For the Sake of the Gospel

by Mike Chong Perkinson

Maryanne Hannan states a rather bold assertion in an article entitled “The Discomforts of Discipleship.” She opens up her heart and confesses that “I write about a set of beliefs that I support but do not fully live. My own writing disturbs my conscience more than what I read of others’ writings. Because I am unworthy of the message, should I stop writing?” (Spiritual Life 46:4 Winter 2000: 197) What an honest confession and one I’m sure that our hearts resonate with. Such honesty opens up the questions and let’s us ponder before the Holy Spirit the deep issues of our life. How do we deal with the internal paradox? Are we really doing all “for the sake of the gospel?” “Do I really believe all this stuff about Jesus? God? The Bible?”

There is a lot of emphasis in our church culture on reaching the postmodern generation. It is driven by a heart that desires to see this unchurched generation find a relationship with our loving savior. I applaud all these attempts and ask God on a daily basis “to raise up more laborers for the harvest.”

Ironically, I find myself deeply challenged in this new day where old methods of reaching the unchurched find themselves rather impotent. I’m not challenged because of an inability to adjust and adapt to an ever-changing culture, but find myself asking the question that stuns me into reality. “Am I doing all this for the sake of the gospel?”

It’s easy to answer the question with a blatant, “yes!” However, if I allow the Holy Spirit to peruse my heart, I find that I am forced to ask whether I did enough for the sake of the gospel or whether I did everything for the sake of the gospel. There is a large difference. Paul emphatically and poignantly explains:

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (I Cor. 9:19-23, NIV)

When I listen to the words of Paul I am confronted radically with the issue of motive. He lived his life “for the sake of the gospel” and did everything he possibly could for the gospel. Am I maintaining my stand for a postmodern church that effectively contextualizes the message of the cross for the gospel or for myself? Is my position determined more by a western Enlightenment autonomism (self-rule), or is it determined by what Paul Tillich called “christonomism,” the rule of Christ? Hard questions to ask and frightening at that, but questions that must be asked by the Church. If we are going to be a people that live out the gospel, then we need to be confronted by its message, transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit and living in the love and grace that Christ so wonderfully demonstrated for us. Contextualizing the message is right, but we must incarnate it – that is live it out in front of the world in honor of our God.

Dr. Robert Webber writes; “Spirituality is essentially turning our backs on evil and embracing what it means to be fully human. God in becoming a man actually shows us what a true human being looks like . . . showing us what it means to be a true servant and a person of love, joy, and peace.” If it is true that Jesus has come to give us life and it abundantly (Jn. 10:10), then it only seems logical to assume that those in the church would be living a life that is a cut above the world. The church then should be full of people who are out living the world – we should be a model of what a human being really is. Jesus was that model for us and demonstrated what a life could do when it is fully submitted to God. As people look at our lives, are they reflections of a life that has been radically transformed – reflections of the heart and holiness of our Father? How do our lives reflect the love, joy and peace of our Father?

I often wonder if we, the Church, have somehow missed the essence of Jesus’ admonition to love God with all of our heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Our focus tends to be on the arena of external living. You know, memorize scripture (so that we can be right), stay away from evil (translated means “those awful and disgusting sinners”), pursue righteousness (often means run from the world and retreat in safety) and pray for the world (which often means we seek to find ways to force our personal agendas on others). There is nothing wrong with the practices just noted, I am in question about the heart that is practicing them.

The gospel is about freedom and a new life in Jesus. Paul pens these wonderful words in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (NIV). It is rather apparent that the gospel can become many things, often serving the self-interests of those who are promoting its truths. Franciscan peace activist, Sr. Rosemary Lynch, tells how she is able to remain so cheerful and forge on with her difficult work. She tells a powerful story of how as a child she thought the actual words to the hymn “Oh Lord, I am not worthy” were actually “Oh Lord, I am not worried.” To the mind of a child it made sense – If we are loved by God then there is no need to worry. What this tells me is that when we realize how much we are loved by God, our hearts melt in humility and humanness finds its true expression. In other words, it all starts with the love of God as was so wonderfully and radically demonstrated on the cross.

Before I conclude let me say that this article is not an invitation to excessive self-scrutiny – after all such does not elicit true humility nor does it bring rest from the burden of life. And so, “am I doing everything I can for the sake of the gospel?” What a question – I like it because it forces me to sit at the feet of the one who knows. Something each of us should consider doing – after all, He is the one who brings definition and release to our existence. May we find the life He has for us and may we be the people that dynamically reflect the love, joy and peace of our Father!

May our prayer be:

“For the sake of the gospel, O God, that is my plea.
For the sake of the gospel help me to lay aside all pettiness And meanness of spirit.For the sake of the gospel let me find ways to overcome conflict and divisions.For the sake of the gospel may I not substitute what is not gospel for the gospel of compromise the gospel out of fear or betray the gospel out of self-interest.For the sake of the gospel help me to stand fast for the gospel.For the sake of the gospel help me to be faithful to the gospel.And finally, O God, for the sake of the gospel enable me, above all, to distinguish what is gospel from what is not the gospel.For the sake of the gospel enable me to discern the line I must never cross.
For the sake of the gospel enable me to know when to yield and when to stand fast.Through Jesus Christ, your gospel. Amen.” (E. Glenn Hinson, “Reconciliation and Resistance,” Weavings 15:6 Nov/Dec 2000 : 46)