What Do I Mean by a Gospel-Driven Life? by John Fonville

Over the past ten years, the Lord in His grace and mercy has been slowly taking me off the “treadmill” of Neonomianism (i.e., new law, legalism)! Learning to live a Gospel-Driven life has been for me what Francis Schaeffer wrote in 1971,

“…when a man does learn the meaning of the work of Christ in the present life, a new door is open to him. And this new door then seems to be so wonderful that often it gives the Christian, as he begins to act upon the knowledge of faith, the sense of something that is as new as was his conversion.”

The Gospel is not just what we preach to unbelievers in order to get them “saved” from the penalty of sin. The Gospel is much more than that! The Good News is that Christ not only saves us from sin’s guilt but also delivers us from its slavery. The Gospel is the principal energizing and driving force for living the whole Christian life. The Gospel is not just for non-Christians. It is also for Christians (cf., Rom. 1:15).

Believers never grow beyond their need of the Gospel because they never grow beyond their need of Christ. It is not accurate to think of the Gospel as that which saves unbelievers and what matures believers is a life of slavish obedience and law keeping. It is simply wrong to think (and sadly many Christians believe this) that the Gospel is what gets us into the Christian life and then once we are in we grow by trying as hard as we can to live a life of discipleship according to Biblical principles alone.

The Gospel is the principal energizing and driving force for living the whole Christian life.

There are so many Christians who think that a person is justified by faith and sanctified by works/law keeping/obedience. This is a completely wrong view of the Christian life.

Paul, in Galatians, refuted this very notion (e.g., Gal. 3:3). We are justified by faith in Christ and we are sanctified by faith in Christ. Only the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (cf., Rom. 1:15-17; the whole package) not the law. So, it is more accurate to say that we are saved by believing the Gospel and then we are transformed in every part of our heart, mind, and life by believing the Gospel more and more deeply as our life goes on (cf., Gal. 2:20). In Galatians 2:20 Paul states that he lived every day by faith in the shed blood and righteousness of Christ. Every day he looked to Christ alone for his acceptance with the Father. This then is what I mean by a Gospel-Driven life.

We would not need Gospel-driven motivation, if the principles and commands of Scripture were sufficient to enable us to live a holy life. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with God’s law (cf., Rom. 7:7-12). Paul spoke in 1 Timothy 1:8 of the law being good IF it is used lawfully. The problem is not God’s law. The problem is the fallen nature of man! If we seek to live according to the Bible’s commands only, we are walking according to the flesh, our corrupt old man. We are acting like non-Christians who daily seek to be made perfect in the flesh. But, the only thing we can produce in our lives if we try to pursue holiness/obedience in our own strength and wisdom is corruption (cf., Rom. 7:5, 8). Thus, we must seek to obey (i.e., pursue a life of good works/holiness) in a Gospel-driven way.

Most believers today understand their obligations to God’s law very well. For many years, I knew the law/commandments well. In fact, that is all I focused on. Regrettably, I was never taught that the death of Christ was also a death for Christian failure (i.e., the power of sin/sanctification). I just knew Christ’s death as applying to the penalty of sin (i.e., what most Evangelicals commonly think of as “getting saved”). Though I didn’t voice it, I lived with the hidden assumption that the Bible was largely a rulebook to follow in regards to my sanctification.

I was never taught that the death of Christ was also a death for Christian failure.

Throughout much of my Christian life I was a professing Evangelical but in practice a functioning Roman Catholic (cf., Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV. xvii. 41). What do I mean by that? I would habitually turn inward to conduct personal “fruit inspection” and then wallow and mope around for long periods of time in despair, guilt and a troubled conscience. I would beat myself up with self-focused thoughts (“How could you do this and say you are a Christian? You are such an idiot!”). I would seek to expiate my sin with self-imposed acts of contrition thinking that if I felt bad enough for a long enough period of time, I would then “get right” with God (or at least do enough to sense that God and I were once again on acceptable grounds once again).

By God’s grace through the work of the Holy Spirit, I have come to understand that if the Bible is only a rule book for Christian living/on how to follow Jesus, we are all in big trouble! Why? Because none of us can follow Jesus’ example, He was without sin! Jesus’ example only condemns us! Furthermore, rules are law and law only points out one’s duty and condemns.

Law has zero power to change us or produce holiness and obedience!

If the Bible is nothing more than a code of moral principles for Christian living/principles on how to follow Jesus, it is no different than the Koran!

Thankfully, the Lord graciously opened my eyes to see the Good News, to understand that the Bible is more than law/moral principles for “following Jesus.” The Bible is primarily the message of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ. Everything in Scripture before the cross points to God’s redemptive work and everything after the cross–including our sanctification–flows from that work. Faith is the foundation for all of one’s obedience to God. Faith is the work of works because all other works proceed from faith. Faith in Christ is the sole basis for living a holy life. Faith is the gracious gift of God that brings us into union with Christ.

The Gospel Driven Life is all about growing in holiness by living in union with Christ by faith.

The whole purpose of a Gospel Driven Life is to learn how God has taught us in Scripture to live by faith in Christ in order to live a holy life.

Before I grasped the truth of a Gospel-Driven Life, I was a slave to legalism and I didn’t even know it. My problem was not that I failed to understand what God required of me in His law. Nor was my problem that I lacked sufficient “practical and relevant,” tips, steps, or purposes to live the Christian life. Scores of purpose focused, step-laden books fill the shelves of Christian bookstores. “Practical, relevant” tip oriented sermons are the commonplace in the majority of Evangelical churches today. But, in reality, practical, relevant tips and purposes are nothing more than laws (and to be sure not even God’s law)! So, my problem was not that I needed to be told what to do. What I needed was life, strength and motivation to do it (i.e., obey the law)!

A Gospel-Driven believer comes to understand that he cannot keep God’s commands until he receives Christ’s life and strength (cf., Gal. 2:20).

So, when you are confronted with God’s law (e.g., 1 Peter 1:15-16, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”), you don’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps, make some resolutions, and say to yourself, “Just do it.” No! That is walking according to the flesh, the old man! Rather, God’s law (1 Peter 1:15-16) moves us first to flee to Christ by faith (Gal. 3:24).

“It is okay to be purpose directed but we must be Gospel-driven!”

Then, after we flee to Christ (i.e., preach the Gospel to ourselves), our faith is renewed and strengthened. Our affections are burning (i.e., gratitude) and then we will be able to live a holy life! It is only as we consider the privileges of our new state in Christ that our hearts are moved to love God and others, renounce sin, and obey His commandments. Dr. Michael Horton has well stated that it is okay to be purpose directed (i.e., the 3rd use of the law) but we must be Gospel-driven!

Walter Marshall captured this truth when he wrote,

“…believers should not act for life, but from life.”

How then does a believer come to love and obey God? Again, Marshall writes,

“…believe steadfastly, that all your sins are blotted out, and that you are reconciled to God, and have access to His favor by the blood of Christ; and that He is your God and Father, and altogether love to you, and your all-sufficient everlasting portion and happiness through Christ. Such apprehensions as these, do present God as a very lovely object to our hearts; and do thereby allure and win our affections, that cannot be forced by commands or threatenings, but must be sweetly won and drawn by allurements. We must not harbor any suspicions that, God would prove a terrible everlasting enemy to us, if we would love Him: for there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear; because fear has torment; he that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:18, 19).”

My journey from Neonomianism (lit: new law) to a Gospel-centered, Evangelical (in the historic sense of that term, see Reformation Essentials) understanding of Christianity has been a long, hard journey (and I am still learning everyday!). For years my problem was like numerous Christians who believe that even though they have been justified by a righteousness produced totally by Christ, they must be sanctified by a holiness produced totally by themselves. Broadly speaking, American Evangelicals do not believe (and most likely are not even aware) that faith and the Gospel alone are sufficient for a believer’s sanctification. As a result, the grace of justification is set aside and a system of sanctification by works is put in its place. Among other ill effects, this removes the Gospel’s ability to assure people that they are indeed accepted by God.

