We can’t separate the “word” of the gospel, from the “works” of the gospel. Meaning that because the gospel is a “working word”, it “works” itself out with power and authority in our lives. To put one before the other, creates a false dichotomy. All of it is under this idea of the “good news of the kingdom”. The proclamation of the good news. As Jesus proclaims the news of the gospel, He also performs the power and works of the gospel. Jesus walks into a religious system that was supposed to embody the power and character of God. We rightly emphasize the aspects of legalistic religion that Jesus came to destroy through His gospel of grace. Yet in the same way we see not only people suffering under legalism that need to be set free, but also we see physically sick, demonized, suffering people that need to be set free. All of these were suffering under this religious system that made no room, and had no power to bring deliverance to these. Jesus comes proclaiming the “good news of the Kingdom” which includes both, ‘grace instead of legalism’, and ‘healing/power instead of sickness/suffering’.
I understand and believe that we live in an “already/not yet” time. However I wonder do we live more in light of the “not yet” or the “already”? Do we operate and emphasize more of the “already” or the “not yet”? We want to preach a “full gospel” that encompasses all the Jesus preached and did. For He says to us “as the Father sent me ,so I send you”, and “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.” If we believe the gospel, do we just believe in the justification of the unrighteous, or do we also believe in the empowerment of believers to do the things that Jesus did? We get both. Now, I understand we don’t get “some” of justification, although we don’t always see ourselves doing the works that Jesus did. His works are summarized in Luke 4:“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” The NLT puts it this way : “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.”
Given those above verses, doing the works of God encompasses verbal proclamation and demonstration of the gospel’s power.
How do you live and grow in faith for what Jesus has for us now and today(already), and also walk out this place of tension knowing that all will not be as it should be until the New Creation(not yet)?
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