The Reclamation: Reclaiming Gospel Clarity

In our modern evangelical landscape, it is becoming increasingly urgent that we must reclaim the clarity of the gospel. Over time, the essential message of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone has been obscured by distraction, legalistic tendencies, and a lack of theological precision. This clutter, much like the what obscured the gospel in the pre-Reformation church, needs to be cleared away so that the pure light of the gospel can shine brightly once again.

This process of reclaiming gospel clarity is not a pursuit of novel doctrines but a return to the foundational truths of our faith. As coined by Pastor Timothy Baird of Saint's Rest Reformed Church what is needed is a Reclamation.

The Reformation: A Historical Paradigm

The Reformation of the 16th century stands as a monumental example of what happens when the church reclaims gospel clarity. Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other reformers did not discover new doctrines; rather, they unearthed the gospel that had been buried under layers of tradition and works righteousness. Their battle cry was not for innovation but for restoration. The Reformers called the church back to the simple, profound truths of Scripture — justification by faith alone, the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning work, and the authority of Scripture. We know these principles now as the Five Solas of the Reformation.

The watchword "after darkness, light" encapsulated the essence of the Reformation. It was a movement that swept away the shadows of works righteousness, allowing the light of the gospel to shine forth. 

The Clutter of Contemporary Evangelicalism

Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves in a similar situation. The evangelical church is cluttered the light of the glorious gospel with various forms of legalism, moralism, and therapeutic deism. These elements distract from the gospel and obscure its clarity. Legalism replaces the sufficiency of Christ’s work with a checklist of behaviors and rituals. Moralism reduces Christianity to mere ethical living, making it seem as though our standing before God depends on our ability to be good people. And Therapeutic deism shifts the focus from God’s redemptive work in Christ to our personal well-being and self-fulfillment. This clutter is evident in the prosperity gospel of some, but is also present within the triumphalism and higher-life theologies that permeate even conservative, neo-Calvinistic churches.

This clutter does more than just confuse; it fundamentally undermines the gospel. When the message of grace is muddled with demands for performance or promises of personal prosperity, it loses its power. The good news that Christ has done everything necessary for our salvation is taken over by the notion that we must contribute something to our acceptance before God. This is not the gospel of Jesus Christ; it is a distortion.

The Need for Gospel Reclamation

To reclaim gospel clarity within evangelicalism, we need a reclamation of gospel clarity.

We must:

1. Regaining the Correct View of Scripture: Just as the Reformers turned to Scripture to recover the gospel, we must reaffirm the Bible as our ultimate authority. This means committing ourselves to a Christocentric view of the Word of God.

2. Emphasizing Justification by Faith Alone: The heart of the gospel is that we are justified by faith apart from works. This doctrine must be preached with precision and passion.

3. Confronting Legalism and Moralism: We need to identify and dismantle the legalistic and moralistic tendencies within our churches. This involves teaching a gospel-centered identity in Christ rather than a set of rules to follow.

The call to reclaim gospel clarity is a call to remove the clutter that obscures the gospel so that the light of Christ can shine brightly. 

May we see a new dawn of gospel clarity within evangelicalism, one that transforms lives and glorifies God through the unadulterated proclamation of the gospel of grace.