the gospel jd greear (chapter 1)

7/27/2019 The Gospel JD Greear (Chapter 1)

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Recoering the Power tht Mde

Christ inity Reolut ionry

J D G R E E A RForeword by TIMOTHY KELLER


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J.D. lear o te gopel, umle ad umorou. He wrttea oo tat good for te Crta lag aurae, te Crtatempted to legalm, te Crta tempted to gult, te Crtatempted to elfe. If you wat to e moal ad fatful, rea-

g out wle oldg fat, t oo wll eourage you.Mar Deer, eor pator, Captol Hll Baptt Cur ad

autor ofNine Marks of a Healthy Church

Wt t oo J.D. Greear oldfe poto o a team ofyoug eagelal oe allg te twety-frt etury ur ato te gopel. He powerfully ad progly ow tat te gopel uta eeary ad releat after you eome a Crta a t eforeeaue te gopel doet mply reue u from te pat ad reue ufor te future; t alo reue u te preet from eg elaed totg le fear, eurty, ager, elf-relae, ttere, ettlemet,ad gfae. J.D. mae te lear ae tat we te word of tegopelCrt loe for u wtout trg attaedgrp our eart,t et u free ad age eerytg.

Tulla Tda, pator of Coral Rdge PreyteraCur, Ft. Lauderdale, Florda,

ad autor ofJesus + Nothing = Everything

My oul otue to e eouraged y te trrg up of trogoe to pot people to te gopel ad wat appear to e a geuemoemet a to tat tg tat Paul oder of frt mportae.

J.D. a doe a materful o of larfyg ad wrgg out te gopelmplato for te lfe of te eleer. Weter you are a pator, aeee ur your wole lfe, or ae reetly eome a Crta you

wll f d t oo to e elpful.Matt Cadler, lead pator, Te Vllage Cur

My fellow pator, J.D. Greear, troug oo, a elped u t quet for gopel-aturated lg. He tae te prple of gopeletralty ad ow u ow to oret our le aroud t. I appre-ate ow refreg ad real way e mae te gopel aele tooter o tat tey a experee t traformg power. I epeallyle te oo pratal eto o gopel prayer a a way to at u reearg tee trut deep to our eart ad md. Weter you

are explorg Crtaty for te f rt tme or are logg to loo totee tg aga ad aga, let me te you to ped tme wt telpful oo.

Tmoty Keller, eor pator, Redeemer Preytera Curad autor ofThe Reason for God


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Radal oedee to te pero of Crt a oly prg from re-le trut te uffey of Crt. I am grateful to God for my fred

J.D. Greear ad all to plat our le ad ure oldly te olof te gopel. T oo wll elp you ret daly God great grae a

you le otually for God great glory.Dad Platt, eor pator, Te Cur at Broo Hll

ad autor ofRadical

Wt darmg oety, J.D. offer a gtful loo at te pr-tual realte w fae u today. I loe te eto o Your New Idetty!Perap te mot pogat ad etral trut for me eg gopelCetered ot mog pat te gopel ut otually wmmg deeperto t. I eourage you to read t oo.

Dr. Fra Page, arma of te Exeute Commttee of teSouter Baptt Coeto

J.D. Greear oe of te greatet me of God I ow. Ad oe ofte mot rllat. H alty to ommuate te gopel a fre yetfatful way perfetly poto m to pea te lfe-gg meage of

Jeu to you a way tat you ae eer expereed. Ad a way tatwll age your lfe foreer.

Stee Furt, lead pator, Eleato Curad autor ofSun Stand Still

Ie led log eoug to ow tat tere oly oe ope, oe tgtat a atually eal u ad traform u: te grae-aturated gopel of

Jeu. J.D. Greear te u to de to te ottomle ed of te gopelpool ad fd lfe tat deeply atfe.

Jud Wlte, eor pator of Cetral Crta Cur,La Vega ad autor ofTorn,

Wat left f te gopel lot? Tat queto ould aut teeagelal md a we are ow urrouded y o may fale Gopel,partal Gopel, ad ofued Gopel. Addreg t emergey,

J.D. Greear offer oud ouel, lear lal tg, ad te fullmeaure of oto elpg Crta ad ure reoer teautet gopel of Jeu Crt.

Dr. R. Alert Moler Jr., predet,te Souter Baptt Teologal Semary

ad autor ofHe Is Not Silent

Te gopel truly age eerytg. I Gospel Pator J.D. Greearmae tat trut rytal lear. I t oo you wll lear tat Crt


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preee ad approal are al l you eed today ad alway for eerlatgoy. I loe t oo for te leg t wll e to te ody of Crt. Ita a word for u all.

Dael L. A, predet,

Souteater Baptt Teologal Semaryad autor ofEngaging Exposition

I elee God ad J.D. wrte t oo for u a tme a t,for tere a eer ee a tme te ur were we o deperatelyeeded to ee te gopel more learly, ad te pero of Crt oetral to te gopel. T oo a gft from God to H ur adto te world.

Clayto Kg, predet of Croroad Worldwdead autor ofDying to Live

If youre ot amazed y te lood-oaed good ew tatrpped you from te grae, te you ut mgt e o your way toeg ored to deat. Ad oredom lead to te futlty of rote per-formae, pretedg, ad ultmately depar. Im taful oe of myfaorte preaer te world, J.D. Greear, tae all tat o too. Wt preo ad pu, J.D. rg te o ad awe of

gopel power. T oo wot ut egage your md, tll queyour pule.Ruell Moore, dea of te Sool of Teology ad eor

e-predet for Aadem Admtrato at te Souter BapttTeologal Semary ad autor ofAdopted for Life

I ae pet my etre lfe tudyg moemet. Great pr-tual moemet le Great Awaeg or moary moemetae at ter eter te reoery of te gopel. We deperately eed

u a moemet our tme, ad I for oe elee we are eeg t.J.D. Greear ge larty ad perpete to t growg gopel moe-met. T oo ould e read y eery pero reatg, wetereleer or ot, weter leader or ot. Get to ow afre te God

wo ae y readg t oo, ad fd reue for your oul.Al L. Red, profeor of Eagelm ad Studet Mtry,

Baley Smt Car of Eagelm atSouteater Baptt Teologal Semary

Notg a affeted my lfe more ta te gopel. My trty-fe year of patoral mtry ae ge me a eer-reag loefor, ad deeper awe of, t power. Dr. Greear a mu to offer te ody


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of Crt emrag t gopel all t glory. Te gopel really te power of God for alato, o read ad e foreer remded!

