Gospel People
Gospel People: A Call for Evangelical Integrity
By: Michael Reeves
“‘The evangelicals’ are being defined—and even defining themselves—by agendas other than the gospel.”
What does evangelical mean? Who are evangelicals? Is this term too damaged to be used?
After reading Kristin Kobes Du Mez’s book Jesus and John Wayne, I wondered if what I believed evangelical to mean was true anymore. Frankly, most of what you hear about evangelicals these days seems tainted by its associations.
Right now, the perception and seemingly widely held negative connotation of ‘evangelical’ does not seem like something I want to be identified with.
Michael Reeves recognizes the precarious place the word ‘evangelical’ hangs and has written a book to address this controversial word and remind us why we may still call ourselves evangelical.
I needed this book and am glad for his biblical grounding of ‘evangelical’ and his encouragement to return to evangelical integrity (more on that later).
He says,
“I believe that there is a biblical case to be made for the importance and the goodness of being evangelical.”
“I do not at all mean to defend everything that calls itself evangelical.”
“Looking around at the phenomenon of evangelicalism today, it often seems a mile wide and an inch deep.”
“Across the world, swathes have come to self-identify as evangelical without holding to classic evangelical beliefs. And then there is the problem of how being “evangelical” has become associated with particular cultures, with politics, or with race.”
What is an Evangelical?
‘Evangelical’ comes from the word ‘evangel’ which comes from the Greek word for ‘good news.’
And we have the title of this book: Gospel People. Evangelicals= to be ‘of the gospel.’
Reeves describes the marks of evangelicals by quoting several passages written by the apostle Paul. Many prominent theologians have echoed this formatting throughout church history. These beliefs are not new compilations at all.
There is no real ‘definition’ of evangelical as many would like to be able to point to, but these are the gospel essentials required for evangelicalism.
“Any definition of the evangel and so of evangelicalism must follow apostolic teaching with its essential qualities of being Trinitarian, Scripture-based, Christ-centered, and Spirit-renewed.”
He focuses his book on discussing these three R’s: Revelation, Redemption, Regeneration.
Revelation of the Father
The revelation of the Father is His Word— the Bible.
To be evangelical means that you have a high view of Scripture. Maintaining the supremacy and authority of Scripture. Human wisdom, church tradition, and other valuable sources of learning are helpful, but they are not the ultimate voice or the source of Truth.
“There are a number of authorities to which the healthy evangelical will want to submit: the governing authorities of the land (Rom. 13:1), church elders, and creeds. But none of those authorities, along with Christian tradition and reason, are infallibly trustworthy like the word of God. They are of men. Scripture is of God.”
This discussion involves the terms ‘inerrancy,’ ‘infallible,’ and ‘inspired.’
“For Jesus, Scripture is the word of God, and as such he could teach “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). To suggest that the word of God might be faulty or untrustworthy is to imply that God is faulty and untrustworthy.”
For more information on why we can trust God’s Word and the way it was compiled, these two books would prove helpful:
Taking God at His Word by Kevin DeYoung
Surviving Religion 101 by Michael J. Kruger
Redemption of the Son
The redemption of the Son is the centrality of Jesus as the Son of God and the only Savior for our sins.
To be evangelical means that you believe in Jesus and his saving power on the cross.
“the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, has by His life, death, and resurrection, as our Representative and Substitute, obtained a complete salvation for sinners, and a redemption from the guilt, power, and consequences of sin, and that all who believe on Him are, even while they live, completely forgiven and justified from all things, are reckoned completely righteous before God, are interested in Christ and all His benefits.”
In Christ alone we are saved. We cannot add to this by requiring a way to earn salvation by good works. And we cannot substitute anyone else in his place.
“Because Christ’s redemptive work is entirely sufficient, the gospel is God’s kind work of rescue, not his offer of assistance. It is not a call for the strong and good to prove themselves, but for the weak and bad to prove the depths of the mercy of Christ.”
Regeneration of the Spirit
The regeneration of the Spirit is the importance of the life-transformation that happens through the work of the Holy Spirit.
“It is he who anoints the messenger, confirms the word, prepares the hearer, convicts the sinful, enlightens the blind, gives life to the dead, enables us to repent and believe, unites us to the body of Christ, assures us that we are God’s children, leads us into Christ-like character and service, and sends us out in our turn to be Christ’s witnesses. In all this the Holy Spirit’s main preoccupation is to glorify Jesus Christ by showing him to us and forming him in us.”
To be evangelical means that doctrine is important, but that our theology must be put into practice and change hearts. Evangelism is sharing the good news with others and believing in the power of the Spirit to transform lives, making people more like Christ.
“Born of the Spirit, we should spurn both spiritual hypocrisy and emptiness, loving both God and neighbor as we “glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).”
Why Does it Matter?
“Since being gospel people means both unwavering faithfulness to the gospel and a refusal to elevate other issues to the level of the gospel, evangelicals have to walk a line between fighting over too much and discerning too little.”
The Evangelical Free Church uses the phrase ‘Major on the Majors, Minor on the Minors.’ Meaning- we do not compromise on gospel doctrines (the majors) but we allow for differences on non-gospel issues (the minors) in order to keep unity in the Church.
Evangelicals are found in many different denominations.
Gavin Ortlund has written a helpful book— Finding the Right Hills to Die On— using the term ‘theological triage’ to refer to discerning what areas of disagreement are first, second, or third tier issues (first tier meaning major gospel doctrines that ARE the right hills to die on).
