The Gospel Every Day

One thing I am certain of... You're not reading this now with a "clean slate." No one is outside the strong reach of sin and its corrupting nature. Each one of us is dealing with something. If you seem to have it all together, and have no inner struggle between what you know is good and the mess that is you, then that might be a red flag.

Christian, as you grow, your knowledge of God should grow as you go along. What I mean is the knowledge of God's nature and character, his standards or his law should be ever increasing.

God is bigger than I thought. God is more beautiful than I could have imagined. He is more perfect than I would have ever thought. God has been taking off my blinders, and revealing the infinite perfection and beauty that is his character.

Meanwhile, my view of my self has become quite different than I would have thought. I haven't progressed like I thought I would when I first became a Christian in 2006. In fact, I am much more distraught than I have ever been! Why?!

The essence of the Christian life, your walk with God, is that the more you continue in the faith, the more you become familiar with these two truths:

1) The Holiness of God
2) The Sinfulness of Man

These two ideas simply cannot coexist. Rather, the more you learn about one, the more the other becomes apparent. Despite popular belief, the longer you are a Christian DOES NOT mean the better of a person you are. Quite the opposite! It means the more aware of your desperate need. Which for some of us means we will struggle more, depression and suffering.

Scripture teaches and urges us to when we have moments of desperation or pain to cling to Jesus, his death and resurrection. The gospel! The good news that Jesus Christ took on the wrath of God that was meant for us and to reconcile us and present us as children to God.

The gospel of Jesus is what brings the sinner comfort. The gospel is what brings relief to the tears of the desperate. Not religion. Not another bible study. Not another book about finding the Spirit/Purpose/Best Life. The Gospel is not something that you "figure out" in the beginning of your Christian life and then figure out how be a good Christian afterwards. You need the Gospel every single day.

Your heart needs capturing every single day. Because you are a forgetful person! Your heart is constantly making up other gods to worship. I'm not just quoting the Bible at you, but telling you what is going on in my own heart. I hope we never grow tired of hearing of the cross. The cross is what brings change!

When you were little, what did you want your Dad to say to you? For me, "I accept you. I love you. No matter what." I didn't want my Dad to give me a book of rules and how to obey them, rather I wanted his acceptance and love. Acceptance drives change, not your will! The gospel brings change, in your heart, your family and relationships.

So if you're struggling... you are ever aware of the chasm that is between God and you... Behold your God and his Gospel. The good news. Never grow tired of it. Never stop pursuing it.