One of my favorite bands is the punk/new wave group Talking Heads. Their angular, ironic, quirky music doesn’t appeal to everyone, but I have always felt an affinity with them. Perhaps it’s because their lead singer was diagnosed later in life with Asperger’s Syndrome (like me). For whatever reason, their music speaks to me, especially the song The Good Thing. It opens with these words:
I will fight; will fight with my heart
I will fight; will fight with understanding
In my mind the weather never changes (I love that line!)
But, the most intriguing (spiritual) idea is found in the chorus:
A straight line exists between me and the good thing
I have found the line and its direction is known to me
Absolute trust keeps me going in the right direction
Any intrusion is met with a heart full of the good thing
I know they didn’t write this line with any religious connotations in mind, but to me the connection is obvious if you change the words good thing to gospel.
A straight line exists between me and the [gospel]
The word gospel makes its way to us by way of the Anglo-Saxon word god-spell (“good story”) from the Greek word euangelion, which literally means “good news.”
It seems that all too often we forget that the gospel is good news. The gospel tells us that Jesus has done everything necessary to bring us freedom, eternal life and life right here and now. However, this gospel doesn’t seem to be good news to everyone.
In his classic book The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning tells how some religious leaders react to the gospel. After Manning gave a talk on the gospel of grace at a seminar, a pastor could be heard fuming “Humph, that airhead didn’t say one thing about what we have to do to earn our salvation!” It’s worth quoting what Manning writes in response:
Something is radically wrong.
The bending of the mind by the powers of this world has twisted the gospel of grace into religious bondage and distorted the image of God into an eternal, small-minded bookkeeper…Though lip service is paid to the gospel of grace, many Christians live as if it is only personal discipline and self-denial that will mold the perfect me. The emphasis is on what I do rather than on what God is doing.
In other words, it’s not about us; it’s about God. When we focus on ourselves and what we need to do, we veer from the straight line that leads to the “good thing.” The path to God which should be straight and clear and open becomes laden with twists and obstacles and land mines. And then the bondage of the law (do this, don’t do that) threatens to replace the freedom of the gospel.
Something is wrong indeed.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can earn your way to heaven. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you must follow certain rules in order to be saved. No matter what some people believe, that is not the gospel.
It’s unfortunate, but the message of freedom contained in the gospel has always caused offense. Jesus railed at the religious leaders of his day for the burdens they placed on believers. We know what happened to him. St. Paul was forced to declare that he was “not ashamed of the gospel”. Maybe it just sounds too good to be true. Maybe it seems too simple.
Frankly, it is simple. Our entire faith – salvation and discipleship – can be explained in two passages from scripture.
First, salvation. Martin Luther said this verse was the gospel. I’m sure you’re familiar with these words from John 3:16:
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Clear. Simple. Your salvation has been accomplished. All you have to do is believe.
Next discipleship, or how we respond to this gift of salvation. This passage comes from St. Paul’s letter to the believers in Rome:
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. (Romans 13:9-10)
Again, clear. Simple. Love one another and the rest will take care of itself. That’s it.
If that seems shocking or offensive, remember these words from Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now.
So, go out and shock someone. It might lead them to the good thing.
God bless. Stay well. Live freely.
Divine Overtones 