Why are we still not getting the good news right?

The promise of the gospel is a transformed life

The most compelling argument for believing humankind was made in God’s image is that everybody wants to control the world – just like God. The more I live, the more I see “playing God” as the insidious factor at work in so much of what goes awry, despite our great intentions to live and preach the good news for the sake of the world.

Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

It infects progressives and evangelicals alike, and fundamentally affects their theologies and missions.  Control issues are so ubiquitous that they are rarely questioned.  It makes sense, after all: if you’re on a mission to improve the world, isn’t the idea to control everyone’s behaviour to fall in line with The Anwer? Well, what would Jesus do and say? 

Here I will argue that Jesus’ message was that the kingdom of God will never happen until the soul of humans undergo transformation.  We must change and live out of new heart to live well and do the works of God that bring salvation and healing to the world. And why is that good news avoided?  It’s out of our direct control. “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

I’m sure this thesis has already been well researched and extensively written about. For Christians, however, since we all assent to the Bible as an authority for theology and mission, I’m hoping a tapestry of scriptural references on soul transformation might be a suitable entry for anyone who would care to journey along this track with me. The main question is what is at the heart of Jesus’ good news, and what does it cost to get it?

Some would say that Jesus simply wanted to change our attitude to uphold the heart of the Mosaic law in the way God intended: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’… and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Matt 22:37,40). An easy way to understand love is to simply “treat others as you would have them do to you”. (Luke 6:31) “Do this and you will live,” he said to the legal expert (Luke 10:28). Another favourite scripture, found in the Old Testament, advises us “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

The problem with all this good advice is that it wasn’t news at all.  And the gospels do not uphold the narrative that Jesus was simply a reformer of Judaism.  It has nothing to do with why Jesus allowed himself to suffer death on a cross, or why the religious leaders of the day wanted him killed. A reformed approach to obeying commandments won’t cut it.

There are many scriptures that refer to the centrality of the Easter story to explain the good news, which is why that event is the high point of the Christian calendar. A classic summary is the scripture “if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9). This suggests that all you need to do is confess and believe in Jesus you’ll be saved from death (or hell) which means you get eternal life.  There’s a lot more scripture on this issue, of course.  Let’s dig further.

In Acts Chapter 2 we see the moment at Pentecost when the apostles knew the gospel message for the very first time. That was just minutes after the Holy Spirit suddenly landed on them and they enjoyed a loud celebration until a crowd gathered to find out what was going on. Peter preached the first sermon, declaring that God had sent Jesus as the promised Messiah who suffered crucifixion for the propitiation of our sins, and was raised to life again.  What were they to do? Repent, get baptized in Jesus’ name and receive the Holy Spirit that has been poured out as prophesized by Joel. (Acts 2:38,39).

Here we see the additional cost for becoming a Christian is repentance, and the reward is gaining the Holy Spirit. Often the phrase “to repent” means to recognize we’re all sinners, unworthy of the kingdom of heaven until our sins are taken away by believing in Jesus. But repentance means to change one’s life, so what does it mean to pay that price?  How or when did repentance happen to the apostles?  They all scattered when Jesus got arrested before he was crucified and had not yet demonstrated much wisdom, love or power up to that famous Pentecost day. But in that moment, it seems, they were suddenly transformed into bold, godly men. How did that transformation happen, and is their experience the model for us when we become Christians?

Throughout the gospels Jesus kept repeating not just this simple instruction “believe in me” but also “follow me”. I suggest the apostles were yet to learn the model that is needed to make disciples of Jesus, not just believers. The New Testament writings show that the Lord’s apostles experienced a growing revelation of Jesus’ message and the kingdom of God. For example, Jesus said in John 16:12,13 “I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it. However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.” At the ascension of Jesus, they again asked about restoring the political independence of Israel. At that late moment they were still thinking that the kingdom was to be visibly established!  All Jesus could say at the time was “wait until you receive the promised Spirit” – and then you’ll know what to do, and what it’s really about. 

They suddenly understood what Jesus meant when he declared: “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). That’s a strong clue. But how does receiving the Holy Spirit result in a changed life that exhibits the “fruits of repentance”? The answer is clearly laid out in John’s gospel, written many years later; I say it’s the gospel of how Christian transformation occurs. The first chapter begins the story, not with the historical record of Jesus’ life as did the “synoptic” gospels, but where transformation begins. He writes: “to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God… From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:13,15, 16)

This implies there is a radical departure of understanding how to repent and align one’s life with God’s requirements, compared to the commandments for the Jews.  It is not by law, but by grace – as Paul quite clearly understood and wrote about repeatedly, at some length, especially in the books of Romans and Ephesians. Throughout the book of Romans Paul explained why the law wasn’t working, how the scriptures foretold a new covenant was coming and he lamented the Jews’ lack of humility and faith to receive the good news. 