However, “discovering” (i.e., a gracious revealing) that faith and the Gospel are sufficient for both our forgiveness/justification and our growth in holiness/sanctification has made all the difference! The message of Walter Marshall’s book, The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, has been an unspeakable source of encouragement to me after years of struggling, failing and striving unlawfully on the Galatians 3:3 treadmill of Neonomianism.

“The Gospel-Driven Life maintains that union with Christ by faith is necessary and sufficient for both one’s justification and sanctification.”

You do not and cannot produce holiness/obedience out of yourself. Pietism, like Neonomianism, has had detrimental affects within Evangelicalism’s understanding of sanctification and discipleship. Believers most certainly cooperate with the Holy Spirit in God’s work of sanctification (cf., Philip. 2:12-13). Yet, they do not obey God’s law out of their own resources, self-discipline, resolutions or will power. Countless believers sorely misunderstand this point. In order to be satisfied in God, live holy lives, mortify sin, love God, obey His commands, and love others, one’s heart must be empowered out of the fullness of Christ. The Gospel-Driven Life maintains that union with Christ by faith is necessary and sufficient for both one’s justification and sanctification.

Moreover, though believers cooperate with the Holy Spirit in sanctification they do not thereby merit or earn in any way God’s favor or blessings. Works are God’s gift and thus cannot become the basis for a believer’s self-confidence or boasting (Eph. 2:9-10). Calvin’s words are instructive,

We now see that the saints have not a confidence in works that either attributes anything to their merit, since they regard them solely as gifts of God from which they may recognize his goodness and as signs of the calling by which they realize their election, or in any degree diminishes the free righteousness that we attain in Christ, since it depends upon this and does not subsist without it. Augustine expresses this idea in few words but elegantly when he writes: “I do not say to the Lord, ‘Despise not the works of my hands.’ [Ps. 138:8; cf. Ps. 137:8 Vg.] ‘I have sought the Lord with my hands and am not deceived.’ [Ps. 77:2; cf. Ps. 76:3 Vg.] But I do not commend the works of my hands, for I fear lest, when Thou lookest upon them, thou mayest find more sins than merits. This only I say, this I ask, this I desire: despise not the works of thy hands; see in me thy work, not mine. For if thou seest mine, thou wilt condemn it. If thou seest thine own, thou wilt crown it. For whatever good works are mine are from thee.” He gives two reasons why he dared not vaunt his works before God: because if he has anything of good works, he sees in them nothing of his own; and secondly, because these are also overwhelmed by a multitude of sins. From this it comes about that his conscience feels more fear and consternation than assurance. Therefore, he would like God to look upon his good deeds only that, recognizing the grace of his own call in them, he may finish the work he has begun.” (Institutes, 3.14.20)

When self-confidence is banished, all boasting must also depart so that the Glory of God may fully shine forth (Eph. 1:3-14; 2:9-10). We must not ascribe any merit or glory to our cooperation with the Spirit in sanctification.

We must put no confidence in the righteousness of works. The Scriptures proclaim that Christ is for us both righteousness and life (1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 3:4). This double benefit is possessed by faith alone. Whatsoever then is of faith excludes all boasting and merit!

My burden is that in the context of the typical Evangelical congregation today law is given precedence over Gospel. The Gospel-Driven Life maintains that Gospel should be given precedence over law. To put it another way, the church should not define itself primarily by law but rather by grace, the Gospel. The indicatives (i.e., the Gospel) are what define the church’s identity outside of herself as we are “in Christ” (i.e., in union with Christ). While the imperatives (i.e., law) direct the church’s mission and conduct in the world. The Gospel has precedence not because it over-rules the law, but because by God’s grace we have Christ’s righteousness imputed to us so that the law itself cannot fail to declare us righteous.

Arguing for the Gospel’s primacy over law is in no way intended to diminish law (cf., Gal. 3:21). But we must recognize that the Christian life begins by grace and ends by grace. Thus, grace must always have the final word (cf., Rom. 1:7; 16:25-27; 1 Cor. 1:3; 16:23; 2 Cor. 1:2; 13:14; Gal. 1:3; 6:18; Eph. 1:2; 6:24; Philip. 1:2; 4:23; Col. 1:2; 4:18; 1 Thess. 1:1; 5:28; 2 Thess. 1:2; 3:18; 1 Tim. 1:2; 6:21; 2 Tim. 1:2; 4:22; Titus 1:4; 3:15; Philemon 1:3, 25; Rev. 22:21). Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me,” (1 Cor. 15:10).

In many instances law and Gospel have been so commingled and conflated the law is no longer seen as full demand and the Gospel is no longer seen as Good News.

The thunder has been taking out the law and the sweetness has been taking out of the Gospel.

Michael Horton refers to this conflation as “Golawspel,” which is neither law nor Gospel but a sort of hybrid mixture of both. Thus today, Horton points out that we get, “…kind, gentle sayings from the pulpit. Law as exhortation but more along the lines of, ‘You will not be as happy if you don’t do this rather than you will go to hell. You are not going to be as fulfilled. Kids are not going to have as much self-esteem.’ This is not exactly hell-fire brimstone preaching but it is still law.” This confusion of law and Gospel has resulted in the elevation of law over Gospel. On any given Sunday morning, the primary source of reference for believers is overwhelmingly law-centered (e.g., practical, relevant tips, steps to a fulfilled life, or ethical exhortations for discipleship void of Gospel motivation, calls for excessive self-examination, etc…). It is disturbing over the ease in which law has become so out of proportion and injured Gospel.

Such imbalance has resulted in undermining the assurance of God’s people (this was definitely the case for me while I was captive to Neonomian, Lordship doctrine). In addition, the elevation of law has deprived God’s people of true Evangelical motivation that enables them to go forward to keep the law and pursue holiness (this again was definitely true for me while I held to a defective view of Lordship teaching, which confuses faith and repentance).

Countless Evangelicals are performance-driven, guilt-driven, self-help-driven, purpose (i.e., law) driven, fear-driven, relevant-practical tip-driven, disciplined-driven, slavishly obedience-driven but very few are Gospel-Driven.

Believers nowadays have no wind in their sails. They have lost their primary source of reference for living the Christian life not only in terms of guidance and direction but also in terms of power and motivation (i.e., drive; see Gal. 2:20 for Paul’s daily point of reference for living). The Gospel always meets us where we are as we are and asks of us nothing in terms of a condition to meet or fulfill in and of ourselves. Rather, the Gospel comes to us and freely gives what the law requires and thus the newly formed man (Eph. 2:14-16) by grace begins to look like what the law demands (Gal. 5:22).

Paul Zahl writes, “When grace is heard and received, when it is not confounded in any degree by the law, it paints a masterpiece: a person unconditionally affirmed who becomes instantaneously the expresser of love, joy, peace, meekness, kindness, and creativity. This graced human being becomes the flesh-and-blood example of the thing the law had wanted of him. Yet the law is gone from his or her mind. Grace produces the appearance of what the law says it wants, but only when grace is able to act unilaterally. Looking at this man or woman, who has been given grace unconditionally, we see established in him or her the very faithfulness and chastity and hopeful spirit that the law had sought to pound into that person.”

“It is imperative for the Evangelical church to begin placing significant emphasis upon the Gospel leading to the law.”

This is to say we must recover the truth that the Gospel not only provides us with the free grace of justification but also all the resources (because of grace alone) to keep each and every command (the third use of the law).

Without this Gospel motivation, believers begin to feel the weight and burden of the unyielding demands of God’s law, their joy quickly turns to despair, their consciences begin to accuse them and they are overtaken by an acute sense of their failures. No believer will ever experience a greater sense of freedom to obey God’s law (thus fulfilling the third use of the law) unless they are Gospel driven! The Christian’s life begins with the Gospel and is sustained by this same Good News of grace over and over again.

