Gospel People

1. Evangelicalism: Defined by the Gospel, Not Culture

To be evangelical, by definition, is not to be of a race or of a party, but of the gospel.

Defining evangelicalism. True evangelicalism is fundamentally theological, rooted in the evangel (Greek for "good news"). It's a commitment to the good news of Jesus Christ found in Scripture, distinguishing it from cultural, political, or racial appropriations that often distort its meaning. This means that self-identification as "evangelical" without adherence to classic evangelical beliefs is a distortion of the term itself.

Core principles. The essence of evangelicalism is captured by its material principle—the gospel—and its formal principle—the truth and supremacy of the Scriptures where that gospel is found. The apostle Paul's letters reveal the gospel as:

• Trinitarian: concerning the Father, Son, and Spirit.
• Biblical: proclaimed through holy Scriptures.
• Christ-centered: focused on God's Son.
• Spirit-effected: revealed and made effective by the Spirit.

Three essential doctrines. To be faithful to the apostolic gospel, evangelicalism centers on three indispensable "R's":

• The Father’s revelation in the Bible.
• The Son’s redemption in the gospel.
• The Spirit’s regeneration of our hearts.
  These doctrines align with ancient creeds, demonstrating evangelicalism as "uneccentric Christianity."

2. Scripture Alone: The Supreme, Inspired, and Trustworthy Revelation

Scripture is divine in origin, even when Moses spoke the words.

Supremacy of Scripture. Evangelicalism asserts the absolute supremacy of Holy Scripture as the sole rule of faith and practice, the ultimate test of truth, and the final judge of controversy. Jesus himself demonstrated this by consistently upholding Scripture's authority over human traditions, stating that what "Moses said" is "the word of God." This principle, sola Scriptura, was the indispensable key to the Reformation, challenging any authority that placed itself above God's word.

Inspiration and trustworthiness. Evangelicals believe all Scripture is "breathed out by God" (plenary and verbal inspiration), meaning every word of the original text is God-breathed, even as human authors wrote with their distinct personalities. This dual authorship ensures Scripture's total trustworthiness, as Jesus taught that "Scripture cannot be broken." To suggest fault in God's word implies fault in God himself, which is contrary to His perfect nature.

Ministerial, not magisterial. While Scripture is supreme, evangelicals do not reject all tradition or human reason. These hold a ministerial authority, serving Scripture, but never a magisterial authority that can overrule it. We learn from church history and wise teachers, but ultimately, all human words and thoughts must bow to God's infallible word. This prevents both anti-intellectual biblicism and bibliolatry, as Scripture points beyond itself to Christ.

3. Christ Alone: The Exclusive Son and Sufficient Redeemer

Christ alone stands at the center of God’s eternal purposes, Christ alone is the object of our saving faith, and therefore Christ alone must stand at the very center of our theology.

Exclusive identity. The gospel is news "concerning his Son," whose unique identity is foundational. John's Gospel reveals Christ as the eternal Word, who "was with God, and the Word was God," through whom all things were made. He is the "only Son from the Father," the "exact imprint of his nature," making him exclusively "the way, and the truth, and the life." This Trinitarian understanding of Christ's identity ensures that devotion to Him is devotion to the Father and the Spirit.

Sufficient work. Christ's redemptive work is entirely sufficient and "once for all" (hapax), as emphasized in Hebrews. This means His sacrifice for sins on the cross was a complete work, needing no repetition or human addition. This sufficiency is why evangelicals defend the virgin birth and the resurrection—they underscore that salvation is an unearned gift from God, not a human achievement. The cross is central, understood primarily as a substitutionary atonement where Christ bore the penalty for our sins.

No additions to Christ. Adding anything to Christ—be it church, ministry, sacraments, or human efforts—spoils the gospel. As C.S. Lewis's Screwtape observed, "Christianity And" (Christianity plus something else) distorts the faith. Evangelicalism insists that "there is only one Savior and only one gospel," affirming Christ's exclusive identity and the completeness of His work. This principle ensures that our hope rests solely on Him, not on our contributions.

