I am still not quite sure just what exactly a Christian should know in order to be considered fit to live a good, Christian life. I have personally gone into a great deal of detail when it comes to scripture – I feel as if I’ve gone overboard with theology, all in the hope of changing my life and the lives of others. I don’t really feel a great deal better for it, to be honest. One thing I do know, above everything else, is that trying to use the Bible to discern principles and moral standards to live by, simply does not work.
When it comes to the message of the Gospel, the good news of Christ, I believe that we only really need to know, understand and believe, the very basics of the core message – all of which is good news to us (no demands, “shoulds” or rules to follow). If people were to take this truth on board, there would be no need to set themselves in staunch opposition to Christianity. Yes, I agree, there are abuses that go on in the church, together with a lot of confusion and contention; many people have worked their way through the maze of all of this and come to know what true Christianity is all about.
These great and precious promises are things that the Bible says we already have in Christ. There is no “trying” to get or working towards something: aiming towards a pre-determined moral standard. According to the Bible – we already have these promises in our possession, in our heart, right now!
So let us now consider some of the things that the Bible tells us we already have in Christ:
- Love (Romans 5:5)
- The life-giving power of God in us (John 10:10)
- Spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV)
- Redemption and forgiveness / remission of sins (Ephesians 1:7).
- Reconciliation (Romans 5:11)
- Righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21)
- No condemnation (Romans 8:1)
- Partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)
- The Holy Spirit living in us (John 14:16)
- Holy Spirit guidance (Romans 8:14)
- Gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-11)
- Material needs supplied (Philippians 4:13)
If I have left anything out here, then we should bear in mind that Ephesians 1:3 says that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
If I had to put the Gospel in a “nutshell” and provide a summary of what Christ’s finished work means, in just one sentence, I would use what I call “The Four R’s”: righteousness, redemption, remission and reconciliation. These are four incredibly powerful concepts which are the mainstay of the Christian belief system. As a Christian I would say that “The Four R’s” are immutable facts, rather than something we strive to attain or to earn. Whether these precious promises are available to non-Christians to enjoy is a subject which is hotly debated amongst some Christians.
Righteousness
This is seen by some as a believers ability to live his life right, free of sin. Indeed, if we have the nature of God imparted to us through the new birth, we ought to be able to live free from sin – so it can include that. But that type of righteousness is often used to put the onus on the believer, instead of on Jesus. Righteousness has more to do with our being accepted by God, not because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has already done for us. There are no obligations attached to righteousness – it is a free gift to those who believe. We are right with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Redemption
Redemption is a term used in relation slavery, which means to be bought out of slavery. This relates to being set free from sin, both in terms of our being held captive to its allure, and also, to the punishment of sin by God. The latter part is also referred to as redemption from the curse of the law. The curse of the law being the curses that God would allow to come upon those who failed to keep the Old Testament rules, including, but not exclusive to, the Ten Commandments. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13).
Remission
The New Testament often states that our sins are forgiven in Christ. But oftentimes the Greek work translated “forgiven” is actually the word for remission. When something is remitted – it is taken away forever. In Christ, our sins have been taken away as if they had never existed. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28). When the Bible talks about sin, it is mostly in the context of man’s nature without God – it is a state of being. In Christ, the “old man” which loved to sin has died and we have been raised up with Christ with the nature of God abiding in us.
Reconciliation
In Christ we have been reconciled to God, brought near to Him and restored back into relationship with Him. We were never made to live apart from God; we cannot exist without Him. We were created for fellowship with God, just like a son to his Father. Adam knew God intimately, but lost that fellowship when he sinned. In actual fact, God seeks to live His life in us and through us. (See Acts 17:28, Ezekiel 37:27, Phil. 2:13, 1 Cor. 6:19).
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