The purpose of the gospel is not to make you a better person

If one listens to the main focus of evangelical Christianity, one would conclude that the main purpose of the gospel is to make one a better person. That is patently false and a gross error. While it is true, that when PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD, the gospel can make one a better person, act better etc., it is in no way the purpose of the gospel. When I mention the purpose of the gospel, I am referring to the purpose that God had in the gospel before creation. Usually the New Testament writers state it this way... before the foundation of the world. Well, before the foundation of the world means before creation or before anything was created. Further, I would like to state that before creation is a term that helps with understanding from mankind's linear perspective, and is not necessarily a term that God would use except in communicating with us humans.

So you ask, what was the purpose of the gospel. You can find the answer to that in reading the first chapter of Ephesians. It was so that we would praise God's glorious grace. The gospel provided a way for us to know that we were/are holy and blameless in the sight of God. He did that out of love. Ultimately to the praise of his glorious grace, and there you have the purpose of the gospel. If one visits the average evangelical church these days, one would not readily get that purpose put forth on a regular basis. One would be told that the gospel was to get one to heaven as opposed to hell. One would say that the gospel was mainly for the forgiveness of sin. But not many, if any would state that God's purpose was to bring glory to himself by his unfathomable grace.

Here is a most important clue to this purpose. Romans 5:1 states the following.... Rom 5:1  "Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." It is peace with God that brings praise to his glorious grace. Peace with God is the foundation of the transformation process. Yes, transformation is a process, an ever expanding process. However, it will only be an ever expanding, never ending process so long as the real gospel of grace is properly understood. This is precisely where evangelical Christianity has failed so miserably. The purpose of the gospel has been twisted to focus on one becoming a better and more godly individual. That is far from the real main focus. That would be an ancillary consequence of proper understanding of the true gospel of grace. It would be a natural offshoot of proper gospel understanding, but is NEVER allowed to come to fruition through evangelical doctrine and dogma.

Here are the gospel facts. They are unalterable!

• God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting trespasses or sins.
• God has declared humanity righteous because of the faith of Christ. We are not declared righteous by our faith, but rather by the faith of Jesus Christ.
• The gospel message simply put is this...  that in view of Christ Jesus being declared righteous because of his faith, he has become the ultimate and last representative of humanity. Apprehending that fact by faith gives us complete peace with God.
• We are not now nor, will we ever be declared, shown righteous by our adherence the law
• Completely resting in Romans 5:1, will bring supernatural love for God. It is imperative to realize that one must rest in Romans 5:1 no matter what behavior one sees in themselves.
• The supernatural love produced by God's grace will begin the process of transforming the saint into a more godly and righteous person. The gospel, and ONLY the gospel is responsible for truly changing behavior as a natural consequence to faith in the gospel.

Evangelical Christianity, and Christianity in general as far as it goes, has grossly missed this most important concept and has therefore robbed the gospel of grace of its supernatural power. The sooner this is understood, believed, and proclaimed, the sooner Christ will have influence on all of humanity. This was the gospel that changed the world in the first century and sadly is not the gospel taught today.