There’s a Gospel according to Matthew; To Mark;
To Luke; and John too.
There’s another gospel that many are reading,
The Gospel according to You.
Many read not the words of the Bible;
I will tell you what some of them do,
They are reading the book you are writing
The Gospel according to you.
You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day;
By things that you do; By things you say.
Others read that gospel, whether faithless or true!
Say! What is the Gospel According To You?
Though it’s been decades since Leroy Brownlow first penned these words, they still resonate today. In a culture that’s steadily growing more and more biblically illiterate, fewer people have any familiarity with the Gospel message at all. They don’t know who Jesus is; they have no concept of what He’s done. As our society becomes increasingly secularized, we’re faced with people who know less and less about what the Bible teaches. Their only knowledge of God’s Word comes from their interactions with His people.
Given this fact, you’d think we’d be doing a much better job at representing the Gospel. If we’re the only Bible people see, then we should want to represent God’s Word rightly. Unfortunately, I’m not so sure we’re doing that great of a job. After all, Christians today have a reputation for being judgmental hypocrites. That doesn’t seem like “Good News” to me. Worse, a lot of people outside the church accuse us of preaching one thing but living another. While some of these claims have been exaggerated, it seems there is at least some disconnect between what we say and what we do. The Gospel recorded in Scripture doesn’t always match up with the Gospel according to our lives.
Yet, if we are going to represent Christ rightly, we have to live out the truth of His Word on a daily basis. The Gospel can’t just be something we read; it has to be something we live. The New Testament writers would have wholeheartedly agreed with this sentiment. They believed that the quality of our lives ought to point people towards the truth of the Gospel. Multiple verses in the Bible tell us that our attitudes and actions should continually reflect the character of Christ. More than that, they ought to reflect the power of Christ working in our lives. Consider some of these passages:
II Peter 2:9-12: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”
Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Philippians 2:14-16: “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life…”
These passages all encourage us to spread the Gospel message by our actions. We do this by keeping ourselves from sin, by doing good deeds, and by not complaining or arguing about anything (easier said than done, of course). When we differentiate ourselves from the world – when we live differently from everyone else – people stand up and take notice. They want to know what makes us so different. Better yet, they want to know the Gospel we claim to represent.
Jim Henderson said it thusly:
“If being Christians meant we were the most real people on earth rather than the most religious, evangelism as a program would disappear forever. Why? Simply because the people Jesus misses most would be exposed to His message through the very natural means of friendship, kindness, concern, and listening ears. This kind of reality would surprise and mystify them instead of confusing them. Perhaps then the missing would seek the found to find out more about what motivates the caring nature of those who live authentic lives. …Simply put, people aren’t shopping for religion; they’re looking for something that’s real. Jesus is at the center of reality and has commissioned us to invite others into His reality by living it and loving them. So just be yourself. That’s as good as it’s going to get. And when you do this simple thing, it intrigues people.”
Today, open up the Gospel with someone. Only, don’t do it by opening up a book. Do it by opening up your life. Let the quality of your speech, your thoughts and your actions share the good news with those around you. As St. Francis of Assisi famously said:
“Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”
Questions to Consider:
What Gospel are you sharing with your words, actions and life?
Read I Thessalonians 4:11-12. What kind of life earns outsiders’ respect?