Carson: What Is the Gospel?
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Some very rough notes on Don Carson's first lecture at the Gospel Coalition, using as his text
1 Cor. 15:1-19. (I believe a full manuscript will be posted later.)
"It is easy is to be prophetic from the margins; what is needed is to be prophetic from the center."
Eight Summarizing Words
1. The gospel is Christological. It is Christ-centered. Not a bland theism or an impersonal pantheism; it's irrevocably Christ-centered. "The gospel is not preached if Christ is not preached" (Stott). The gospel embraces not just Christ's person, but also his death and resurrection. It's not enough to emphasize Christmas and downplay Good Friday and Easter. Jesus is the promised messiah who died and rose again.
2. The gospel is theological. It makes no sent to pit the mission of the Son against the mission of the Father. Some surveys of redemptive history depersonalize the wrath of God. From the beginning sin has been an offense against God. When we sin in any way, God is invariably the most offended party (cf. Ps. 51:4). God gets most angry at idolatry, the de-Godding of God.
3. The gospel is biblical. Christ died, buried, was raised--"according to the Scriptures" (cf. Luke 24; Ps. 16; Isa. 53; Ps. 2).
4. The gospel is apostolic. There were 500+ witnesses, but attention is drawn in particular to the apostles.
5. The gospel is historical. The burial (death) and appearances (resurrection) are historical, in datable sequence. They combine to form a nexus. The claims are irreducibly historical. In other religions, there is nothing intrinsic in the leader that is required for its truth. But for Christianity, part of the validation of faith is the truthfulness of faith's object--in this case, Christ's resurrection. The Bible never asks us to believe anything that's not true.
6. The gospel is personal. The gospel is not merely a historical event, but also sets out a way of personal salvation.
7. The gospel is universal. Christ is the new Adam (vv. 22, 47-50). There is a comprehensive vision, drawing people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. It does not save every person, but it is gloriously universal in its comprehensive sweep.
8. The gospel is eschatological. Some of the blessings we receive now are end-time blessings brought back into today. But there is also a final transformation. All of the fruit of the gospel will appear in the new heavens and the new earth.
Five Clarifying Sentences
1. This gospel is normally disseminated in proclamation. ("I . . . preached to you.") There's almost always a connection in the NT between the "gospel" and words for "heralding" it. It must be announced and explained.
2. This gospel is fruitfully received in authentic persevering faith. Cf. Col. 1.
3. This gospel is properly disclosed in the context of personal self-humiliation. Cf. 1 Cor. 15:9. John Newton:
I am not what I want to be.
I am not what I hope to be.
But by the grace of God, I am not what I was.
When the gospel truly does its work, "proud Christian" is an unthinkable oxymoron.
4. This gospel is rightly asserted to be the central confession of the whole church.
Cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17; etc. Be suspicious of any church that flaunts what it is doing differently than everybody else.
5. This gospel is boldly advancing under the contested reign and inevitable victory of Christ the King. Phil. 2. "Christ must reign until he has put his enemies under his feet" (1 Cor. 15:25). Verse 58: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
Taking Stock
1. It is striking how cognitive the gospel is.
2. The gospel is not the gospel if it remains exclusively cognitive. Chapter 15 comes at the end of a book, the previous chapters of which work out the gospel in various ways and situations. For example: The gospel is not only God's wisdom, but God's power. There is no place for triumph in the place of the blood-bought. Where the gospel triumphs, relationships are transformed.
3. The gospel must transform all realms of our lives.
1 Cor. 15:1-19. (I believe a full manuscript will be posted later.)
"It is easy is to be prophetic from the margins; what is needed is to be prophetic from the center."
Eight Summarizing Words
1. The gospel is Christological. It is Christ-centered. Not a bland theism or an impersonal pantheism; it's irrevocably Christ-centered. "The gospel is not preached if Christ is not preached" (Stott). The gospel embraces not just Christ's person, but also his death and resurrection. It's not enough to emphasize Christmas and downplay Good Friday and Easter. Jesus is the promised messiah who died and rose again.
2. The gospel is theological. It makes no sent to pit the mission of the Son against the mission of the Father. Some surveys of redemptive history depersonalize the wrath of God. From the beginning sin has been an offense against God. When we sin in any way, God is invariably the most offended party (cf. Ps. 51:4). God gets most angry at idolatry, the de-Godding of God.
4. The gospel is apostolic. There were 500+ witnesses, but attention is drawn in particular to the apostles.
5. The gospel is historical. The burial (death) and appearances (resurrection) are historical, in datable sequence. They combine to form a nexus. The claims are irreducibly historical. In other religions, there is nothing intrinsic in the leader that is required for its truth. But for Christianity, part of the validation of faith is the truthfulness of faith's object--in this case, Christ's resurrection. The Bible never asks us to believe anything that's not true.
