The Gospel The Gospel On The Ground & The Gospel In The Air
2 Complimentary Views Of The Gospel
2 Ways of Explaining the Gospel
drawn from the writings of Matt Chandler
"The explicit gospel holds the gospel on the ground and the gospel in the air as complementary, two views of the same redemptive plan of God for the world in the work of His Son. By holding these perspectives together, we do the most justice to the Bible's multifaceted way of proclaiming the Good News. When we don't hold them together, either by over-affirming one or dismissing (or outright rejecting) the other, we create an imbalance that leads to all sorts of biblical error. " - Matt Chandler
"When we consider the Gospel from the ground, we see clearly the work of the cross in our lives and in the lives of those around us, the capturing and resurrecting of dead hearts (personal salvation)–the power of grace for human transformation." - Matt Chandler
"When we consider the Gospel from the air, the atoning work of Christ culminates and reveals to us the big picture of God's plan of restoration from the beginning of time to the end of time and the redemption of His creation (making all things new)." - Matt Chandler
Examples of the Gospel On The Ground:
Examples of the Gospel In The Air:
"The effects of combining these two perspectives provide a more crisp, clear and life-like expression of the story... and leads to a more robust expression of the 'Good News' that we call the 'gospel.'"
In combining these two perspectives into one comprehensive statement, we might say the following:
The gospel is the historical narrative of the triune God orchestrating reconciliation and redemption of a broken creation and fallen creatures, from Satan, sin and its effects, to the Father and each other. And this happens through the life, death, resurrection and future return of the substitutionary Son, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God and the Church's joy.