Joy Hut, eor pator,Frt Baptt Cur of Woodto

I loe te gopel ad te way tat te gopel fuel zeal . . . adI loe te way tat J.D. wrte aout t. T a gopel aturated ootat wll gude you your dere to loe te Lord ad your egor.I gly reommed t.

Elye Ftzpatr, autor ofGive Them Grace: Dazzling YourKids with the Love of Jesus

Wt te larty ad oto of a propet, J.D. Greear allu to more ta auray ad aadem wt te text. I ooe allege u to e ure tat te gopel more ta etral to ourteology . . . ut tat t a traformed our le.

Ma Bruo, eor pator,Frt Baptt Cur of Jaolle

Are you tred of te doet etwee ead-relgo adeart-relgo? Read t oo. Are you tred of te treadmll of

performae-dre Crtaty? Read t oo. Are you ulearaout ow your loe for te gopel ould play-out your daly walwt God? Read t oo. Are you tred of te empty gopel-argotat, regrettaly, a eome ogue our day? Read t oo. It ort olume, J.D. Greear a gfted te ur wt ometg

woderful: e all u to redoer te Soure of te traformgpower of te Crta lfe. I ort, e eo u, woo u, ad dreu to Crt, our great treaure ad eteral oy. Hopeful ad lfe-gg, I gly reommed t oo.

Sott Adero, exeute dretor, Derg God,Meapol, Meota

Te frut we raeoy, peae, loe, goodepertetlyelude our teque ad formulae. J.D. Greear remd u tat Jeuad gopel are ot te mea ad te ed. Saor t oo.

Gle Lue, predet, Doet Reear Group


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Copyrgt 2011 y J.D. Greear

All rgt reered.

Prted te Uted State of Amera

978-1-4336-7312-2

Puled y B&H Pulg Group

Nalle, Teeee

Dewey: 226

Suet Headg: BIBLE. N.T. GOSPELS \ GOD \

DOCTRINAL THEOLOGY

Ule oterwe tated all Srpture tae from

te ESV Ble (Te Holy Ble, Egl Stadard

Vero) opyrgt 2001 y Croway Ble,

a pulg mtry of Good New Puler.ESV Text Edto: 2007. All rgt reered.

Alo ued: Holma Crta Stadard Ble (hcsb),

opyrgt 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011 y Holma Ble

Puler. Ued y permo. All rgt reered.

Alo ued: New Kg Jame Vero (nkjv), opyrgt

1979, 1980, 1982, Toma Nelo, I., Puler.

Alo ued: New Iteratoal Vero (niv), opyrgt

1973, 1978, 1984 y Iteratoal Ble Soety.

Alo ued: Te Kg Jame Vero (kjv),w pul doma.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 15 14 13 12 11


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Dedated to te memer of te Summt Cur,

wo ae patetly waled wt a pator wo wa

redoerg te reolutoary power of te gopel.


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Agaist the orl; for the orl.

St. Athaasis


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i x

Ackolegmets

To my wfe, wo a led out te gopel a well a ayoeI ow. Her paoate loe for Jeu a ofte reued my

tedey toward eparatg owledge from pao. Ta

you for your patee wt me, ad for extedg to me te

grae of te gopel. I er grae I ae ee tat I am frt,er; oly eod, ed agat.

To my paret, wo fatfully modeled a loe for Jeu for

te twety year I pet ter ome. Tey eer ued te term

gopel-etered, ut tey led awe of te God of gopel.

Tat, a I ee t, te wole pot of gopel-eterede.

To Tm Keller, woe tg a o permeated my

ow tat I a o loger really tell were top ad me

tart. I am ealy deted to m for may of te dea

t oo, partularly apter 2, 3, ad 6. I ae lteed

to ad read Tm Keller o mu tat I ted to plagarze

terpretato of a paage efore I ee ear m tea o

tat paage. I told m tat oe, ad e lauged ad ad e

dd te ame tg wt Ed Clowey. I ae met Dr. Kelleroly twe, for a omed total of x mute. Te eod


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x GOSPEL

tme we met, I aed f I ould all m my fred. He ad

ye. So, to my BFF Tm Keller, ta you. I ae tred to ote

were I reout a pot I eard from m. Howeer, ag

lteed to ad read o mu of teag, I ometme

forget we I eard ometg from m frt. Ay omo

of tato adetal.

To Paul Carlle, Sam Wllam, Dad Powlo, Elye

Ftzpatr, ad Ed Wel, woe ouelg ad wrtgae profoudly f lueed my tg. Se my frt ou-

elg la emary, Ie alway ad tat f I ould prea

le ayoe, Id prea le a ouelor.

To my fred Brue Aford, Day A, Mar Droll,

Tyler Joe, Clayto Kg, Stee Furt, Dad Platt, ad

Tulla Tda: Hearg your gt, lteg to you

prea, ad oug dea off of you ae aged te ar-

ater of my mtry foreer. You ae ee gft of God to me.

Fally, I wat to ta te loyal, patet team at B&H

Pulg Group, partularly Jedda Coppeger, Mael

Kelley, ad Tom Walter for our ad our of laor wt me

o t proet. At tme t eemed you were ee more om-

mtted to t oo ta I wa! Ta you for your dedatoto mag teologally rgorou materal aele to all.

T oo mu etter eaue of your laor.

I ae o dere at all to e orgal. I ae ad oly tree

orgal tougt my lfetme, ad tey weret tat good.

