The gospel – just the forgiveness of sins, or something more?

Many preachers emphasize the forgiveness of sins as the gospel itself. However, we shall see that this is not the whole gospel, but only a beginning, just the surface. The gospel is about something far deeper!

Enmity

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Romans 8:7–8. [emphasis added]. It was sin that created divorce between God and man, and it is sin that creates dividing walls between people. For us people, sin thus represents a lost fellowship with God, and it is only sinful tendencies that cause people to have problems with each other so that they are no longer able to create and maintain goodness, love, and fellowship with each other.

“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Ephesians 2:14–16 [emphasis added]. The flesh, whose passions and lusts and desires bring turmoil and strife, must be crucified with Christ (Galatians 5:24). Thereby man is set free – free indeed! (John 8:36).

The enmity is put to death

Since man’s problem is turmoil and enmity, the gospel, which can solve all the world’s problems, is about putting to death the enmity and creating peace, fellowship and confidence, reconciliation with God and reconciliation between people.  “The intimate counsel of the Lord is for those who fear Him so they may know His covenant.” Psalm 25:14 [ISV].

The cross was thus the place where enmity was put to death and fellowship with God was restored. This meant not only atonement for sins committed, but a deeper reconciliation so that we people can live a life according to God’s law, in fellowship with God and to His good pleasure.

“... if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:14–15. Thus, Jesus’ death was not only a death as an atoning sacrifice, but because He became like His brethren in all things (Hebrews 2:17), it was also a death as a representative of the human race. When He died, all died with Him. Selfishness thereby received the death blow, and people were set free from the bondage of sin. Glorious freedom!

“Just forgiveness” or full reconciliation?

To illustrate the difference between “just forgiveness” and full reconciliation, we can take some examples from life.

A family is suffering because the father has a substance abuse problem. When he comes home drunk, he sometimes uses violence against the mother and creates havoc in the home. When he’s sober and realizes the problems he’s causing, he asks the mother for forgiveness and promises to change. The mother forgives, but this is repeated several times, and the mother and father drift further and further apart. We understand that true reconciliation between the father and mother in this kind of relationship can only happen if the father is completely freed from his substance abuse problem. Only then can they work together to create a safe and happy home for themselves and their children.

This is easy to understand, but there are other evil inclinations in a person than substance abuse problems, which may not be so visible, but which create divisions between people. It is only a complete liberation from these that creates reconciliation.

There was always an irreconcilable state of discord between David and Saul (2 Samuel 3:1). We might ask what it would take to bring about reconciliation between them? Would it have been enough for Saul to ask David for forgiveness for throwing the javelins at him? That would have been a good start, but since the cause of the strife was envy, it would not have been enough. Only a deliverance from the evil thoughts of envy in the depths of Saul’s heart would have allowed him to rejoice in David’s progress, and reconciliation between them would have become a reality. Then they could have worked together in peace and confidence.

Liberation from the power of sin

In the deepest sense, then, reconciliation means sharing the same life and the same interests, so as to arrive at sincere love, unity and fellowship, and it becomes possible to work together. The gospel is not only forgiveness and liberation from the guilt of sin, but something much more – namely, liberation from the power of sin, that which creates dividing walls between people and separates people from God’s good pleasure and blessings.

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” Romans 6:22 [emphasis added].

Here we see that the reconciliation is about being set free from sin and thus being able to serve God – to become God’s coworkers.

What a reconciliation! What a gospel!