The Good News

King David, in Psalm 10, laments the wicked's relentless pursuit and exploitation of the poor due to their pride and covetous desires, and he describes them as lurking predators who target the innocent and vulnerable. David implores God to rise up, remember the humble, and break the power of the wicked, expressing a profound wish for divine intervention to protect the oppressed.

David's teaching emphasizes that God abhors the exploitation of the poor and humble by the materially-driven wicked, or "men of the earth," who act against the divine heart by seeking material gain at the expense of the destitute. Both political bodies and religious institutions that impose undue burdens or exploit the vulnerable are seen as contravening God's intention for liberty and support for the needy, emphasizing the necessity for leaders to genuinely aid rather than oppress the disadvantaged.

Shawn shares his journey of seeking stability and purpose, exploring various avenues like family, religion, substances, human relationships, arts, and existential philosophy, but ultimately concludes that only Jesus Christ provides the enduring and trustworthy foundation he needed. Through Jesus, he finds eternal truth, a reliable authority, and the ultimate fulfillment, which none of the other pursuits could offer.

The Gospel is the "Good News" that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy God's justice, offering salvation to humanity. Understanding the Gospel involves recognizing it not only as the story of Christ's life and mission but also as a doctrine that offers salvation through faith, portraying it as both an objective message of who Jesus is and a subjective reality by which believers are justified by faith alone.

The core message of the Gospel, as outlined by Paul and expounded by Shawn, is that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, who accomplished what humanity could not, thus saving believers from sin and death and granting them the status of God's children. Paul warned against adding any requirements such as baptism, religious authority, or tithing to this simple message of faith, emphasizing that any other teachings are not the true Gospel.

The teaching emphasizes that salvation is achieved through the Gospel of Christ, which is the essential Good News, not through the works of the law. Any alterations to the pure Gospel, as seen in some groups and churches, detract from its true power and purpose, which is to bring salvation to all who believe.