel is the good news that God creates a new heart in us.
GOSPEL COMPELS
The gospel is also the good news that, as those who have been forgiven and made new, we are also shaped into a people who are sent on Jesus’ mission. In Ephesians 2:10, we see that by God’s grace, we are his people who are created for tasks that God has planned out. We get to join God on his mission—former enemies, now ambassadors. The gospel compels us toward these good works.
The gospel is the good news that cleans, creates and compels all who believe. There is never coming a day when we don’t need this good news of Jesus’ victory. Into eternity, our hope will always be the life-altering reality of Jesus crucified for sin, raised for life, and sufficient for our mission. Since this is true, we must know this gospel well and constantly remind ourselves of this truth through the careful study of God’s Word.
