I heard the “true” story of a woman who explained that her favorite spot at the local zoo was the “House of Night.” This particular enclosure housed all the nocturnal creatures that crawled, slithered, flew, and generally creeped everyone out. She said “One very bright day, I stepped into the exhibit and was plunged into total darkness. Almost immediately, a small hand grabbed mine.” “And who do you belong to?” she asked. A little boy’s voice spoke in the darkness: “I’m yours till the lights come on.”
I wonder if sometimes our approach to the gospel of Jesus is similar to that little boy. God’s forgiveness and grace are welcome companions when our days are dark and we are scared to death of, well, death. When the lights come on and we stand confidently on the “solid” ground of our own accomplishments, power, or self-confidence we no longer need to cling to the comforting hand of the Savior.
Another way of framing this misconception is to say that the gospel is for sinners but not for the saved. The gospel is something we believe, accept, or agree with at a particular place in time. Our conversion becomes anchored to a specific historical event. I would tend to agree with this view if it weren’t for Paul. Throughout his New Testament writings, Paul talks about the preaching and teaching of the gospel to those who have already accepted it.
In 1 Cor. 15:1-2 Paul explains why: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”
Matt Chandler in the book Gospel Centered Discipleship writes, “The gospel is good news for our past, it continues to be good news for the present, and will remain that way for all eternity.” In other words, it’s not an isolated experience or a one-time transaction. The gospel continues to save, shape, and inform our lives throughout our lives. May you continue to stand, grow, and live through the power of the gospel.