Christians: What is your gospel? Initially, most everyone will explain God’s saving grace through Christ’s death and resurrection. A great answer indeed, but then something unspoken happens in relating to others, in Church, through word of mouth: we add more to our gospel than the gospel. Many of us have our own rogue gospels that help us feel comfortable or safe. The problem is that when we add anything to the gospel, Jesus gets nerfed, and we endanger the message of Grace. I see this happen primarily in two ways. The first addresses our actions and convictions, which Paul discusses this in Romans 14:

• One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind [emphasis added]. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. - Romans 14:5-9.

The second addresses who we follow:

• I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? - 1 Corinthians 1:10-13.

This passage in 1 Corinthians does not undermine our Church leadership nor those to which we esteem, but no person, action, or conviction (or anything) should get in the way of the gospel of grace, that Christ was crucified and resurrected for the whole world. Here are some modern rogue gospels with which I’ve been confronted:

• Our Church really is the best church to attend because of xyz theology. This is by far the most common rogue gospel. Somehow we believe the Church in which God has placed us is the Church that God should be placing everyone, or everyone in your city, and so on. Did you really just “should on” God? Churches are instruments used by God and we must look upon them and accept their value. The Church on the other side of town is doing a different work that your own lacks and yes, the Church you attend is likely doing a great work that other Churches lack.
• How can you be a Christian and not a republican? Conservative republicans have long felt they are the keepers of the evangelicals. This simply isn’t true as there are many faithful believers who land on both sides of the political aisle.
• All Christians should believe in creation science. Many Christians elevate creation science to Jesus. God is above creation and above evolution. He is way too high.

It’s good to have convictions and be “convinced in our own mind” as to how we should go about our business, teach our children, and even to teach others your secondary beliefs. However if we lace the gospel with these things, or they become as important, or we are not careful with our language around these subjects in proximity to the gospel, we risk rejecting our brothers and sisters and we risk rejecting seekers who might have otherwise chosen to believe. Paul addresses this specifically:

• For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel [emphasis added], that I may share with them in its blessings. - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Paul sets himself aside, he chose to lose himself for the sake of Christ. In turn he was able to “share with them in its [the gospel's] blessings”. This is another topic for another post. What are some rogue gospels with which you’ve been confronted?