Advance the Gospel

If someone were to ask you how your life advances the Gospel of Christ, what would you say? Does your career advancement bring the truth of the Gospel to new believers? Does your summer cottage or beach house inspire believers to live for Christ?

Here’s what is strange about my question. For many Christians, a large home and extra spending cash DOES inspire people to join the Church. For others, stacking up properties like we’re playing Monopoly turns nonbelievers away from the Church.

The question isn’t which example advances the size of your church, but which example advances the Gospel of Christ. It was Christ who said, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8.36) Here’s what Saint Paul said.

Brethren, I want you to know that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear.  Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.  The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of partisanship, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.  What then?  Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice.  Yes, and I shall rejoice.  For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope.

Philippians 1:12-20

Advancing the Gospel of Christ isn’t about growing your church into a megachurch. Advancing the Gospel of Christ is about inspiring people to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Christ into heaven. (See Mark 8.34) Advancing the Gospel inspires others to live FOR Christ.

Today the Church offers us an example of someone who suffered for Christ. Saint Maximos the Confessor refused to stop defending the Gospel. He refused to stop correcting those who misunderstood God. For his refusal, his hand was cut off.

This was an ancient custom used to intimidate others. It was believed that others would ‘fall into line’ because they were afraid they too would suffer like Saint Maximos. That is why we call these types of saints, confessors. Instead of killing him, his wounds were a confession of faith.

So, from the point of view of the Church as outlined by Saint Paul and the revered status of Saint Maximos, it isn’t wealth and prestige that advance the Gospel. We advance the gospel of Christ when we are willing to go against the norm, to live FOR Christ instead of for the world.

Allow me to ask you again. Does your life advance the Gospel? Does your life confess your faith in Christ, or the world? Does your life inspire others to endure suffering at the hands of unbelievers, or do unbelievers turn away from Christ when they see you?

Before you get ‘too down’ on the state of your faith. Saint Paul also reminds us that we all fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3.23) It was the ‘great’ Saint Paul who admitted to the internal struggle to life FOR Christ.

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

Romans 7.14-16

None of us ‘gets it right’ all the time. Even the saints fell short. What inspires us about their life isn’t their perfection. It is their continued effort to ‘get it right’ that inspires us. It is the constant repentance that advances the Gospel of Christ.

Now…. go out there and repent! Advance the Gospel of Christ.