The Explicit Gospel by Matt ChandlerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book by pastor Matt Chandler was no disappointment for anyone familiar with his sometimes caustic and sometimes outrageous wit. It is perhaps a bit of a surprise to find oneself roaring in laughter while reading a book of Christian philosophy and exposition....but that is exactly what I found myself doing on numerous occasions. Granted, Matt had me trembling in knee-knocking terror at the understanding of the immensity of our God and about the tiny role we play in the grand scheme of things. At a number of places as he pulled the rug out from under any Moralistic tendencies that I had, I found myself relieved that what I had perceived about God, just wasn't true.-- My heart has fairly frequently withdrawn from God rather than run to his arms as I should have, when I've fallen short and failed him. I've felt unworthy at such times and like I needed to work harder to keep this demanding God happy.
Pastor Chandler was clear about the fallacy of such lines of thought. And he also revealed the opposite danger, which was to weaken the gospel message and to pursue a social improvement type of faith, as so many mainstream Protestant churches are guilty of doing: creating a social gospel that eradicates the cross and our need for salvation..
And he did not have a weak conclusion as some books do, wandering into repetition of their points or into a mass of generalities.Rather Pastor Chandler pulled a hard punch about our need to be EXPLICIT with people when presenting the gospel. As a mother and wife to unbelievers, it has been all too easy to presume that they understand and grasp the gospel....and when they have expressed thoughts about God that are completely off base --a hatred for a punitive God who should demand perfect actions in order to win his approval--I see that my assumptions that they are "getting it" were also radically off base. It is critical that we verbally and with our lives demonstrate with clarity the Gospel of God's grace and the completeness of his work done on the cross on our behalf. Otherwise, they just wont' "get it" and will rather listen to the misconceptions and lies propagated by a misunderstanding society.
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2 comments:
From your comments you tell us that your perceptions of God have previously mirrored your unsaved family members perception. I believe our families struggle with the unfairness of our diseases/pain/losses which can lead them to experience anger or lack of love towards God and they often buy in to the misconceptions about who He really is and what His character is.
When you and I allow the Holy Spirit to break the chains of deception and false teaching in our own lives and as we run into the arms of our Abba Father we are changed! That transforms our faces and attitudes and behaviors (even in the presence of disease/pain/loss) and our families can begin to see that we have a blessed life because of our wonderful relationship to God - regardless of the circumstances and that blessing can be something that draws them to God for themselves!
Another thought: you mention the phrase "should have" in terms of our response to God. His 'arms open wide' are an invitation, not a command, nor an accusation against us. Our not embracing God's love does'nt need to be moralized or viewed as a failing on our part. Thats where the self crimination comes in and perpetuates the cycle of self hate that distances us from God. It also takes the joy out of finally falling into his arms. Because even as his arms enfold us we are thinking about ourselves...about how much we dont deserve His love.
Arent we so self centered? Making everything always only about US and not about Him?!?
Worship will always be hindered till we move out of that mindset and into true fellowship with God our Father!!
You are right, that I was just as guilty of "not getting it" as my family. The only difference being that I KNEW the right words, KNEW the Gospel, but did not experience the gospel and thus was no freer for the tiny bit of knowing that I had then they. It is so frighteningly easy to be a Pharisee, is it not? God has been at work in my heart over the span of the past few books I've read, revealing dark areas of a mistaken belief about God that my heart has held tightly to and showing me as you stated, "It is not about me; was NEVER about me." Not my goodness. Not even MY badness....God came to mend the broken badness of a fallen world and saved me in the process...And via that action allowed me the true joy of knowing him; encountering him and growing more in love with him. I'm daily growing in the experience of him....growing in grace??
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