Since the gospel is about way more than just receiving eternal life but is also about how God’s people are to live their lives in this world, then the goal of living out the gospel is not primarily to rescue people from hell so they can go to heaven when they die.
The goal is not to get people into heaven from earth.
Instead, the main goal of the gospel is to get heaven down to earth.
The goal of the gospel is to reconnect heaven and earth. To reintroduce the rule and reign of God to earth. To reinstate the Kingdom of God on earth so that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
While this perfect reunion between heaven and earth will never fully be accomplished until Jesus Christ returns and the new heavens and new earth are recreated as one, the goal of the gospel is that we live now in light of that future reality.
The gospel calls us to live as if that future reality existed now.
The goal of living out the gospel in this way is to show people that God is redeeming and restoring and reconciling all things through the gospel. The gospel invites us to begin right here and right now to experience some of these future realities by how we live and love and act among each other in this life.
We are not here on earth simply to twiddle our thumbs while we wait for heaven.
Instead, we remain here on earth to model for other people the gospel way of life that God has built and prepared for us and which we can experience in all its glory in the future heaven and earth.
The goal of the gospel is to live out the reality of the gospel here and now so that heaven and earth are reunited in small ways as they will ultimately and finally be reunited in all ways. When people see our lives lived in light of this future reality, they recognize the desires of their hearts, and will long to join with us in our gospel-filled lives.
While it is good to be excited about going to heaven when you die, Christians should also get excited about bringing heaven to earth while we live.
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Could not agree more Jeremy. Do any of your books cover what eternal life means biblically? Perhaps a book in the future! Many think the Bible says eternal life is about how to avoid Hell. We need another perspective.
My book “The Gospel Dictionary” will cover “eternal life.” But it is at least a year away from publication…
Hi Jeremy
Thanks for sharing 1 Goal for living out the Gospel in your life with us.
It was an excellent and educating read.
Your first point is crucial. Being a Christian is not only about a future life in Heaven with our Father.
It’s also a helpful resource on how to live an inspiring life while we’re here.
We have an important task to do while we’re here: Informing and inspiring people to receive Jesus as their Savior in their life.
I agree with your thoughts on the reunion. As you say, it’s not something we’ll be able to push through 100% before Jesus returns, but it shouldn’t stop us from doing our best.
The Gospel is a powerful resource to tap into.
My favourite part of your blog post was this line:
“We are not here on earth simply to twiddle our thumbs while we wait for heaven.”
It made me feel the urgency to do my best today and every day.
I’ll give your blog post a share on social media Thursday 31. of August.
Sincerely
Edna Davidsen
To be honest. I sorta sit about twiddling my thumbs waiting for heaven. I have many excuses or perhaps bad rationales for this behaviour. Chronic sore back for one. Toil to be getting on with for two. And fatique being a result of both one and time. There is a time for everything in life. And I, m thumb twiddling at the moment. No apologies. That’s just the way it is. I can live with it.
If anyone else out there thinks I should not be just sitting twiddling my thumbs waiting for heaven then feel perfectly free to offer up a few prayers for me heavenward. Chronic pain seems to suck the earthly heaven right out of you. But my brain still functions in the heavenly realms thank god.