Soteriology Culture: Have We Made the Gospel Too Small? -

Soteriology Culture: Have We Made the Gospel Too Small?

Table Of Contents

Soteriology Culture: Have We Made the Gospel Too Small?
- Snapshot
Introduction
Soteriology Culture
Problems
Grace Vs Effort
Has Our Preaching and Evangelism Contributed?
True Salvation Entails More
Conclusion
What Now?

Snapshot

Modern Christianity has created a “soteriology culture,” reducing the Gospel to a transaction for eternal life while neglecting the actual call to discipleship. This post argues that true salvation is not a “bait and switch” but an invitation to apprenticeship (talmid)—where grace opposes earning, but never effort.

Introduction

You have probably heard it said, “Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, and you will be saved. That is all you must do to receive eternal life.” I cannot count how many times I have heard the gospel presented this way. In many circles, the emphasis is placed entirely on belief and baptism as the sole requirements for being a Christian.

However, once a person enters the door into Christianity, they then often feel duped. Suddenly, they hear they should be reading their bible, attending church, joining a small group, praying, tithing, and even doing the spiritual practices. Many have entered into the door of Christianity and sop there, yet they long for something more. They sense that this version of the gospel has been robbed of its power. We must ask: Is this the biblical gospel message at all?

Soteriology Culture

Christians, especially in the United States, have created a “salvation culture.” Too often, the gospel has become synonymous with only salvation. Scot McKnight addresses this in his book, King Jesus Gospel, arguing that while individual salvation is part of the gospel, it is not the whole gospel.

Despite this, many churches focus exclusively on the moment of justification. Every sermon ends with an altar call to make Jesus “Lord and Savior.” Success is measured by how many people “make a decision” for Christ. As a pastor and teacher, when I ask people to define the gospel, most reduce it to individualism: Jesus dying on a cross to save them from sin. If the gospel is reduced to salvation alone, we create major problems.

Problems

It is Deceptive (Bait and Switch):

When a person becomes a Christian under the pretense of “easy belief,” only to be told later that they must live differently, it feels like a bait and switch. Churches wonder why people in the pews are uncommitted; perhaps it is because of how we presented the gospel. If it is just about verbal confession for forgiveness, people feel fine attending church while living however they want.

It is Biblically Incomplete :

The Bible does not present the Gospel this way. Read 1 Corinthians 15 and see what Paul includes as the gospel. Read Mark 1:5 which gives a summary of the gospel. Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:26-27) where Jesus warns that the person who hears his words but does not put them into practice is like a house built on sand. It is not just about believing; it is about practicing.

The “Saved To” Principle:

What you win people with is what you win them to. Jesus knew this and that is why he preached the kingdom of God being present. If he would have preached only soteriology, he would have won them over to a transactional message. By preaching the Kingdom, he called people to a life dedicated to that Kingdom not just their own security. Jesus fed many people, in the Gospels he even addresses the people and that they are only following him for food, which was the wrong reason. We must join the kingdom, not just join because he fed us.

Church Decline:

The church has been in decline in many parts of the Western world. Perhaps we have watered down the gospel to make it easy, but following Jesus is not easy. Jesus commands us to “pick up your cross”. At the same time, he does say his yoke is light. But that yoke being light is because he helps you carry it-not because there is no burden

Grace Vs Effort

A potential issue needs to be addressed briefly here. A person might read this saying, “but you can’t earn salvation; you do not work for it.” I agree, but this is a false dichotomy. As Dallas Willard Famously said, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.”

We must never be confused as you do not earn the grace, it is a free gift. But even gifts in the ancient world came with expectations of how one should respond. When you choose to become a Christian, enter into the family, there are certain expectations to be a part of that family. What is the expectation? To be a disciple – an apprentice – under Jesus.

Has Our Preaching and Evangelism Contributed?

The entire ministry focuses on “making a decision,” but rarely focuses on what that decision means. This can border on emotional manipulation. We must handle souls with care; while God can operate in these moments, we must ensure it is the Holy Spirit convicting hearts, not just our human methods stirring emotions.

Many sermons are geared solely toward getting people to raise their hands or pray the “sinner’s prayer.” I have witnessed this often in youth ministry. A service or camp will create a highly emotional atmosphere, intentionally pushing buttons to stir a response.

True Salvation Entails More

Jesus tells His followers to “go and make disciples,” not merely to “save people.” The church has lost the ancient meaning of talmid—the Hebrew word translated as “disciple.”

A better word for discipleship is apprenticeship. When a person chooses to follow Christ, they are claiming to enter into an apprenticeship under Rabbi Jesus. When viewed this way, becoming a Christian is far more than saying a prayer. It is learning to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did. A person who wants to follow Jesus must lose his life; only in losing it will he find it.

Conclusion

If we continue to preach a gospel that only requires a verbal confession, the church will continue to produce “Christians” who remain unchanged. The church and its people will be puzzled by the lack of power in their spiritual lives. Christians must stop selling a version of faith that lowers the bar in order to gain a larger crowd. The church needs to stop thinking “lets save people from hell” and instead need to think about saving people to the kingdom.

The invitation of the Gospel is a free gift of grace, but it is also an invitation to a new way of life that demands participation. This call to be a disciple is a call to apprenticeship-a daily, disciplined walk with Rabbi Jesus. We must shift our focus from getting people to “make a decision” and instead help them to enter into apprenticeship. We need to stop creating consumers and instead create true followers of Christ. Let us not rob the Gospel of its power by making it too small; instead, let us preach the full Kingdom of God, where losing one’s life is the only way to truly find it.

What Now?

Be an Apprentice, Not a Consumer: Instead of asking what God can do for you today, ask, “How would Jesus handle this specific situation?” Treat your daily life as on-the-job training.
Grace Opposes Earning, Not Effort: Stop feeling guilty for “working” at your faith. Use spiritual disciplines (prayer, service) to train your character, knowing you aren’t trying to buy God’s love, but align with it.
Focus on What You’re “Saved To”: Don’t just celebrate escaping hell; identify your job in the Kingdom. Ask yourself: “What is my specific active role in God’s family business right now?”
Abandon “Easy Belief”: If following Jesus feels hard, you’re likely doing it right. Let go of the expectation of comfort and embrace the “yoke” of discipleship—it implies work, but Jesus helps you carry it.