Monday, March 17, 2008

Narrow Gospel vs. Kingdom Gospel

The "fundamentalist" may conceive of the significance of Christianity more narrowly in terms of the salvation of the "soul". Too often he may fail to consider adequately the effect of redemption on the total life-style of man in the context of an all-embracive covenant. That view results frequently in a by-passing of the responsibility of redeemed man to carry forward the implications of his salvation into the world of economics, politics, business, and culture.

The total life-involvement of the covenant relationship provides the framework for considering the connection between the "great commission" and the "cultural mandate". Entrance into God's kingdom may occur only by repentance and faith, which requires the preaching of the gospel. This "gospel", however, must not be conceived of in the narrowest possible terms. It is the gospel of the "kingdom." It involves discipling men to Jesus Christ. Integral to that discipling process is the awakening of an awareness of the obligations of man to the totality of God's creation. Redeemed man, remade in the God's image, must fulfill - even spurass - the role originally determinded for the first man. In such a manner, the mandate to preach the gospel and the mandate to form a culture glorifying to God merge with one another.


-O. Palmer Robertson, The Christ of the Covenants, p. 82, 83

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