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Evangelical tracts, church websites, evangelistic messages in concerts and other crusade type meetings all focus on the same basic principles. Perhaps the most simplified version of these presentations is the famed 4 Spiritual Laws Gospel tract. As a student in college I was required to memorize these 4 laws and be able to present them to a class. While these may be helpful in creating converts, the question is whether they are useful in creating disciples. However, as important a question this may be, they do provide the doctrinal aspects of the Gospel in a rather succinct manner, which is what we will seek to do in this entry.
The basic Gospel message holds to that title--basic. From a doctrinal standpoint, the message is simple. Rather than start where Campus Crusade and Bill Bright did with the 4 Spiritual Laws, we begin at a much earlier starting point--the Fall.
Man was created innocent in the Garden, having full fellowship with God. In Genesis 3, man chose to disobey the one simple command God gave the first couple, and thus sin entered the world. Because of this we are all born in a fallen state, unable to live the holy lives required to be in God’s presence (Rom 5:18-19).
Because God is Holy and Just, he is required to seek justice against the sin of man. The only way for justice is for God to pour out his wrath on man. Thus all are under God’s wrath (Eph. 2:3; Heb 9:27; 2 Thess. 1:6-8).
But God is also merciful, and so to act in accordance with his mercy and love for his creation, he sent his son to bear God’s wrath in our place at the cross (John 3:16). Accepting Christ’s call to believe and follow him results in our salvation from his wrath (Acts 16:31). Jesus death is the payment of our penalty. God’s justice is satisfied, not by being placed on us but on Christ.
The trouble with this presentation is the opportunity for what many call “easy believism.” What is missing from this message is actually in the message but easily overlooked--the call to follow Christ.
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