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This past Sunday, Dr. Mark Saucy (Professor of Theology at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Califorinia) presented a very insightful and practical lesson to our Missions Class at Grace Baptist Church in which he addressed theological priorities for western missionaries.
1. The Priority of the Gospel
He asked the question: “What is the core of the message that defines Christianity?”
It is One Event and Three Questions
The Event is the CROSS! (Eph 1:10; 1 Cor 1:23)
Three Questions —
- Who was there? (Who is Jesus?)
- What happened there? (What is the meaning of the Cross?)
- How can it apply to us? (How is it applied?)
The answers to these questions are the “Die For” issues. This is the core of Christianity!
We must not die for “isms” – Calvinism, Dispensationalism, Pre-Millenialism, Protestantism, etc.
We must be clear that Jesus is more than just a man, that on the cross Jesus paid the penalty for sin, and that salvation is by faith alone.
2. The Priority of the Gospel in its biblical context
We must be clearly biblical. We must not just find a verse in the Bible to support our doctrinal beliefs, we must find the way the Bible presents a doctrinal belief.
We must also be aware of our cultural perspective. In the West, our western values influence the way that we read Scripture. “It is impossible to read Scripture outside of your cultural perspective.”
a) Be attentive to Scripture’s own deep theological structures.
We must understand that the theme of the Bible is not Redemption of a People, but Kingdom and Covenant. Jesus preaches the Kingdom.
b) Be attentive to Scripture own terminology.
We must see God the way that He reveals Himself in Scripture as the God of loving holiness. While you may feel compelled to present God to others as the God of sovereign grace, the Bible prioritizes God’s love and holiness as His primary attributes more than His sovereignty and grace.
We must “follow the Bible’s terms.”
As you attempt to engage in missional activities, whether here in North America or abroad, you must be clear on the message of the gospel. How would you answer these three questions:
- Who was there? (Who is Jesus?)
- What happened there? (What is the meaning of the Cross?)
- How can it apply to us? (How is it applied?)
