Because why rewrite something that already something that is already done so well? From Jason Barr at http://propheticheretic.wordpress.com/ :
The Gospel is this: that God’s kingdom has broken into the world, and the time of fulfillment is here. God is re-creating the world and instituting God’s reign which is characterized by peace, love, healing, and the restoration of God’s image in broken people. This entails not only the forgiveness of individual “sins”, but also the process of healing people from the oppressive networks in which they are embedded that encourage sin, from the broken places in our own hearts to the broken social, political, and economic systems that exist in the world that contribute to the overall picture of brokenness. This kingdom is embodied and inaugurated by Jesus, the Jewish Messiah who lived in the 1st century CE, who institutes the kingdom not by conquering his enemies, but in being conquered by them and trusting that God will vindicate him (the Resurrection). Therefore the power of Christ’s love is shown to be superior to hatred, bloodshed, and evil.
Not only that, but God is inviting all people, everywhere, to turn around and move from lives embroiled in sin, conflict, and warfare into lives that are healed, whole, self-giving. In some wonderful, mystical way, people now have been invited to “enter into” Christ’s death and resurrection, being “translated out of the dominion of darkness and into the kingdom of his beloved son” (Col. 1:13), to be a part of God’s people who are the visible sign and agent of this kingdom that is coming into the world, with the Spirit enabling us to grow more in faith, love, and hope. One day the true king of the world, Jesus, will return to finally, totally put all things right, but right now the things we do that are faithful and loving are somehow (again, mystically and wonderfully) being used as “building blocks” of a sort that God is using in the re-creation of the world. ALL areas of life are marked for redemption, including sexuality, creativity, social organization, culture, religion, and so on.
Of course, because the church is subject to the true king, Jesus, and to the re-creation of the world on God’s terms, she must (or at least SHOULD) reject ways of living that are not faithful to the life of Jesus who taught love for enemies, turning the other cheek, and carrying one’s cross. This will inevitably bring Christians into conflict with those who are steeped in worldly modes of selfishness, power games, and violence. The church must live according to mutual submission, not lording power over one another and the world; fellowship that breaks down social and economic barriers between sisters and brothers, not holding national affiliations, race, class, or other factors as signs of superiority; and service to the world that demonstrates God’s love for all people, not fighting culture wars or practicing in other ways that seek to set Christians up as some kind of ruling class (aka Christendom).
The end goal is no less than that which was originally intended at creation, that all of the created world would be enabled to participate in the divine life (one of my favorite images is of being drawn into the perichoresis, the eternal dance enjoyed by the Trinity from before the beginning of time).
What do you think? Complete? Missing something? Needs more emphasis on something? I would say that it needs a little more emphasis on our personal salvation, although I would agree that we are saved personally only to participate in the larger redemption of all creation, yet I know that people can forget how incredibly fallen we are as individuals and how much saving we really do need to get out of our own sin and be usable in the greater plan of redemption. There is such a great temptation to have a “we can do it!” attitude about the Kingdom of God, an attitude I am frequently tempted by. Yet I know that only in surrendering to Jesus as my Lord, and only in realizing my own incredible wickedness, can I be used by God for something good
Other than that, I think this is a pretty amazing telling of the best story, of the good news. What do you think?
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