Another issue that comes up when one mistakes the Gospel for “getting saved” is the notion of “moving on beyond the Gospel.” Moving on to what? The Gospel is all there is. The Gospel is the message that God gave to mankind for salvation and for everything. The Gospel is the solution to all of man’s problems. The Gospel is the answer to all questions. The Gospel is sufficient for life and godliness. It will sanctify and purify us in this life and then finally bring us into full redemption in the next.
This is a continual process, and therefore, the Gospel has to be repeated over and over again to believers. It never hurts to go over the basics again. In my experience in academia, I have seen many people so focused on the high-level studies that they forget the basics and foundations upon which those high-level studies are built upon, even denying them because they went off trail. Christians do this all the time. They seek such high-level theologies that they forget the basic premises. I am not the only one who loves the simple faith of someone who had no academic inclinations but knows his God, over these highly “educated” people who know all doctrines but it’s pure academic and ultimately worthless. That is one of the things I love about my dad. He is not academically inclined whatsoever and could not handle himself in a “debate” with anyone, however, he knows the Bible and he knows his God. It is that simple child-like faith that carried onto me, even though I am intellectually driven. Despite my inclination towards the academic side of things, that child-like faith surpasses my intellect and that is why people can see my faith to a greater level than they can see my intelligence. They see both, and are amazed at the insights I get, but my insights come from that faith, not from my intellect. And I have a long way to go, too. There are people out there with half the “brain” I have, but far greater faith because they keep the Gospel close to their heart and not just in the head.
It does not matter how many years we have been walking with Christ. We need the Gospel regularly and continually, and we must remind ourselves regularly of the Gospel. One thing I do not like about having grown up in the church and on the mission field is that it is so easy for me to get complacent with being a Christian. One reason I keep bringing up the Gospel is because I, Charlie Wolcott, need the Gospel continually and regularly. It is music to my ears, honey to my tongue, and a constant reminded that Jesus is first and foremost.
I love how Voddie Baucham reported how he was asked if his message would be a Gospel-message or a message for believers. His answer was, “Yes.” It would be both - a message that believers need to hear and a Gospel message. Do not think the Gospel is just for unbelievers. A few weeks ago, I wrote about how the Gospel is for the believer as well as everyone else. The Gospel needs to be preached again and again and again because there will always be an area of life that needs to hear the Gospel and have it be applied.
Don’t stop preaching the Gospel and don’t stop listening to the Gospel. Do not think you can advance or graduate from the Gospel and look for “deeper things.” While there is milk and meat, the Gospel is BOTH milk and meat. The Gospel is so simple that a child can understand it, but so deep and rich than the entirely of theologians could not combine their resources to exhaust it. Never depart from the Gospel. In all you say, let the Gospel be your starting point and your destination. Let Christ be your domineering thought so that anything else seems mere superfluous next to Him.
I am a science teacher, and I love the science that keeps showing the Bible to be true. But as great and cool as those studies are, they still pale in comparison to Christ and to the Gospel. The Gospel does not need any academic support from science, history, archaeology, or any other field because it can stand on its own. Fortunately, God did leave all these fields of study, so man truly has no excuse; all the evidence showcases that the Gospel is indeed the standard for reality. Yes, it seems I am using the Gospel and Scripture interchangeably here, but I do believe for this purpose, it counts.
That said, don’t let people twist this and use this as a cover to insert and believe things contrary to Scripture. Many false teachers will use the primacy of the Gospel to discount “secondary doctrines” to insert opinions and man’s authority into Scripture and once they do that, they have won the battle. Because once it happens in one area, it will happen in others and before long, the Gospel itself will have been compromised. Don’t fall for it.
Do not think you can graduate from the Gospel. Keep preaching it. Keep reminding yourself of it. Worship the Lord by proclaiming how the Gospel has done its work on you. Plead with others that they may hear it. Don’t get complacent with the Gospel (I know that is a weakness in me). Keep it fresh in your mind. If it gets “old,” you absolutely need to hear it and listen to it again, or maybe you may never have had it do its work in you. Keep preaching it and do not let the Gospel depart from your mind, your lips, and especially, your heart.
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