Here is how Walter Marshall put it, “…you have to be totally assured that you have sufficient strength both to will and to do what God calls you to do. You have to have both the desire and the power to do the will of God…Most people do not realize their own powerlessness. Most people do not realize that what they need most for living a holy life is sufficient strength to do so. Above all else, you have to understand your need for strength from God if you are going to live a holy life…Anyone who thinks it is easy to obey God apart from God’s empowering grace shows that they do not understand what most Christians and non-Christians have experienced in their lives- failure! It is easier to move a mountain than it is to obey God, unless God is at work in your heart!…in His wisdom, God has assured you that He will give you sufficient strength to enable you both to will and do what you are called to do.”

When I finally came to understand that the Gospel is as much for believers (cf., Rom. 1:15; Gal. 2:20) as it is for unbelievers, the light switch went off in my mind and I finally made the necessary connection between Romans 1-11 and 12-16. Like most, I understood and taught that Paul moves from doctrine in chapters 1-11 to practice in chapters 12-16. But, as I learned from Michael Horton, it is easy to quickly pass over the way Paul culminates chapters 1-11 and thus miss a key truth for daily living. At the end of chapter 11, before beginning the great “therefore” of Romans 12:1, Paul breaks out into a heartfelt, Spirit-wrought doxology (i.e., satisfaction, worship, cf., vv. 33-36). Before moving to one’s duty, he first breaks forth in doxology. This is not an insignificant point.

“The Gospel (i.e., Romans 1-11) is the foundation upon which the believer’s affections rest as well as the fire that ignites them (i.e., Romans 11:33-36).”

In turn, ignited affections (i.e., gratitude) result in Gospel-Driven obedience and holiness of life (i.e., ethics, doing, Romans 12-16). The progression of the Christian life is not “doctrine” then “do.”

The Gospel-Driven Pattern for Christian living is: “Doctrine > Doxology > Do.”

Obedience is not slavish striving or even sincere attempts to work up desires that are not present. Christians are not called to try and live a holy life by motivating and compelling themselves to do it. Resolutions may give the appearance of godliness but they are useless in stopping the indulgence of the flesh (cf., Col. 2:23). Evangelicals today are given scores of principles, motives, steps, tips, insights, ethical exhortations, etc… on how to live a holy life. To be sure, some of these motivations are true to a certain extent. However, the problem is that ethical exhortations and moral motivations are not enough. Walter Marshall writes, “Those who try to cure the flesh, and make it holy by their own resolutions and endeavors, act totally contrary to the purpose of Christ’s death…Christ died so that you might live to God, not to yourself. It is not Christ’s will for you to live on the basis of the power of your resolutions to do better.”

All the principles and practical, relevant tips believers receive ad nauseam are useless unless these laws stir them up to go to Christ for the strength to live a holy life. If this doesn’t happen, a believer’s life will be no different than a non-Christian who also tries to live a “good” life by following the advice of self-help gurus like Dr. Phil, Oprah or Tony Robbins.

If a sermon can be delievered by a Jew or a Muslim without substantial change, then it’s not really a Christian message. The question that needs to be asked is: Where does the Gospel and Christ figure in the sermon? Principles and practical tips may give the appearance of relevance and helpfulness. But, a believer must remember to continually go to Christ first by faith. By doing so, he will receive a Gospel motivation to pursue holiness and obedience.

The Gospel is what drives and strengthens and empowers a believer to obey.

Again, Marshall writes, “I am telling you to act according to your state in Christ. Obey God and do the works of the law by gospel principles and means. This is the rare and excellent art of godliness, in which every Christian should be a skilled expert.”

The problem with most Evangelicals today is not that they lack relevant, practical, tips for daily living. The problem is that a great deal have no idea of how to live by Gospel principles and means. They do not know that the true way to live is to live by faith in Christ (cf., Gal. 2:20) not simply by stirring oneself up to live by principles and practical tips. Sanctification does not consist in trying to tame one’s flesh or conquer sinful urges by one’s own efforts. Believers are not called to make their fallen natures better by giving them an ultimate makeover. Believers will not be more inclined to holiness by struggling and wrestling with their flesh. The flesh will inevitably rise up and pin the believer to the mat! Many think that trusting in Christ to help them keep their resolution is the key to a holy life.

“The problem with all of these approaches is that believers are trusting in their own acts of will instead of Christ.”

The problem with all of these approaches is that believers are trusting in their own acts of will (i.e., resolve, purposes, practical tips, self-discipline, religious rituals) instead of Christ. This is walking according to the flesh. However, trying to be made perfect in the flesh is a lost cause (cf., John 6:63). Trying to pursue holiness by implementing practical tips will produce nothing but corruption because law only arouses our sinful passions (cf., Rom. 7:5, 8). Marshall provides this helpful insight, “…once you come to understand your own sinfulness and the deadness of your old nature, you will realize that you will never be able to bring yourself to holiness by worldly wisdom or moral principles. You will come to understand that moral principles place obligations upon you, but they give you no power, life or strength to keep them.”

If all believers needed was practical, relevant, motivation and coaching, they would not need the Gospel, a new heart, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Even non-Christians to a certain degree can make progress in becoming better people.

Walking by faith in Christ is the Gospel-means of putting to death sinful lusts. Authentic Gospel-wrought obedience is the overflow of one’s affections (i.e., gratitude) for God fueled by doctrine (i.e., the Gospel, Romans 1-11).

Christians do not act for life but from life.

Christians are to obey as those who are in union and fellowship with Christ. They are called to live a holy life by the means that belong to their new state. Law is good if it is used lawfully (1 Tim. 1:8). In other words, law must be used in a Gospel-Driven way.

Like most believers, I had an acute awareness of my obligations for living a holy life. But, what I lacked for so long was life and strength to do them and comfort and assurance when I failed. Gospel-Driven believers come to understand that one’s obligations for holy living are impossible without first receiving Christ’s life and strength as well as assurance that He indeed loves them and has given Himself for them. Hence, any law placed upon Gospel-Driven believers first moves them to go to Christ. Then, after they have been strengthened and assured by God’s grace as given freely in the Gospel, their hearts will be filled with gratitude which in turn will motivate them to pursue holiness (i.e., the works of the law) with a Gospel motivation.

The Gospel-Driven Pattern for Christian living is: “Doctrine > Doxology > Do.”

The question of assurance rests at the core of a Gospel-driven versus law-driven life. A Gospel-Driven Life is an assured life.

The Gospel-Driven Life is simply a restatement of an old truth (i.e., the power of justification-based assurance as the means to motivate growth in sanctification). Without this kind of assurance, a life of holiness is not possible.

Horatius Bonar, in his book, God’s Way of Holiness, explains,

“Every plant must have both soil and root. Without both of these there can be no life, no growth, no fruit. Holiness must have these. The root is “peace with God”; the soil in which that root strikes itself, and out of which it draws the vital sap, is the free love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord. “Rooted in love” is the apostle’s description of a holy man. Holiness is not austerity or gloom; these are as alien to it as levity and flippancy. Nor is it the offspring of terror, or suspense, or uncertainty, but peace, conscious peace, and this peace must be rooted in grace; it must be the consequence of our having ascertained, upon sure evidence, the forgiving love of God. He who would lead us into holiness must “guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79)” (p. 30).

A Gospel-Driven Life is an assured life.

Before coming to understand the Gospel way of holiness, my assurance fluctuated between moments of tentative confidence and despair. Despair is the offspring of Neonomianism (i.e., new law). Despair comes from not understanding one’s union with Christ and all the spiritual blessings that flow from this union. It comes from not knowing that one is already dead to sin’s dominion (Rom. 6:2). Despair comes from failing to live with the understanding that Christ has already won the victory so that I don’t have to become a “victorious Christian” (there are no victorious Christians, cf., Rom. 7; Christ is the only man, not Christian, who lived a victorious life).

