Improving the Gospel

There is one aspect of the Gospel that God has continuously brought to my mind over the last couple of days, and I would love to share it with whoever would care to read this. I'd like to bring your attention to the simplicity of it. In 1. Corinthians, Paul really stresses the fact that you can be dumb as a doorknob, and still be able to receive it. In some cases that can even be an advantage:

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. (1Cor 1:26-29)

This is why it makes me wonder what is going on when people say we need to tweak the Gospel, so that people will be able to understand it.

The Gospel, in it's simplest form, is that God punished his own son for the sins that we had committed. Christ took our guilt on himself, and we are free.

If you are able to take something as simple as that and complicate it to a point where people in general are unable to understand it, you are either the most ungifted preacher alive, or you have already "tweaked" it to a point where it's no longer the Gospel.

The Bible speaks in many places of those who do not understand the Gospel, but it's never because of any lack of mental capacity. The hindrance is always pride. They don't want to understand. For those who are willing to humble themselves it couldn't be more simple. Christ died for your sins.

The proud will mock it, the humble will ask "how do I get in?" The answer is as simple as it could be:

- Just believe it!

Humans being humans, always eager to add works to salvation, the next question is as as predictable as sin itself:

- How do I do that?

- Well, you do already, don't you.

- I guess I do, don't I. How did that happen?

- God did it.

- It can't be this simple. Don't I have to do something?

- Look at what you have to show for yourself this far! A lifetime of selfish decisions, self-worship and rebellion against God. Wouldn't it be better if you would refrain from doing anything more and let God do the doing from now on?

It's not hard to understand. But it takes humility to accept it. Salvation is from beginning to end a work of God.

If those you are trying to reach lack the mental capacity to understand it, then you are preaching a faulty gospel. Preach the Biblical one, and there will be no need for tweaking.

If however you are trying to reach those who are too proud to see the Gospel, tweaking it would make sense, but be aware that you are working against God. He has taken great pleasure in hiding it from the proud. (Luke 10:21) Are you absolutely sure you want to mess with that?