Sacred Roots Workshop

156 Sacred Roots Workshop: Retr ieving the Great Tradi t ion in the Contemporary Church

Neither moralism nor legalism, but a fundamental awareness that the Church is its own unique colony and society; conversion is nothing short of a change of allegiances, authorities, and kingdoms!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I. In the Story of God, the Gospel Is Unleashed

First, the underlying theme [of the kingdom] is the rule of God in Christ over all areas of life. It is this rule that Jesus proclaimed. In effect, he was saying, “The ruler of the universe has come to rule in your life. . . . Turn away from all other demands for ownership of your life . . . enter into my reign. Let me rule in the life of the world through my rule in you.” Jesus called men [sic] away from following their false gods to follow the one true God manifested in himself.

~ Robert Webber. Common Roots . Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1978, 2009. p. 187.

A. An unleashed Gospel will never be adulterated!

2 Cor. 4.2 (ESV) – But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

1. Contaminated, or pure?: definition of “adulterate” (tampering with God’s Word, 2 Cor. 4.2)

2. We adulterate the Gospel when we lose our proverbial nerve to declare the whole counsel of God, both in terms of its language and worldview. Rather than teaching the cosmic drama of Scripture, we replace its bold claims with easier-to-swallow versions which no longer stand up to the apostolic and orthodox Christian faith.

3. Tendencies to adulterate