The Gospel of the Heart

Expos

ing the false gospel that manages the externalsand sabotages the heart.TRY THIS QUIZ:

Do you think the following statements are true or false?

1. T or F The Christian’s heart is just as sinful after becoming a Christianas before becoming a Christian.2. T or F The Christian’s heart is a mix of good and bad, sin and holiness.3. T or F A Christian’s heart is totally good and pure.4. T or F Christianity is about right behavior and morality.5. T or F God is interested in fixing us.6. T or F Jesus’ primary offer to us is the forgiveness of sins.7. T or F The Church’s job is to get us to act like Christians.

(Answers are at the end of the document.)

The Church in our days has responded with the wrong course of treatment forour greatest needs. What we call the “Gospel” today (which

the solution tohumanity’s condition) is at best a weakened and impoverished gospel, and atworst, not the Gospel at all. We have provided the wrong cure. We haveincorrectly treated the disease—with disturbing results: our churches are fullof people who remain enfeebled with shame, guilt and futility. They arepinned down by the same things they struggled with before becomingChristians and are anything

but

restored, free citizens of the Kingdom.—

from Recover Your Good Heart

The Gospel of the Heart -Exposing the false gospel that manages externals and sabotages the heartAuthor Jim Robbinswww.robbinswritings.com

Recognizing the gospel of behavior–management:

The gospel of behavior-management is often delivered with

accusation

. Here’s howyou can recognize accusation in church messages or individual conversations:

Warning sign #1

: The conversation you’re having with an individual centers around

compliance

-- getting you yield to an alleged standard of thought or behavior of somesort. This could be compliance to church standards of "holiness" or to corporatestandards that determine how things have always been done. Or, this could beunspoken expectations one picks up from one's family of origin and carries into the job, the marriage, the parenting. Or, you may have adopted a more healthy set of expectations, but your family hasn't.

Warning sign #2

: The accuser

needs to be right

-- at the expense of the relationship.

Warning sign #3

Spiritual arrogance

masquerading as "love." ("I'm only saying thisbecause I love you and want what's best for you.") Hmmm...that's not what I'mpicking up here...

Warning sign #4

Fight or flight?

You either want to fight or run. You're woundedand want to place as much distance between you and your accuser as possible, butyou don't want them to get away with it, either. Paralysis? Retaliation? "

Feeling overwhelmed....loosing my spiritual footing."

What about you?

What have you experienced when you've been under accusation's sting?

Additional signs of spiritual behavior-management:

This false substitute I’m calling “spiritual behavior-management” goes by severalmonikers: "the religious spirit," "religious legalism," "the gospel of religious duty andshame," or "living under Law." Whatever its name, it is not what Jesus came tooffer.All you have to do is

look at its fruit

: …defeated Christians. Here are someadditional signs that someone (the Church) or another person is trying to manageyour behavior, rather than cooperating with God in the nourishing and releasing of your good heart:

(below)

The Gospel of the Heart -Exposing the false gospel that manages externals and sabotages the heartAuthor Jim Robbinswww.robbinswritings.com