Led to Christ

So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Galatians 3.24-25

Here's how I have understood this passage: that the law functioned as a tutor or a schoolmaster (as in other translations) -- by trying to follow it we should recognize our wretched state, throw ourselves on the mercy of God, and find forgiveness through Jesus Christ. As I write it that way, the whole scheme seems circuitous and bizarre.

But it's no more bizarre than the idea that God would love the world so much, this world that refused to acknowledge him, rebelled against him, and often seems bent on destruction -- I'm including myself in all this -- that he sent his only son to die for it -- for you and me.

You know, I have been thinking lately about the question, "What is the gospel?" Not trying to be a troublemaker, but from reading books like Donald Miller's Searching for God Knows What, I'm thinking that the essence of the gospel is quite a lot different from the way I've thought about it and presented it all these years.

Rather than presenting the gospel in a modern outline like "problem: all have sinned, wages of sin is death; attempted solutions don't work; Christ the only solution" I wonder if the Good News is more aptly stated as, "Because of God's great love, humankind no longer needs to live lives of quiet desperation," and then inviting people to participate in this? No pamphlets or tracts, just one idea presented, and then an invitation?

I don't have it figured out yet, as if you couldn't tell. But I hope I'm getting closer.

One thing I know, though -- however we come to the gospel, it's all about Jesus.