I dere for people to udertad te oept tat are t

oo. Coder me, ad t oo, merely a rea of trut

tat God reealed to H people aet tme. God te

oure; te ur te odut. I tad grateful det to

ot.


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x i

Cotets

Foreword x

Itroduto 1

Part 1: How the Gospel Does What

Religion CannotCapter 1: Te Mg Gopel 9

Capter 2: Wy Relgou Cage Doet Wor 25

Part 2: The Gospel Prayer

Capter 3: Te Gopel a Gft-Rgteoue 45

Capter 4: Caged wtout a Commad 59

Capter 5: God I Better 69

Capter 6: Caged y Sgt 87

Capter 7: Gopel-Cetered Relatop 109

Capter 8: Extraagat Geeroty 123

Capter 9: Urget Mo 145

Capter 10: Expet Great Tg 161

Capter 11: But f Not . . . 177


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x i i GOSPEL

Part 3: Toward a Gospel-Centered

Understanding of Life

Capter 12: Wy Are Tere Commad Srpture? 191

Capter 13: Wat I te Rgt Way to Wor for God? 205

Capter 14: Wat Doe a Gopel-Cetered Cur

Loo Le? 221

Coluo 241

Appedx 1: Te Gopel Proet 249

Appedx 2: A Gopel-Cetered Warg

to Youg Zealou Teologa 253


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x i i i

Foreor

BY TIMOTHY KELLER

Oe of te mot tartlg paage te Ble oet temagfee of agel wt te mytery of te gopel. Agel

are redly maet ad powerful eg, lg God

eteral preee. Yet tere ometg tat a appeed

o te eart tat o tupedou tat ee tee mmortal

eg experee te pertet logg to loo to teetg (1 Pet. 1:12 niv). Wat are tee tg tat ould

poly ad otetly oume te atteto of God-

fxated reature? Te awer te gopel.

Coerg t alato, te propet, wo poe of

te grae tat wa to ome to you, eared tetlyad wt te greatet are. . . . It wa reealed to tem

tat tey were ot erg temele ut you, we

tey poe of te tg tat ae ow ee told you

y toe wo ae preaed te gopel to you y te

Holy Sprt et from eae. Ee agel log to

loo to tee tg. (1 Pet. 1:10, 12 niv)


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x i v GOSPEL

Te agel eer get tred of loog to te gopel.

T mea tat tere o ed to gopel explorato. Tere

are dept te gopel tat are alway tere to e doered

ad appled ot oly to our mtry ad daly Crta lfe,

ut aoe all to te worp of te God of te gopel wt

reewed o ad umlty.

Te uderlyg oto my preag, patorg,

ad wrtg tat te gopelt eterally faatg me-age raed y te agela age a eart, a ommuty,

ad te world we t reoered ad appled. Te gopel

lfe gg, eaue t geerate age tat are reeed oly

y grae troug fat. T foudatoal trut, oweer, get

ypaed, oured, ad forgotte, eaue, a Mart Luter

oted, relgo form te default mode of te uma eart. It

eetal, te, tat we dtgu relgo from te gopel.

Relgo, a te default mode of our tg ad prate,

aed upo performae: I oey; terefore, I am aepted y

God.Te a operatg prple of te gopel, oweer, ,

ot urprgly, a aout-fae, oe of umerted aeptae:

I am aepted y God troug Crt; terefore, I oey.To

truly udertad t paradgm ft at a lfe-alterg leelrequre tat te gopel e explored ad looed to at eery

opportuty ad regular, ytemat way.

We te gopel explored t way, t produe

uommo properte. Blae Paal, wrtg te ee-

teet etury, reeal ow t our:

Without this divine knowledge, how could we help feeling

either exalted or dejected? The Christian religion alone

has been able to cure these twin vices, not by using the


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FOREwORd xv

one to expel the other according to worldly wisdom, but

by expelling both through the simplicity of the gospel. For

it teaches the righteous that they still bear the source of

all corruption which exposes them throughout their lives

to error, misery, death, and sin; and [yet] it cries out to

the most ungodly that they are capable of the grace of

the Redeemer. Thus, making those whom it justifies to

tremble, yet consoling those whom it condemns, it so nicelytempers fear with hope through this dual capacity. . . .

Grace and sin! It causes infinitely more dejection than

mere reasonbut without despair, and infinitely more

exaltation than natural pridebut without puffing us

up! (Penses 208)

It oe tg to udertad te gopel ut qute

aoter to experience te gopel u a way tat t

fudametally age u ad eome te oure of our

detty ad eurty. It oe tg to grap te eee of

te gopel ut qute aoter to t out t mplato for

all of lfe. We all truggle to explore te mytere of te

gopel o a regular a ad to allow t meage to flueeour tg.

My fellow pator, J.D. Greear, troug oo, a

elped u t quet for gopel-aturated lg. He tae

te prple of gopel etralty ad ow u ow to oret

our le aroud t. I appreate ow refreg ad real

way e mae te gopel aele to oter o tat tey

a experee t traformg power. I epeally le te

oo pratal eto o gopel prayer a a way to at u

reearg tee trut deep to our eart ad md.


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x v i GOSPEL

Weter you are explorg Crtaty for te frt tme or

are logg to loo to tee tg aga ad aga, let me

te you to ped tme wt t elpful oo.


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1

Itroctio

I am a profeoal Crta. But for may year I foudCrtaty to e wearome. Tat a ofeo you wot

ofte ear from a pator, ut t wa true of me.

I frt put fat Crt we I wa g ool. My

oero, a far a I a tell, wa ere. I udertood tatCrt ad pad te full pealty for my , ad I urredered

to do wateer God wated me to do. I got a g lt of tuff

to tart ad top dog for God.

