Value #4 – We Teach the Gospel Clearly
The Gospel is the greatest news that has ever been broadcasted in the history of humanity. It is also humanity’s only real hope (Rom. 1:16) because it declares that Jesus is Lord and that His death paid the penalty for sin, and in His resurrection He defeated sin and death (I Cor. 15). Therefore, as a church, we take great care in making sure this message is the centrepiece and the driver for everything we do.
The Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, was once asked to be a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Divinity School. Following a captivating lecture, the president of the school proceeded to ask Dr. Barth a single question on behalf of the students. He asked; “Of all the theological insights you have ever had, which do you consider to be the greatest of them all?” At this question, every student leaned in attentively, pencils ready to capture the wisdom of a man who had written volume upon volume of deep theological study.
Through tired eyes, yet with a smile upon his face, Dr. Barth responded, “The greatest theological insight that I have ever had is this: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
The Gospel–a truth so simple and clear that it can be understood by children, and yet it is something so profound that were we to give a thousand lifetimes or a thousand theological degrees to examine the depths of it, we would barely scratch its surface.
This is why, at Port City Church, we don’t believe we can “move on” from the Gospel. It is the centrepiece and the driver of everything we do. The Gospel is not merely for non-Christians, but for Christians as well. It is not a “retirement plan” post-death that merely secures us for heaven. The Gospel is, for Christians, everything in which we live, breathe, and have our being (Acts 17:28). It is the good news for sinners that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only hope for salvation.
Let us explain how we put this into our practice and teaching at Port City Church:
We teach clearly from the Scriptures.
We believe that the Scriptures reveal God in the clearest and most accessible truth. It is God’s gift to mankind that shows who God is, who we are, and what is needed for salvation. It is paramount when it comes to understanding clearly what the Gospel is. The Bible is God’s revelation, inspired by Him and without error. That’s why at Port City, we teach from the Scriptures, because we believe it is timeless truth, empowered by God’s Spirit for today’s world just as it was for the people to whom it was written. From our children’s ministry, to the sermon, to the music, to our group ministry, we want to be lead by the Bible, because we believe that God has revealed Himself most clearly in it. Our aim is to teach the Bible clearly to all who will listen.
We teach clearly that God is Holy.
The Scriptures reveal a God who is Holy; set apart from His creation (Ps. 50:21) and yet sovereignly and actively rules over it as Creator, Owner, and Judge. This God is infinite, eternal, unchangeable–the absolute “most” of anything that exists. Because of this, He sets the terms for what is “right” and “good”, and also for what is “bad” and “wrong” by not measuring up to or breaking these standards. He alone is always right and has every right, and is worthy of our worship, our service, our lives. At Port City, we teach that the standard for truth and what is good is ultimately rooted in who God is–something outside of us, and yet works in and through us for His purposes.
We teach clearly that man is sinful.
From Scripture we learn that all of mankind has failed to live up to God’s standard of truth and goodness. Sin has so corrupted all of us (Rom. 3:23) that we cannot save ourselves from its effect. We deserve punishment; the punishment a Holy God has every right to bring upon us. At Port City Church, we recognize that everyone–from the pastors, to the children, to the young adult, to the elderly–are sinners in need of saving. Without salvation, our ultimate destiny is hell, a place of eternal punishment.
We teach clearly that Jesus is the only way.
The main plotline of the Bible anticipates and reveals a hero, a Saviour sent by God, who will rescue fallen mankind from sin’s effects and eternal destruction. This hero is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, truly God and truly man, who willingly took our sin and its punishment upon Himself on the cross (1 Peter 2:24) and applied His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) to us that we will be adopted as God’s own children. At Port City, we present the truth that there is salvation in no one else, but in Jesus Christ alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). He is the good news of salvation–He has been given for us, to us, that we might have eternal life in Him (John 3:16).
We teach clearly that salvation is by faith.
The Gospel is received as a free gift of God’s favour (grace), not by works, but by faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). This means that we do not “work” to receive salvation–it has been abundantly given in Christ to those who believe. By acknowledging our sin before a Holy God (repenting–turning from sin to God), we then believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved! At Port City, we preach that those who believe in Jesus Christ are miraculously saved (Acts 16:31)! Their lives are now transformed by the power of God’s Spirit to live in obedience to Christ as Lord (1 John 3:24). This is our hope, our joy, our foundation for life here on earth as we await eternity with God.
This is the Gospel–God, Man, Christ, Response (as revealed in Scripture). This is the essence of the good news for all who believe. At Port City, we believe that the most important practice is to remind ourselves of the Gospel. It is our aim to teach the good news clearly that it might impact our church, our community, and the world for the glory of God.
