Refreshing Simplicity of the Gospel
These days I feel refreshed by the simplicity of the gospel as presented in I Cor 15:3-4:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
The simplicity that I am referring to at present is not the fact that this message can be understood, with a minimal amount of explanatory background, by children and adults, educated and uneducated, from all backgrounds and walks of life. And the simplicity that I am referring to is not the fact that this gospel is received simply by persevering faith (I Cor 15:1-2) apart from any works of man or complicated systems. There is a lot to be said about the hope and joy that comes from these aspects of gospel simplicity, but what I have in mind right now is another way in which the gospel is simple.
I’m talking about the simplicity of what is given to us in the gospel: Christ died for our sins. Of course, this simple statement can be greatly expanded in accordance with the Scriptures. In Christ’s death for our sins we are simultaneously given justification, reconciliation, peace, and friendship with God, cleansing of guilt, covering of shame, redemption from slavery, adoption as sons, salvation from wrath, and so on and on. At another time I might take particular delight in the profundity, the depth, and the breadth of what the gospel offers. But right now I’m especially refreshed in the fact that it can all be summarized so succinctly as: Christ died for our sins.
But it is a bit strange, isn’t it, to get excited about the simplicity of something given to you? I’ve been searching for a job recently, and clearly it is better to receive a job offer with a multitude of benefits rather than a job offer with just one benefit. The analogy isn’t perfect, but it suffices to make the point that everyone wants to receive more, not less. So why should anyone get excited about the “simplicity” of a gift received?
To answer that, let me first clarify what the gospel is not. Don Carson made some good comments on this at a Bible conference here this weekend. Here is a paraphrase, as best I can remember it, of something he said in passing, “If we are talking amongst ourselves as Christians with a Biblically-saturated mindset, then `God has a wonderful plan for your life’ can potentially be understood with a thoroughly Biblical and gospel-laden meaning. But tell the secularist or pagan that God has a wonderful plan for his life, and what is he thinking? `Fantastic! Better sex! A good job! More money! Safety and security in this life!’” [See also my article on “God’s Wonderful Plan” in which I made the same point.]
The gospel is not an offer for your own worldly, fleshly concept of “a wonderful life” to be fulfilled in Jesus. The gospel is not an offer to become God’s friend so that your prayers about winning the lottery and marrying the person of your dreams will finally come true. To put it in sharper contrast, the cross is not the place to go if you are looking for a life of ease, comfort, and removal of the pains and stresses of this world.
What the gospel sets before us is Jesus’ death for our sins. The very name of Jesus was given with the meaning that He would save His people from their sins (Matt 1:21). Salvation from sin is what the gospel is all about.
Now why is it exciting and refreshing to be reminded that the gospel is all about Jesus’ death for my sins, and not about any of those other things? Wouldn’t it be even better if the gospel promised salvation from sins and lots of great sex, a thrilling job, plenty of money, and protection from all or at least most of life’s dangers? I say no! The gospel that simply says “Christ died for our sins” is far better than a false gospel that says, “Christ died for our sins and He also died to give us a bunch of earthly treasures.” You see, the reality of Christ’s death for my sin is an infinite treasure. When this infinite treasure is stated all by itself, in pure simplicity, then my heart and my mind are refreshed by the reminder that nothing in this world can compare to the value of having Christ die for my sins. On the other hand, for Bob Barker to announce, “Christ died for your sins, AND YOU ALSO WIN A BRAND NEW CAR!”, would be to take the refreshing transcendency of the gospel and suck it dry.
Sometimes less is more. For example, in a jewelry display case. If there are so many rings and watches that it requires a bucket to hold them all, then we are probably at Uncle Marv’s Pawn Shop. If the diamond rings are spaced out a little bit more then it is probably because each one has more to offer. But if one gem is resting all by itself in an enclosed glass box atop a raised, guarded pedestal, then you can bet that that one solitary piece is worth more than all the others combined.
The gospel of Jesus Christ doesn’t promise us better sex, earthly riches, safety, comfort, or whatever else a pagan would define as a “wonderful life” precisely because all of those things are rubbish compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. Christ died for our sins. If you simply have that, then you have all you’ll ever need.