What is an Evangelical?
November 2007

What is an Evangelical?
To answer that we must first define the 'Evangel'.
That would be the proclamation of the 'Good News' of salvation that has been gained for us through Jesus Christ, by His life, death, and resurrection. God sent His son in to the world to become man, the Incarnation. As our Substitute, in His life on Earth, He fulfilled all of the requirements of the Law of God, and He then suffered death in our place, to pay for our sins, our debt to God. Because of this two fold action on our behalf, we have been imputed (credited) with the righteousness of Christ. We are pardoned for all of our sins. This is all a free gift of His Grace.
This message is also called the power of God for salvation.
Why?
Because, the Word of Christ does what it says, what it demands. It calls us to faith and it creates faith as it is preached. Through faith we are justified. It is an act of God. Not a work of man. God is the 'doer'. He is also the keeper. We do not keep ourselves in the Faith by being good, obeying the Law, or paying God off. We are kept in the faith by the same Word that created faith, the same Word preached and received regularly.
We can't 'outlaw' sin away. It will continue until the end. It is a part of us, which is why we all get to die. No one is sinless and no Christian has been given the gift of sinlessness. "If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us."
But since perfection is demanded, God Himself provides it through this Divine Transfer. Though we deserve nothing from God, He grants us forgiveness of sins, causes us to become His children, grants us the perfect account of Christ and credits our Savior with our vile account of sin. All of this because of the Work of Christ on our behalf.
This is the medicine for our troubled lives. Though we look pretty bad at times His promise is, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." So we continue on, with hope in His promise. Though we walk through this valley of death, He is with us, and we will rise one day in the resurrection, all because we are forgiven.
But not yet. He has promised trouble for this life. Not a smooth, prosperous trip, though we do know the end of the story. In this life we live by faith despite how bad we look. We don't have to pretend sinlessness and we can afford mercy for our beleaguered neighbors.
This message is the balm of Gilead that we sinners 'need' to hear, to survive. This is the preaching that builds and sustains faith in a very fallen world. Christ said that all Scripture is about Him and what He has done for us, not about what we must do for God. This is the message that we need to hear all year long.
This is what the Evangel meant in the Apostle's time and in Luther's time.
But does it mean the same today?
This is what the Evangel is not:
It is not motivational preaching. Jesus did not die to get you to try harder, or to make you a better 'you'. He died to be your Substitute and forgive your sins.
It is not tips on how to love your wife better. While that would be a very good thing, it isn't the Gospel, the Evangel.
It isn't preaching about how to wheel and deal God to get more money. The Bible does address this though. It is called covetousness and greed.
It isn't moralistic or legalistic preaching. While it is certainly a good thing that people have a decent sense of morality and obey the law, it does nothing in our relationship to God.
It isn't preaching politics of any variety in the pulpit. Mixing the the two kingdoms is never a good thing. And God is not afraid of the ACLU and He certainly is not a card carrying member of either the Democrat or Republican party.
But back to the original question.
What is an evangelical?
It is simply, someone who believes and preaches this message. An Evangelical preaches Christ crucified for sinners relentlessly, as if our lives depended on it, since they do, just like Christ instructed His Apostles to do.
Now, is this what you are hearing on Sunday morning? If not, then throw tomatoes at the preacher and find a Church that will give you what God says you need, for life and death. After all, He has provided all that you need, already.
"For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst."

