Suffering and preaching the Gospel

Suffering and preaching the Gospel

And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. (13:10)

As the apocalyptic explanation such as the symptom of the last days was going on, suddenly the bounden missions interrupted in the middle as stated in the above mentioned verse. In the apocalyptic representation, destruction of this world and coming of new world, the preaching the Gospel is like the padding that comforts us.

The author of Mark Gospel seems to look at this matter from another angle. His position in life makes him have this view of life, the position of life that they suffered for the sake of the Gospel. Though the Gospel preaching does not always mean suffering, the Gospel is directly connected to suffering in the early Christian community.

What is the place of the gospel to which suffering follows? The Gospel means the good news of great joy of salvation through Jesus Christ. Everybody knows the meaning of such word. However, if we enter into the concept of the Gospel, we have to think it by comparing with the law the opposite concept. We can regard the Gospel as the opposite concept of the law. The law is basically a justification by works while the Gospel is a justification by faith. The order which regards achievement as supreme value cannot but argue with the order which anchors the entire weight of life in God’s grace.

Christianity today is the community of the Gospel, the community to concentrate on justification by faith emancipating from justification by works. However, we make the Gospel as achievement in our actual world. Our real condition is to insist expansion of Christianity as the work of Gospel preaching. These two should be distinguished. I do not mean expansion of Christianity is meaningless. Christianity should not be identified with the Gospel movement. The Gospel’s real meaning can be alive even as we make expansion of Christian community.

The relation between the law and the Gospel are applicable to the entire human life. The Gospel community should struggle to get rid off heavy burden to make a great achievement in life in the field of politic, economy, education etc.