6. The gospel is personal. The gospel is not merely a historical event, but also sets out a way of personal salvation.
7. The gospel is universal. Christ is the new Adam (vv. 22, 47-50). There is a comprehensive vision, drawing people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. It does not save every person, but it is gloriously universal in its comprehensive sweep.
8. The gospel is eschatological. Some of the blessings we receive now are end-time blessings brought back into today. But there is also a final transformation. All of the fruit of the gospel will appear in the new heavens and the new earth.
Five Clarifying Sentences
1. This gospel is normally disseminated in proclamation. ("I . . . preached to you.") There's almost always a connection in the NT between the "gospel" and words for "heralding" it. It must be announced and explained.
2. This gospel is fruitfully received in authentic persevering faith. Cf. Col. 1.
3. This gospel is properly disclosed in the context of personal self-humiliation. Cf. 1 Cor. 15:9. John Newton:
I am not what I want to be.
I am not what I hope to be.
But by the grace of God, I am not what I was.
When the gospel truly does its work, "proud Christian" is an unthinkable oxymoron.
4. This gospel is rightly asserted to be the central confession of the whole church.
Cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; 7:17; etc. Be suspicious of any church that flaunts what it is doing differently than everybody else.
5. This gospel is boldly advancing under the contested reign and inevitable victory of Christ the King. Phil. 2. "Christ must reign until he has put his enemies under his feet" (1 Cor. 15:25). Verse 58: "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
Taking Stock
1. It is striking how cognitive the gospel is.
2. The gospel is not the gospel if it remains exclusively cognitive. Chapter 15 comes at the end of a book, the previous chapters of which work out the gospel in various ways and situations. For example: The gospel is not only God's wisdom, but God's power. There is no place for triumph in the place of the blood-bought. Where the gospel triumphs, relationships are transformed.
3. The gospel must transform all realms of our lives.
posted by JT at Wednesday, May 23, 2007
12 Comments:
Sounds... fine.
"Some of the blessings we receive now are end-time blessings brought back into today"
I've heard more controversial persons make this kind of claim. hmmm
DA Carson is right on here. This is the gospel. This is what Christianity is about.
If someone rejects this, we can start throwing around the "enemies of the gospel" language.
Could someone fill me in? What is the Gospel Coalition and how is it different from T4G?
Thanks for the information on the Coalition -- I was scheduled to be there but due to my college son's change in plans, I had to punt. I will eagerly await your new posts.
Bill Haynes
Somerset, KY
What, do they let just anyone liveblog these days?
I love this. I especially love the first point. It seems so obvious, yet right now I work in a "Christian" setting where vague theism is more the norm than Christ-centeredness. It's sad.
different organization. www.gospelcoalition.org. I am here at the conference and so far it has been excellent. The sessions will be posted after the completion of the conference
Can someone help me with this question:
How much of Carson's message, or even this conference, is a reaction or result of the EFCA statement of Faith revision fiasco?
I'm unfamiliar with this coalition, but holding the conference at Trinity with a battle over the Statement of Faith looming in the background looks too coincidental.
This is especially so when the first several drafts of the revised EFCA Statement of Faith were organized around the Gospel. But now that theme has been dumped overboard in favor of maintaining the word premillennial in the new Statement of Faith.
This coaltion includes dozens of pastors of different denominations and races. It is not an EFCA thing. Tim Keller and Don Carson head the Coalition. Keller is a PCA pastor and Don Carson teaches at Trinity. Most of the people here having nothing to do with the EFCA. There are 40-50 Acts 29 guys here a well.
Brian,
That's my point. I know it involves lots of people from all over. But I also know that was the fight within the EFCA about the Revised SOF which initially centered around the gospel in a statement of biblical theology.
That theme was shot down and I'm wondering what the impetus for this conference at Trinity (EFCA school and seminary) actually was. It looks too coincidental going into this summer's EFCA conference.
With this organization, I'm wondering if it is the response to a wandering of the NAE from its historical roots as well as a response to the way the EFCA SOF process has worked out.
But that could just be the dark-hearted, conspiracy-infected mind thinking more is there than meets the eye.
I was at this conference and it couldn't have had a greater impact on my conviction of the Gospel as the center of all ministry. I love John Piper's "6 minute Gospel" video - it really speaks to this as well.
I just listened to this message by Dr. Carson. Thanks for posting. Your notes helped me clean up a little the ones that I had taken.
As far as T4G is concerned, I don't see any type of "competitive difference" if you will. T4G is just a group of 4 guys who got together in the name of the true gospel. It really is an amazing experience, as I am sure the Gospel Coalition is.
smithadam.wordpress.com
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