I have been trying to figure our for some time now why the gospel is really "good news". I look at many aspects of what has been termed "Christianity" in the modern American church, and I wonder if there is any good news at all. If being "saved" means that now we can sit in a church pew and hear shame based messages about what we shouldn't be doing, and beat ourselves up over what a terrible, wretched person we are, then really, I don't care to go. Yes, that is me, a Southern Baptist by upbringing, really stating that I don't want to go to church if that is what church is about. So really, what is the "good news" that Christ is talking about? Is it really that we can now approach God with our shame and keep trying to please God by our good works? Seriously, I don't think God needs our good works. He needs NOTHING from us. The GOOD NEWS, I have finally realized is this. I WAS A SINNER. I'm in the club of murderers, liars, thieves, gossipers, adulterers, and anyone else that has ever sinned in this life. I am part of the club, always have been. And nothing I can do can change that. Does this mean I despair and wallow in the muddy pit of shame? Absolutely not. Actually this is a HUGE relief. I no longer have the pressure to keep trying, to be something I am not, to perform and perfect and please others, and to please God. The pressure's off! This is only half of the Good News though. The other half is this "While we were YET sinners, Christ DIED FOR US". It's all HIM. It's ALL GRACE. It is nothing that I have done. And when I accept this truth, He is now part of me and I am part of Him, and my very nature is changed. I can now have a relationship with the living God, apart from rules and regulations and performance. I no longer have shame. I am free, not because of what I have done, but because of JESUS CHRIST! That is good news!
I wonder, beloved believers, why then, do we keep trying to fix each other, shame each other, and give each other a bunch of rules that will make us more Christlike? Maybe it is time that we invest in simply reminding each other of who we really are, and the overwhelming, beautiful, unfathomable love that has been given to all of us. It is that simple, and that complicated.
But it is the best news I have heard all year.
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Thank you Jesus for the freedom that I have in you. Thank you for loving me in spite of myself and teaching me to give and show this same kind of love to others.
It gives me daily peace to walk in your grace and know that you will guide my steps even when I mess up. Thank you for teaching me to give this same kind of love back to others, even when they hurt me. Lord, please help me to teach this kind of love to my children. Thanks for sharing! The Gospel is Good News!!
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