First I ask why should we want to take the time and effort to understand these truths about God?(knowing the “whole counsel of God”, Acts 20:27)  Why should we strain so carefully over understanding these things when we could be spending our time watching TV, eating, working, relaxing, being with the family or friends, working on the house or yard, or enjoying our favorite music, etc…? 

We do this so that we might be in a place where we can experience the deepest pleasure and satisfaction available, which is knowing the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. We do this recognizing the God of the universe has taken care of our age-old enemy Sin, which is the biggest problem in our lives. That He has done this by the death of His own Son Jesus.  We do this to Honor and Glorify God whom we love, who also loves us.  For we know Ultimately it was for this purpose that God created us before the world began.  The purpose for which God orchestrates all things; that God is Glorified in all things, that all things are through, from and to Him, that He has the supremacy in everything.  God has created the earth and the stars and so forth and they Glorify God by constantly reminding us God is beautiful, full of Grandeur and that He has Godhead and Eternal power over all things.  God created us so not only our mind’s Glorify God by comprehending God is Magnificent, but also that our hearts rejoice and fell pleasure as we come to know He is Magnificent.  Both our minds and emotions need to be immersed in knowing and enjoying the one Supreme Great being of All, our Lord God, our Crucified Jesus Christ.  The more we know of God then the more it gives the Holy Spirit to work with, as He transforms this knowledge into heart felt adoration.  We were born; for admiring Him forever who has created us. 

The ultimate and deepest level of salvation of “a God Centered Gospel” is seeing and enjoying the Glory of Christ who is the image of God.  But sinners cannot approach the Glory of God without being destroyed.  Sin had permanently removed all mankind from the joy and pleasure of seeing the Glory of Christ and knowing Him in perfect love.  When we sin we commit cosmic treason against a Holy, Infinitely, Valuable God.  God created the human heart to admire Greatness, namely Himself.  What sin did to us at the fall of our first parents was separate us from that greatness, which is the Glory of Christ who is the image of God.  Sin is the problem why we are so hungry for pleasure and happiness and yet are never satisfied.  Sin is why we hated God and why God had wrath stored up against us.  Sin is why we and all creation suffers from corruption, disease, death, sadness, why every thing in life we work at seems to work against us, why our conscience bothers us and why we hurt ourselves and other people and why other people hurt us.  Sin is THE problem for the human race. When the Holy Spirit regenerated our hearts because Jesus Christ died for our sins and imputed His righteousness to us, it is here we find the only way people are made right before God and our age old enemy sin, is defeated.  Therefore because of this we are brought to the final level of salvation for which God designed for us to experience.  To stand before and savor the endless Value of the Glory of Christ as God in His kindness shows to us the endless riches of His Grace.

I believe this understanding of a “God center Gospel” is the cure to many of the problems that Christians and the church experience.  For I feel the biggest mistake the last few generations in the church have made is the mistake of making “us” the center of the Gospel and the Cross.  We have made the Cross a vehicle to better self-esteem and not God-esteem. We have made the cross a vehicle to self-Idolatry.  We sing the modern song written by Mat Redman “Its all about you”.  But does our lives and theology show this to be true, that God is the greatest value in the World and not us.  Or do you suppose God would have come and died for you if you were the only one to some how chose Him (in your dead condition) because God loved you and Needed you that much. Have you chosen to serve God only because he seems to make much of you, and so based on that He seems lovely to you.  Its seems we have turned God into a worshiper of man, instead of realizing that God worships and enjoys that which is most valuable and enjoyable, Himself, which we should do the same.  Our struggle with sin and longing for the deepest level of satisfaction will be solved when our minds and hearts are staggered by the awesome, terrifying, beautiful, infinite Glory of God. Thus freeing us to love God as we should and also love the rest of world, as we need to.  The rest of the world is not in need of more self-esteem, but instead to see and know God is the greatest worth and treasure this world through the person of Jesus Christ.  This is what your husband, wife, children, friends, and all the lost people and nations of the world need to hear from us, the Good news of the Gospel(the grace of God through Christ).  God is the “good news” of the Gospel not us.  The happiness we and are the rest of the world is looking for, happens when we see God as the Greatest value and Treasure of all.  All of the so far known 100 + billion Galaxies and creation testifies to the fact of; God is that treasure.  And having a “God Centered Gospel” is the only way for our mind, heart and lives to get there.

So if Christ is the treasure of your life and you desire to Glorify God as He commands, then spending the time and effort to dig through scripture, even the hard parts, should be your priority and joy.  Being confident in the covenant of grace by the blood of Christ Jesus, press on to know the Lord for by the power of the Holy Spirit, knowledge will turn into heart felt treasuring of God. It is people like this, which will bear much fruit for the kingdom of God. If you desire to live a life that is more doing the things of God then you must first; place your mind and heart where they are in Awe of the Grandeur of God.  This shows we are totally reliant on God to turn this understanding about Him into heart felt joy.  So as you read, be earnest to pray(without ceasing) for the mercy of God, that He would by His Spirit show you beautiful things from His word.  God has decided to communicate to us by a written letter and I am confident He will enable all who desire Him the ability to understand His word satisfyingly.

I conclude by encouraging you to know God with all your heart.  The more precisely, accurately and clearly you understand God the more you will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Honor God by treasuring Him with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength.