(This is the fourth article in a series. You can find the other articles
here: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3)
What does it mean to be gospel-minded? It means to habitually allow the truths
of the gospel to frame the perspective from which we view our circumstances. In this series, we’ve been taking some
of the basic truths of the gospel and considering how that particular truth
could shape our thinking.
The truths that we’ve already considered are: God is holy,
man is sinful, and God is wrathful.
Now we’re ready to move on to a fourth: Man is doomed.
(I know that these first few truths don’t conjure
happy-go-lucky emotions. It may
seem like thus far this series has been a bit dark. Just remember two things. First, the good
part of the good news is just around
the corner. Second, these truths,
while dark, are real and true and they can and should be used to help us think
rightly about the world around us.)
That man is doomed means simply that man is completely
helpless to change his deadness in sin.
As we saw last time, God’s wrath is revealed against all unrighteousness
ultimately in the form of eternity in hell. Since all people have sinned against God, hell is the justly
deserved destination of all people.
Whenever we’ve wronged someone in this life, we frequently
try to “make it up to them.” We
attempt to work to regain that person’s affection, sympathy, support,
forgiveness, etc. Most religions
of the world attempt to do this with God.
In these religious systems, good works lead to salvation, nirvana,
paradise, or whatever.
However, this will not work with the one true God. A good deed cannot cover up a bad
deed. That bad deed, or sin, must
be dealt with according to the justice of God. Nothing slides.
So no amount of good works will improve a sinner’s station before
God. Even if this would work, it
still would not address the root issue.
We’ve noted in recent weeks in our Sunday morning study of
Philippians that man has a heart problem. All sinful deeds spring from a sinful
heart: For from within, out of the heart
of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness
(Mark 7:21-22).
The physical circumcision that marked Abraham’s descendants
did not enable them to obey God.
Rather a change of the heart was needed, a change that could only be
accomplished by God: But to this day the
LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear
(Deut 29:4). Man’s hell problem is
compounded by his heart problem.
There is nothing he can do to change his sinful nature: Can the
Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil (Jer 13:23).
Again, keep in mind that these more difficult truths set us
up for the really good news that God has provided salvation for sinners in
Jesus Christ. We’ll get to that
shortly. For now, how can the
truth that man in himself is doomed help us to think rightly about everyday
life? Consider a couple of scenarios.
A believing couple has three adult children. None of them show any interest in
spiritual things. The parents are
tempted to overwhelm their children with the truth, bombarding them with books,
articles, sermons, and heart-to-heart talks. They remain in a state of semi-panic over the spiritual
condition and ultimate destiny of their kids. How can this component of the gospel help them to think
rightly about the situation? “Our
kids are slaves to sin. They need
a change of heart that only God can bring about. While we will continue to take advantage of opportunities to speak the
gospel to them, our ultimate tool should be prayer that God will do what needs
to be done. Whatever happens, we
will trust and worship Him.”
In a very different situation, a man has Muslim
neighbors. They are devoutly
committed to this false religion. Because
of the violence perpetrated by Muslims here and abroad, sometimes he is tempted
to regard them with indifference, and at other times with scorn.
How might the gospel help him to view this situation rightly? “These people are doomed to hell. They deserve it, but no more than I
do. Only the God of the Bible can
help them and He only does that through the word of the gospel (Rom 10:17). He may not change their hearts, but
that is His business. My
responsibility is to tell them the grave predicament they are in before God.”
Have you been taking time to look at your circumstances
through a gospel lens? If not, you’re
likely no more gospel-minded than before we started this series. For that reason, you’re likely still
engaging in unbiblical thinking about your life. But you don’t have to stay that way! It doesn’t take long. Just set aside three minutes a day to look at
one situation in your life from the perspective of the gospel truths covered so
far. You’ll be amazed at how
quickly and radically your perspective can change. Let’s press on together!
Next time, God is
gracious.
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