Have you ever started writing an essay, only to realise at the end that you never actually answered the question?
It’s a common experience. We get distracted by great ideas that almost fit, but we lose sight of the primary goal. In the Christian life, and specifically in the life of our church, it is just as easy to “drift off topic.” We can get busy with programs, serving, and community, but if we don’t keep the “question” at the top of the page, we lose our way.
At Soma, we want to put the purpose of our church in bold at the top of the page. That purpose is the Gospel.
What is the Gospel, Really?
Before we talk about why the Gospel is central, we have to define it. As Tim Keller famously said in his book Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City:
“God himself has come to rescue and renew creation in and through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.”
This rescue was necessary because our relationship with God was severed by sin. The “work of Jesus” is His perfect life, His substitutionary death (taking the penalty we deserved), and His miraculous resurrection. Because of Jesus, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Him.
But the Gospel isn’t just a finish line we crossed years ago; it is the power and purpose for our lives right now.
1. Gospel Power: The Means of Salvation
Often, we only understand two-thirds of the Gospel’s power. We know what happened in the past and what will happen in the future, but we miss the present reality.
Past Reality (Penalty): We have been saved from the penalty of sin (death).
Future Reality (Presence): We will be saved from the presence of sin when Christ returns to wipe away every tear.
Present Reality (Power): We are being saved from the power of sin.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t just sit inside us waiting for heaven; He is actively forming us into the image of Jesus today. He is breaking addictions, healing brokenness, and helping us live into our holiness in the “mundane Monday to Sunday” moments.
2. Gospel Purpose: The Reason for Salvation
Why did God rescue us? It wasn’t just so we could live individual, satisfied lives. The Gospel is a story in four acts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.
We currently live between Act 3 and Act 4. We have been redeemed, but the story is not yet complete. So how will the story go on? Well, God has invited us to be co-workers with Christ. We have been given the “Ministry of Reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
The purpose of the Gospel is for us to join in on God’s redemptive plan for the whole world. So the Gospel is not just about “me” — it’s about God’s glory and the renewal of all things.
3. We Need Both
Gospel power (the means of salvation) and Gospel purpose (the reason for salvation) are both essential in our life as Christians.
If we only focus on Gospel Power and miss the reason for salvation, we will tend toward a Gospel that is only about individuals, missing the mission and purpose for salvation.
However, if we only focus on Gospel Purpose and miss the means of salvation, we will tend toward doing mere works, believing that the continuation of the story is just up to us.
But if we have both, we see a beautiful Saviour who has, is, and will rescue us from sin in order to empower us to continue His story of a redeemed creation together.
Key Takeaways
- The Gospel is central: To avoid drifting, we must keep the Gospel central to everything we do. Without this “Gospel Centrality,” church activities easily become aimless or self-serving.
- The Three Tenses of Salvation: The Gospel’s power is holistic and all-encompassing.
- Past: We have been saved from the penalty of sin (death/condemnation) through Christ’s substitutionary death.
- Present: We are being saved from the power of sin as the Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Jesus in the mundane moments of life.
- Future: We will be saved from the presence of sin when Christ returns to restore all creation.
- Power Paired with Purpose: We are not saved simply for individual satisfaction. Salvation drafts us into “Act 3” of God’s cosmic story — the ministry of reconciliation. We are co-workers with Christ, participating in his plan to renew the world.
Discussion Questions
- What is at your “Centre”? What does your current schedule, stress, or spending suggest is at the centre of your life? How does that “centre” compare to the power of the Gospel?
- Where is the “Power” hitting the ground? In which area of your “mundane Monday-to-Sunday” life do you most need to experience the Spirit saving you from the power of sin (e.g., anxiety, bitterness, or a specific habit) right now?
- How are you a “Co-worker”? If your life is a part of God’s larger story of restoration, how does that change the way you view a difficult relationship or a frustrating task at work this week?