I wet to a Crta ool tat empazed oformty

to a et of rule. We ddt dae, eaue dag would

mae you ae mpure tougt. Ad we ouldt lte to

mu wt a eat t eaue tat would mae you wat

to dae. We weret allowed to go to ee moe, eaue

moe would mae you worldly. We ouldt ee go ee te

Crta moe we tey ame to te teater eaue f

people aw u at te moe tey mgt aume we were tere

to ee worldly moe, ad tat mgt mae tem t t wa

OKfor tem to ee worldly moe. It wa rule le tee tatreal Crta led y.


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2 GOSPEL

I leared tat real Crta tell oter people aout Jeu,

o I et goal for ow may people I would tell aout Jeu

a ge mot. I ee etaled a maxmum tme lmt (ff-

tee mute) for ow log I would t wt a trager o a

arplae efore rgg up weter or ot tey ew Jeu.

I ollege I leared tat real Crta loe teratoal

mo, o I too lot of mo trp (twety-fe ou-

tre te year!) ad gae lot of moey to mo. I eepaed up my etre lfe to a oerzed duffel ag ad wet

to le a trd-world fudametalt Mulm outry for

two year.

I later leared tat real Crta loe te poor. So I

poored a Compao ld. But wat e ut oe a

edle ea of urtg people tat deperately eeded my elp?

Sould I adopt fe more? Twety-fe more? Dd I really

eed to dr tat Coe wt der? Couldt tat moey

e ued to feed aoter orpa? I otatly felt gulty aout

aytg I owed. Wateer I gae, t wat eoug, eaue

tere wa always more I ould ge. Ad, after all, God

doet udge your gg y te amout you ge, ut y te

amout you ae left. I alway ad a lttle more left ta ted Ida dd.

Ad te of oure, tere wa te ufortuate day tat

I read te ograpy of a moary wo taled aout ow

mu more you ould do for God f you were gle, ad o I

oluded f I wa really erou aout eg ued maxmally

for God, I ad to e gle. Tat wat Paul ad, rgt? To

paraprae 1 Corta 7, e ad, I w you were all le

I am (.e., gle), o you ould e ueumered mtry.

Tu, f I wated my lfe to e maximallyleeraged for God


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InTROduCTIOn 3

gdom, ow ould I dere aytgbutelay? Wouldt

I e wllg to e gle for eety year o oul ould e

aed for eterty? So I tred to gore grl for a emeter dur-

g ollegeut to my agr, tey wouldt leae me aloe.

(At leat tat ow I rememer t.)

By tat tme I wa lg a way tat would ae met ut

aout ayody tadard a a real, ommtted Crta.

But t relgo of o-alled grae ofte felt more to me ledrudgery ta delgt. No matter ow may rule I ept

ad ow dpled my lfe wa, I waled aroud wt a

eer-preet ee of gult. I te deepet part of my eart, I

ewknewGod wa ot really pleaed wt me, eaue

tere wa alway ometg I ould e dog etter. Te really

good Crta were alway dog ometg tat I wat.

To mae matter wore, my marrage ept reealg ow

elf ad petty I wa. Seeg oter more ueful ta

me mtry made me ealou to te pot tat I delgted

te tougt of tem fallg to ad eg dqualfed

from mtry. I tll felt elaed to te lut of my fle. My

ere for God wa feret, ut my pao for Hm were

old. I ertaly ddt desireto ow Hm more.I wa tred, ad wle I would eer admt t, I wa tart-

g to ate God.

He wa te merle tamater alway tadg oer me

yellg, NOT ENOUGH! I wat MORE! He wa alway

tere, wag damato my fae, ayg, If you wat My

approal, tere ometg ele you mut do. H otat

demad were drg me ae. Te more I tred to wal

H way, te le loe I felt for Hm. Te more loely my

feet followed Hm, te more my eart ra away.


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4 GOSPEL

O, I ad te fat dow. I ew He ad tae te pealty

for my . I alo ew tat He wa te uere mot atfy-

g poeo. But f my ead ew tat trut, my eart ddt

feel t. I wa motated to

wal wt God prmarly y

my dere to tay out of ell.

Reetly, oweer, I

doered ometg tata aged eerytg.

Te gopel.

I ow ayg tat oud trage for a eagelal pator

wo leadg a growg megaur to ay, ut t true.

It ot tat I ddt udertad or elee te gopel

efore. I dd. But te trut of te gopel adt moed from

my md to my eart. Tere wa a uge gap etwee my

tellet ad my emoto. Te Purta Joata Edward

leed reawaeg to te gopel to a ma wo ad

ow, ead, tat oey wa weet, ut for te frt

tme ad tat weete urt ale mout. Tat wat

appeed to me.

Redoerg tegopel a ge me a oy

God I eer exper-

eed all my year of

feret relgo. Now I

ee, almot daly, a loe

for God growg my

eart, dplag a loe for

myelf. Te ealouly tat

oe oumed my eart

The more closely my eet

ollowed Him, the more

my heart ran away.

The Puritan Jonathan

Edwards likened his

reawakening to the

gospel to a man who

had known, in his head,

that honey was sweet,

but or the frst time hadthat sweetness burst

alive in his mouth.


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InTROduCTIOn 5

eg replaed y a dere to ee oter proper. I feel elf-

e gg way to tedere ad geeroty. My rag

for te lut of te fle are eg replaed y a rag for

rgteoue, ad my elf-etered dream are eg replaed

y God-glorfyg amto. A power urgg me tat

agg me ad pug me out to te world to leerage

my lfe for te gdom of God.

I tll ae a log way to go, ad I daly ae to truggleagat te God-atg dere of my fle, ut I am ag-

g. I am, a Paul would

ay, mag progre

te gopel.Te gopel a

doe my eart wat rel-

go eer ould.

I elee t a do te

ame tg for you. Tat

wat t oo aout.

