Ridgell's Originals

 Gospel is good news because it saves us.  Jesus died for our sins.  God raised him from the dead. 

No other gospel will save us.

So ...

Church is not the gospel.  Those who believe the good news of Jesus make up the church.  We are a group of baptized believers living life in community.

But that community does not save us.  It is the saved.

So do not make church into what it is not.  

Many of the gospel sermons I heard growing up were about how to be the right church.  I think a lot of those sermons contained truth.  Some didn't.  I even think there is truth from Scripture about church.  But those sermons were not gospel.

Keeping your name on the church roll does not ensure your salvation.

My heritage is in churches of Christ.

I love that heritage.  

But sometimes we have implied a wrong gospel by emphasizing the Church and not the Christ.

Getting right with Jesus is more important than doing church right.

So remember what the gospel is...

Thank you Jesus.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and God raised him from the dead.  Just like the Bible said.  This is true.  And this is the good news gospel that saves us.  

The Bible is true but does not save us.

Correct doctrine matters, but does not save us.

The gospel saves us.  Jesus dying and being raised is the good news.

Baptism is not the gospel.

It is however, the response to the gospel.  It is where we encounter/enter in to the gospel.

Baptism is where we die with Jesus and are buried with him.  Then raised to a new life.

But we have sometimes confused response to the gospel with the gospel.  

Christians have often assumed everyone knows and believes the gospel (Jesus) so we spend much time convincing them how to respond to the gospel.

Perhaps more time should be spent on the good news that Jesus died for our sins and was raised.  

Teaching baptism while assuming everyone knows the gospel is the wrong gospel.

Teach the gospel and assume people will be baptized.

First things first.

I baptize a lot of people.  I believe it is the way to enter into the good news.  But baptism is not the good news.

First things first.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 Good news:  Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, he was buried, and God raised him on the third day according to the Scriptures. 

That is the gospel that saves us.  

Jesus.

So we have to be sure that we are teaching the right gospel.

The Bible is not the gospel.  It is right and true but it will not save you.  Jesus does that.

Right doctine is not not gospel either.  

I believe doctrine is important.  But being right on doctrine will not save you.  

If you figure out exactly the right theology on worship, church organization, life, and well... anything else, that still does not ensure your salvation.  Only Jesus can do that.

I grew up going to "gospel meetings."  But most of them were heavy on the right way to worship or to organize your church.  But not always so much about gospel.    

Knowledge is not the way to God.  Being correct in your theology does not forgive your sins.

It is really easy for Christians to put so much emphasis on getting everything right that we start to equate being right with being saved.  

You will only be saved by believing the gospel.  Jesus dying and being raised.

As a Christian you should study to know what God expects you to believe.  But that is what saved people do.  It is not what you do to be saved.

The Bible is true.  But it does not save you.  Jesus does that.

Never confuse people about the gospel.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 The good news that saves us is that God sent Jesus to die for our sins according to the Scripture, that Jesus was buried, and that God raised him from the dead according to the Scripture.  But sometimes we find ourselves listening to other gospels.  Thaings that may be good, right, and true.  But they are not gospel and they will not save us.

The Bible is not the gospel.  

You can read about the gospel in the Bible.  You can learn a lot about living Jesus good news by reading the Bible.  

I beleive the Bible to be the word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit.  I think the Bible is true and is not wrong in some places.

But I do not think the Bible saves us.  It can't.  It is not the good news.

I appreceate being part of a church that values Scripture.  It is read, studied, and helps up as something impotant.  I like having the reputation as Christians of knowing the Bible.

It does matter.

But it is not gospel.  

Knowing the Bible will not get you into heaven.

Knowing Jesus will.

It is not as if you get one sin forgiven for every verse you memorize.  Or that your relationship with God is determined by how much Bible you know.

Jesus is the good news.

Learn your Bible.  Pay attention to what God says to you thru Scripture.

But never teach, beleive, or imply that the Bible saves.  

That would be a false gospel.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 The gospel is the good news that saves us.  That good news is found in Jesus.  Good news that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures.  Then he was buried.  Then God raised him from the dead according to the Scripture.  Paul is careful to remind the church in Corinth of this truth.  I Corinthians 15.

This is the news our world needs to hear.  Jesus is the message.  What he did for us is the good news.  And if you believe this good news, it is what saves you.  

So never teach -- or even imply -- that there is any other gospel other than Jesus.  There is nothing else in this world that can save us.  If you teach any other gospel, you are even endangering your own soul.  Check out Galatians 1.

There are other things that are good.  Things that are right.  Even things that relate to the gospel.  But they are not the gospel and will not save you.

The Bible, right doctrine, baptism, the church, good works.  

All important.  

And none of them will save you.

Only Jesus can do that.

His death for our sins.  

His resurrection from the dead.

Be sure you make the main thing the main thing.

Be sure the message you carry into a fallen world is the right one.

Never teach or even imply that any other gospel will save you.

Because it will not.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

As a Christian I do not endorse abortion.

I believe God values life and I must too.  Christians have always been the ones to stand for those unable to stand for themselves.  We are a voice for the voiceless.  We protect the helpless.  

