What Is The Real Gospel? Supernatural Living as God Intends

This is evangelical Christian nonfiction centered on union with Christ, water baptism, resurrection life, and Spirit-empowered discipleship, written in an accessible, pastoral voice. It challenges "rules-based" religion and reframes salvation as participation in Christ's death and resurrection.

I offer a correction to a common misunderstanding of the gospel. Many Christians whom I have met or observed seem to be limited by a traditional gospel promoting a system of resolve and discipline that never quite sets sincere people free from trying to be good Christians. I'm concerned when the message promotes zealous effort, ignoring the simplicity of relationship with Christ. The world needs redemption and the Church needs revival, but they don't need a religious system or human effort to bring it.

The Real Gospel empowers us as God intends.

WHAT IS THE REAL GOSPEL? explains that Christ's death provides more than forgiveness of our sin-it provides for the end of our sinful self. And His resurrection life gives us more than victory over death-it gives us new life in Christ. Christ-in-us replaces us-in-us as we believe it to be so-beginning with our baptism when we agree in faith that we are buried with Christ in a watery grave, and raised to live in His supernatural life.

This identity with Christ through baptism is not incidental to Christian living: It is the faith doorway to living as God intended. When we identify with the death and resurrection of Christ as our own, His life becomes our life and we not only have fellowship with Him, we have His truth and character motivating everything we think and do.

Engaging by faith the reality identifying us with Christ, we are set free from religious rules-along with the impossible effort required to fulfill them. This is not to say sinful behavior is irrelevant. Rather, since Christ in us doesn't sin, and as we are led by His Spirit, we are not controlled by rules but are changed by His grace as we walk in His light-all without our own effort.

Walking in the light means walking in such transparent fellowship with Christ that we are open to His revealing any sin. As we agree with Him, confessing our sin exposed by His light, He forgives and cleanses us, while the light of His fellowship makes us increasingly aware of His presence.

Further, the presence of Christ in us will unfold as an eternal continuity that transcends this earthly life, expanding in ways we can only begin to comprehend. In other words, it only gets better. Forever!

The conversational tone of this readable little book invites thoughtful consideration-supported by many scriptures, and with engaging stories, imagery, and observations illustrating the truths of the Real Gospel.