Oer te ext eeral apter, I wat to reaquat you

wt te gopel. Not ut wt te dotre, ut wt t

power. Te gopel te aouemet tat God a re-

oled u to Hmelf y edg H So Jeu to de a auttute for our , ad tat all wo repet ad elee

ae eteral lfe Hm. I wat you to ee te gopel ot

oly a te mea y w you get to eae, ut a te

drg fore ed eery gle momet of your lfe. I wat

to elp, ome mall way, your eye to e opeed (aga) to

te eauty ad greate of God. I wat you to ee ow te

gopel, ad t aloe, a mae you geuely paoate for

God, free you from aptty to , ad moe you outward to

oyful arfe o ealf of oter.

Rediscovering the

gospel has given me

a joy in God I never

experienced in all my

years o ervent religion.


23/41

6 GOSPEL

Here ow were gog to go aout t togeter. Te

frt eto of t oo aout why te gopelad oly

te gopel te mea y w we a truly e aged.

I wat to ow you wy relgou (wat were gog to all

meaal) age aolutely, potely, doe ot wor. I

t eto, I wll ow you ow te gopel age u a

fudametally dfferet way ta relgo doe, ad tat t a

do ometg our eart tat relgo utterly uale to do.I part 2 I wat to trodue you to a mple tool tat

a elped me, for eeral year ow, aturate myelf te

gopel. It a mall, four-part prayer tat Ie ome to all

Te Gopel Prayer. Ea part of tat prayer ere a pef

purpoe, potg you to wat God a doe for you Crt

ad ow tat age ow you ee God, yourelf, ad oter.

I elee t prayer a e te mea y w you prea

te gopel to yourelf daly.

A you read te frt two eto, tere wll proaly e

ome queto tat are. Tg le, If we are free Crt,

wy do I tll fd o may ommad te Ble? Wat

ould I do we I dot dere God? How mu doe God

expet me to do for Hm? Wat doe a true, gopel-eteredur loo le? ad o fort. I te trd eto, I wat to

ofrot tee queto ead o, ad I ope to prode old,

lal awer for you. I ope t eto wll oe you

tat te gopel really , a te apotle Peter would ay, all tat

you eed for lfe ad godle (2 Pet. 1:3).

Tat t. Smple eoug? Good. Tme watg, ad

te mot amazg ew all te uere watg to e

doered.


24/41

PART 1

Ho the Gospel doeswhat Religio Caot


25/41


26/41

9

CHAPTER 1

The Missig Gospel

I te gopel really mg? If o, were dd t go?

Mot Crta ae te fat tragt: Jeu wa or ofa rg, led a perfet lfe, ded o te ro our plae, ad

wa raed from te dead. All toe wo plae ter fat

Hm wll e forge ad ae eerlatg lfe. So, te gopel

ot mg.

Not o fat.

I metoed te troduto tat tere a dfferee

owg tat oey weet ad ag tat weeteurt ale your mout. Beg ale to artulate te gopel

wt auray oe tg; ag t trut aptate your oul

qute aoter.

Te gopel ot ut uppoed to e our tet to

eae; t to e a etrely ew a for ow we relate to

God, ourele, ad oter. It to e te oure from weerytg ele flow.


27/41

10 GOSPEL

Let me lay all my ard

o te tale: I elee ea-

gelalm, a a wole, de-

perately eed a reoery

of te gopel a te eter

of Crtaty. Ee

oerate deoma-

to le my ow (te Souter Baptt Coeto), tegopel a ee elped y ay umer of eodary tmul

for growt.

I dot mea tat we ae orrupted te gopelo, wee

tll got toe fat rgt. But te goal of te gopel ot ut

tat we pa ome d of tet y aurately reoutg te

mportae of Jeu. Te goal of te gopel to produe a

type of people oumed wt pao for God ad loe for

oter. We ertaly dot eem to ae thatrgt.

A Crtaty tat doe ot ae a t prmary fou

te deepeg of pao for God a fale Crtaty, o

matter ow zealouly t ee oero or ow forefully

t adoate rgteou eaor. Beg oerted to Jeu

ot ut aout learg to oey ome rule. Beg oertedto Jeu learg to o adore God tat we would gladly

reoue eerytg we ae to follow Hm.

I graduate ool my roommate ept a dog amed Max

our oue. Beaue poor Max wa rppled a leg,

lfe oted of lyg o our doortep ad targ up at u

we we waled y. I rememer loog at m oe day ad

tg, Baed o ow mot people ee Crtaty, Max

would mae a fe Crta: e doet dr; e doet

moe; e doet u; e doet get agry; wee ad m

Being able to articulatethe gospel with accuracy

is one thing; having its

truth captivate your soul

is quite another.


28/41

THE MISSInG GOSPEL 11

eutered o tougt-

lfe uder otrol.

Jeu dple are ot

uppoed to e merely

omplat, eutered dog.

Jeu follower are to e

alive wt a loe for God.

We you loe God adloe oter, Jeu ad, all

te ret of te Crta

lfe fall aturally to

plae (Matt. 22:3739).

How Do We Learn to Love God?

How, te, do we lear to loveGod? Tat te dlemma of

te great ommadmet: You all loe te Lord your God

wt all your eart ad wt all your oul ad wt all your

md (Matt. 22:37). But ow a true loe e commanded?

Beg ommaded to loe omeoe you ae o atu-

ral affeto for eome wearome. True loe grow a arepoe to loele. Te frt tme I aw my wfe, I felt te

egg of loe for er. Te more Ie gotte to ow er

oer te year, ad te more Ie ee of er eauty, te more

Ie grow to loe er. My loe a repoe.

Loe for God ommaded Srpture, ut te om-

mad a oly truly e fulflled a our eye are opeed to ee

God eauty reealed te gopel. Te Sprt of God ue

te eauty of te gopel to awae our eart a dere for

God. We loe Hm, te apotle Jo would ay, eaue

A Christianity that doesnot have as its primary

ocus the deepening o

passions or God is a

alse Christianity, no

matter how zealously it

seeks conversions

or how orceully it

advocates righteous

behavior.


29/41

12 GOSPEL

He frt loed u (1 Jo 4:19 nkjv). Loe for God grow out

of a experee of te loe of God.