Instead of recognizing and living out of one’s union with Christ by faith, the law-driven believer trusts in his own acts of will to bring himself to holiness (e.g., “surrender more,” “lay it all on the altar,” “rededicate one’s life” etc…). But, as those who are in union with Christ, we are already holy, righteous, sanctified and reconciled to God (cf., 1 Cor. 1:30). Thus, we are not called to become what we are not yet. Rather, we are called to live what we are (cf., Eph. 4:1; Rom. 12:1). Living with a Gospel-Driven perspective takes the weight and burden off the desparing. It does so because for the first time, a law-driven, guilt-laden, despairing believer begins to understand that God, through the Gospel, gives him the very righteous status that he labored so hard to attain but could not through surrendering, yielding, letting go and letting God, coming to the altar, redicating, etc…

“We are not called to become what we are not yet. Rather, we are called to live what we are.”

Those who are driven by law rather than the Gospel can expect their assurance to wax and wane depending on their “performance” (i.e., obedience or lack thereof). Those who are driven by a legal method of salvation make all of God’s blessings and favor depend upon how well they keep His law (again the focus is self rather than Christ). As long as a believer is having a “good day” (so they think), they can then be assured of God’s favor and goodwill toward them. But, should a law-driven believer experience a “bad day” (or perhaps a bad week or month!), guilt instantly smothers his life like a black cloud.

A law-driven believer lives with an acute awareness of his failures. Though he loves God’s law, he is deeply aware of his inability to conform perfectly to it. The demands of the law loom heavily upon his mind. His conscience kicks into overdrive reminding him of his ill performance. As a result, his sense of guilt and despair are only increased. On top of all this, the accuser of the brethren takes advantage of this poor soul’s plight and stokes the fires of his accusing conscience even further.

Like Christian, in Pilgrim’s Progress, law-driven sinners are left to struggle alone with heavy burdens in the Slough of Despond. John Bunyan, describes this pit of despair as follows,

“Guilt is not so much a wind and a tempest, as a load and burden. The devil, and sin, and the curse of the law and death, are gotten upon the shoulders of this poor man, and are treading of him down, that he may sink into, and be swallowed up, of his miry place…” (Saint’s Knowledge of Christ’s Love, vol. ii, p. 6)

Having been taught a defective view of faith and Christian living I, like Christian, frequently found myself living in the Slough of Despond. The heavy burden of my daily sin, the unrelenting demands of the law and my failure to live according to them, the constant accusations of my conscience for those failures and the enemy’s exploitation of these burdens robbed me of the joy and freedom that Christ freely gives in the Gospel.

Despair is the offspring of Neonomianism precisely because Neonomianism remodels the Gospel into a conditional faith. The law always places the practice of holiness before life. The law says, “Do and live.” But, the Gospel says, “Live! Now do!” Law-driven sanctification reverses the order of the Gospel and destroys any possibility for true holiness. A conditional Gospel does not heal one’s sinful condition or lead to holiness. Rather, it actually stirs up sinful inclinations in those who pursue holiness by fleshly means. The strength of sin is the law (1 Cor. 15:56) and the strength of holiness is to be freed from the law (Rom. 7:6). Love, not law, drives the believer to live unto God (2 Cor. 5:14).

A conditional Gospel destroys the means and power for holiness because it replaces the grace of the Gospel with self. Self rather than Christ becomes the focus of one’s attention. Am I in God’s favor or out of God’s favor? Is God pleased or displeased with me? Have I done enough? Do my good days outweigh my bad days? Thus, a conditional Gospel imprisons believers in a state of doubt and anxiety concerning their standing before God.

A believer will never be motivated to obey God and pursue holiness without the assurance that God loves him.

Trusting in Christ alone for salvation is the only way believers find acceptance with God (i.e., sola fide, solus Christus, Rom. 3:21-28; Eph. 2:8-9) as well as the means and power to pursue true holiness. In other words, a man is justified by faith and sanctified by that same faith. The Gospel-Driven message cannot be repeated too much. Jerry Bridges has correctly stated that we must learn to preach the Gospel to ourselves every day. A believer will never be motivated to obey God and pursue holiness without the assurance that God loves him.

The root and soil of Gospel assurance and Gospel holiness is justification.

Horatius Bonar writes, “The Gospel is the proclamation of free love; the revelation of the boundless charity of God. Nothing less than this will suit our world; nothing else is so likely to touch the heart, to go down to the lowest depths of depraved humanity, as the assurance that the sinner has been loved- loved by God, loved with a righteous love, loved with a free love that makes no bargain as to merit, or fitness, or goodness. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us!” (1 John 4:10)…He (i.e., God) knows that there is nothing in heaven or earth so likely to produce holiness, under the teaching of the Spirit of holiness, as the knowledge of His own free love” (p. 37).

What is the Gospel?

Man’s Misery

Man comes to know his misery through the law of God (Rom. 3:20; 7:7-25).

No man can or will come to know the forgiving grace of God freely offered in the Gospel until he has been humbled and brought to know his exceeding misery before a holy God.

God’s law requires absolute perfection (Matt. 5:48). Christ, in Matthew 22:37-39, teaches us a summary of what God requires in His law:

“³⁷ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ³⁸ This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. “

The problem is that all mankind has fallen short of God’s requirement to measure up in every way to God’s divine law (Rom. 3:20, 23). All men by nature and by choice hate God and their neighbor (Gen. 2:6:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 7:23-24; 8:7; Eph. 2:1-3; Titus 3:3). There is no one who is righteous (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:9-20, 23; 1 John 1:8, 10). No one’s righteousness can pass God’s scrutiny and stand in His judgment (Psalm 76:7; 130:3; Rev. 6:17).

Because man has willingly broken God’s law, he lives under a spiritual curse, specifically, under sin and the wrath of God, and everlasting death (John 3:36; 5:24; Rom. 1:18; Rom. 5:9; Eph. 5:6; Col. 3:6; 1 Thess. 2:16; 1 Jn. 3:14; Rev. 19:15). As it is written,

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them,” (Gal. 3:10; [Deut. 27:26]).

God will not permit such disobedience and rebellion to go unpunished. For the Scriptures teach that,

“no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account,” (Heb. 4:13).

God is terribly angry with the sin man is born with (Ps. 51:5) as well as the sins man personally commits and thus will punish sinful man both now and in eternity (Ex. 34:7; Ps. 5:4-6; Nahum 1:2; Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6; Heb. 9:27).

Though God is merciful, He is also just (Ex. 34:7; Deut. 7:9-11; Ps. 5:4-6; Heb. 10:30-31). The Lord God is a holy God (Isa. 6:3; Hab. 1:12-13; Jam. 1:13). He is a consuming fire, a jealous God (Deut. 4:24; 12:29). Thus, His justice demands that sin, committed against His supreme majesty be punished with the supreme penalty, namely eternal punishment of body and soul in hell (Matt. 10:28; 25:35-46).

How then shall a sinful man reply to the Heavenly Judge when he calls him to account?

Because sinful man cannot pay the debt which God’s justice demands, the debt must be paid in full by another (Isa. 53:11; Rom. 8:3-4). The answer then lies in the Gospel. The Gospel is the answer to man’s greatest problem.

Man’s Deliverance

Man comes to know his deliverance through the gospel of God (Mark 1:14; Rom. 1:1, 16).

What is the Gospel?

“…at its briefest, the Gospel is a discourse (story) about Christ, that he is the Son of God and became man for us, that he died and was raised, that he has been established as a Lord over all things…This is the Gospel in a nutshell,” (Martin Luther,Luther’s Works, 35:117-124).

An Announcement of Good News

“…I bring you good news of great joy!” (Lk. 2:10)

The term gospel literally means “good news!” It is an announcement of joyful tidings, revealed from heaven to man (Luke 2:10-11; Gal. 1:11-12).