And I understand why some choose death over life.  

An unexpected child is life changing.  So many plans now unworkable.  Dreams shattered.    

For poor people, the financial implications are enormous.  The emotional burden is heavy.

For Christians, it can be spiritually devasting.  The guilt and shame.

Pregnancy is the consequence of sex.  It may be seen as an unwanted intrusion into the life you choose to lead.  It may be the result of one-time "we got carried away."  

I know the consequences are often borne primarily by the mother, not the father.  In fact, very little attention is ever given to the father.  Physical and financial involvement, but little concern for the emotional and spiritual impact on the man.

But I do not believe hard consequences justify sin.

But I do not want this to turn into a political discussion.

I do want Christians to think about our response -- responsibility -- in these situations.  Because if we are going to oppose abortion, we better be willing to put our lives where our sermons are.

We need to teach more about what the Bible says about marriage.  About sex.  About lust.  And about holiness.  Those are awkward conversations.  These will be against what our culture teaches.

We must provide real community for the single Moms and the poor among us.  Take a look at most of our churches.  We talk about this.  We do not do this.

We must be there for the sinner.  Forgiveness is real.  It must be modeled and taught.  

We have to be there to help deal with the consequences.  Emotional support.  Financial support.  Spiritual care.  Physical care.

I do not think voting the "right" way is the highest call of the Christian.  It might be the least important thing we do.  

I think financial support for organizations that are on the front lines is impotant.  Marsha and I give to at least three organizations that do this.  Our Jamie works in one of these.  

But the real need is to get involved.  Get in people's lives.  That is what church really is.

So talk all you want.  Post on facebook or write a blog.  Vote.  Give.  

But be there.  Adopt.  Foster.  Do life with the hurting.  Forgive, pray, counsel, support.  

It is not enough to denounce the sin.  

We need to live grace with the sinners.  

They are us.    

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 When I hear people talking about how to interpret Scripture, there are three things I often hear that I think can be unhealthy if we are not careful.

Listen to the Universities.  Or the people with degrees from the University.  I do need to say that I appreciate scholarship.  I even have two degrees from Abilene Christian.  But here is why I think that can be dangerous.  If you do not have a degree, or a Bible degree/degrees, it might be easy to decide you cannot know enough to interpret Scripture for yourself.  Best to leave it to the professionals.  I don't think that is what God intended.  

And which University.  I know people that do not trust my academic qualifications.  Some because I studied at ACU.  And the others because I studied at ACU but at the wrong time.  My school doesn't teach what it used to.  Not making a case for whether that is good or bad.  Just saying relying on degrees to interpret Scripture can be confusing.

Culture.  I hear quite a bit about Scripture being interpreted in different ways because our culture is different that the culture into which Scripture was written.  Of course it is different.  So what was true then may not be true in our culture.  Or true in 1950 culture but not 2021 culture.  So might not be true again in 2051 culture.  Or true in American culture but not China.  Or Africa.  Or Cuba.  

I sometimes think we assume our culture is right so we are the correct filter to interpret Scripture.  So churches in Africa and the US might have different truths.  Not sure that is right.

Church.  Some say let the church interpret Scripture.  I know everyone says the church does not follow culture but almost everything I said above about culture could be said about church.  And which church?  I know lots of churches that have changed their fundamental beliefs on lots of topics.  And different churches teach different things as true.  Unless you mean listen to the "right" church.  

Maybe we ought to read the Bible.  Let the Bible comment on itself.  Think for yourself.  Then use resources.  Perhaps listen to churches.  Maybe there is some way to figure out how culture influences how to interpret Scripture but I am not sure exactly how.  

Anyway, just a few random thoughts as I hear people explain to me why I am interpreting Scripture wrong.  :)

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments

 I think I am right about everything.  Especially spiritual things.

And I am not.  Obviously, I think I am right in what I believe and I am pretty sure I have the core convictions nailed.  But so many other things I believe may not be right.  I just don't know it.  And people that I respect and love see some things differently than I do.

So I read and listen to a lot of people about spiritual things.  People from the liberal wing of my church of Christ heritage.  People from the conservative wing of my heritage.  People from other religious backgrounds.  Sometimes people with no religious background or belief.

And here are a few observations.

Someone can be entirely wrong on almost everything but have an incredible insight into one thing that I never realized before.  And someone can be right about almost everything and still miss on one thing.

Spiritual people are not always right.  People who act in unChristlike ways can be right about some things.

People I like are not always right.  People I don't like are not always wrong.

The Bible is still the best commentary on the Bible.

Great love does not make you right.  Or wrong.

The best communicator is not always right.  Nor is the most persuasive.

If we only listen to people who think like us, we will not learn much.  But people who do not think like us are not always right.

I don't think I have changed my thinking on what really matters in ... well, ever.

But I have changed my mind on lots of other things.  I imagine it will change again.

I don't think all beliefs have equal weight.

What you believe does matter.

Read the Bible more than you read things about the Bible.  

That is the best advice in deciding what you believe.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM 0 comments