The Gospel - Good News Not Good Advice

The Takeoff

story about a time when I receieved really good news and/or really bad news.

The Tension

What is the difference between good advice and good news?

Good advice is about what you must do

Good news is about what has been done for you.

Good advice shapes your mind

Good news shapes your heart

Good advice requires you to achieve something

Good news invites you to receive something

Can you guys think of any other differences between good advice and good news?

One of the dangers of believing Christianity is about good advice is that it leads to moralism.

What is MORALISM?

Moralism is the belief that keeping the right rule will give us peace and joy and make us right with God

The danger of MORALISM.

when we excel at being moral any resulting success has been accomplished by us. we have ourselves to thank for being so good. Since we’ve ben so good, God should give us good things - He Owe’s us! We believe the lie that God’s goodness toward us is the result of our good work rather that an expresion of His own goodness no matter our level of morality. We may be in danger of forgetting that God is good because He himself IS goodness. Another danger is that we begin to compare our own level of goodness to others and build a standard or elevation based on the things we do or dont do, this etiher leads to Pride when we do “good” or shame and guilt when we do “bad”. A never ending cycle of pride and guilt that can’t be satisifed by the morality that built it.

The Problem of MORALISM.