Coffee Pot Christianity
"I am not ashamed of the gospel,because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." Romans 1:16
My first ever coffee pot was a little four cup craftsman that I got for Christmas my Sophomore year of college. It was the perfect size and lasted for years. About 7 years to be precise. In desperate need of a new coffee pot, I went shopping. Every where I looked I saw nothing by expensive, personalized coffee makers. You know the kind I am talking about. The ones that come with little pods, and allow you to make whatever coffee beverage your heart desires. They're everywhere, yet there were hardly any craftsman style coffee pots.
The more I think about, the more I realize that our approach to Christianity is just like these two types of coffee makers. Many of us adhere to the idea that the gospel is about us and how it applies to us and how we can make it our own. We take the gospel and brew it to our liking and then offer to teach others how to use it to do the same. Then we go and sip our individualized versions of the Gospel. While working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and responding to the conviction that gospel places on our lives is essential, we can't simply leave it at the "this is how I like" Christianity.
The Gospel is designed for everyone, so that everyone will come to know the Lord. It is much more like the 12 cup craftsman that is meant to be poured out and shared with everyone. One gospel, poured out, shared in community. Not individualized for our own liking. The gospel is meant to be shared and taught with body of believer and the whole world. (Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:5).
My dear readers, don't allow the ease of personalizing the gospel to dim your view of the true purpose of the gospel.
My first ever coffee pot was a little four cup craftsman that I got for Christmas my Sophomore year of college. It was the perfect size and lasted for years. About 7 years to be precise. In desperate need of a new coffee pot, I went shopping. Every where I looked I saw nothing by expensive, personalized coffee makers. You know the kind I am talking about. The ones that come with little pods, and allow you to make whatever coffee beverage your heart desires. They're everywhere, yet there were hardly any craftsman style coffee pots.
The more I think about, the more I realize that our approach to Christianity is just like these two types of coffee makers. Many of us adhere to the idea that the gospel is about us and how it applies to us and how we can make it our own. We take the gospel and brew it to our liking and then offer to teach others how to use it to do the same. Then we go and sip our individualized versions of the Gospel. While working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and responding to the conviction that gospel places on our lives is essential, we can't simply leave it at the "this is how I like" Christianity.
The Gospel is designed for everyone, so that everyone will come to know the Lord. It is much more like the 12 cup craftsman that is meant to be poured out and shared with everyone. One gospel, poured out, shared in community. Not individualized for our own liking. The gospel is meant to be shared and taught with body of believer and the whole world. (Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:5).
My dear readers, don't allow the ease of personalizing the gospel to dim your view of the true purpose of the gospel.
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