Kelly Kapic » God Mission Worship Gospel Justification Community Stewardship

A note from Justin Holcomb:

Kelly Kapic is a friend of mine who teaches theology at Covenant College. He has written an important book that is powerful, poignant, and beautiful. I love it and believe all missional ministries should be built upon the theological foundation he’s laid out. I asked Kelly to write a post that summarizes the message of the book.

 

I have become convinced that when the Christian story is approached through the lens of “gift,” this story and our lives open up before God’s glorious and empowering grace. 

Rightly understood, the word “gift,” which is another way of speaking of grace, allows us to understand the radical nature of the gospel while also learning to appreciate the joy of participating in God’s work in the world.

This is not about guilt, but about liberation, dignity, and joy.

When you discover the immensity of God’s grace, it impels you to enter into the flow of divine generosity and become an avenue of his great gifts to the world.

Giving Shapes the Gospel

The God who created a good and perfect world, but whose world turned from him, has brought restoration through gift. The Father loved the world and gave the Son, and the Father and the Son pour out the gift of the Spirit into the hearts of humanity, bringing about praise, hope, and a new creation. Those united to the Son by the Spirit then find their lives caught up with the glorious gift of God’s coming kingdom.

In other words, giving shapes the gospel. God’s generosity buys us out of bondage and brings us into all the blessings of belonging to him. But the good news is not only that God has made us to be recipients of his grace but also participants in the movement of his divine generosity.

We Are Free to Give

Living in God’s gifts, we are freed to give ourselves.

And so the cross and resurrection of Christ now come to reshape this new life of faith, hope, and generosity—a life that is best lived not in isolation but as a community.

By understanding the practice of giving within the larger story of God’s generosity, we are encouraged not simply to “give more,” but to step into the powerful current of God’s great gifts to the world.

Download the First Chapter of Kelly's Book Here

 

We're giving away five copies of God So Loved, He Gave today. Tweet out this link to enter: http://jesus.to/GNbU3g

Adapted from God So Loved, He Gave, by Kelly M. Kapic. For an original song and video response to part of the book, go here.

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