The Gospel Insults

I recently posted this on our church website, and while I know that some of our readers saw it there I know that some didn’t and I wanted to share it here as well. It also serves as a free post as we prepare to answer a question that we received in a recent comment on the post, Amusing Ourselves to Death. So please forgive the double posting, and read or re-read this article.

Have you ever had someone tell you part of a story, but leave out a really important part? When your child does poorly on a test, and he describes how unfair the questions were but fails to mention that he didn’t study. Or maybe when he gets into an accident with the car and talks about how mean the officer on the scene was; however, again failing to mention that he ran a red light. We could list countless examples of when we have heard stories that were maybe the truth, but not the whole truth. It seems at times that many Christians do this with the gospel. It seems that they are afraid of the whole message of the gospel “offending” those they may speak to about Christ. Dare I say, we are at times “ashamed of the gospel.” What is Paul says in Romans 1:16? “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” He similarly charges Timothy to “not be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord” in II Timothy chapter 1. Later on in the letter Paul tells Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Paul is saying that Timothy needs to be precise in his handling of the word of truth, of the gospel. Do not be ashamed of it, Timothy, handle it rightly, don’t dilute it, but give it to them straight. Recently, I read an excerpt from Charles Spurgeon in which he comments on the problem of Christians of his day softening the truth. He says, “It is always wisest and best to exhibit clear decision upon fundamental points; we must draw the line distinctly, and then stand to it firmly. Do not alter your course because of winds and currents. Do not try to make things pleasant all round.” We need to heed this challenge and especially the challenge that we see over and over again in God’s Word. We are to preach the truth unashamedly, and yes, in love. However, if we preach the truth in love, we will not leave out the parts that we think might offend, because that would really not be genuine loving.

I think that we need to realize that the gospel offends on purpose, then we may have an easier time declaring the whole truth and not just focusing on the benefits of the gospel that we like, such as the fact that Jesus is good and loving. Both of these truths are completely and wonderfully true, but there is more to the gospel that we must focus on if we are to understand it correctly. Several months ago, Pastor Wilkes wrote a post that talked about the understanding of God’s wrath as being a good thing. We tend to shy away from the wrath of God, but there is no gospel without it. Tim Keller helps shed light on the subject in this way, “The gospel, by telling us Jesus died for us, is also really insulting. It tells us that we are so wicked that only the death of the Son of God could save us. This offends the modern cult of self-expression and the popular belief in the innate goodness of humanity.” The Gospel insults? Yes! The gospel doesn’t just tell us about the good things that we want to hear; it is not meant to coddle our self-esteem. The Gospel insults, it offends, and it does so necessarily, as it helps to give us the right view of God and the right view of ourselves. We must come to grips with the fact that we are so wicked that God had to slaughter His own Son on the cross as He poured out His wrath on Him as payment for our sins. If we do not, then, ultimately there will come a day when we will face His wrath. Why did Jesus die on the cross if there is no wrath of God? Ephesians 2:3 talks of Christians as those who “were [past tense] by nature the children of wrath.” We do a great diservice if we leave out the whole truth when we share the gospel.

Please Do not get me wrong, the Gospel is the Good News! It is all good news; the greatness of Christ, His love, His wisdom, His grace, His glory, and yes, His holy and righteous wrath. The gospel without the wrath of God certainly is not “the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” The wrath of God is part of the gospel. The gospel insults so we can see that there is no other way to be saved, than by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, it is all of God. When you think of the gospel, when you share the gospel, don’t shrink from sharing the whole truth, and nothing but the truth of the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ. Include it all because it is all good, and it is all necessary for us to understand it and to proclaim it correctly.