4. Justification by Faith Alone: God's Gracious Verdict for the Ungodly

Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.

The heart of the gospel. Justification by faith alone (sola fide) is the essential consequence of Christ's all-sufficient work and a litmus test for belief in His redemption. Paul's letter to the Romans clarifies that all humans are guilty, but God's righteousness is manifested "apart from the law" through faith in Jesus Christ. Sinners are "justified by his grace as a gift," declared righteous not by their own works but by Christ's righteousness imputed to them.

Abraham's example. Paul uses Abraham, the father of the faithful, to illustrate this. Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness," not because of his works, but because he simply believed. This means God "justifies the ungodly," covering their sins and not counting them against them. This concept of a gracious declaration of righteousness, independent of human merit, is central to evangelical understanding.

Historic Christian truth. While often associated with the Reformation, the doctrine of justification by faith alone has roots in the early church fathers. The Reformers, like Luther, reaffirmed this biblical conviction, seeing it as "the main hinge on which religion turns." This continuity with ancient Christian thought underscores that evangelicalism is not a novel invention but a renewal of foundational biblical truth, cherished and sung about for the sweet security it offers in Christ.

5. Regeneration by the Spirit: The Essential New Birth for a New Heart

If any doctrines within the whole compass of Christianity may be properly termed fundamental, they are doubtless these two,—the doctrine of justification, and that of the new birth.

Beyond bare orthodoxy. Evangelicalism is more than a list of doctrines; it demands a transformed heart. Jesus's critique of the Pharisees highlighted that outward religious show is vain if the heart is far from God. Evangelicals recognize human sinfulness as spiritual deadness, a deep-seated hostility to God, not just minor waywardness. This dire need for radical renewal, not superficial self-improvement, is a core evangelical confession.

The new birth. The promise of a new heart, given by the Spirit, is a central feature of the new covenant. Jesus told Nicodemus, "You must be born again," emphasizing that new life comes from the Spirit, "the giver of life." This new birth unites believers to Christ, making them "a new creation." It's a divine work that changes desires, turning hearts to love God instead of sin, as eloquently described by Augustine and experienced by Luther and Wesley.

Divine work, not human engineering. The new birth is a divine work of the Spirit, not something achieved through human effort or even water baptism alone. While conversion experiences vary, the fact of new life, evidenced by repentance and worship, is paramount. This understanding fuels evangelical evangelism: if people are spiritually dead, they need to hear the saving gospel, which is "the power of God for salvation" and is shared in the Spirit's power.

6. New Life in the Spirit: From Orthodoxy to Orthocardia and Orthopraxy

The outward is easy, and subject to hypocrisy.

Walking in the Spirit. The Spirit's regeneration is not an end in itself but a new birth into a new and eternal life, transforming believers into Christ's image. This "new life" means walking "according to the Spirit," fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law not by compulsion but by love for God and neighbor. There is no such thing as a Christian who is only justified; true regeneration leads to changed lives, encompassing orthodoxy (right doctrine), orthopraxy (right practice), and orthocardia (right heart).

Inside-out transformation. Unlike approaches that emphasize external conformity (like the Caroline Divines' "beauty of holiness" focused on liturgical order and church aesthetics), evangelicalism prioritizes internal transformation. The Puritans, for example, valued preaching that would win hearts to Christ, believing the Spirit changes us from the inside-out. This means genuine holiness flows from a heart renewed by God, not from mere outward actions or rituals.

Love as the weight. Augustine's analogy of love as a "weight" illustrates this: we gravitate toward what we love. When God, by His Spirit, turns our desires, we begin to love Him and hate sin. This profound shift means that evangelical life is characterized by a joyful, full-throttled pursuit of God, spurning spiritual emptiness and hypocrisy. It's about "glorying in Christ Jesus and putting no confidence in the flesh."

