The Hole in Our Gospel Book Review--Pt. 2

Part 2 of The Hole in Our Gospel is called "The Hole Gets Deeper."  In this section of the book Richard Stearns describes how the evangelical church has lost sight of the Bible's big picture or in technical language its metanarrative, suggesting many have "missed the forest for the trees." 

 In chapter 4 Richard describes what he calls "the twin pillars of compassion and justice."  He begins by quoting Micah 6:8--We know what God wants and thinks is good: Act Justly; Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with God--The McBeath Authorized Version.  He then explores Is. 58 and Matthew 25. 

Stearns breaks Is. 58 down as follows:

1. Verses 1-3--An inappropriate and insincere fast. The people of God's "holiness is shallow and insincere", concerned with letter and going through the motions of religious practices that have not change their heart.
2. Verses 3-5--God can tell  their heart has not been changed because their actions are not just.  They exploit workers, quarrel, fight...etc.  Its not about bowing one's head and wearing sackcloth and ashes.
3. Verses 6-7--God describes what he wants from society (his people): loose the chains of justice, untie yokes, set oppressed free, break every yoke, share food with hungry  provide poor with shelter, clothe those who have none...etc.  Stearns goes on to say that breaking every yoke is breaking any system, law, practice, that is unjust whether social, political, personal, economic.
4. Verses 8-11--God describes what a benefit a just society would be like--what he wants his Kingdom People to be like and the impact they would have: Light, Justice, Righteousness, Glory of God.

Next, he explains Matthew 25.  In this passage on the sheep and the goats those who take care of the "least of these" are the ones that inherit eternal life.  Then in Chapter 5, Stearns describes Jesus' 3 greatest commandments for his Kingdom people.

1. Love God
2. Love Others
3. Spread the love revolution around the world by making disciples

 Stearns quotes John 20:21 where Jesus says, "As the Father sent me, so I send you."  If one puts this in the context of Jesus' mission and strategy--we are sent with the "Whole Gospel" not just a truncated academic, head knowledge version.  Indeed, Jesus death and Resurrection or founded on Christ love for the Father and his love for us!

Finally, Richard ends this section of the book by describing the hole in him and his ability to love "the least of these" in this way suggesting that this lack of love was a result of idolatry in his life.  He continues by describing Jonah's experience in the belly of the great fish as Jonah's clinging to the idolatry of what he wanted instead of what God wanted.  Further, we cannot find security in the idolatry of our ways; rather, this security is found in follow God's desires.  None of us are truly capable and equipped--like Moses--but God will equip those he calls to this revolution of love.