The Lodestar

The Danger of a Palatable Gospel

In a world that prizes comfort, affirmation, and ease, the temptation to soften the message of the Gospel is constant. Many modern sermons lean towards encouragement rather than conviction, offering Jesus as a therapist rather than a saviour. This version of the Gospel—sugar-coated and shallow—avoids the offence of sin, the call to repentance, and the cost of discipleship. But a Gospel that only soothes and never cuts is no Gospel at all. Scripture is clear: “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). It divides soul and spirit, exposing the thoughts of the heart. The true Gospel is not primarily a comfort blanket. It is a surgeon’s scalpel.

The Gospel That Kills Before It Gives Life

The pattern of biblical redemption is death before resurrection. Jesus spoke repeatedly about losing one’s life in order to find it (Mark 8:35). The Gospel confronts the sinner with their rebellion, not with flattery but with truth. It demands surrender, not improvement. Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live” (Galatians 2:20). There is no resurrection without crucifixion, no salvation without the acknowledgement of judgment. The true Gospel wounds the pride, slays the ego, and demolishes self-righteousness. It tells us we are not enough. It reminds us that grace is not cheap; it cost the Son his life.

Biblical Examples of a Wounding Gospel

Consider Isaiah’s vision in the temple. When faced with God’s holiness, his first response was not joy but despair: “Woe is me! For I am lost” (Isaiah 6:5). The Gospel first broke him before grace could restore him. Similarly, Peter, after denying Jesus, “wept bitterly” (Luke 22:62). His restoration came after the wound. Saul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus left him blind for three days (Acts 9:9). His physical blindness mirrored his spiritual state, which had to be dismantled before he could become Paul. These are not gentle invitations. They are holy confrontations.

Why We Must Preach the Whole Gospel

A truncated Gospel may draw crowds, but it will never make disciples. It may fill churches, but it will not fill hearts with repentance. Jesus did not call us to make converts but to make disciples—those who deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him (Luke 9:23). To preach the full Gospel is to risk offence. But to soften it is to strip it of its power. We do not serve the wounded by hiding the scalpel. We serve them by applying it with truth and grace.

The Pain That Leads to Life

A Gospel that never wounds will never heal. It must tear before it mends, crush before it lifts. Only the Gospel that demands the death of the old self can bring the new life in Christ. The path to resurrection is through the cross—not around it. Let us then reject the hollow gospel of affirmation and boldly preach the Gospel that wounds to heal, kills to make alive, and breaks to rebuild. For that alone is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

(Cynthia is passionate about writing and imagination. She finds joy in listening and observing the world around her more than speaking.)