The good news of the Gospel is that God promises and proclaims, out of His sheer free grace and mercy on account of and for the sake of Christ alone to:

♦ Forgive the believer’s sin and reckon him as righteous in God’s sight (Matt. 26:28; Luke 24:47; Acts 5:31; 10:43; Rom. 4:4-8; 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; Eph. 1:7);

♦ Deliver the believer from death (John 5:24; 8:51-52; 1 Cor. 15:54-55; Heb. 2:15; Rev. 20:6, 14), the devil (Eph. 2:2; Col. 2:15), condemnation (Rom. 8:1), and the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9; Eph. 2:3-5; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9); 

♦ Raise up the believer from death, reuniting his body and soul to a blessedness in which to praise and enjoy God forever (1 Cor. 15:20, 42-46, 54; Philip. 3:21; 1 John 3:2; John 17:3; 1 Cor. 2:9).

God promises to give these benefits to all that repent and believe (Mark 1:15; John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:40, 47; 17:2-3; Acts 10:43; 16:31). Through the preaching of the gospel the Holy Spirit works effectually in the hearts of sinners and produces in them, faith, repentance, and the beginning of eternal life (John 3:5; Acts 11:18; 16:14; Rom. 1:5, 16-17; 10:17; 16:26; 1 Cor. 2:10-14; 2 Cor. 3:8; Eph. 2:8; Philip. 1:29; 2 Tim. 2:25). Thus, in the Gospel God gives to us what He demands from us.

God first revealed this good news in the garden of Eden immediately after the fall of man into sin (Gen. 3:15). Afterwards, though less clearly and to fewer persons, God revealed this good news:

♦ by the Patriarchs (Gen. 12:3 [John 8:56]; 22:18; 49:10; Deut. 10:15; Num. 21:9; 24:17; 1 Cor. 10:1; Heb. 11:13);

♦ by the Prophets (Isa. 53; Jer. 23:5-6; Mic. 7:18-20; John 5:46; Acts 10:43; Romans 1:2; 10:4; 1 Peter 1:10; Heb. 1:1-2);

♦ and by the shadows of sacrifices and the other ceremonies of the law (Lev. 1-7; John 5:46; Heb. 10:1-10).

In these last days (Heb. 1:2), God has more clearly and broadly revealed this good news by his only begotten Son (Mark 16:15; Luke 2:10-11; 24:47; John 1:18, 29; 6:41; 14:6; 15:5; Acts 1:8; Rom. 10:4; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Gal. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:15–19; Col. 2:17; 1 Timothy 2:5; Heb. 1:1-2).

Christ’s Humanity

“Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son,…” (Matt. 1:23)

The gospel declares the good news that Christ was manifested in the flesh:

“ ¹⁰ Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord,” (Luke 2:10-11).

Why was the incarnation necessary?

The eternal Son of God had to become man because sinful man cannot pay for others the debt they owe to God (Heb. 7:26-27; 1 Peter 3:18). Christ, the Mediator, had to be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and become a man because God’s justice demands that human nature, which has sinned, must pay for its sin (Rom. 5:12, 15; 1 Cor. 15:21; Heb. 2:14-16).

Christ’s Deity

“…the Word was God.” (Jn. 1:1)

Yet, it was necessary that our Mediator also be God (Jn. 1:1, 18; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Col. 1:15-19; 2:9; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:3, 8; 1 Jn. 5:20; 2 Pet. 1:1) so that by His own power, He might bear the weight of God’s anger in His humanity and earn for us and restore us to righteousness and life (Isa. 53; John 3:16; 2 Cor. 5:21). “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel,” which means, God with us,” (Matt. 1:23).

Christ’s Death

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,…” (1 Cor. 15:3b)

The gospel declares that Christ freely offered Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross in order to satisfy the just and righteous demands of God and His law, which has been broken by sinful man (Rom. 3:25-26; 1 Peter 2:24).

The gospel declares that Jesus Christ, the Mediator, was given for sinners to set them completely free and to make them right with God (Isa. 53; Matt. 1:21-23; Mk. 10:45; Luke 2:11; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 1:30). On the cross, Christ, the righteous servant, “would render Himself as a guilt offering” for sinners (Isa. 53:10). He would “bear their iniquities,” and intercede “for the transgressors,” (Isa. 53:11-12).

And so Christ came and lived a life of perfect obedience to God (Ps. 40:8; John 8:29; 1 Peter 2:22-24) and fulfilled all righteousness (Matt. 3:15), not for His own wellbeing but for His people.

Thus, Christ was qualified as the perfect, sinless, fully righteous Mediator and Savior because as a man He could be tempted and yet because He was God could not and did not sin (John 8:46; 14:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; 3:18; 1 Jn. 2:1).

Christ’s Burial

“…and that He was buried…” (1 Cor. 15:4a)

After Jesus death, He was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb (Acts 13:29). Jesus’ burial certifies the reality of His death and points forward to the reality of His resurrection.

Christ’s Resurrection

“…that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared…” (1 Cor. 15:4b-5a)

The gospel declares that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and appeared for forty days to a host of eyewitnesses (Matt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 24:1-12; Jn. 20:1-10; Acts 2:24-32; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). As Peter declared,

“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it,” (Acts 2:24).

The death of Christ is futile without his triumphant resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-19). Therefore, the resurrection vindicated Christ’s teaching as well as His life and death. His resurrection demonstrated that His death on the cross was an effectual sacrifice for sins. The resurrection demonstrates that Christ achieved victory over sin, death and the devil and that the good news about Him is true (Acts 2:24; 17:31; 1 Cor. 15:1-11, 20, 54-57; Col. 2:12-15; Rev. 1:18).

Christ was not raised for His own wellbeing but for the wellbeing of His people. His resurrection guarantees the believer’s present forgiveness, justification and co-resurrection with Him into newness of spiritual life (1 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 4:25; 6:4-11; Eph. 2:1-10; Col. 2:12; 3:1-11; 1 Pet. 1:3).

Still further, Christ’s resurrection guarantees the believer’s future resurrection when Christ returns to match our spiritual co-resurrection with a bodily transformation (John 11:25-26; Phil. 3:21; 1 Cor. 15:12, 50-54; 2 Cor. 5:4; 1 Thess. 4:14). This great hope of the church will signify the final destruction of death, which is a hostile and destructive intruder into God’s creation (1 Cor. 15:26, 54-56).

“²⁵ I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die,” (John 11:25-26).

Christ’s Ascension

“…as they were looking on, He was lifted up…” (Acts 1:9)

Forty days (Acts 1:3) after His resurrection, Christ ascended to heaven (Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11; 2:34; Philip. 2:9-11) where He is now seated at the right hand of God (Eph. 1:20-21; Heb. 1:3; 10:12) presently reigning as King and Head of His church (Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 1:18; Matt. 28:18; John 5:22-23)..

Christ’s ascension was the consummation of His redemptive work and thus the source of great benefits for believers:

♦ Christ now intercedes for His people as their advocate before His Father applying unto them the perpetual and infinite worth of His one great sacrifice (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25-26; 10:12; 1 John 2:1-2). Thus believers may have great assurance that Christ will forever defend them, since He is reigning as their glorious Head and is exalted far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Eph. 1:21; Phil. 2:9; Heb. 7:26)

♦ Christ sends the Holy Spirit to gather, comfort and defend His people and to seek those things, which are above, because it is there that Christ is (John 14:15-26; 16:7; Eph. 4:8; Col. 3:1-10).

♦ Christ’s ascension into Heaven guarantees all believers their future glorification and eternal dwelling and reign with Christ in glory (John 12:26; 14:1-3; Rev. 5:10; Rev. 22:5).

Christ’s Return

“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

Christ is now in Heaven until He comes again to judge the living and the dead (John 5:22, 27; Acts 1:11; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5).

How then may a sinful man come to share in the benefits of the gospel? How is a sinful man made right with God?

God’s Gift

Man comes to share in the benefits of the gospel through faith, which is the gift of God (Rom. 4:4-5; Eph. 2:8-9).

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,…” (Eph. 2:8).

No amount of good works will make a man acceptable to God (Isa. 64:6; Rom. 3:20; Gal. 3:10-14; Titus 3:4-7).

⁴ But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, ⁵ he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life, (Titus 3:4-7).

