Several years ago someone asked me if we were a "full gospel" church. My response? "Yes - we preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus!" Little did I know that this wasn't what they meant. Since those early days I have come to discover that what most people mean by "full gospel" is operating in the gifts of the Spirit. While I understand their point of view, I have never bought into the idea that anyone is full gospel just because they believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by certain kinds of gifts. In fact, my attitude has changed even more as it relates to this kind of labeling. While there has been much focus on reclaiming the fullness of the Gospel as it relates to the power of the Kingdom, I think it's just as important (if not more) to reclaim the fullness of the Gospel as it relates to the SCOPE of the Kingdom.
It's time for the church to reclaim what has been provided through the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. It's time that we began to see the world through His finished work. Then, and only then, we any of us be "Full Gospel." You see, it's not enough that we embrace the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's not enough that we function in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Gospel is discovered in all that Christ came to do for us, in us, and through us.
When was the last time anyone looked up at the people of the world and said, "The fields are already ripe for harvest."? I mean...if the fields were ripe in Jesus' day...what does that mean for us now? He made that statement pre-crucifixion. We live post-resurrection and still see the world tainted through the fall of Adam rather than through the finished work of Jesus. What Jesus accomplished through His sacrifice is far greater than what many have believed. What Jesus did through His death reaches further than what many have been willing to understand. What happened to humanity through the Resurrection of Christ is of a far greater scope than what many have been willing to see. The question we must answer is whether or not we are going to believe what the New Testament reveals? Are we willing to embrace the truth that all of humanity was placed in Christ in His death, in His burial, and in His resurrection? Are we willing to change some of our doctrinal stances to reflect the finished work of Christ?
You have read my statements on this blog about Paul presenting Jesus as the "Last Adam" {1 Corinthians 15:45}. This is where many have failed to make the transition in their thinking. Hear the words of Paul:
- "For if many died through one man's trespass, MUCH MORE have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for the many."
- "The judgement following one man's trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification."
- "For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, MUCH MORE will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through one man Jesus Christ."
- "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men."
- "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many shall be constituted righteous." {literal translation of verse 19}
{Read Romans 5:15-21}
Paul took the time to show the Church the significance of the finished work of Christ. Just before he chose to contrast what was accomplished through Christ versus what had been done through Adam, he made this statement: "God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." {Romans 5:8-11}
The point is this: To embrace the fullness of the Gospel means that we must embrace the full scope of what God has accomplished. God has reconciled Himself to the world. He chooses to view all of humanity through the finished work of Christ. The payment for our sin has been made. The work of atoning for the sin of humanity has been finished. The entire human race now has it's lineage in the Last Adam - not the first. They have been born from above (born again/reborn) through the resurrection of Christ {see 1 Peter 1:3}. The problem is that most people don't understand what God has done for them. They see themselves outside of the grace and unconditional love of God. They do not know, have not accepted, or have not heard that if they would believe in the resurrection of Christ and confess Him as Lord that they would be saved (or come into the wholeness of life that Jesus provides).
If the Church doesn't embrace the fullness of the Gospel then how can we expect the rest of the world to embrace it? If we cannot see them in Christ then they will never see themselves in Christ. If we cannot rest in the finished work of Christ then they will never rest in it either. That is why we must embrace it with everything we have. We must see the scope of God's love, His grace, His mercy, and His kingdom so that we will enter into those ripened fields and harvest those that Jesus gave His life to redeem. They have already been purchased and it's up to us to claim them. Lift up your eyes!!!
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