It’s Time To Liberate the Gospel

Do you remember asking for a dog when you were a kid? When I was eight my parents were gracious enough to grant the request of my brother and I of wanting a dog. My mother still today reminds me that my brother and I chose the loudest one at the pet store. The dog we chose was a female jack russell terrier who certainly lived up to her breed. She was rowdy, energetic, and at times stubborn.

A fun and loving dog for sure, but definitely hard headed. She despised being put in her kennel, but my family had no other choice since she could not be trusted in the house alone. When we had a lot of guests in the house we would put her in the kennel as well, and she would plead to be let out through her continuous barking. 

If someone were to open her kennel there is no doubt she would greet every guest by jumping on their leg, barking, and begging people to chase her. She would reach everyone in the house and beg for their attention. 

When I think of this image I cannot but help think of how the gospel works. The authentic gospel, the good news of who Jesus is and His kingdom, has the capacity to grab the attention of everyone it reaches if it is only let out of its kennel. 

My analogy shares a similar sentiment to the 19th century preacher Charles Spuregon who stated, “The gospel is like a caged lion. You don’t have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose from its cage, and the lion will defend itself.” 

We have put the Bible’s gospel in a cage in our time. Relinquishing its power to bless others and give others the freedom to live out their God given purpose. I am guilty of allowing this to happen in my own story. 

So, what is it in culture that has been caging and oppressing the gospel? In this post I want to focus on the western world’s value of whiteness, individualism, and rationalisms’ suppression of the gospel. 

Whiteness caging the Gospel

White is right. Or at least that has been the narrative of western culture. History matters, and what we can learn from history is how European colonization, specifically in the western world, has set cultural norms and defined what is right and true. This has caused the gospel to be narrated and interpreted through one lens: from the majority who is in power. 

Whiteness had used the Bible and gospel to enslave Africans and to terrorize indigenous people. The gospel needs to be set free. For the last few centuries the gospel has been confused with the white dominant culture. Sadly today, when people think of living out the gospel they think of living out white culture. For many in the U.S. the gospel is tied to the dominant white culture in the U.S. White leaders have governed the western world and ordered its systems and structures which makes minority behavior outside of the norm of society. This means for many minorities conforming to the gospel is synonymous with conforming to whiteness. 

I recall having a conversation with a white friend of mine who criticized a mutual minority friend of ours as being immature in her faith. I disagreed with the individual and actually believed the person we were talking about was quite strong in her faith and effective in living out the gospel. I corrected my white friend and informed her to not confuse a Christian’s immaturity with a difference in culture and race. 

Individualism caging the Gospel

In a course through my seminary studies my class met with a lobbyist who works towards proper care for veterans. She proclaimed to no longer practice Christianity. Her motives for her work was because of her own personal story bringing about passion for the cause of care towards veterans. When discussing Christianity with her she confessed that there was a moment in her story when she was a passionate church attender who participated in conferences and different church events. However, after a while she discovered that the faith she had was really only self-serving as she searched for a spiritual high, or words to comfort her from her feelings of guilt and shame. Her realization of the selfishness she was living in led her away from the Christian faith. 

Individualism in our culture has led us to seek what it is that we can gain from the gospel personally. This had led many people to only hear and focus on the personal salvation aspect of the gospel. People cling to whatever removes the personal guilt we feel about ourselves and the shameful actions we commit. However a self-serving gospel is no good news at all. 

When the focus of the gospel is solely on being saved from our individualized sin, then there is no room to bring justice and health to systems and institutions. Even though there are individual aspects to the gospel, individuality's high emphasis in culture has caused the Gospel to be reduced as if you were to only look at one side of a jewel without beholding the whole of the diamond. 

An individualized gospel traps the whole gospel and puts an over emphasis on individual sin making you far from and how Jesus’ death allowed you to be good with God. A true wholistic gospel will push someone to discover how they  make their faith more than an individualized matter, but search for ways they can be a blessing to those around them, especially those who are in the margins of society. 

Rationalism caging the Gospel 

The beginning of the Enlightenment had made the scientific method and rationalism god in our time. This has influenced us to rationalize the meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection and search for one conclusive answer on its implications. Rationalism has led theologians to create theories on atonement that try to sum up what the gospel is. This has left little room for mystery concerning Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Not everything about Jesus destroying the evil forces of darkness through his death and resurrection can be rationalized and clearly explained. Jesus’ act is surely the climax of history and much of its implication is still shrouded in mystery, and that is okay.  

Much of what I mentioned, the values of whiteness, individualism, and rationalism caging the gospel, is deeply embedded within our society and the framework of Christianity many of us have been given. Perhaps the cage is more enclosed than we could have ever imagined. To let the gospel roam free in your life may take constant chipping away at the gate of the cage the gospel may be held in for you. 

For me, constant criticism of my own bias influenced by society’s values, and viewing the meaning of the gospel in its historical context has brought freedom and passion in my own life. People who are free and experience freedom then have an opportunity to free others. That is how the gospel spreads. 

After all, the gospels’ message that all of creation is saved under Jesus’ leadership communicates Jesus’ intention of the gospel having to spread throughout the entire world. Just like my dog jumps and greets everyone in the house when let out of the kennel the gospel has the ability to touch and grab everyone’s attention. It just has to be freed from its cage. 

Click Here to Listen me quickly explain the meaning and implications of the gospel: https://youtu.be/pZ8VGCjDpV4

Read: Mark 1:14-15, Luke 4:18-19