"Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary use words."
I get what he's saying. This is a jab at people who honor Christ with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. People who preach Christ, but hate their brother are no more Christian than the people to whom they are preaching. I understand what Francis is saying. I get it. But he's wrong.
1. What is the gospel? Some may argue that the gospel is the Sermon on the Mount. Live lives that cause people to look to Christ and glorify God in heaven. That sounds good, but that's not realistic. Being a good person in the eyes of the world... or even following the Sermon on the Mount... is not the gospel. What is the gospel? The gospel is that He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God. The gospel is that He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. The gospel is that I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. The gospel is that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"-- so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The good news is not that now I can be a good person. The good news is that I was a wicked worm of a man, but God being in rich mercy because of His great love with which He loved us made me alive together with Christ. That's good news. How does one preach this message without words?
2. Faith comes through hearing, not seeing. Romans 10:13-17 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
If faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ, how are they to believe unless they are told?
3. A wordless morality may point some toward a works-based salvation. Let's face it, the human condition is so twisted that we want to believe we can work ourselves into right standing with God. Without the gospel being preached (the good news that one is not justified by works of the Law but instead by faith in Jesus), our morality may appear to the world to be our successful efforts to make God love us. Words are always necessary.
I understand the sentiment of Francis of Assisi's statement. I get it. But he's wrong and in need of a slight adjustment. You see, in a small way, he's right. No one will listen to the gospel being preached if your actions say otherwise. But without words, no one can know the only gospel that saves.
They say that actions speak louder than words, and that may be true. But both voices-- the mouth and the hands-- need to be heard in order for the gospel to take root. As in most things, balance is in order.
"Preach the gospel at all times both in word and deed."
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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