The gospel declares that a man receives God’s righteousness and makes it his own solely by grace through the gift of faith alone in Christ alone (Rom. 3:21-28; 10:10; Gal. 2:16; 3:7-9, 14; Eph. 2:8-9; Philip. 3:8-11; 1 John 5:10-12).

“⁴ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness…,” (Rom. 4:4-5).

 “⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast,” (Eph. 2:8-9).

When a man trusts in Christ alone his sins are forgiven, he is declared just by God, and adopted into God’s family as a beloved son (John 1:11-13; 3:16, 18, 36; Acts 16:30-31; Eph. 1:3-14; Rom. 4:4; 5:1).

God’s Invitation

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” is both Christ’s invitation and promise.

What about you? Will you come?

Jesus is a kind, gracious, merciful saving Lord. If you come, He will receive you.

Trust in Him to save you from the guilt and power of your sin (Matt. 26:28; Acts 13:38; 1 Cor. 1:8; Col. 1:14). Trust in Him to save you from His wrath and condemnation (Rom. 8:1; 1 Thess. 1:10; 5:9). Trust in Him to save you from the dominion of the devil (Acts 26:18). Trust Him to give you a new heart (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:26-27; 2 Cor. 5:17). Will you trust on Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins?

“Desperate cases are the glorious triumphs of His art of saving.”

Christ will save the vilest and most wretched of sinners who come to Him for salvation. The vilest sinners are properly qualified and prepared for the gospel’s design, which is to show forth the exceeding riches of grace when God pardons their sins and saves them freely (Eph. 2:5-7).

¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Tim. 1:13-16)

You do not have to delay. You do not have to prepare yourself to come. All that man brings to the Lord in salvation is his sin, sheer disgrace and emptiness. Christ calls you to freely believe in Him who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5). He does not require you to be godly before you believe.

Christ came not for the healthy but for the sick (Matt. 9:12). He did not come to call the righteous but sinners (Matt. 9:13). He did not come to call the rich but the poor (i.e., those who recognize their spiritual poverty; Matt. 11:5; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 4:18).

Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God’s free bounty glorify; True belief and true repentance, Every grace that brings you nigh.

Come, ye sinners, poor and need, weak and wounded, sick and sore; Jesus ready stands to save you, Full of pity, love and power.

Come ye weary, heavy laden, Lost and ruined by the fall; If you tarry till you’re better, You will never come at all.

View Him prostrate in the garden; On the ground your Maker lies; On the bloody tree behold Him; Sinner, will this not suffice?

Lo! th’ incarnate God ascended, Pleads the merit of His blood; Venture on Him, venture wholly, Let no other trust intrude.

Let not conscience make you linger, Not of fitness fondly dream; All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him.

Jesus has given full satisfaction to the justice of God for sinners (Rom. 3:25). Therefore, come to Christ just as you are. He will receive you when you come to Him for salvation. Those who trust in Christ will never perish (John 3:16; John 10:28). Come to Jesus and He will not cast you out. “All that the Father gives me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out,” (John 6:37).

Let whosoever will, come!

“¹ Come, everyone who thirsts,  come to the waters;  and he who has no money,  come, buy and eat!  Come, buy wine and milk  without money and without price.  ²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,  and your labor for that which does not satisfy?  Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,  and delight yourselves in rich food.  ³ Incline your ear, and come to me;  hear, that your soul may live;  and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,  my steadfast, sure love for David…⁶ “Seek the Lord while he may be found;  call upon him while he is near;  ⁷ let the wicked forsake his way,  and the unrighteous man his thoughts;  let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,  and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon,” (Isa. 55:1-3, 6-7).  

“The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price,” (Rev. 22:17).

What the Gospel Is and Isn’t

What is the gospel?

“There is nothing more notable or glorious in the church than the ministry of the gospel,” so wrote John Calvin (Institutes, 4.3.3.).

Yet, regrettably, there is also nothing more misunderstood and so easily distorted. There is a great deal of confusion among believers about what the gospel is. It is quite easy for the gospel to become mixed with other vital truths that are related to it but that are not part of the gospel itself.

Therefore, before answering what the gospel is, we must answer what the gospel is not, so that people are not required to believe more than is necessary for salvation. On the other hand, we must answer what the gospel is so that people know what is necessary to believe for salvation.

What is not the gospel?

The gospel is not man’s response to it. The gospel is not about what man does but rather about what Christ did. Faith and repentance are the proper responses to the gospel (Mk. 1:14-15) but neither faith nor repentance are part of the gospel.

The response demanded by the gospel is not the gospel. The gospel is not simply calling on people to make a decision. Establishing man’s alienation from God and his need of the gospel is not the gospel. Calling people to repent of their sins and to trust Christ is true and necessary but neither is the gospel. Calling on people to obey and live upright moral lives is not the gospel.

The distinction between the content of the gospel and its demands must be kept utterly distinct. To confuse one’s duty with the gospel is to leave the impression that the essence of the gospel and the Christian faith is what a man does rather than what God has done in Christ (2 Cor. 5:19).

The gospel is not the new birth. People often hear preachers telling people, “You must be born again!” However, this is neither the gospel nor something man is capable of doing. Regeneration (Jn. 3:3-8) is the glory of God’s amazing grace that reaches down and brings a dead heart to life. In regeneration the grace of God enables the sinner to receive and rest in Jesus Christ as He is freely offered in the gospel. It is therefore closely related to the gospel (and faith) but it is not the gospel.

The gospel is not the work of the Father or Holy Spirit. God is Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. All three persons of the one God are intimately involved in the gospel, but their roles are different. For example, the Father sends the Son (Jn. 4:34) and the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ and baptizes believers (Jn. 15:26; Acts 1:5). Yet while preaching of the Father’s love (e.g., Jn. 3:16) or the Holy Spirit’s witness of Christ in men’s hearts are all true and necessary for the gospel to be the gospel they are not themselves the gospel but rather fruits of the gospel.

D.A. Carson provides the following helpful summary concerning the importance of understanding what is not the gospel:

The Bible can exhort those who trust the living God to be concerned with issues of social justice (Isa 2; Amos); it can tell new covenant believers to do good to all human beings, especially to those of the household of faith (Gal 6); it exhorts us to remember the poor and to ask, not “Who is my neighbor?” but “Whom am I serving as neighbor?” We may even argue that some such list of moral commitments is a necessary consequence of the gospel. But it is not the gospel. We may preach through the list, reminding people that the Bible is concerned to tell us not only what to believe but how to live. But we may not preach through that list and claim it encapsulates the gospel…

Failure to distinguish between the gospel and all the effects of the gospel tends, on the long haul, is to replace the good news as to what God has done with a moralism that is finally without the power and the glory of Christ crucified, resurrected, ascended, and reigning, (Themelios, 34.1, April 2009).

What is the gospel?

The gospel is the saving event of Jesus Christ (i.e., Messiah), which is rooted in the Scriptures concerning His life, death, burial and resurrection.

It is the proclamation concerning this past, perfect, finished historic event of what God in Christ did for sinners for which they could not do for themselves.

In I Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul provides one of the clearest and succinct summaries of the gospel in the Bible. He reminds the Corinthian church of what is of paramount importance concerning the gospel.

Christ’s Death- 1 Cor. 15:3b

The gospel announces that Christ died on the cross for sinners and paid in full the penalty they deserved for their sins (Rom. 5:8; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Col. 2:13-14; 1 Pet. 2:24a). He died on the cross as the sinner’s substitute for the life sinners do live but shouldn’t.

In order to qualify as an acceptable sacrifice for sinners, Christ had to be personally perfect (Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:19). The Scriptures teach that Christ lived a perfectly obedient and sinless life on behalf of sinners (1 Pet. 2:22; 1 Jn. 3:5). He lived the kind of life for sinners that sinners don’t live but should (Matt. 5:48).

Christ’s Burial- 1 Cor. 15:4a

The gospel announces that after Jesus’ death, He was taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb (Acts 13:29). Jesus’ burial certifies the reality of His death and points forward to the reality of His resurrection.

