Reactions to story from W. David Phillips - missional. theological. personal.

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    Do We Read the Bible Correctly? The Message and the Mission Are Connected

    http://www.downshoredrift.com/downshoredrift/2008/05/do-we-r...
    7 days ago in DownshoreDrift · Authority: 36

    Do We Read the Bible Correctly? The Message and the Mission Are Connected When I was in seminary at Golden Gate back in the late 90's, I was highly impacted by the teachings of Dr. Thom Wolf. He, along with Dr. Stanley Nelson, my systematic theology professor, gave me a lens through which to interpret Scripture. I began to see the Bible as a whole, not just a random collection of books, sayings, and unrelated chapters. I began to see that the Bible was about the mission of God through the sending of God's Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue the human race from sin and death for God's own glory and because of His redeeming love for us. As I began to read the Bible as an unfolding message of God's wooing and rescue of the human race with Jesus as the Hinge of History, all of the side doctrines that had created so much confusion began to slide into place. Jesus is central. He was sent by God and He redeems us and calls us to Himself, gathers us together, and then sends us out with His power to proclaim His salvation. His gospel is our message. The gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom announcing God's reign and rule through the person and work of Jesus. He is calling people everywhere to Himself through the proclamation of the gospel. Jesus is our focus. His mission is the mission and purpose of the church. One of the passages that Bro. Thom unfolded for us was Luke 24:45-49. It says, 45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." The Message: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day. The Mission: Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations. The Message and the Mission are connected. One flows from the other. We have wrongly separated the two and have said that we need to accept the message and then maybe if you become spiritual enough and receive a special "call," then you can take part in the mission. Wrong. When you receive the gospel, you receive a redemptive spiritual virus that is meant to be spread to others. I really wonder if those who have no desire to share the gospel or see others come to Christ have really encountered what the gospel is about. As Bro. Thom used to say, "the gospel that has come to you must now go through you." If we are just sitting on the gospel, then we don't really understand it. It is like people who claim to receive grace yet they continue to sin. If you really understood grace, then you would not continue to sin. Grace provides forgiveness AND it brings change in our lives.