Our readings in this series are from the book, The Gospel of the Kingdom. We’re trying to determine whether this is the Gospel that is preached today and that we have believed. Here’s a reading from page 22:
“The Good News that Jesus and the apostles proclaimed is a message so comprehensive, so altogether new and radical, that it requires deep-seated, heart-felt repentance, complete surrender to the risen Christ, and whole-hearted belief leading to obedience in every area of life. It is the message of the Kingdom of God.
“Anything other than the Gospel of the Kingdom is not the Gospel at all, but a form of near Christianity that holds out promisesgermane to the Kingdom, prescribes means related to the Kingdom, but holds back on making the full vision and demands of the Kingdom clear to those who would enjoy the conditions of blessedness.
“Such a message obscures the magnitude of God’s grace, minimizes the scope of Christ’s achievement, fails to nurture believers in the full obligations of Kingdom citizenship, and holds out a lesser hope – mere forgiveness and eternal life, rather than the glory of the living God.”
Questions for Reflection or Discussion
1. Did you hear that term, “near Christianity” What does that suggest to you?
2. How can we know whether we’re living the Gospel of the Kingdom or near Christianity?
The apostle Peter calls us to make our calling sure. Make sure that what you have believed is the whole Gospel, the Gospel of the Kingdom. Forward today’s podcast to a friend and ask your friend how they would answer the two questions above. Order your copy of The Gospel of the Kingdom by going to the website of The Fellowship of Ailbe.
T. M. Moore
