Questions: Is there such a thing as a Real Christian? vs. What is the Gospel of Jesus the Christ?

A friend of mine, on another post, asked the question, is there such a thing as a real Christian? There were a number of interesting comments and answers in this regard.



In mulling this question over, Is there such a thing as a real Christian?, it seems to me that its the wrong question. It seems to me, that the question is, What is the Gospel of Jesus the Christ? Even the word "gospel" has been watered down to refer to a method for getting saved, an escape plan for the life hereafter, or even personal piety and individualistic religious experience.



But the word is a technical term referring to a royal announcement of a great victory, or the birth, or accession, of an Emperor. One example would be the Priene inscription from about c. 9 BC, found on the Asia Minor coast, which says,



“Since Providence, which has ordered all things and is deeply interested in our life, has set in most perfect order by giving us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior [swthvr], both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things, and since he, Caesar, by his appearance [ejpifanei'n] (excelled even our anticipations), surpassing all previous benefactors, and not even leaving to posterity any hope of surpassing what he has done, and since the birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good tidings for the world that came by reason of him."



The Gospel of Jesus the Christ is a royal announcment that Jesus the Christ is Lord, Lord of the world, Lord of the cosmos, Lord of earth and heaven, by virtue of his Incarnation, Death and Resurrection; that He has inaugarted the beginnings of New Creation and Lordship, over against all other principalites and powers (earthly or spiritual- especially Ceasar at the time); and is a Summons of Allegiance to Jesus as Lord; and that there is no area of human life that is exempt from this Summons. No Herald of the ancient world would have thought that a Gospel of Ceasar would be an invitation to accept Ceasars rule if you felt like it. A Gospel is an Announcement and Summons to Allegiance, not an experience. In fact the only experience guaranteed by Jesus was to pick up our cross and follow Him.



I know this is a heavy thought but the question is not about what makes a good or bad Christian; but what we do with the Gospels royal announcement and Summons to allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord. Only when we've really dealt with this question, can we then ask the questions that surely must follow, including how we've messed this up too throughout our attempts over the past 2,000 years; or what we can do about it now.



We must first deal with the the Gospels royal announcement and Summons to allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord.

Dark and Difficult Times....

"Dark and Difficult times lie ahead; soon we must all face the choice between what is Right and what is easy."

---Professor Dumbledore to Harry Potter, in the Goblet of Fire