I recently heard a well-known preacher say, “Our main
task is to go to heaven and take as many people with us as we can.” But is he
correct? If the gospel is simply about getting people into heaven where is its
relevance for today? Since most people will not die in the near future, they have little incentive to respond immediately to this kind of appeal.
It would be like me trying to sell you seats to a
Dallas Cowboys game for a date not yet determined between now and 2080! It may
be a good deal, but where is the urgency to buy the tickets? Waiting would seem more prudent.
According to NT accounts, the imminent arrival of
God’s kingdom [and not the promise of going to heaven] was the core of Jesus’
gospel sermons. When "our gospel" is compared with Jesus' gospel, we discover they are
as different as night and day. One emphasizes a future salvation, while the other invites
people to come under God's reign now. One asserts that you have to
wait to experience the blessings of heaven, while the other declares boldly
that the kingdom's benefits are available to enjoy while you are still alive and
well on planet earth.
A discovery of the “gospel of the kingdom” and its
relevance for today will revolutionize your life and ministry!
[In our next post we will take a closer at the gospel of the kingdom].
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