The Gospel + . . .

I had the opportunity to preach this past Sunday which is always a rewarding experience. We're currently working through Galatians this summer and so I took us through the second half of chapter two where Paul recalls his infamous conforntation with Peter over his hypocrisy of being ok to eat with the Gentiles in some situations but pulling away from the table when some of his Jewish collegaues were in town. For Paul, the overarching concern in Galatians is how people are saved, and Paul will continue to argue that people are saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Galatians, and others of his letters, Paul is concerned about what we try to add to the gospel. When Peter pulls away from the table, Paul is immediately upset because it sends the message that there is a difference between the Jew and the Gentile regardless of their shared faith in the crucified and resurrected Christ. And if there is something that separates, than something has been added to the gospel. If the Gentiles wanted full fellowship with the Jews, than they'd have to be circumcised, observe food laws, and other customs. Paul was concerned that Peter's actions would add to the gospel.

I got to thinking about things that we add to the gospel- either as churches or individuals. I spoke Sunday about how churches sometimes add things onto the gospel like politics (you need to vote a certain way or be part of a certain party in order to be right with God) or theological perspective (in some Christian circles we ought to agree on the death and resurrection of Jesus, but if we differ on some theological perspective, than all of a sudden we're separated from each other). And I know from personal experience that I as an individual add to the gospel as well. Sometimes it's the gospel plus time with God (you're ok with God because of Christ's death and resurrection and the time you spend with God), or plus the time you serve, or plus the money you donate. The irony is that all of these things are good things, but in effect they are responses to what God has done; they are are activities we participate in as followers of Christ, but they are not things that we do in order to convince God to save us, otherwise, we've added to the gospel.