What's Your Gospel?

Have you noticed that we have a lot of gospels? And I’m not talking about the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

For example, there is the “Prosperity Gospel.” According to this gospel, God is willing to give you everything you want and desire if you pray a special prayer, or think positive thoughts. It is closely related to the “Self-Help Gospel,” except that the Prosperity Gospel focuses more on material wealth, while the Self-Help Gospel is more about elevating one’s self-esteem.

A lot of my friends are into the Social Gospel, which focuses on social and political activism. According to this gospel, the political and the spiritual are one; you cannot preach salvation to the sinners without feeding the poor.

And then of course there is the good old Fire and Brimstone Gospel where God hates you so you better get your act together or suffer for all eternity.

All these gospels have nuggets of truth, but none of them tell the full story. God gives us what we need (Matthew 7:11), but not always give us what we want. The Bible says that we are more valuable than many sparrows (Matthew 10:31), but too much self-esteem can quickly lead to believing life is all about our own happiness. In a parable Jesus said that the ones who did not do anything for “the least of these” would not see paradise (Matthew 25:45), but politicizing Him too much will make Him sound like just another political revolutionary. And, yes, there is fire and brimstone, but Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17).

So what’s your gospel? Is it the Prosperity Gospel? The Social Gospel? Or is it the True Gospel?