7. Gospel Unity: Anchored in Essentials, Flexible on Secondaries

An anchor stops a ship from drifting while allowing it a certain amount of movement on the surface of the water.

The gospel as anchor. For gospel people, the gospel serves as a mooring anchor, preventing drift while allowing movement on secondary issues. This means not every issue is a gospel issue, and not every error is a soul-killing heresy. Evangelicals must exercise biblical wisdom, discerning between first-level issues (essential to the gospel) and second- or third-level issues (important but not gospel-defining).

Theological triage. This discernment is akin to "theological triage," prioritizing doctrines based on their essentiality.

• First-level issues: Essential to the gospel (e.g., Trinity, revelation, redemption, regeneration).
• Second-level issues: Important but allow for denominational differences (e.g., baptism, church government).
• Third-level issues: Significant but allow for disagreement within close fellowship (e.g., timing of Christ's return).
• Fourth-level issues: Relatively unimportant (e.g., dietary preferences).
  This framework helps avoid both tribalism (fighting over too much) and theological blurring (discerning too little).

Avoiding extremes. Evangelicals must guard against "splintering" into like-minded ghettos based on secondary issues, politics, or culture, which undermines Christ's prayer for unity. Equally dangerous is "blurring" the gospel's distinctives for a "gospel-lite" unity, as seen in attempts to reconcile evangelical and Roman Catholic views on justification without addressing fundamental differences. True evangelical unity is spiritual, cross-denominational, and rooted in shared gospel essentials, not institutional structures.

8. Gospel Integrity: Humility as the Heart of Evangelical Life

The supreme quality which the evangelical faith engenders (or should do) is humility.

A call to reformation. Given the widespread issues within contemporary evangelicalism—from non-Trinitarian beliefs to abusive leadership—a call for repentance and reformation is essential. Evangelicalism, as a gospel movement, is inherently a renewal movement, constantly seeking to adhere closer to the gospel in thought, word, and deed. This requires integrity, not just on paper, but in lived experience.

Humility as integrity. At the heart of evangelical integrity is humility, a quality often lacking but profoundly shaped by the gospel. The gospel reveals the glory and grace of the triune God, exposing our creaturely and sinful state. The more we grasp the gospel, the more God is exalted, and we diminish, leading to genuine humility. This humility is not timid but full-throttled, joyous, and valiant, as exemplified by Luther's transformation from anxiety to bold conviction.

Fruits of humility. This gospel-fueled humility is the wellspring of evangelical health. It fosters honesty about ourselves, love for others, inner peace, and resilience. Captivated by God's magnificence, evangelicals are less drawn to man-centered religion, petty rivalries, or personal agendas. They become bold to please God, meek and gentle with others, quick to serve, repent, and laugh at themselves, for their glory is Christ alone.

9. Striving Together: United Faithfulness for the Gospel's Sake

Willingness to be faithful to the gospel, even to the point of suffering for the gospel, can come only from the gospel itself.

United faithfulness. Paul's plea in Philippians 1:27 calls Christians to "stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel." This unity is a manifestation of gospel integrity, achieved when the Son of Man is lifted up, drawing people together to Himself. It requires dealing with pride and selfish ambition, adopting the humble mindset of Christ, where His glory eclipses all else.

Resilience in opposition. Striving side by side for the gospel also implies resilience in the face of opposition and suffering. Paul reminds believers that it is "granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake." This courage and comfort to endure trials and stand against opposition come directly from the gospel itself, from a fresh, deeper clarity in Christ.

Historic unity and discernment. True unity in the gospel extends to unity with the historic church, learning from creeds and theologians like Athanasius and Luther. This doesn't replace Scripture but provides wisdom, guarding against faddish beliefs and cultural sway. Evangelicalism, though diverse denominationally, demonstrates a robust theological consensus on gospel essentials, fostering cross-denominational fellowship and mission. The future depends not on a label, but on integrity to the gospel.