If you've been following my FaceBook or Twitter status updates, you may notice that I've been thinking a lot lately about the Gospel. This preoccupation with the Good News has been encouraged by listening to Tullian Tchividjian, the preaching pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Through this transformation of beginning to see everything in life through the lens of the Gospel, I've realized how Legalism is not just a category of people that have a lot of rules or perhaps stress personal holiness (which is not bad)- Legalism is the natural state of every person everywhere, regardless of theological bent or denominational upbringing.
I write this introduction knowing that some may disagree with what I say for various reasons. For the purpose of promoting one-mindedness (and my desire to not be misunderstood), I would like to mitigate those reasons to the best of my ability for the furtherance of the Gospel and the ministry of grace. To accomplish such an end, I plan on carefully defining, or redefining, these key terms of "Gospel" and "Legalism" and work with said definitions for the clarity of those who read and for my own lucidity of thought.
Lastly, while I will do my very best to make these posts readable on their own merit, I ask that this set of posts specifically be read in order of parts (Part 1, 2, then 3), because I want to build my case from the ground, up. My plan of attack is as follows-
Part 1 - Explain the Gospel and how the Gospel is not synonymous with evangelism
Part 2 - Explain Legalism and dispel the myth that only a small sect of rule-keepers are Legalists
Part 3 - Explain how the Gospel works to solve the problem of Legalism through the Unconditional Grace of God
I hope that these posts will be a blessing, and that my attitude and tone will only promote the building of the body of Christ. Each one of these posts has been, is, and will be bathed in prayer and input from many spiritual leaders far more godly than I am- and in some cases, I may just parrot phrases/ideas not original to me at all (not like I've ever done it in the past either...) :)
God Is Our Hope
