Gospel Connections

This graphic illustrates the inescapable link between the gospel and our daily lives. Each category—whether forgiveness, kindness, gratitude, encouragement, serving, suffering, humility, modeling, confession, righteousness, anger, or lust—has a direct connection to the gospel because the gospel is not just a set of beliefs but the very life of Christ in us. (This list is not exhaustive.) When a person struggles in any of these areas, it reveals either an unawareness, an inability, or a resistance to applying the gospel.

Christ is the vine (John 15:5), and apart from Him, we can do nothing. This means every breakdown in our character, relationships, or circumstances stems from a disconnect from the gospel. The solution is not merely behavioral change but a return to Christ—abiding in Him, recalibrating our minds to His, and walking in His steps. The verses in this graphic serve as anchors, helping us to see how each of these concepts is a gospel issue. Let’s examine them one by one.

Gospel Connections in Each Concept

1. Forgiveness (Matthew 18:23-35): The gospel compels us to forgive because we have been forgiven. In the parable of the unforgiving servant, the master rebukes him for refusing to extend the same mercy he had received. If we struggle to forgive, it is because we have lost sight of the enormity of Christ’s forgiveness toward us.
2. Kindness (Ephesians 4:29-30): Paul exhorts believers to speak in ways that build up, showing kindness and tenderness, as Christ forgave us. The gospel reminds us that our words should reflect the grace we have received. If someone is harsh, critical, or unkind, it reveals a gospel disconnect—a failure to extend the love of Christ that they themselves have received.
3. Gratitude (Luke 7:47): Jesus explains that the one who has been forgiven much loves much. Gratitude is a natural response to the gospel. If a person struggles with entitlement, discontentment, or ingratitude, it shows a lack of awareness of what Christ has done for them.
4. Encouragement (Romans 2:4): God’s kindness leads us to repentance. Gospel-centered encouragement is not mere flattery but a reflection of God’s character—encouraging others toward righteousness with patience and love, as He has done for us.
5. Serving (Mark 10:45): Jesus came not to be served but to serve. The gospel redefines greatness as self-sacrificial service. If someone is unwilling to serve, it is because they do not yet grasp the servant-heart of Christ.
6. Suffering (1 Peter 2:21): Christ suffered for us, leaving an example that we should follow in His steps. Suffering is not purposeless; it is an opportunity to align with the gospel, responding as Christ did—with trust in the Father and perseverance in righteousness.
7. Humility (Matthew 26:39): Jesus humbly submitted to the Father’s will, even to the point of death. If a person struggles with pride, self-sufficiency, or rebellion, it reveals their resistance to the gospel’s call to humility.
8. Modeling (Ephesians 5:1): We are to imitate God as beloved children. The gospel is not just something we believe but something we live, modeling Christ to others. If we fail to do so, it is a gospel disconnect.
9. Confession (1 John 1:9): The gospel frees us to confess sin because we trust in Christ’s righteousness. If someone refuses to confess or acknowledge sin, it shows a lack of faith in the gospel’s sufficiency.
10. Righteousness (Luke 16:15): The gospel exposes self-righteousness. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, who justified themselves before men, but God knows the heart. True righteousness comes from Christ, not human effort.
11. Anger (1 Peter 2:1-5): Anger often reveals misplaced expectations or self-centered desires. Peter urges believers to put aside anger and long for the pure milk of the Word, growing in gospel maturity.
12. Lust (1 Corinthians 7:3-4): Biblical sexuality is a picture of Christ and the church. Lust distorts that picture, making it self-centered rather than Christ-centered. The gospel calls us to purity and self-control.

Case Study: Mable’s Marriage Crisis

Mable is a Christian woman in a difficult marriage. Her husband, Biff, is harsh and inattentive. Over time, Mable has grown bitter and resentful. She withdraws, avoids serving her husband, and justifies her anger by recounting his failures. Though she prays for God to change him, she is blind to how she herself has disconnected from the gospel in her response.

Gospel Connection: 1 Peter 2:18-25

Peter calls believers in difficult situations to follow Christ’s example:

• “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust” (1 Peter 2:18).
  • Mable is called to honor her husband, even when he does not deserve it, just as Christ endured suffering without retaliation.
• “For this is a gracious thing, when mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly” (1 Peter 2:19).
  • Mable’s bitterness reveals that she is not suffering mindful of God but rather mindful of Biff’s faults. Gospel-centered suffering means keeping our eyes on Christ rather than our circumstances.
• “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
  • The gospel is not just what saves Mable but what sustains her. She must follow Christ’s example of entrusting herself to the Father, rather than demanding justice from Biff.
• “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).
  • Mable has been repaying sin with sin—retreating in anger instead of responding in gospel love. Christ did not retaliate; He entrusted Himself to God. Mable must do the same.
• “By his wounds, you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
  • The gospel has already provided Mable with all she needs—security, worth, and hope. Her problem is not Biff’s behavior but her own resistance to applying the gospel to her marriage.

Moving Forward

Mable needs to realign herself with the gospel by:

1. Confessing her own sin: bitterness, withholding kindness, and failing to love as Christ loves.
2. Forgiving her husband—at least attitudinally: not because he deserves it, but because she has been forgiven much (Matthew 18:33).
3. Serving and honoring him: as unto the Lord, not based on his worthiness (Colossians 3:23).
4. Trusting God’s justice: rather than taking matters into her own hands.

By reconnecting with the gospel, Mable will not only mature in her faith but also create an environment where God’s grace can work in her marriage.

Conclusion

This graphic is not just a list of virtues; it is a call to live through the gospel. Whenever we face hardship, temptation, or relational strife, the question is: How is this a gospel issue? The answer directs us back to Christ, the true source of our life, strength, and transformation.

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Peace,
Rick