The Rest of the Gospel

Last night in our Bible study, we were talking about involvement with issues of justice. The question came up as to why the evangelical churches were all but invisible in the civil rights movement in America in the mid-20th century. Primarily it was because they avoided the ‘social gospel.’ The focus was on getting people to heaven by bringing them a message of conversion. But it was only half of the Gospel. True Christianity has both vertical (God-ward) and a horizontal (People focused) expressions! There is a judgment to come and it is important that we tell others of Christ’s power to forgive. And, it is important to care about how they will live right here, right now.

God saves us today from our sins, not just in eternity. The message entrusted to the disciples was about the coming of God’s Kingdom, now. Jesus reminds us of our worth to the Omnipotent God of the Universe this way: "What's the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail-even numbering the hairs on your head!" (Matthew 10:29-30, The Message) Isn't that mind-boggling?

God loves you and me specifically, not generally! He cares about the ‘stuff’ of our lives. We are to be like Him. We are called to love not just with sweeping rhetoric but with concern for all – the lovely and the unlovely. Recently I have been reading in the Minor Prophets. It is of note that often God expressed His disapproval of His people, not just for the 'biggie' sins like worshipping false gods or gross sexual immorality; but for their disregard of the poor, their oppression of the weak, depriving the 'little guys' of justice in the courts. Take a look at this passage from Amos. "You trample the poor and steal what little they have through taxes and unfair rent. Therefore, you will never live in the beautiful stone houses you are building. You will never drink wine from the lush vineyards you are planting. For I know the vast number of your sins and rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts." (Amos 5:10-12, NLT)

Disciple does your Christianity only focus on impeccable morality and things like going to church or paying your tithes? Those are good choices when they are an expression of our love for God. But Jesus reminds that there is a second great commandment, too. It is "love your neighbor as yourself!"

Here's a word from the Word. It’s the rest of the Gospel. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence." (1 John 3:16-19, NIV)

Let’s live our faith in both dimensions – with God-ward devotion and with deep concern for the way that the people around us live.

______________________

Jesus You have called us
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

We must go
Live to feed the hungry
Stand beside the broken
We must go
Stepping forward
Keep us from just singing
Move us into action
We must go

God of justice Saviour to all
Came to rescue the weak and the poor
Chose to serve and not be served

To act justly every day
Loving mercy in every way
Walking humbly before You God
You have shown us what You require
Freely we've received
Now freely we will give

Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out
Fill us up and send us out Lord

God of Justice
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Tim Hughes

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