Saturday, February 19, 2005
Complex Gospel?!
Adrian Warnock answers a great question that Rebecca Writes asks with a very positive affirmative. But it is just the first question that Rebecca asks. She continues with this one
That is a very simple answer with extraordinarily complex implications. The 'simple gospel' discussion is about a starting point for a life-long and utterly transforming journey. The simple gospel is a description of 'enough' to convince someone and to make sure they are not mislead.
But, once having given ascent to the 'simple gospel' we now walk with the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that simple gospel expands to fill every corner of our existence.
Here in lies one of the great issues with evangelism, and it is why the simple gospel discussion has been so compelling. It is simply impossible to transmit to someone the totality of the gospel, we do not know it ourselves, it is a process of discovery through a lifetime. And even then we cannot know it all, because we lack the capacity to fully comprehend God Almighty.
What a great question!
I'm asking, What's included in the whole? How complex is it, really?My answer? As complex as the character of God!
That is a very simple answer with extraordinarily complex implications. The 'simple gospel' discussion is about a starting point for a life-long and utterly transforming journey. The simple gospel is a description of 'enough' to convince someone and to make sure they are not mislead.
But, once having given ascent to the 'simple gospel' we now walk with the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit, and that simple gospel expands to fill every corner of our existence.
Here in lies one of the great issues with evangelism, and it is why the simple gospel discussion has been so compelling. It is simply impossible to transmit to someone the totality of the gospel, we do not know it ourselves, it is a process of discovery through a lifetime. And even then we cannot know it all, because we lack the capacity to fully comprehend God Almighty.
What a great question!
