For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the proverbial hill worth dying on. Though there may be some who view a discussion regarding the gospel as elementary, it is undoubtedly fundamental to our faith. We never graduate from this good news, and if we have the wrong gospel, we essentially have the wrong Christ. Ultimately, this leads to a critical issue of eternal significance. I am learning as a believer in Christ, among the other hats I wear in my personal life, when to pick my battles with humility yet loving boldness. Contending for the faith is such a battle worth engaging.

There are teachings within the hyper charismatic movement stating that if signs and wonders do not accompany your ministry, you have presented a partial gospel. Using the accounts of Jesus as the standard for us to follow in this capacity are presented in what is called the full gospel. The appeal to being attractive to the world and giving the world a new demonstration of the gospel is proclaimed as part of this full gospel. Not only that, but the full gospel is said to consist not only in salvation for sin, but the abundant life here and now. Some will say that believers living in the understanding of a partial gospel (salvation from sin) are powerless Christians. There is also a current teaching that the apostate church can be identified as those who oppose the modern move of God, such as prophecy, tongues, miracles, signs, and wonders.

What is the full gospel? Is it the pure gospel, or is it “gospel plus”? When hearing these teachings, it seems as if the gospel of Jesus Christ in accordance with Scripture is minimized while maximizing humankind’s exploits and perceived power. Burdens are placed upon people to do signs and wonders in order for the full gospel to be complete, and additional burdens are placed on people to not question this full gospel because if they do, they could be called an apostate.

Thankfully, we have God’s own Word to help us in our understanding and to not forget the power of God found at the foot of the cross.

The Word of God encourages us time and again with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot avoid the pure gospel when we read the pages of the Bible. If you ever need a concise presentation, look no further than 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

We need to be reminded of the gospel daily. It is the most glorious news on our best day, and it is the most glorious news in the moments of sin and failure. It is this gospel that can be proclaimed anywhere on the planet with the same results, a man or woman no longer dead in their sins but alive in Christ Jesus, rich in the eternal inheritance that cannot be counted or measured by human means. We need to remember the sufficiency of Christ’s finished work on the cross. He has saved us from the wrath of God, and He has made us citizens of heaven. We have received Him as our King, our Lord and Savior. His resurrection from the dead is the only sign, the only miracle that we need for the gospel. There is no need to attempt in convincing anyone of the power of the gospel by our actions. If our own actions in the working of signs and wonders is necessary for the gospel to be a full gospel, then it is not good news at all, and what God did was not sufficient.

For those who teach that signs and wonders are required in presenting the gospel, how is that teaching reconciled with accounts in Scripture where Paul reasoned from the Scriptures without signs and wonders (Acts 17:1-3, 16-34)? How does one reconcile the Bible acknowledging that John the Baptist, who prepared the way of the Lord and proclaimed repentance, did no signs or wonders (John 10:41)? When reading and studying Scripture, we can see that signs and wonders took place at specific times and for specific purposes, both in the Old and New Testament. We can also understand that though we are to follow Jesus as our example in ways such as suffering and humility (1 Peter 4:12-19, Philippians 2:1-11), the miracles, signs, and wonders He did were to show that He is the Christ and the Son of God (John 20:31).

Paul instructed Timothy to preach the gospel in season and out of season without any mention of having to do signs and wonders (2 Timothy 4:1-5). When passages of Scripture are cited with regards to not coming in the wisdom of man but in the demonstration of power, there is the belief that this affirms the need for miracles, signs, and wonders. I believe we can all forget the sheer power, sobriety, and severity of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. We can miss the forest for the trees, so to speak. The cross is folly to those who do not believe, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

Any life lived for Christ is never powerless because of Who our hope and faith are placed in with blessed assurance. We have an eternal hope we cannot fully comprehend this side of heaven, but for those of us in Christ, we trust God’s holy Word and the Holy Spirit who authored it because His Word testifies of the good news of Jesus Christ. Our Savior lives, and because He lives, we live. He brings the dead to life through His gospel, the message of the cross. Our treasure is not found in abundant health, wealth, and prosperity here and now. Our hope is not in what we can see. Our treasure is Christ Himself, and we set our minds on Him, knowing that His Word promises us an eternal weight of glory awaits beyond this light momentary affliction (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

The world does not need convincing, and neither do we as believers. We all need the pure gospel, which is full and complete. No perks or bonuses are necessary. No new signs and wonders are required. Our faith rests not in our wisdom, but in the power of God. Christ has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). Let this pure gospel be our message to those who will hear.

Listen to this episode of The Lovesick Scribe podcast evaluating the belief of the full gospel that requires miracles, signs, and wonders: The Lovesick Scribe Podcast: The Full Gospel or Gospel Plus? on Apple Podcasts