Abraham & the Gospel

[marc]

Dallas Burdette said:  

Ultimately, the meaning of the word Gospel boils down to the fact that many associate their understanding of the New Testament on par with the Gospel.

The last couple of weeks in the Sunday Bible Class I teach we have been dancing around the idea of what is most important and how our focus should be on God's saving work and not on our own works.  Most of the class has agreed on this, with the opinion expressed by many that by spending so much time criticizing others, we not only drive others away but we violate the principles of Jesus' teaching.  One person who disagrees, though, keeps coming back to the idea that we must preach "the gospel".  He often criticizes the man who preached at this church previously--a man who I have heard speak many times and is a gifted, insightful, grace-centered speaker--by saying that he refused to preach "the gospel".  This man's definition of the gospel seems to fit in exactly with what Dr. Burdette suggests.  Preaching the gospel is, to many, preaching the distinctive pattern of the Church of Christ.

The Good News, though, is both so much simpler and so much deeper.

As I read this excellent article I was reminded of something I heard Randy Harris say once.  He said that there is only one story in the Bible:  the story of God reaching down to man.   This is the Gospel, and it's there in the Scriptures from beginning to end.  :)


edited for format

[Prepete]

Dr. Burdette is right on course with his explanation of what constitutes the "gospel of Chrirst".  As a veteran of over 50 years in Churches of Christ, I can attest that many, regardless of which limb of the restoration tree they may roost upon, consider the "gospel" to be doctrine which their group extracts from the NT.  As Dr. Burdette says, that mindset will produce strife, contention, division, accusaton, condemnation and judgement toward all believers who may hold different opinions.  This is not to say that one should accept any or all viewpoints; it simply means one should accept his own fallibility.  There is a fine line between being confident and secure in one's beliefs and and being arrogant, self-righteous and self-deluded.  It would seem to me that in Biblical interpretation, one must either claim divine inspiration or accept the possibility, however remote it may seem, that
he/she could misunderstand the true meaning of what God intended.  My experiences within the Churches of Christ have led me to question the mindset that: "we have all the answers and if you don't accept our interpretation, then you are a heretic and are hell-bound".  I have observed that those of the "hardline COC mentality" are prone to isolate themselves from the mainstream of religious activity and thinking.  They do not associate with believers outside their own little dogmatic group.  They will not enter into discussion
with other viewpoints.  Its as though they fear that a differing opinion about some Biblical matter may be contagious and inflict them with sin and heresy.  Mostly, they retreat into their sanctuaries and recite their doctrines to one another
while pronouncing judgements on those who disagree with them.  This attitude is in stark contrast to the ministry of Jesus where He openly and freely moved among publicans, harlots and other "sinners".  I have long felt that there was an element of hypocracy involved in condemning a person for his belief while refusing to have any association or discourse with him.  Perhaps that line of reasoning is like the Kevin Kostner movie, "Field of Dreams": If you build a sanctuary, they will come.
     After voicing my doubt as to the sincerity of some elements within the COC, allow me to say that I believe the attitudes described above are on the decrease.  In my travels and reading I detect there have been significant changes for the better within the past 20 years in some divisions of the COC.  In fact, I would say that the "hardline mentality" is no longer a majority, though they don't yet realize it.  And of course, there have always been free thinkers who read and study the scripture and are able to shed the yoke of tradition and party doctrine.  Dr. Burdette, himself, is a living example that one can discard "party politics".  Remember the old joke.  
A man says, "If you're a southerner, you must be a democrat."
The other man replies, "No, I learned how to read."          :)

[chrischar]

Has anyone had a chance to read this article by Dr. Burdette yet. But it is OUTSTANDING. Light bulbs were turning on in my head. I have really had an "aha" experience.

Read this article! Let me know if ya'll thought it to be as profound as I did.

Chris

[Nicholas]

I also read the article and found it refreshing.  It's interesting to me how most people define the Gospel as their on set of scruples.  If my position does not line up with theirs, then I fall under the guidelines found in Galations. :(

May the God of Heaven help us to understand that the church is not the organization but the people


Nicholas......saved by grace

[marc]

Here's the article being discussed:

Abraham and the Gospel
 
By: Dr. Dallas Burdette

What is the Gospel of Christ? Within many of the twenty-five or more divisions within the Churches of Christ, one discovers that the basic definition of Gospel is associated with the twenty-seven books called the New Testament. Just recently, I listened to an editor of a very well known Christian journal advance the concept that the Gospel is the New Testament.

As a young preacher, I also taught that the Gospel consisted of twenty-seven books. As a result of this mindset, I castigated every believer that did not agree with the particular faction of which I was identified. Ultimately, the meaning of the word Gospel boils down to the fact that many associate their understanding of the New Testament on par with the Gospel.

One of the first Scriptures that I memorized as a young Christian came from Galatians 1:6-9. Twice in this short pericope, the apostle pronounces a curse upon anyone who preaches another gospel other than the Gospel he preaches. Paul went so far as to even mention angels. Even if an angel preached any other gospel, one should let the angel be anathema. Thus, one can understand why so much emphasis is placed upon this section of Scripture.

Many interpreters find meanings in the text that is really not there, but rather the meaning found in one's own mind. If one is to understand correctly the meaning of the word "Gospel" as utilized by Paul, one must consult the context. In order to get the feel for this particular word one must read the entire book in one sitting. One must endeavor to understand the text's theological meaning within the book itself. Many Christians jump into the text without any thought of what the author intended to convey to his audience with his use of the word "Gospel."

Paul defines "Gospel" in verse four of chapter one of Galatians-"Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age" (1:4, NIV). Paul opposed Peter when he failed to set forth the nature of the Gospel when he withdrew from the Gentiles. Some of the brethren insisted upon obedience to circumcision as prerequisite to salvation, rather than faith in Jesus alone (2:1-21). In the course of this conversation, Paul draws attention to the fact that the Gospel is about how one is put in a right relationship with God. For instance, he stresses that the Gospel is about justification by faith (2:15-17), not justification by law.

Paul sought to solidify his arguments by reflecting upon Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (3:6). Then Paul drops the bombshell in calling attention to the very heart of the Gospel: "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you'" (3:8). How did this blessing occur? Paul says, "The Scripture does not say 'and to seeds,' meaning many people, but 'and to your seed,' meaning one person, who is Christ" (3:16).

Two thousand years prior to Paul's writing the Book of Galatians, God announced the Gospel to Abraham. If one assigns the traditional definition to the word Gospel, one must naturally conclude, according to many Christians within the Churches of Christ, that God spoke to Abraham about a cappella singing versus instrumental music, the so-called sinfulness of Sunday school, the use of grape juice versus wine in the Lord's Supper, the organization of the church, the so-called church treasury, order of worship-five acts (rituals) to be performed in a prescribed manner-and so on.

No! The Gospel preached to Abraham set forth the justification of sinful humanity through faith in God's Son. The Gospel is "good news" about what Christ accomplished for sinful humanity. When Jesus died on the cross, He achieved for man what man could not complete for himself. The Gospel preached to Abraham involved God's methodology of justification-"God would justify the Gentiles by faith."

-Dr. Dallas Burdette

http://gcm.faithsite.com/content.asp?CID=161

[James Rondon]

Great article. Thanks for posting it, Marc.