Obeying the Gospel is Book 5 in the WordPoints Daybook Series. Written by Gary Henry in his familiar style of courtesy and candor, this volume will challenge the conscience of readers young and old.
The gospel of Christ is a message, but it is a message that requires a response. Action is necessary if we are to receive the benefits promised in the gospel -- and it is God who has stipulated what must be done. So the gospel of Christ is not just about thinking; it's about action. And if we need motivation to act on our faith, Obeying the Gospel seeks to provide that encouragement.
If a person wanted to become a Christian, how would he go about it? What would he actually need to do? In view of the importance of the question, every honest person will want an accurate answer, one that is consistent with the teachings of the New Testament.
But if the "how" of becoming a Christian is important, the "why" is even more so. Sadly, the shallow and shaky experience of so many Christians stems from their having become Christians for reasons that were inadequate. Obeying the Gospel explores the solid foundations of the Christian faith and points the reader to the highest (and most powerful) reasons why a person would decide to follow Jesus Christ.
The idea of "commitment" is near to the heart of the Christian faith. Without commitment, very few worthwhile things are possible in life, and that is certainly true of life in Christ. For that reason, Obeying the Gospel will be valuable to the Christian as well as the non-Christian. For the non-Christian, the book speaks plainly about the commitment Christ requires of those who seek salvation in Him -- and for the Christian, it emphasizes the need for an ever-growing faithfulness to that commitment.
(1) The book's title, Obeying the Gospel, is a biblical expression, but it involves far more than just the initial steps that one takes in becoming a Christian. For the rest of one's life, doing what is right will always be seen as responding rightly to the gospel -- and if one ever becomes unfaithful and departs from Christ, the problem will be that he quit obeying the gospel.
(2) Obeying the Gospel emphasizes the original purpose of the gospel in the days of the New Testament. In contrast to much of what is preached today, this book shows from the teachings of Jesus and His apostles that the gospel was originally about the forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation.
(3) A unique feature of Obeying the Gospel is that it challenges Christians to re-examine whether they are, in fact, Christians. Two thousand years after the gospel began, it can be hard to separate what is original from the many social and cultural phenomena that people today identify as "Christianity." In the twenty-first century, is there any way for us to get back to the foundational teachings of Christ and His apostles? The answer is yes, and Obeying the Gospel argues for a renewed emphasis on the restoration of New Testament Christianity.
With 366 one-page readings, Obeying the Gospel is what the old-timers used to call a "daybook." Daybooks have a rich literary tradition. Containing a brief essay for each day of the year, they sharply concentrate our thoughts on significant subjects once a day, every day. (Daybooks can be read in any way that is helpful to the reader. You don't have to start on January 1 -- you can start anywhere, skip around, or read more than one page a day. It's up to you.)
The WordPoints Daybook Series takes the reader on a journey of seven stages. In Books 1-2, the journey begins with meditations on the character values and principles recognized by mankind throughout history. Books 3-5 discuss the importance of God and our need for the gospel of Christ. Book 7 concludes the series with a consideration of heaven: the home of the soul.
