Gospel to the Point
I want to take this opportunity to share with you some reflections on the gospel, and how it underlies our vision for Christ Church Youth Ministry.
What is the gospel? The gospel is that we are saved, not by anything we do, but by what Christ has done for us, all by grace alone. In other words, salvation, from beginning to the end, has been accomplished by Christ, through his life, death, and resurrection; we, though sinners in ourselves, are counted as righteous before God when we put our faith in Christ. Now this amazing grace that has brought us near to God will also continue to bear fruit in our lives over time. In and through Christ, God is not only saving individual persons and adopting them into this family, but is also renewing the whole of creation until the day of Jesus’ return, when all will be made perfect and glorious.
There are two “false gospels” that people often fall into. If you picture the gospel as the peak point of the mountain (grace to the point), then one side of the peak, we find legalism, and on the other, relativism/antinomianism (no law). Legalism says that Christ’s work on our behalf is not sufficient to save us, we must also do good works in order to be saved. The older brother in the prodigal sons parable in Luke 15 is an embodiment of the legalist; he serves the father, but only out of duty, his obedience is not a way to honor the father, but a way to get things and blessings from the father. His heart is cold toward his father and his younger brother. On the other side of the mountain top is relativism, or antinomianism. Antinomianism does not mean simply disobedience or breaking God’s law, an antinomian is someone who says “who is to say what is right and wrong? I’m the only person who can decide what is right and wrong for me.” The younger brother in the parable of the prodigal sons falls into this error. Which one of these two “false gospels” are you prone to fall into? Do you see God extend his grace to others and feel resentment because they are not “good enough people”? Do you feel in your heart that you can live however you choose, and God will simply affirm your heart’s desire and want you to pursue your own happiness?
Both legalism and relativism will drain your spiritual vitality and make God seem less real over time. And both Christians and non-Christians can fall into either one or both of these. Only when you truly understand that you are saved by grace alone, not by your works, can you truly approach God with boldness, while being propelled by the saving grace to do good works as a way to honor the One who saved you.
At Christ Church Youth Ministry, we seek to build a ministry that is centered on and motivated by this amazing gospel of grace. Our vision for youth ministry can be captured like this:
By God’s grace, Christ Church Youth Ministry seeks to form persons who understand the essence of the gospel, applies it to every area of his/her life. Persons whose heart affections are changed and set on Christ, rather than idols and false gods. Persons who are growing in and exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, whose mind and heart are aligned with and engaged with the Word of God. Persons who live a life of integrity and service to others, who are eager to share their faith with their friends and neighbors, with love and patience. Persons who are growing in their repentance of sin and reliance on the grace of Christ for all of life. Persons who are thoughtful in engaging the culture and applying their faith to their education/vocation.
Photo by Etienne Bösiger on Unsplash