We we fou prmarly o eaor age, we are

gorg te real ue: a eart tat doet wat to loe

God. Tat ertaly ot

to ay tat we ould oly

oey God we we feel

le t; oly tat preagCrtaty prmarly a a

et of ew eaor wll

reate people wo at rgt wtout eer log te rgt.1

T reate yporte, weary ad reetful of God.

What Is Real Spiritual Growth?

I te lat meage Jeu gae to H dple, He told

tem tat te way to frutfule ad oyte eret to te

Crta lfewa to abide Hm. Tey wouldt produe

audat frut y readg oo, tefyg ter elf-

dple, memorzg Srpture, or gettg aoutalty

group. Toe tg all ae ter plae, ut real frut omeoly from oe plae: adg Jeu.

Adg Jeu may oud le prtual mumo umo

to you. It alway dd to me. I aumed tat we you were

adg Jeu youd wal aroud wt a etereal glow

your eye ad explaly wae up at 4 a.m. trummg

pao tue o te golde arp you eep ede your ed.

But te word abide mu more tragtforward ta tat.

Te Gree word meno mea lterally to mae your ome .

We we mae our ome H loefeelg t, aturatg

Love or God grows

out o an experience

o the love o God.


30/41


ourele wt t, refletg o t, tadg awe of tpr-

tual frut eg to prg up aturally from u le roe o

a roeu.

Sprtual frut, you ee, produed te ame way

pyal frut . We a ma ad woma oee pyal

frut (.e., a ld), tey are uually ot tg aout te

mea of mag tat ld. Rater, tey get augt up

a momet of log t-may wt oe aoter,

ad tefruitof tat log

tmay a ld.

I te ame way,

prtual frut t made

y foug o te om-

mad of prtual growt.

You at ut grt your teet ad ay, I wll ae more log

feelg toward God! I wll e more patet! I wll ae elf-

otrol! Ill expla later te role for deal of te fle ad

elf-dple, ut true prtual fruit ome from gettg

wept up tmate, log eouter wt Jeu Crt.

H loe te ol w all te frut of te Sprt grow.We our root ade there, te oy, peae, patee, d-

e, getlee, ad elf-otrol grow aturally our eart.

So f you wat to ee prtual frut your lfe, dot fou

prmarly o te frut. Fou o Jeu aeptae of you,

ge to you a a gft. Foug o prtual frut wll uually

produe oly frutrato ad depar, ot frutfule.

Hae you eer looed at your lfe ad tougt, Wy

am I tll o mpatet? How ould I really e aed ad tll

ae u a prolem wt elf-otrol? I ertaly ae. If

When we make our

home in His love,

spiritual ruit begins

to spring up naturally

rom us.


31/41

14 GOSPEL

aytg, te more Ie waled wt Jeu te more aware

Ie eome of my fule. Jeu, oweer, dd ot tell me

to ade my frutfule. He told me to ade Hm

H aeptae of me, ge to me freely a a gft.

Adg Jeu mea udertadg tat H aeptae

of u te ame regardle of te amout of prtual frut

we ae produed. Iroally, t oly we we udertad

tat H loe ot odtoed o our prtual frutfuletat we ga te power to eome truly frutful. Oly toe

wo ade Hm produe mu frut. I oter word, toe

people wo get etter are

toe wo udertad tat

God approal of tem

ot depedet o ter

gettg etter.

So wat I really wat

to elp you do t

oo ade Jeu. Te

y-produt of adg

Jeu tat you wll eome more patet your marrage;

you wll deelop elf-dple; you wll eome geerou.Adg Jeu wll produe allof te frut of te Sprt

youut ot y ag you oetrate partularly o ay of

toe tg. You oetrate o Jeu. You ret H loe

ad aeptae, ge to you ot eaue of wat you ae

eared, ut eaue of wat He a eared for you.

To see spiritual ruit

in your lie, dont

ocus primarily on the

ruits. Focus on Jesus

acceptance o you, given

to you as a git.


32/41


Without Love, Its Ultimately Worthless

My eor year of g ool, I tarted a relatop

wt a redle grl for wom I shouldae ee ead oer

eel. O paper e wa perfet. Te prolem wa tat

we we were togeter tere wa ut o magic, f you ow

wat I mea. I ouldt fd a reao to quitdatg er, ow-

eer, o we ept o datg, ee after I left for ollege 1,200

mle away.

I retured ome for te frt tme oer Crtma rea,

ad we agreed to ee ea oter te day efore Crtma.

All wa well ad good utl te afteroo efore I wet to

er oue, we I ad a alarmg tougt: Was I supposed

to get her a Christmas present?It wa, after all, te day efore

Crtma. If e got me a Crtma preet ad I ddt geter oe, te I would loo le a total leezeall.

Jut to e afe, I topped at te mall o my way to ee

er. I wet to a portg good op, te atural plae you

loo for romat gft, ad tere I aw tte aolutely

perfet gft: a Adda ow-g e-warmer. It wa $7.

I wrapped up te woole materpee ad put t uder te eat

my ar ad droe te forty-fe mute oer to er oue.

Se ame to te door, ad after a few pleaatre, e ad,

I ougt you a Crtma preet. I ad, proudly, I got you

oe too! Se ad, Here your! ad gae me a beautifully

wrapped ox from uder te tree. I opeed t ad too out; to

my orror, t wa oouly a ery expee rt.

Se looed at me expetatly ad ad, Were my gft?I ad, U . . . I left t at ome! (Tg tat wa

afe . . . I ould go ome later, uy a ew gft, ad mal t to

er. Ad I got to eep te e-warmer. W-W.) But te


33/41

16 GOSPEL

e ad, Well, we dot ae aytg to do togt. Maye

we ould go a to your oue ad get t. Id le to ee your

paret, ayway.

Im ure tat durg te forty-fe-mute dre ome

I eemed a lttle dtat. It eaue I wa plottg. Prayg.

