Ungospel

God’s word is not a band-aid. Sin is not a small scratch on your knee. Sin is cancer and God’s word is chemotherapy. I’m curious though, as a Christian, what is the sin behind my sin? What is the sin that is pregnant with all other sins? Some say pride. Others say idolatry. I disagree. I don’t think those are quite deep enough. I think those are symptoms of a much more serious condition. To be clear, I think the cardinal sin of a believer is to disbelieve the gospel. Think about it, we’re called believers. When we don’t believe the gospel, we’re denying our very identity. We’re acting like the gospel has no power. I call it, living ungospelly.

Remember Paul’s dispute with Peter in Galations 2? He described how Peter showed favoritism to the Jews and ostracized the Gentiles. Do you remember the nature of Paul’s correction? I find it interesting that Paul doesn’t say, “Peter was being racist” or “Peter was showing favoritism”. Instead, Paul says,

“But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel…” – Gal 2:14

Wow! Where did that come from? I thought we were talking about racism? I thought we were talking about whether or not to keep the Old Testament law? So Paul, you mean to tell me that the spiritual smackdown you gave Peter had little to do with racism and everything to do with the gospel? Wait, I thought racism was a pride issue? You mean to tell me that it's a gospel issue? Think about it though, the gospel attacks racism from two different angles:

#1 – All have sinned. Every race is equally guilty before God.
#2 – Christ died to gather people from every tribe, every tongue and every nation.

Do you see it? In the gospel, God is working for the redemption of all things, including racial reconciliation! Racism is not overcome by studying policies. Racism is overcome by studying the atonement. Racism is completely incompatible with the gospel. How amazing! Paul see’s everything as a gospel issue! The Bible is full of this. For example, if we were to walk through the book of  Philippians, we would notice that Paul’s thesis is,

“Only let your manner of lives be worthy of the gospel…” – Phil 1:27

That’s Paul’s goal in writing. He wants the Philippians to have their lives impacted by the truth of the gospel. Basically, he wants them to live as if the gospel is a big deal. The rest of the letter unpacks what a gospel-saturated life does and does not look like.

Chapter 2 - Pride:

 “[Christ] made himself nothing, taking the form of the servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” – Phil 2:7-8

Or in other words, the Christian life should be marked by humility. Why? Because we were saved through the humility of Christ. To be full of pride is to be ungospel. It’s essentially forgetting who you are. The gospel doesn’t produce pride. It can’t! The gospel can only produce radical humility and self-sacrifice! Can humility give birth to pride? No! That's crazy talk! We were “born again” through the humility of Christ. To be puffed up with pride is to be ungospel.

Chapter 3 - Self-righteousness:

 “But whatever gain I had I’ve counted as loss for the sake of Christ” – Phil 3:7

The implication of this is that finding your identity in your spiritual performance is ungospel. We don’t have to strive for the approval of others because in the gospel, we have the approval of the only one whose opinion really matters. Instead of relying on our performance, the gospel teaches us to rely on the blood of Christ for our acceptance. Guilt, shame and condemnation are all feelings birthed from a heart uncaptivated by the gospel. As believers, we deny salvation by works. However, strangely enough, with our actions we affirm friendship by works. We believe in approval through works. We feel a need to "measure up" or to "prove" ourselves to others. That is radically ungospel. That is essentailly living out salvation by works, which is the oldest and most dangerous heresy the Church has ever dealt with. We drastically need to return to the gospel. We need to live gospelly.

Chapter 4 - Arguing:

Chapter 4 begins by Paul addressing two women who refuse to get along.

“I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord” – Phil 4:2

It’s as if Paul is saying, “Don’t you realize that you and God used to be in a divine argument? Shouldn't you know how to reconcile? Remember what God said to you?

“Come now, let us reason together, though your sins are red like scarlet, I will make them white as snow” - Isaiah 2:18

Euodia, why would you argue? Syntyche, why can’t you reason with your sister? Don’t you two believe the gospel? As I read this passage, I sense Paul's frustration. I imagine he's beside himself saying, "This whole situation is completely ungospel! Shouldn't the gospel make you love reconciliation? Shouldn't reconciliation remind you of who you are?"

You never outgrow your need for the gospel. There is no such thing as advanced Christian ethics. Our standard is gospel. If we believe the gospel we will behave the gospel. If we embrace the gospel we will enact the gospel. But first we must know the gospel. Every Christian should be an expert in this.

“He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Every day is filled with new opportunities to live this out. Gaze into the gospel! Like a diamond, carefully observe every angle.  Like mouthwash, swirl it around in your mouth. When you take a shower, remember that you have been washed clean by the blood of Christ. Like a piece of gum, chew on the gospel. When you go for a run, remember how you ran toward worthless idols but now you run towards the beauty of Christ. Whenever you fall short, believe the gospel. Whenever you do well, be humbled by the gospel. Whenever you are tempted, be strengthened by the gospel. Whenever you share the gospel, trust the power of the gospel! I pray that you would be a student of the gospel and in so doing, live gospelly.

He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it.