The Lost Shock-Value of the Gospel

So many people have heard such a dumbed-down version of the gospel that it has been quite stripped of its shock-value. People today expect God to be gracious--they presume upon His goodness and grow upset when everything does not go their way, as if God owes them goodness.

Where's the shock value of Romans in today's preaching of the gospel? Romans 1-3 indicts and condemns everyone, whether Gentile or Jew, of being in a desolate state of grotesque depravity before God. Paul shows both how those who have received the Law and those who have not will both be found without a saving excuse at the final judgment. Not even being of the "elect" people of God can save a person--circumcision becomes uncircumcision when one fails to keep the whole Law (2:25-26). No one can possibly be saved by works (3:20). No one in the whole world is righteous and able to stand before the holy tribunal of God (3:10-12). Yet, in light of this, God's righteousness and faithfulness are revealed apart from the Law. God has made propitiation for sin. Those who are justified are thus justified by the gift of imputed righteousness merited by Christ "in His blood," and this is received by being found in Christ--that is, through faith (3:24-26). Now that's shock!

Where's the shock of Revelation 5? Where's the amazement at God's wisdom and the shouts of joy at the triumph of Christ? John wept bitterly "because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it"! God's redemptive plans and reign in history were on the line. We should be apalled at ourselves that no one in the universe was worthy to open the seals and the scroll! We should be ashamed of the fallen state in which we live. We should be absolutely stopped in our tracks when John is told, "Behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." And yet the Lion's means of conquering were not orthodox. The Lion did not devour His prey. Rather, He died as the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Lamb was slain, and yet He was standing in victory! He purchased a people for God to be "a kingdom and priests." This is gospel. This is unheard of!

Where's the awestruck-jaw-dropping-can't-believe-your-eyes-amazement when we hear that the Christ has defeated death and has risen from the dead? Why isn't is stunning when we hear that the blind have received sight, the lame walk, and the forgiveness of sins is preached? Have we utterly forgotten our sinful estate?

Where's the gaze of disbelief when Jesus tells a young man who is probably far more righteous in his conduct than anyone we know, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me" (Luke 18:22). Have we neglected to recognize the diffuculty with which one must enter the Kingdom? Why do we not exclaim with the disciples, "Then who can be saved?" We should be floored at the cost of discipleship. We should be astonished at Jesus' rejection of this Pharisee-like man and His acceptance of the publicans Bartimaeus and Zaccheus (Luke 18:9-19:10). Where's the amazement at grace?

Instead of letting the gospel shock people as they see God's grace in light of our wretched sinfulness, we settle for cheap tricks and what one of my dear friends likes to call "smoke and lights." Rather than weeping for joy that God would send a substitutional-Mediator to save us from the wrath to come, we seek shock-value in saying unorthodox gibberish and trying to challenge people's (correct) views concerning God (open theism and the new perspective on Paul, for instance). Isn't it enough that God would reject the wisdom of this age and choose the weak things of this world?

If we were really honest with ourselves, we'd admit that we don't even believe that the gospel comes in the power of the Spirit. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. We don't need anymore strobe-light-death-metal-David Copperfield-side-show preaching. We need the rock solid message of the gospel--the Kingdom has come in Christ, and He is returning to bring it in its fullness--repent and trust in Christ and know life in Him, or else face the judgment now, and when Christ returns, the unbridled wrath of God.