Christ’s Resurrection- 1 Cor. 15:4b

The gospel announces that Christ rose from the dead on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and appeared for forty days to a host of eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15:4a-7; see also: Matt. 28:1-10; Mk. 16:1-8; Lk. 24:1-12; Jn. 20:1-10; Acts 2:24-32).

The death of Christ, the forgiveness of sins, faith and the preaching of the gospel are futile without His triumphant resurrection (1 Cor. 15:12-19). Therefore, the resurrection is the central fact of the gospel. Christ’s resurrection (and subsequent ascension, cf. Acts 1:9) completes the gospel.

The resurrection vindicated Jesus’ teaching, His sinless life and atoning death. In the resurrection, God the Father proclaims that He is fully satisfied with Christ’s atonement for sin. On the cross, Christ cried, “It is finished,” and in the resurrection God the Father proclaimed, “It is accepted!”

The resurrection was the fulfillment of OT prophecy (Acts 13:30-37). It declared Jesus to be the Davidic Messiah, the Son of God in power (Rom. 1:4; cf. Jn. 20:31), the risen Lord of the world (Acts 2:22-36, cf. Matt. 28:18) and is thus the basis for the believer’s justification before God (Rom. 4:24).

What is your response?

The gospel is not a value-neutral historic event (e.g., like knowing who won the first American Idol contest). As noted previously, the gospel demands a response. How then will you respond? Will you believe the gospel? Will you trust in Jesus alone to forgive your sins?

The gospel’s invitation is free. You do not have to delay. You do not have to prepare yourself to come. All that a man brings to the Lord in salvation is his sin, sheer disgrace and emptiness.

Jesus calls you to freely believe in Him who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5). He does not require you to be godly before you believe. Jesus is a kind, gracious, merciful saving Lord. If you come, He will receive you. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” (Matt. 11:28) is both Christ’s invitation and promise.

How Does God Enable Believers to Keep His Moral Law?

In Hebrews 12:14, the author writes, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

To be sure, holiness and the pursuit of holiness is an essential part of salvation. Believers are under obligation to obey God’s moral law. God calls His people to holiness (1 Peter 1:14-16). What is a holy life? It is one’s whole life conformed to all of God’s moral law.

The question is how? How does a believer pursue holiness? How does God enable a believer to obey His moral law?

The answer: the Gospel!

There is a right way and a wrong way to pursue holiness.

The Wrong Way: Law-driven Pursuit of Holiness

The law gives its method and order of salvation.

The law makes holiness a means to an end.

The law makes good works (i.e., holiness) the means of salvation. The law says, “Do and live.” The law says, “Keep God’s commands and then you will be holy.” The law promises no life, comfort, peace, favor, blessing, happiness or salvation until one has completely and perfectly kept it (Lk. 18:18-27).

If God’s law were not enough, Evangelicals have come up with their own methods (will worship) and laws for spiritual growth in holiness. As a result, the sharp, cutting edge of God’s law is blunted and the gospel has lost its joyful news.

It has become commonplace (really sacrosanct) for Evangelicals to offer “practical tips” to new believers. Here is a common scenario.

The question is asked, “Now that you are a new believer, what is next? What should you do next as a new Christian?” Without fail, new believers are given spiritual “To Do” lists, which are considered to be “practical, relevant tips” to help get new believers off to a good start for living their new Christian lives.

Here are some examples:

go tell someone what has just happened to you and witness

have daily “quiet times/spend time alone with God”

pray

spend time reading your Bible daily

make Christian friends

find a church

be baptized

learn to give

memorize Scripture

get an accountability partner, and the list goes on.

There is nothing wrong with reading one’s Bible, praying, memorizing Scripture, being baptized (for sure!), etc… However, the problem with these kinds of spiritual “To Do” lists is that it that they lead believers to think that the blessings of the Christian life depend upon their own works (i.e., performance). “You are in. But, if you want to grow you must start obeying so that you can be safe and happy before God.”

The problem with this kind of approach to Christian growth and discipleship is that it puts the gospel on the shelf.

Believers are sent forth to try and keep laws/rules without understanding the necessity and centrality of the gospel for their Christian life. Rules, not Christ, become the focus of the believer’s life. Christ’s death is only thought of as applying to the penalty of sin (i.e., what most Evangelicals commonly think of as being “saved,”). The Bible comes to be viewed largely as a rulebook to follow in regards to one’s sanctification.

Once an unbeliever is inside the kingdom’s door, it is assumed, now as believers, they simply need to hear how to live the Christian life and be challenged to go do it. And so the gospel gets put on the shelf and the Christian life becomes a reflection of the philosophy in the popular Nike slogan, “Just do it.” This common misconception is based on a misunderstanding of both the gospel and of the discipling process.

It is critical for Evangelicals today to understand that the Bible is more than a set of practical moral principles for learning how to “follow Jesus.”

For, if the Bible is nothing more than a code of moral principles for Christian living and principles on how to follow Jesus, it is no different than the Koran!

Rules, practical steps, etc… are law and law only points out one’s duty and condemns. Law has no power to change! The Bible is primarily the message of God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ.

Newly converted believers (as well as older believers) must not to think that the forgiveness that was conferred upon them for past sin, which they received in the gospel, has no application for them in their present daily life. So that for newly committed sins into which they fall they seek out new remedies of forgiveness in some other way!

In other words, new believers need to understand that it is not Jesus dying for sins and then the Christian life, “Me trying real hard.” Rather, it is Jesus from start to finish!

But, tragically, it is not just new believers who are given “practical tips” for Christian growth. “Practical, relevant tips” have become the steady diet for large numbers of believers in Evangelical churches these days.

Here are some additional examples of man-made blunted laws being taught in the church today:

Now you can experience the New York Times #1 besteller, Your Best Life Now, at home. In this game you will learn to climb the mountain so you can live life at your full potential. How? Simply follow the “laws” (i.e., game cards):

“Each new plateau represents a challenge and a chance to open up and experience these steps (laws, J.F.) first hand as you learn to live Your Best Life Now.”

Here are a few more examples:

“Get Out of the Land of Negativity – Stay Camped in a Place of Positive Thinking”

“Positive Thinking Tips for a Positive Attitude”

“10 Steps to Avoid Backsliding”

“4 “Essentials to Spiritual Growth: Step 1: Read your Bible daily; Step 2: Attend church services regularly; Step 3: Get involved in a ministry group; Step 4: Pray daily”

“4 Steps to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit”

“101 Ways to Simplify Your Life: Practical Steps for Restoring Sanity to Your World”

Whew! 101 ways! I am exhausted just reading the title! To all of these false and inadequate methods of sanctification, one can hear the apostle Paul asking many Evangelical pastors and churches today, “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh,” (Gal. 3:3). “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace,” (Gal. 5:4).

This is why we point these things out. We don’t want people severed from Christ! It is in Him that we find life (John 1:4; 3:16, 36; 6:35, 63, 68; 10:10, 28; 17:3). The believer’s help is not in law(s) but in laying hold of Christ! Through the gospel we receive faith and through faith, our entire conversion to God, justification, sanctification (this is where obedience/holiness fits) and salvation, for through faith we receive Christ, with all his benefits!

In comparison to these instructions given today for Christian growth, consider carefully the following words by Walter Marshall,

the gospel is what encourages you to obey God

I want people to lay hold of the comfort of God’s grace right at the beginning of their Christian lives

The gospel is what encourages you to obey God!

Oh, that more pastors and churches today would serve their people and teach them like Marshall, “The gospel is what encourages you to obey God!” “We want you to lay hold of the comfort of God’s grace right at the beginning of your Christian life! And we want to serve you by helping you to stand firm in the gospel for the rest of your Christian life!” “It is Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ,” (Col. 1:28)!

To be sure, believers are to grow and pursue holiness. But, growth in holiness will not come about through legal means.

What newly converted believers (all believers) need to learn from the start is the gospel, not rules!