Vowg. We we waled te oue, I pulled my mom

ade ad ad, Hey tere aytg you were plag to

ge my ter tat e doet ow aout yet? My mom ad,Wy? I ad, No furter queto, pleae. My mom wet

ad got a gft teded for my ter (aoter pretty expee

weater) ad we put my date ame o t tead. I too t

to my grlfred ad ad, ofdetly, Here your gft.

I tougt t would e perfet for you.

Ie ofte wodered te year e te wat would

ae appeed tat gt ad I ome lea ad told er te

trut tat my gft to er wa oly doe to ae fae. No dout,

e would ae refued t f latly. No grl wat to e loed oly

out of olgato.

Someow we t God dfferet, a f He pleaed

we we ere Hm eaue were requred to. He ot.

God dere a people wo dere Hm, wo ere Hmeaue tey loe Hm. He ee toe, Jeu ad, wo

worp Hm Sprt ad trut.

I fat, Paul ay wateer we do for God tat ot

fueled y loe for God ultmately wortle to Hm:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have

not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And

if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries

and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove


34/41


mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give

away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,

but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor. 13:13)

Let fae t: Paul lt ere mpree y ayoe

tadard. Speag wt te togue of me ad agel a

to put you te top 1 peret of prtually gfted people.

Udertadg all mytere ad all owledge mea tatyoue got ee te fer pot of Crta dotre dow

pat. Fat to remoe mouta mea you a flat get tuff

doe prayer. Ad giving away even your body to be burned?

Wow. Oedee doet get ay more radal ta tat.

We te offerg plate goe y, you pull out a mat ad

lgt yourelf o fre for God. Tat Varty.

Yet, Paul ay, prtual gftede, dotral matery,

audaou fat, ad radal oedee do not equal te oly

tg tat atually matters to Godloe for Hm. Wtout

loe ee te mot radal

deoto to God of o

alue to Hm.

Let me make sure thatsinks in . . . You a ga

all te prtual gft

te world. You a tae

te mot radal tep of

oedee. You a are

eery meal wt te ome-

le your ty. You a

memorze te oo of Letu. You a pray ea morg

for four our le Mart Luter. But f wat you do doe

Spiritual gitedness,

doctrinal mastery,

audacious aith, and

radical obedienceo

ot eqal the only thing

that actuallymatters to

Godlove or Him.


35/41

18 GOSPEL

ot flow out of a eart of loea eart tat doe toe tg

eaue t geuelydesiresto do temt ultmatelyworth-

lessto God.

Te pot tat to produe real loe your eart for

God tae ometg eyod prtual gft, greater dotr-

al owledge, audaou fat, ad ee radal oedee.

Sometg etrely dfferet. Radally dfferet.

Tat were te gopel ome . Te gopel, ad tegopel aloe, a te power to produe loe for God te

eart. Paul all te gopel God power for alato (Rom.

1:16). Tere are oly two tg tat Paul eer refer to a te

power of God. Oe te gopel; te oter Crt Hmelf.

A te tory of te gopel prolamed, te Sprt Hmelf

mae te eart ome ale to ee te glory ad eauty of God

reealed t. Jut a Jeu ommad to te lame ma to get

up ad wal ad in itselfte power to oey te ommad, o

te tory of Jeu deat ad reurreto a in itselfte power

to mae dead eart ew. A te gopel eleed, troug

te power of te prt, our elf, ardeed eart urt ale

wt rgteou ad godly pao.2 A we eold te glory of

God te fae of Crt, Paul ay, we are traformed toglory (2 Cor. 3:184:14).

Relgo, te, a tell you wat to doamely, to loe

God wt all your eart, oul ad md ad to loe your

egor a yourelf; ut te gopel aloe ge you te

power to do t.

Te gopel produe ot ut oedee, you ee, ut a

ew d of oedee3a oedee tat powered y

dere. A oedee tat ot pleag to God anddelgt-

ful to you.


36/41


Now, oe larfato: Im ot ayg ere tat eery ar-

fe were aed to mae for God wll e ad of telfdesirable.

Te ro wa ot ad of telf derale to Jeu. Herew

12:2, fat, ay tat Jeu ad to endure t pa, w

mea He ad to umt H dere to God wll. But ee

te rufyg of H fle wa rouded oy for Hm. Te

oy of wat He wa ota-

gte pleaure of Godad eterty wt uwa

greater ta te pa.

Tat ow God wat

our oedee to e a

well. We we p up

our ro to follow Hm, He wat ee te pa of te ro

to e rouded oy oer wat we are otag.

Tat d of oy Jeu aot e produed u y

mple reoluto to oey. Tat d of oy ome oly from

eg aturated te gopel.

Tu, f you are ot were you ould e prtually, te

awer ot mply to get uer for Jeu. It ot ut to get

more radal your deoto to God. It ot oly to eegreater prtual gft or ee to lear more aout te Ble.

It to mae your ome God loe ge to you a a gft

Crt.

Tat wat I mea we I ay te gopel mg.

We ae uttuted all d of omet age for true

eart age. We eourage people to purue ew ad et-

ter prtual gft. We tell tem to reoer aet deotoal

teque. We try to eef tem up o a partular dotral

ytem, a f more orret fat wll do te tr telf.

The gospel produces

an obedience that is

powered by desire.


37/41

20 GOSPEL

We tell tem to ow audaou, mouta-mog fat

prayer. We tell tem to get radally ommtted to te Great

Commo. Tee tg all ae ter plae, ut all we are

dog plg uperfal age oto a eart tat doet

really loe God. None of toe tg a produe loe for

God. Oly te gopel a. Wtout tat, ultmately our

age are wortle.

I am a lazy yardma. To my wfe agr, I dot (wll-gly) plat flower.4 I dot fertlze. I pay omeoe ele to

ut te gra. All I are aout, a t relate to te yard, tat

I dot get omplat letter from my egor ad I a ee

te top of my d ead we tey go outde. My wfe, o

te oter ad, loe a plu, rgt, eatly maured law.

