the happy gospel

I just finished the book, “The Happy Gospel” by Benjamin Dunn (yes, a shameless plug – I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone). Through reading this book, the Holy Spirit definitely opened my eyes even more to the mystery of the gospel and gave me a newfound appreciation for its goodness. In fact, I could hardly keep my seat as I was reading. The Holy Spirit was literally leaping inside my stomach as if I had butterflies. I’ve literally been filled with joy over the gospel.

Here’s an except that struck me as interesting:

“Possibly one roadblock that keeps us from actually experiencing and enjoying this wonderful reality that I have been describing, is that we tend to compartmentalize and separate things concerning our salvation.

Sort of like a child, who instead of waking up Christmas morning, running down the stairs, diving into the presents like a wild beast and tearing open everything that has paper and a bow, he calmly sorts each present out one by one, taking all day to open his gifts.

[…] We tend to separate each gift from God and put them into little boxes, all nice and neat. It is a silly thought, but this is the norm for most Christian life. […] The True Gospel is that when Christ gave himself to us and for us he did it unreservedly. He left the doors of heaven and all its wonders and gifts wide open for all who believe.”

There’s so much goodness in the gospel. It’s truly the greatest miracle available to man. And it really is counter-cultural. The simple concept of a free gift without a catch or hidden fees or fine print… people just don’t know how to react to that. It doesn’t seem natural. And, thus, even those who do receive Christ, often don’t know how to handle it, as described above. We spend so much time trying to figure God out, why He would even save us in the first place that we often forget to let our guard down completely and just let Him in. We forsake the freedom of the gospel by not fully embracing the cross and all of its power and glory. And we end up settling for little glimpses of God and His Kingdom, when truthfully, the veil of the temple was literally torn apart when Christ was on the cross.

And to be quite honest, sometimes we lose sight of the cross altogether. I know I do. I lose sight of the fact that I’m saved by grace through faith in what Jesus did for me. My eternal life starts with Jesus’ death and resurrection and my partaking in His sacrifice. And when I lose sight of the cross, I lose my eternal focus. Eternal life isn’t about what I can do for Him but what Jesus did for me. But so often I get caught up in what I’m doing now, as if God is looking for an additional sacrifice on my part.

Yes, of course, I’m called to give up my own life for the sake of Christ. But the truth is my life has already been bought. The work has been done. The price has been paid. Regardless of how I carry myself, the truth remains – Jesus died for me and rose again to put away my old life and usher me into new life.

So I pray that I never stray from the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ. That I never strive to earn my salvation, as if it wasn’t already purchased for me. I pray that I learn how to bask in the glory and the goodness of the marvelous gospel. And that it is the foundation for all that I do on this earth and in heaven.

Because, as Ben Dunn remarks, “If we are not completely satisfied with Christ’s offering on the Cross, with what will we be? Know this, that God Himself is completely and supremely satisfied with Christ’s sacrifice. Let that wonderful sacrifice drive you mad like it did Paul. Let the song of satisfaction come to your lips.”

Is there anything more precious than the gift of salvation? The gift that allows us to commune with our God freely at all times now and forever? Well, I’ll let you answer that for yourself. As for me, I’ll rejoice. My God is good!