At this point we can see that righteousness – the “fruits of repentance” is “imputed”; we are simply given righteousness, and thereby are saved, “not by works but by faith”.  These and many scriptures by themselves show we need not (and perhaps cannot) attain true righteousness, i.e. not really change, but that we remain sinners, saved by grace.  Jesus declares at one point, “the work of God is to believe in the one who He has sent (John 6:29). And Paul made it clear that “this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:22). That alleviates the pressure of “foolishly” trying to continue our relationship with God by trying to please Him “in the flesh”. 

In fact, a lack of real change also keeps us humble. We don’t want to be, as Jesus described the Pharisees “who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt”. We’d rather be like the tax collector who stood at a distance, saying “‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ ...  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Does it matter that our faith does not result in a transformed life? Did God conclude we would always be “missing the mark” (the definition of sin) and not expect disciples to live godly lives? If that is the case, how are we supposed to be salt and light, bearing the fruit of love so that show ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples?  There seems to be a bit of tension here. Let’s see if we can resolve it.

There is, in fact, a slew of scriptures that imply we need to live up to a high moral standard.  The standard of righteousness to enter heaven is so high, Jesus said, that it’s impossible to humanly achieve it, despite even the Pharisees best efforts to do so (Matthew 5:20). “You, therefore, will be perfect [growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life], as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, Amplified Bible). While Paul confessed to not have reached perfection (Philippians 3:12) he did also advise us to “be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children.” (Ephesians 5:1).

Jesus’s message in the Sermon on the Mount, in fact, emphasized that the law’s standard was too low! (Matthew chapters 5-7). The main point was don’t even sin inwardly!  One must be right thinking in one’s own heart, and do good works that gives glory to God, and live better than the most religious by loving others well, even your enemies.  Later, in Matthew 12, he affirms this point: you can only do good if your heart is good. You will not recognize the works and words of the Spirit of God if your heart is not good. That clearly suggests our hearts need to be transformed.

Paul addresses this issue quite skillfully after laying the foundation of imputed righteousness in the first five chapters of Romans.  In chapter 6 (verse 1) he asks, rhetorically, “Shall we continue to sin so that grace may increase?” Later he says: “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.” (Romans 6:18). He explains in chapter 7 that our sin nature held us back when we tried to become righteous by obeying the law, but now Jesus set us free “from this body of death”. He concludes that not only are we free from condemnation, but “that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). Truly, we can live extraordinarily godly lives. We recognize that

“those controlled by the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the flesh, but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you… For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:8,9,14).

We can see the continuity with the law, which is what Jesus was showing when he quoted it and Paul also explained: “We establish the Law” (Romans 3:31) when we “fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). But, as pointed out above, the good news isn’t that we do it “in the flesh” which is the same as trying to obey the law of Moses.  Rather, we follow the moving of the Spirit within us, and confirm we are Spirit-transformed when we exhibit “the fruit of the Spirit (which) is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22,23).

Back to the gospel of John, who unfolds more clues about the transformed life with each chapter. Here are two early quotations:

“Whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.” (John 3:21)

“If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water… springing up into eternal life.” (John 4:10,13)

What this means is that when we become born of God, with the Holy Spirit now dwelling within us, we have the power within us to overcome sin and do good works that glorifies God.  This is what Jesus was explaining in John 14 as he provided the metaphor of abiding in the vine so we can bear lasting fruit.  Yes, it’s our working out righteousness, but through the grace of God living through us. That’s why James says “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). Later, John wrote that he expected us to “walk as Jesus did.” (1 John 2:6)

Transformation into the likeness of Jesus, exhibiting love, power and wisdom, therefore, is what repentance is all about. It’s clear that righteousness a) is not going to happen by observing the Mosaic law, b) is not just a declaration that ignore what our lives are really like.  It is c) being truly “transformed by the renewing of your mind” as we inwardly obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. Peter describes it this way:

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2nd Peter, 3:4)

It all starts, however, with the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are born of God. We become godly and loving through keeping faithful to our new nature; godliness is intended to be our spontaneous true selves. “Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

“Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.” Psalm 85:10