Christian Living

Goo Gooing the Gospel

by J.W. Phillips
02/01/25
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Goo-Gooing the Gospel

The psalmist said, “Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

The rationale prompting these words was simply this: Because the imprinting of sin in our lives results in near-automatic behaviors, we need our mental circuitry broken with thought stoppages that come straight from the Word of God.

The goal, then, is a biblically-defined alternative already stored—not in our minds only, but also in our hearts.

But if truth is only floating in the shallows of the mental, then it won’t be retrieved during the day of temptation. And even if it is retrieved, it will fare no better than kindling does in the presence of fire. It is only the treasured word, that word stored in our heart, that will exert the vehemence necessary for victory.

The Triumph of the Treasured Word
The strength and strategy of that word will be effective for us, as it was for Jesus while tempted in the wilderness.

One might have supposed that when it came to the most dramatic showdown ever—Jesus and the Devil, each representing a supernatural kingdom, each on a collision course with the other—that there would be a weaponry display far more sophisticated than mankind had ever seen before!

Surprisingly, though, instead of seeing shrieking demons, invading angels, and miracles countering miracles in the sky, we simply see Jesus holding up the Word, almost as a soldier holds up a shield.

True, while the temptations employed that day were extraordinarily subtle, the defense Scripture offered proved in every instance invincible.

One might ask if God’s Word in the hands of an ordinary believer could achieve similar results. This question arises because notable achievements in other domains are better accounted for by the unique abilities of the one who succeeded and not by the particular instrument used to succeed.

Beethoven, for example, could compose extraordinary music on an ordinary piano; but that’s because of his genius and not because of the piano.

George Herman Ruth set records in baseball that exist to this day. These records, however, had little to do with the bat the “Great Bambino” swung, or the ball the Babe so masterfully pitched. It was his rare and unmatched talents that explain these records, not the equipment he used.

So might not the same be true of the Word in the hands of the Master?

Not exactly, because according to Jesus, the Word sufficient for him that day in the wilderness will also make us clean (John 15:3). In full agreement, Scripture itself contends this Word will build us up (Acts 20:32) and will make us grow (I Peter 2:2) and will furnish us sufficiently for all things (II Timothy 3:16,17).

Anemic By Choice
However—and this is the key point—if our only exposure to the Word is limited to church attendance on Sunday, then, for us, the Word won’t achieve any of these things. Why? Because occasional intakes of God’s Word will leave us as anemic, spiritually, as would the same frequency of food intake leave us anemic, physically.

Recognizing the need for consistency, the Bible says we’re to desire the Word in the same way a baby desires milk (I Peter 2:2). So will a baby forgo milk due to forgetfulness about time? No, that won’t happen!

Well, then, could busyness or preoccupying interest account for missed bottle feedings? No, that won’t happen, either!

A baby has to have milk—and no explanation on a parent’s part will deter this desire! In fact, if milk isn’t forthcoming soon, the baby will vocalize insistence by wailing away in red-face anger!

By contrast, most Christians today will forgo the milk of God’s Word without a peep of protest. This take-it-or-leave-it attitude they have often means they leave it—it really doesn’t bother them!

Instead of longing for what’s lacking, they may even justify their neglect by pointing an accusing finger at their schedules.

Deficient in truth, they couldn’t fool a fool, but they do fool themselves—to the point their excuse-making will take on a ring of truth.

But when it comes to top priorities, we find the time! Priorities of lesser rank may get shuffled, if not squeezed out entirely, but the time for top priorities is always found.

According to Tozer, the paramount importance of Scripture warrants this high-priority status.

“Whatever keeps me from the Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to be. Whatever engages my attention when I should be meditating on God and things eternal does injury to my soul. Let the cares of life crowd out the Scriptures from my mind and I have suffered loss where I can least afford it. Let me accept anything else instead of the Scriptures and I have been cheated and robbed to my eternal confusion.”

If the practice of our life doesn’t declare the triumph of the treasured word, we run the risk of "goo-gooing" the Gospel throughout our life.

And what kind of testimony is that?