Oe day e omplaed tat our flower ed ad too may

weed tem, ad tat I eeded to do ometg aout t.

Now, tere are two way to ll weed. You a get o your

ee ad ped eeral our pullg tem up y te root.

T te orret way. Or, you a apalm tem wt weed

ller. T te lazy way. My way. So, multple tme ea

ummer I lated our flower ed wt weed ller . . . ad

all our weed ded, ut le te adertemet promed. Ado dd qute a few roe ue tat were augt te le of

fre. Beautful, gree e wt uddg arlet flower were

tured to tumleweed.

My wfe, of oure, omplaed aout tat too. I a Sprt-

flled way, of oure. So, let ay tat to mae er appy

I ad goe dow to te flort ad ougt eeral doze roe,

rougt tem ome, ad ega to taple tem to te dead

rae of te roeue. Would I ae fxed aytg? For

a wle, te dead roeue may ae ge te appearae of


38/41


eg ale, at leat from a dtae. But tey would ot really

e ale, ad I would ot really e out of te dogoue.

Paul Trpp a ad tat mot of te tratege for

Crta growt amout merely to roe-taplg te-

que. Ge away more moey. Be more erou aout your

. Be more dpled your lfe. Read your Ble ad ae

aoutalty parter. Go to a mall group.

Sprtual dple ae ter plae (well get to tatlater). But otg a tae te plae of orga age

te eart.

Oly te gopel, you ee, te power to oey te frt

ommadmet. Oly te trut of te gopel a a eart

tured o telf urt ale loe for God.

For may eagelal te gopel a futoed olely

a te etry rte to Crtaty; t te prayer we pray

to eg our relatop wt Jeu; te dg oard off of

w we ump to te pool of Crtaty. After we get to

te pool, we get to te real tuff of Crtaty: materg

good prple for our marrage; learg rule ad regula-

to of ow to eae; ad fgurg out f Kr Camero wll

e left ed.Te gopel, oweer, ot ut te dg oard off of

w we ump to te pool of Crtaty; t te pool

telf. It ot oly te way we eg Crt; t te way

we grow Crt. A Tm Keller ay, te gopel ot ut

te ABC of Crtaty, t te AZ; t ot te frt tep

a tarway of trut, t more le te u of God weel

of trut.5 All oter Crta rtue f low out of t.

Tat wy growt Crt eer gog eyod te

gopel, ut gog deeper to te gopel. Te puret water


39/41

22 GOSPEL

from te prg of lfe are

foud y dggg deeper,

ot wder, to te gopel

well.

My prayer tat t

oo wll all u to a deeper

udertadg of te go-

pel a te true eter ofCrtaty. I ope t elp you ee tat te gopel ouldt

ut e a tet to eae ut te ore of our etre le. We

you ae made your ome te gopel. You wll e radally

geerou. You wll ow audaou fat. Tee tg are ot

added after te gopel, tey flow from te gopel.

Te apotle Peter ay tat te agel tll log to loo

to te tg of te gopel, eaue t dazzle ter md

(1 Pet. 1:12). Te agel ae ee God fae-to-fae, ad yet

tey tll at get eoug of te gopel! Do we t we are

really ready to moe o to ometg ele?

Wateer prtual dyfuto you ae your lfe, te

ure te gopel. Do we wat to e flled wt pao for

God? We ould dr from te gopel. Do we wat to getotrol of our ode? We mut e aptated y te gopel.

Do we wat to e otet wt wat we ae? We eed to feat

o te gopel. Do we wat to lear to loe our poue? We

ae to e oerwelmed

y te gopel.

Mart Luter ad

Lectures on Romans

tat true prtual prog-

re wa alway to eg

The gospel is not just

the diving board o o

which we jump into the

pool o Christianity;

it is the pool itsel.

Growth in Christ is never

going beyond the gospel,but going deeper into

the gospel.


40/41


aga. He ad we mut daly emrae te loe ad de

of God . . . ad daly exere our fat tere; etertag

o dout of God loe ad de.6

Alway eg aga wt te gopel. Ade t; wm

t; mae your ome t. See more ad more of your lfe

troug t. Be aolutely oed at eery momet of eery

day of te goode of God your lfe. Tat te oly way

youll eer reallygrow.Te gopel a doe t wor u we we rae God

more ta we rae eerytg ele lfemore ta moey,

romae, famly, ealt, famead we eeg H gdom

adae te le of oter ge u more oy ta aytg

we ould ow. We we ee Jeu a greater ta aytg te

world a offer, well gladly let eerytg ele go to poe

Hm. We we loe oter

le He loe u, well wll-

gly yeld our poeo

to ee H gdom ome

to ter le.

Oedee tat doe

ot flow from loe ed upeg drudgeryot to

u, ad to God. Te gopel tur tat drudgery to delgt.

It age u from eg lae wo haveto oey God to o

ad daugter wo wantto oey God. Aga, God ot ut

after oedee; He after a wole ew d of oedee

a oedee tat flled wt dere.

Dwellg o te re of te gopel a foreer aged

my lfe. It a traformed our ur. I elee wt my

wole eart t a age you too. But te umlg tg for

The gospel has done its

work in us when

we crave God more

than we crave everything

else in lie.


41/41

24 GOSPEL

me tat I at reallyteach ay of t to you. Tee tg

are prtually reealed ad prtually dered. Tey requre

te gft of eaely eye. I ouldt ee tea t to myelf

we t wa rgt frot

of my fae, o wat would

mae me t I ould

llumate your eart?

Ad wat mae yout you a deelop a

pao for God y readg

a oo? So wy ot top rgt ow ad plead wt God to

ope te eye of your eart? You mgt ue te word of Paul

prayer for te Epea,

[I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father

of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation

in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts

enlightened . . . [and I pray that you] may have strength

to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and

length and height and depth, and to know the love of

Christ that surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filledwith all the fullness of God. (Eph. 1:1718; 3:1820)

God is ater an

obedience that is flled

with desire.

the gospel jd greear (chapter 1)

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