Christianity Today Bible Study: The Gospel Defined


Christianity Today Bible studies are available for download at ChristianBibleStudies.com. This one, “The Gospel Defined,” is based on an interview with author and theologian Michael Horton.

Christianity Today has graciously allowed me to post the studies I have written to this site, usually one or two a month. If you would like to use them for anything other than your own spiritual growth, I ask you to download them at the CT Bible study site mentioned above.

The gospel of moralistic therapeutic deism is running rampant in the church. In an interview with Mark Galli,theologian Michael Horton says we are tempted to live a Christless Christianity because we are humancentered rather than God-centered. Conservative-leaning believers say, “These are God’s commandments. The culture is slipping away from us. We have to recover it, and you play a role.”

Meanwhile, others say, “You can be happier if you follow God’s principles.” But as good as following these imperatives might be, the gospel is not a matter of doing the right things or trying harder. Horton says, “The gospel isn’t ‘Follow Jesus’ example’ or ‘Transform your life’ or ‘How to raise good children.’ The gospel is: Jesus Christ came to save sinners—even bad parents, even lousy followers of Jesus, which we all are on our best days.”

Here is a link to the study for your personal, individual use. Your feedback is always welcome.

HT: Mary DeMuth for allowing me to use this link.

About Stan Guthrie

Stan Guthrie is an editor at large for Christianity Today magazine and for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview. His latest book is God's Story in 66 Verses. He also is author of All that Jesus Asks: How His Questions Can Teach and Transform Us, Missions in the Third Millennium: 21 Key Trends for the 21st Century, and A Concise Guide to Bible Prophecy. He is co-author of The Sacrament of Evangelism. Besides authoring, writing, and editing books, Stan is a literary agent, bringing together good authors, good books, and good publishers. Stan writes the monthly Priorities colum for BreakPoint.org. He has appeared on National Public Radio's €œTell Me More,€ WGN's Milt Rosenberg program, and many Christian shows, including The Eric Metaxas Show and Moody Radio'€™s €œNew Day Florida.€ A licensed minister and an inspirational speaker, he served as moderator for the Christian Book Expo panel discussion, Does the God of Christianity Exist, and What Difference Does It Make?
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