Gospel's Prize is God Himself

J.D. Greear post:  Defining the Gospel

The below is a draft for an article I’ve been asked to write for the new “HCSB Missional Study Bible” coming out later this year. I’d love for you to read it and give me feedback. I love open-source writing… you guys give me the best ideas and feedback sometimes.

They asked me to write a 1000-word article called “What is Salvation” and tie it specifically to John 17:3, which is the place in the study Bible they will put the article.

Let me know what you think!

“And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and the One you have sent–Jesus Christ.” John 17:3 (HCSB)

John 17:3 encapsulates the essence of salvation.

First, salvation is essentially the knowledge of God. Jesus’ work in salvation was not simply forgiving us of our sins. Jesus’ prime objective was to reunite us and God.

Have you ever seen that bumper sticker, “Christians are not perfect; they’re just forgiven?” Christians aren’t perfect yet, that is true; but they are not “just forgiven.” Christians have been restored to God. God has resumed again His rightful place as our master, our joy, and our security. Jesus came not just to free people from hell, but to bring people back to God.

This is one of the things that separate the message of Jesus from that of other religions. The Gospel’s prize is not eternal safety in paradise, it is God Himself.

Second, salvation comes through knowing Jesus Christ. Jesus, whom the Gospel of John teaches was both fully God and fully man (John 1:1-14; 2:19-22; 8:58), was uniquely able to accomplish our salvation. As man, He could be our substitute, living the life we should have lived and dying the death we had been condemned to die. As God, He had the right to forgive our sin, the power to overcome death, and the ability to restore us to the fellowship of the Father.

Jesus Christ suffered the full fury of God’s wrath in our place. On the cross, every ounce of punishment due unto us was unleashed upon Him. For those who have trusted Jesus as their Savior, no more punishment remains. God cannot hold us accountable for our sin, because it would be unjust for God to demand two payments for the same sin.

The Bible teaches us that God accomplishes salvation all by Himself (John 1:12-13). This also distinguishes the Gospel from other religions. We can essentially classify all religions in 2 categories. In one type of religion, man earns his salvation. “If you obey enough, you will be accepted.” This is the approach of every religion in the world—whether through Islam’s 5 pillars; Buddhism’s 8-fold path; or Hinduism’s scheme of karma and reincarnation. The Gospel flips that on its head. The Gospel teaches us that our acceptance is given to us as a gift. God has done the work; ours is only to believe and receive. Our obedience to God is done in grateful response to what He has done for us, not to earn favors from Him. Religion is spelled “D-O;” the Gospel is spelled “D-O-N-E” by Jesus Christ.

Lastly, eternal life is our present possession. In the book of John, “eternal life” functions as both a duration of time and a quality of living. Not only did Jesus’ work guarantee us safety in the future, it gives us God in the present. God’s presence in our lives is the abundant life (John 10:10)—or, as Jesus says here, “eternal life.” The one who has God has everything.

As Blaise Pascal said, God created the human heart with a God-shaped hole. Before the Fall, we lived satisfied in His presence and fulfilled by His acceptance. Our sin stripped us from God’s presence and left us with insatiable void. This void, this vacuum, has given rise to all types of human dysfunction—perpetual discontentment; worry; fear; addictions; depression; hatred, etc. True life begins with knowing God again, and when we abide in His love, spiritual fruit (things like love, joy, peace, contentment, self-control) will grow abundantly in our hearts (John 15:1-8).

So then, the question that screams out from the Gospel of John is, “Do you know Jesus?” Not, “Have you prayed a prayer?” or “Do you go to church?” or “Is your obedience to the 10 commandments better than most other people’s?” but “Do you know the love of Jesus and have you received His free offer of salvation?”

Jesus said that many people who called Him Lord would be turned away from Him on the last day because “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).

I used to interpret that as if Jesus were giving a warning that only the upper 10% of “Christians” would actually make it into heaven and “many” would be cut. So, each time I heard that passage taught, I determined that I was going to be in that upper 10%. I’d redouble my efforts to give more sacrificially, be more regular in my quiet time, and be more pure. “Then,” I thought, “there’s no way God could cut me from the team. I’m going to be on the Dean’s List of Christians.”

The people turned away on the last day are not people who were not busy enough for God. Jesus said they were plenty busy—going to church, preaching sermons, making offerings, doing miracles, even casting out demons. Their problem is that they never knew a Jesus so gracious that He receives sinners freely. And they didn’t value that Jesus enough to forsake all the treasures of this world for Him. As a result, they never rested their souls in His grace or feasted their souls on His pleasures.

Even then, on the Last Day, they think their religious activity will earn their right to heaven. They say, “Look, Lord… look at what we did!” That proves, you see, they never really knew who He was. Jesus is not known by doing enough or giving enough. Jesus is ‘known’ only by believing in His compassion toward you and resting in His promise of eternal life.

The good news is that knowing Him is easy, at least for you. Jesus did everything necessary to reconcile you fully to God. You simply believe that what the Gospel says about Him is true. He is a God who stands ready to accept you, completely, because of what Jesus has done for you. He is a God whose mercy and love for you knows no bounds. It stretches out toward you right at this very moment. Following Jesus as Lord means that your life will change radically, as He must now call all the shots, but you’ll find that obedience and even sacrifice are sweet because of His presence with you.

Have you ever felt that love in your heart? Have you believed and embraced it, personally? Have you ever heard His voice in your soul saying, “You. You are my child. I died for you. I have accepted you.”

If not, open your heart to Him today.