Tuesday, May 27, 2008

No single gospel message?

If I had to put this [the Gospel] outline in a single statement, I might do it like this: Through the person and work of Jesus Christ, God fully accomplishes salvation for us, rescuing us from judgment for sin into fellowship with him, and then restores the creation in which we can enjoy our new life together with him forever.

In an article in the Leadership Journal online, Tim Keller writes that while there may only be one Gospel message (which he's tried to put into a single statement form above), there are many forms of the message. After discussing the different 'forms' and the possibility of there being more than the ones he mentions, he goes on to talk about preaching the Gospel in different ways, as follows:
1. I don't put all the gospel points into any one gospel presentation.
2. I use both a gospel for the "circumcised" and for the "uncircumcised."
3. I use both a "kingdom" and an "eternal life" gospel.
4. I use them all and let each group overhear me preaching to the others.

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