Reeves says,
“The truer mark of the evangelical is discernment. Holding firm to the gospel, and holding it supreme, we reject all that opposes or presumes to rival it—and that must include the tribalism that elevates personalities, culture, politics, or any other issue to the level of the gospel. For evangelicals seek, before all things, to be people of the gospel, not people of a sect.”
Knowing what evangelical means matters because if we compromise on any of these major beliefs, we cease to be evangelical. We cease to be gospel people because we no longer have the gospel as God has given us to it in the Bible.
What is Happening with Modern Day Evangelicalism?
The last chapter of the book was my favorite. I practically highlighted the entire thing.
The other chapters were helpful, especially if you aren’t sure how you can articulate what evangelical means or what the gospel is, but the last chapter, titled Gospel Integrity, speaks to the problem of how ‘evangelical’ has become convoluted in America today and how we should respond.
I’d like to point out here, as Reeves does, that ‘evangelical’ is not an American word. It has been hijacked in American politics and has come to represent something other than its true definition, but there are far more evangelicals outside the US than inside. And those evangelicals are not representative of a racial or political block as we currently see in America.
In the US there are surveys and studies everywhere you look claiming statistics about evangelicals’ beliefs and habits which in turn create widely held connotations of what evangelicals are and what they stand for. But there are many people identifying as evangelicals without being evangelical in their beliefs.
For example,
“One 2020 survey found that 30 percent of American “evangelicals” believe that Jesus is not God; 65 percent believe he is instead the first being created by God; 46 percent believe the Holy Spirit is a force, not a person; and in any case, 23 percent feel that belief is a matter of opinion, not objective truth.”
This hardly meets the criteria for being gospel people.
Should we abandon this term ‘evangelical’?
Reeves argues that no, we should not. The term, however it’s masqueraded, is truly what we are- gospel people.
“The word evangelical has centuries of pedigree for a good reason. It may have lost some of its value in some places, but that can be regained through reinvestment. And where else can we people of the gospel go? There really is no acceptable and viable alternative with anything like the historical weight or the descriptive simplicity.”
Instead of glossing over the problems, he poses that we must “not to condone or flee, but repent and reform.” It’s a reformation movement to continually renew ourselves in biblical truths not a conformation movement that adapts to the cultural worldview and beliefs.
We maintain evangelical integrity.
And this, says Reeves, requires humility.
Ouch, right? If there’s one thing largely lacking in America— and in my own heart— it’s humility.
“[Evangelical integrity] is the bearing of one refreshed by the gospel. Captivated by the magnificence of God, such evangelicals will not be so drawn to man-centered therapeutic religion. Under the radiance of his glory, they will not want to establish their own little empires. Their tiny achievements will seem petty, their feuds and personal agendas odious. He will loom large, making them bold to please God and not men. They will not dither or stammer with the gospel. But aware of their own redemption they will share his own meekness and gentleness, not breaking a bruised reed. They will be quick to serve, quick to bless, quick to repent, and quick to laugh at themselves, for their glory is not themselves but Christ. This is the integrity found through the lifting up of Christ in his gospel.”
There is no unity without humility.
We need to reflect on what we’ve believed and what we’ve presented as our beliefs. Have we contributed to the perception (or reality) that evangelicals place a political or social agenda above the gospel? Have we compromised biblical truths in order to conform to accepted cultural values? We need to, in humility, return to the revelation our Father, the redemption of Jesus, and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and be reformed and renewed by it. We don’t need to fear the 'evangelical’ identity as long as we are fearing our God.
These books are helpful as we think about politics and what the church should be centered on:
How the Nations Rage by Jonathan Leeman
What is the Mission of the Church? by Kevin DeYoung
The Gospel as Center by D.A. Carson and Tim Keller
‘Fundamentalism’ and the Word of God by J.I. Packer
Conclusion
Calling all gospel people! This book is for you.
Even if you don’t call yourself a gospel person— if you’ve ever wondered what the heck ‘evangelicals’ are, this book is for you.
Gospel People is completely worth reading, even if you just read the last chapter. But in truth, the entire book is very relevant to today.
I’ve grown up in the evangelical free church my entire life. If I’m googling what evangelical means, then I’m assuming there are plenty of others who are too. This book is a Scripture-rich explanation of the gospel, the marks of evangelicals, and a call for evangelical integrity.
Plus it’s short, so that helps too!
I’ll leave you with this quote that circles back to our three R’s:
“Through the gospel, we come to realize that without God’s revelation, we are left groping in the darkness of ignorance. Without the redemption of the Son, we are utterly lost in our guilt and alienation from God. Without the Spirit’s work of regeneration, we are helplessly mired in our sin. In the gospel, God is exalted, and we delight to be abased before him. And only then, when he is lifted up, are people drawn to him (John 12:32).”
Extras:
Throughout the book Reeves quoted from J.C. Ryle on features of Evangelical Religion. Here are some of his quotes that I’m sure you’ll see represent the material above:
“The first leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the absolute supremacy it assigns to Holy Scripture, as the only rule of faith and practice, the only test of truth, the only judge of controversy.”
“Evangelical Religion does not despise learning, research, or the wisdom of days gone by.”
“A leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the depth and prominence it assigns to the doctrine of human sinfulness and corruption.”
“A leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the high place which it assigns to the inward work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of man.”
“A leading feature in Evangelical Religion is the importance which it attaches to the outward and visible work of the Holy Ghost in the life of man.”
“You may spoil the Gospel by disproportion. You have only to attach an exaggerated importance to the secondary things of Christianity, and a diminished importance to the first things, and the mischief is done.”
“Keep the walls of separation as low as possible, and shake hands over them as often as you can.”
**Received an ARC via NetGalley**
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