Today's Christmas Messages December 26, 2006

Here we go again. Now it's "Would Jesus want you to shop at Walmart?" Here's a better question "Would Jesus want you to go to a church that claims to preach Christ but doesn't?" Churches in America are all but apostate today. They would rather preach anything but Christ.
Moralism is big. It must make the adherents feel holy. Legalism has always been a popular number. And why not? No thinking required, just follow the rules and we all will know how holy you are. Today Pastor Joe Phelps is upset because of the treatment of Walmart's workers, so of course Jesus must be also. If Walmart is a corrupt business, then don't shop there. But you will have to stop going to most companies if that is your standard. Maybe it would be easier if we looked for companies that have not sold their soul for a larger profit margin. There are not too many. So where would you shop? Companies are made up of sinners and sinners, sin. Sanctimonious people like Phelps must have removed himself from that category. That's a pity, since only sinners go to heaven. We wish we were perfect, but a believing Christian must proclaim with the Apostle Paul, "Oh, wretched man that I am." We not only are not perfect, we are sinful (full of sin).
Jesus didn't die for Walmart, He died for people. But no matter, it is better for church growth to preach Walmart rather than Christ. And don't forget to say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays, because Jesus doesn't like that either of course. (How many sermons were done on that subject?) "What would Jesus do?" is a stupid cliche. It shows a Christian's ignorance about their faith. Jesus came and did what He planned to do...He died for the sins of the world. He died for sinners. He did not come to reform culture, although that has happened. He also sends His people into the world with the same mercy to give to others.
Today Christian churches are simply not preaching Christ crucified for sinners. They are preaching various forms of perfectionism, deceiving themselves but not those around them. Your neighbor always sees you (especially, the holy than thou folks) for the sinner that you are.
Another church near me had a Christmas special on TV. What we learned from it was that they love to jump, cry and talk about themselves. "Praise the Lord! We have given God everything!" (He must be so thrilled.) The repetitive praise music was nauseating. They even brought in a special famous Christian entertainer (and the emphasis is on entertainer). He also just spoke of himself. Thank God He made us such better people than other men. "Here try Jesus, He really works." In America today, Jesus is just another product to try. You'll find similar apostasy all over TBN and other Christian TV stations. They are preaching another Jesus, another Gospel than the one you'll find in Holy Scripture.
We are all so thrilled with our own works, not Christ's works for us. We have to be, since that is what Rick Warren is teaching. Everybody loves Rick Warren. Why not? He doesn't bother you with all that Scripture stuff. No arguments over what is true, because doctrine divides you know. (Did Jesus divide when He said the Pharisees were of their father the devil? That was rather harsh. He said that, by the way, because they thought they were keeping His law. Oops. Not quite.) Well Rick was all over the TV telling us about another Jesus, one that thinks we are just great. Hmmm. It's almost like 'Touched By An Angel' TV show, "The Father wants you to try harder." "Deeds Not Creeds!"
Let's see, what else was preached this weekend? Oh yeah, an old favorite from Florida who somehow finds a way to bemoan the culture no matter what Scripture he uses. He likes Jesus in the room, but he never likes to preach Him. He much prefers scolding the people for bad behavior and he prefers to preach American History, or the faith of well known 'believers', or how the ACLU is screwing up America (true or not, there is no relief for sinners here). He reads Scripture and then spring boards off of it to his political views. Thus, he plainly tells Jesus to sit down and be quite, since he has an agenda to ramrod down the faithful's throat. And what does this minister produce? Along with the others, he produces more Pharisees, red meat Christians that want to correct the bad behavior of everyone in their path. No mercy here. No repentance here. Hard to repent when you are self satisfied.
It would appear that Christians, ministers and laity, are bored with their Christ. They are bored with His mercy to them moment by moment. They prefer to have big church growth plans, they prefer clubs instead of churches. They would rather huddle together in modern day monasteries with their Starbucks coffee, then go into all the world and mingle with sinners. We can send money and gift baskets rather than be their friends and go bowling with them, their sin may rub off on us holy ones. Yes, we are so much better than we used to be.
This is not what Christianity teaches. This is a great apostasy. Emotionalism, self-absorption will kill us. Christians are not good people. Only Christ is good. Christians believe they need forgiveness for their 'good' deeds as well as their bad deeds, as well as their thoughts, since nothing we do is sinless. Christians love the mercy that Christ came to give us. He was born in human flesh to pay for our sins. He gives us mercy moment by moment. We are not good. But we believe in the Good One.
Perfectionism and all forms of self salvation are not Christian. Jesus is also not our boyfriend much less a prosperity butler. True Christian ministers should speak out against false theology and clearly show the difference. The sheep are being ravaged.

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