Christians need to be instructed in a deeper understanding of the gospel and how it alone establishes them in every good work (2 Thess. 2:17). Believers need to be taught how to live holy lives because of the great gospel privileges they have received (e.g., Eph. 1-3 and then Eph. 4-6; or Romans 1-11 and then Romans 12-16).

Believers need to learn and understand that they cannot keep God’s law, no matter how many practical tips they receive. They also need to be taught that they are under no obligation to follow any of man’s self-imposed blunted laws!

No matter how “practical” or “relevant” tips, advice, steps, etc… may seem, works of any kind do not bring about holiness. All law, whether God’s law or man-made law, becomes a letter that kills. Good works are the fruit of salvation. Obedience, repentance, humility, service, etc… are all fruits of saving faith not the root. To make obedience (i.e., holiness) the root of salvation is to reverse the order of the gospel and to establish a conditional gospel and destroy the true means for authentic holiness.

The Right Way: Gospel-driven Pursuit of Holiness

In distinction to a legal method of salvation, the gospel gives a completely contrary means to holiness. Whereas the law says, “Do and live,” the gospel says, “Live, now do.”

Lamentably, the doctrine of the gospel is so little understood and the holiness of it is considered a strange thing. This, however, is nothing new, though it is sad. When Christ preached the gospel in all of its freedom, He was slandered as a glutton and drunkard. He was called a friend of tax collectors and sinners (cf., Matt. 11:9; Lk. 7:34). When Paul preached the gospel, he was falsely accused of opening a door for a licentious life (cf., Rom. 3:8; 6:1).

Yet, in a gospel-driven pursuit of holiness, the believer understands that God encourages him to live a holy life because of the grace he has been given (e.g., Rom. 6:11, 14; 8:9, 11; 1 Cor. 6:15, 19; 2 Cor. 5:21; 6:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:32; 5:1-2, 8; Col. 3:1, 4; Heb. 13:5). Paul, in Philippians 3:12 writes, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

“The Scriptures encourage believers to live holy lives because of the grace (i.e., God’s favor on account of Christ) they have already been given.”

In other words, imperatives always follow indicatives. Or, the gospel not law drives the believer to obey. Paul always proclaimed the gospel before he exhorted believers to obedience (e.g., Eph. 1-3 “therefore,” Eph. 4-6; Rom. 1-11 “therefore” Rom. 12-16). The Scriptures encourage believers to live holy lives because of the grace (i.e,. God’s favor on account of Christ) they have already been given (e.g., Eph. 5:1, “be imitators of God, as beloved children).

Walter Marshall cautions believers about blindly rushing out and trying to live a holy life, before they first understand the place of holy living in the order of salvation. He writes,

“If you are a wise Christian, you will seek holiness of life only in the order God has given…Oh how I wish that people would see the place that holy living fits into the mystery of salvation!” (p. 111, p. 112).

Though holiness and obedience are a necessary part of one’s salvation, obedience must be pursued in the proper order. Unless believers learn to first seek obedience in a gospel driven manner, they will fail in their attempts.

Marshall writes,

“…if you rush out and try to keep the law, without having Christ’s righteousness and Christ’s Spirit in you, you will have both the wind and tide against you! Your guilty conscience, and your dead corrupt nature, will frustrate and defeat all your attempts to love and serve God. The only thing you will do in this case is stir up your sinful lusts. You will not stir yourself up to true obedience. At best, you will attain the hypocritical performance of a slave,” (p. 112).

The pursuit of holiness does not precede faith. The pursuit of holiness flows from it! The promise of life, salvation and holiness are in the gospel. All the blessings of salvation (e.g., justification, sanctification, adoption, etc…) are what empower a believer to pursue holiness (i.e., obey God’s law).

The gospel is the catalyst for the Christian life.

Note Marshall’s point carefully,

“I have already said a great deal about how God enables you to keep His moral law. In short, he unites you to Christ through faith, as a branch on the vine, that you might bring forth much fruit (John 15:4-5). He first cleanses your consciences from dead works by justification, that you may serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). He makes you to live in the Spirit, and then to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). This is the gospel’s order. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. In the gospel, God first makes you alive, and then he enables you to obey Him. The gospel says, “You live. Now do this,” (p. 111).

In comparison to the law, Marshall demonstrates how the gospel gives a far better order of things in the pursuit of holiness. Through the gospel, believers have a great number of advantages and benefits for living a holy life.

The first advantage a believer has in the gospel for pursuing a holy life is that he understands and knows the love God has manifested to him (Marshall, p. 112).

This is precisely what Paul prays for in Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-21. The believer, Marshall writes has the advantage,

Believers, just as much as unbelievers, are bound to obey all of God’s moral law. But, the difference lies in the fact that believers are in union with Christ. Thus, they are delivered from the curse of the law by Christ, their Redeemer (Gal. 3:10-13). This, and only this, is the way in which believers give any acceptable obedience to God’s law (1 Tim. 1:5).

The Gospel, then, is the root of all true obedience to God (cf., Rom. 1:5; 16:26). The gospel is the means the Holy Spirit uses to produce obedience and faith and to sustain faith in a believer’s heart (1 Pet. 1:23-25; HC, Q. 65). Thomas Boston writes,

“Deliverance from wrath is the most powerful motive to obedience,” (Works of Thomas Boston, vol. 11, p. 323).

This is why the gospel, not rules, steps, practical tips, (any law) must be the central focus of the believer’s daily life.

The second advantage the believer has in the pursuit of holiness is that they have the indwelling presence and help of the Holy Spirit.

It is the Holy Spirit who gives believers the desire and power to obey (Ezek. 36:27). The Holy Spirit empowers believers to bring forth fruit unto God (Gal. 5:22-23). As Marshall writes,

“Through the gospel, you have both the wind and the tide pushing you forward in your attempt to live a holy life.”

Remember this: Man is wired for law-keeping not gospel trusting. Man is addicted to a legal method of salvation. Men desire to be under the law rather than Christ. Such a desire is engrained in the hearts of all men naturally.

This legal spirit is present even in the most mature saint.

Even believers, who are united to Christ, continue to struggle with a legal spirit.

How easily it is for Christians to run back to a broken covenant of works as the source of their acceptance before God. Listen again to Marshall,

“By nature, you are completely addicted to this legal method of salvation. Even after you become a Christian by believing the gospel, your heart is still addicted to salvation by works. In your heart you still want to make the duties of the law come before the comforts of the gospel. Even if you have become assured that your salvation does not depend upon your own works, you will still tend to make all of the comforts and blessings of the gospel depend upon your own works. You will find it hard to believe that you should get any blessing before you work for it. You will think this is as unreasonable as an employee getting a paycheck before he works, or a farmer getting crops before he plants and reaps!” (Marshall, p. 117)

Guard against a legal spirit by immersing yourself in Christ as given freely to you in the gospel! Nothing less than the omnipotent power of free grace is able to deliver a man from a legal spirit (1 Cor. 1:23-24).

Believers must pursue holiness. They must obey God’s law. However, this pursuit must be according to gospel not legal means.

Believers must know and be continually reminded that they are no longer under the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13). Believers are no longer under any condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

There is no curse in the gospel.

In the gospel, the curse (Gal. 2:17; Gal. 3:10) has been removed (Gal. 3:13).

Through the gospel, the believer, on account of Christ’s imputed righteousness, is declared to be in a right standing with God at the beginning of his Christian life. Thus, every day the believer’s sin stained and imperfect obedience and repentance are covered, forgiven and acceptable to God through Christ (1 Peter 2:5). Believers, who once were dead in trespasses and sins are now dead to the law by virtue of their union with Christ in order that they might bear fruit for God (Rom. 7:4).

Paul, in Ephesians 2:1-3 tells us that we were once dead in trespasses and sins (v. 1). We all once were dead men walking in our sin, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience,” (v. 2). We all “once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind,” (v. 3).

“But God….!” Hallelujah!

“4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

It is through these comforts of the gospel that believers are driven with gratitude to obey God’s law! Thomas Boston is correct:

“Deliverance from wrath is the most powerful motive to obedience.”

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