So it’s fair to say that we should be centered on the gospel. But a question could arise—should we be God-focused or gospel-centered?

In my opinion, there shouldn’t really be a difference between God-focused and gospel-centered. We can’t remove the power of the gift from the power of the giver. The gospel is powerful because it is the gift of God, and no gift is more powerful or glorious than God Himself.

But I believe we leave room for a dangerous distinction when we make the gospel our sole rallying cry. We should be aware of our natural tendency to remove the Giver from His gift, and thereby glory in His work instead of His Person. Sure, there isn’t a biblical way to separate God from His gift—He is the gift, after all—but we err when we separate the glory of the gift from the God who gave it.

When the elements of our salvation—justification, regeneration, adoption, and so on—become the end of our glorying, we’ve sunk to finding joy in the gifts instead of the Giver. And in the end, the gifts become only as good as they aid our church, our family, us.

I am sure that most who call themselves gospel-centered understand that the gift of justification is great because of the One who justifies. They know that the significance of the sacrifice of Christ stems from His identity. A gospel from any other source would be meaningless and this is why they have been rejuvenated in their joy in the gospel.

But when we make a gift—however unique, precious, and inextricable to our spiritual life—the center of our attention, we run the risk of loosing sight of the Giver, from whom so many other gifts flow.

Reawakened fervor for magnifying the gospel and its life long effects unveils a theological deficiency of our age. Far too many churches in the evangelical landscape undervalue the power of God in the gospel and overvalue personal preference or experience. God has used this reawakening of gospel-centrality greatly, and no doubt will in the future. But I would urge that in conjunction with magnifying the gospel’s glory we not forget to magnify God’s glory in the gospel. The gospel is great because God is great. We should revel in the good gifts given us by God through salvation. After all, they weren’t given to be ignored. But each and every glorious facet of the gospel should point us to the amazing God who first shared it with us. May we all be able to say that from Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:36

While in seminary, I helped out with a church’s youth ministry. After some time the senior pastor asked if I would consider serving as part-time youth pastor while I finished my education. I accepted and he presented the idea to the church during an evening service, announcing that I would be happy to answer any questions the congregation might have.

I don’t know what I expected, but when a teen’s mother raised her hand and asked me to explain my idea of a fun activity, it caught me off guard. I expected some intense questioning on my philosophy of youth work, what ministries I intended to promote for the teens, what I planned to teach in Sunday school.

But no, my first questioner feared that a seminary student might not be up to the task of entertaining her children. After a moment’s silence, I offered a few hurried suggestions including—if I remember correctly—croquet, scavenger hunts, and a game of basketball played with a football.

In all fairness, I was pursuing a doctorate in church history, and the mother rightly assumed that the coursework involved no classes on the organization and execution of a teen game night. She was probably just expressing a question on the mind of several parents and most of the teens. While the question was fair, its preeminence reveals a major danger in youth ministry—many people view the youth pastor primarily as an entertainer and babysitter for the teens.

As I read through Acts and the rest of the New Testament, I am struck by the fact that the gospel spread to much of then-known world of the day without concerts, youth rallies, lock-ins, or most surprisingly, pizza. Not that there’s anything wrong with these things, but clearly they’re not essential. Instead, the Bible presents prayer, the ministry of the word, and the love of the brethren as the core activity of Christ’s body.

If you ask my first youth group whether or not they enjoyed the youth activities, I believe you’d get a positive response—well, so long as you don’t ask about the payphone game. But if you asked them what they remember about youth group, I hope games aren’t at the top of their list. As a youth pastor I prayed, taught, ministered, laughed, and cried alongside the teens God blessed me with. I believe every one of them would agree that the youth ministry is much more than games.

I’m sure that none of us doubt the practicality of the Scriptures. We know that the Old Testament stories were written for our admonition (1 Cor. 10:6) and that the teachings of Jesus, Paul and the other New Testament authors declare truths that are profitable. All Scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction (2 Tim. 3:16).

No, rather than doubting the practicality of the Scriptures, I fear we have twisted the purpose of the Scriptures to be primarily practical. But the Bible is not a manual for living, nor is it the blueprint for life. It is something far greater—the declaration of the glories of our God.

This doesn’t mean that the Word loses its practicality. Hardly—the Bible is far more relevant and useful when we recognize its primary message. When we understand the Word of God to be the means by which we are able to see the glory of God, and when we take the time to gaze at that divine display, we will be changed.

2 Corinthians 3:18 promises us that when we gaze with an unveiled face at the glory of the Lord, He transforms us into His image. The context of this passage is interesting—the chapter recounts Moses’ time on the mountain receiving the Law from God. When he came down to the camp, his face was glowing. The people couldn’t look at him, and they asked him to cover his face. Paul takes this physical example to a spiritual level. Just as Moses’ face shone with the residual glory of God after spending time with Him, our lives will shine with the residual glory of God as we gaze at His glory revealed to us in His Word. A focus on the glory and majesty of God in the Word produces the most practical change.

I’m afraid that in our passion for practicality we have made God a tool to produce change—rather than the object of our loving gaze. Right behavior is our end, and God is only our means. Therefore we end up with temporary behavioral change rather than a loving relationship.

When change is our objective, God is only a tool. But when God is our objective, change is the natural, inevitable result. It’s a matter of capabilities—we’re simply unable to produce spiritual fruit in others’ lives. Only God can, so He must claim our attention. He must be our central focus, our awe-inspiring motivation. He must be the end as well as the means.

This is what sets a God-focus apart. We cannot focus on behavioral change, but rather on the God that produces change. Overwhelmed by His goodness, we offer our gratitude, praise, and devotion. Impacted by His mercy, we offer mercy, grace, and forgiveness to others. And as we stand amazed at the love of God given to us in Jesus Christ, we learn to love as He does.

Of course, the flip side is true as well. If we are unloving, unforgiving, or apathetic, then we reveal that we do not know or love God. When we learn to value God Himself, and when we understand the cost that secured our redemption, then will we be drawn to love Him with all that we are, changing our behavior to reflect the gift that we have been given.

Gazing on the glory of God in Jesus Christ produces profound, Spirit-empowered, lasting change in the life of an individual.

Chris Leavell has some great thoughts on the role that creation plays in our thinking about God. Like Chris, I wonder if we, as a modern, tech-dependent generation, miss the soul-uplifting benefits of observing nature.

Scripture is filled with examples of people who sat and appreciated nature, and thereby moved to thank, worship, and magnify their Creator. David praised the Lord of earth and heaven (Ps. 148). Paul wrote of how the character of God shone through His creation (Rom. 1:20). Even Christ sought the quiet of nature to commune with His Father (Luke 6:12).

But today we remove ourselves from nature, and much of what we see in creation is either covered up by our own work—think buildings, parking lots, and so on—or twisted by use. Even when we venture beyond the concrete sprawl, we’re consumers of nature, rather than observers drawn to thoughts of our Creator. Nature’s just a playground for us, not a canvas on which the glory of God is displayed.

Chris also posted a quote by an early church father, Basil, in which we see the Biblical intentions of creation – [to give] “you a just idea of the Creator.”

Have your thoughts of Creator God been rightly informed by nature? Have your passions for Creator God been awakened and fueled by nature? Have you responded with gratitude, joy, and worship to our glorious Creator, who thunders His glories through the natural world?