A Gospel Manifesto, Part 1 of 4

All our problems really are a failure to apply the gospel truth of Christ and Him crucified. When I do things fall in place, when I don’t things fall apart. The answer to all our problems, and all our weaknesses lies in the gospel. We need and have a gospel manifesto by which to navigate life. We know gospel means good news. In the secular Greek context in which it was originally used, the word euangelion was usually used for the announcement of victory after battle, news a herald would bring from the front lines. The primary word early Christians used as the basis for their new identity in Christ and the message and mission God entrusted to them. Manifesto is a different animal. It’s an Italian word. A Manifesto is a clear call for a course of action; to act upon a certain teaching or way of viewing the world; a statement of purpose and intent. A Gospel Manifesto says here's the need and agenda based on Christ’s work on the cross.

You could say that the entire bible is a gospel manifesto. Every passage of Scripture either predicts, prepares for, points to or proceeds from the work of Christ. In Rom. 1-11 are some of the most gospel saturated words in the Bible; 12:1-2 gives a course of action based on the truths laid out in the preceding 11 chapters, based on God's grace poured out on ill-deserving sinners. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 is based on the cloud-parting truth revealed in chapters 3-5. Ephesians Chapters 1-3 are pure gospel; everything that follows is how to live the gospel. They reveal God's sovereign choice and purpose; His justification of sinners, their subsequent God-initiated and sustained resolve to trust Him and love Him in everything. Colossians chapters 1-2 are pure gospel. Colossians was written to believers battling false teachers and were in danger of obscuring the gospel by lesser things. Col. shows the superiority of Christ over everything. How right living is rooted in the heavenly not earthly.

We need to be saturated by the gospel, continually marinating in the gospel, fully immersed in its truths, anchored in it, lashed to its mast, giving the gospel central place in our lives everyday, even under the intense pull to abandon it or drift away from the message of Christ and Him crucified. To continually refocus and retool as we retell the life-giving, life-altering, life- transforming truth of God's victory over sin and death in His Son, Jesus Christ. That is God’s calling for every Christian & God's intent for us.

Col. 1:21-23 is a manifesto; a statement of intent from God to us. Here is what He has done, will do and will enable and empower us to do – as He works in and through us. And here is what He expects us to do. Paul said, 1 Cor. 15:10 not me, but the grace of God with me. Colossians 1:23 warns us not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel. How do we make sure we are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel? If we have moved, how do we get back?

We shall see. But let’s just chew on this thought for today: Our great need, on an ongoing basis, as we are reoriented around gospel truth in Christ; is to remain in the realm of the gospel; & recover a gospel mindset whenever we drift; by God’s Spirit, through His Word and for His glory.