Shaped by the GospelSample

Gospel Shapes Our Heart 

What does a heart shaped by the gospel look like? How does one know if the gospel is active in his heart? What are signs of gospel renewal in an ongoing basis? 

A gospel shaped heart has a consistent pattern of repentance and believing the gospel. We never stop needing to repent and believe the gospel. Repentance and faith are like two pistons in the engine of heart transformation. 

The passage in Colossians 3 uses strong language when it comes to dealing with sin and calls us to seek God. It is basically talking about repentance and faith. 

How do we repent? In our culture we repent only when we get caught or when we do something really bad. It is seen as a duty and often it is from a selfish motive to feel better. Gospel shaped repentance is a lifestyle. It results in joy and a deeper appreciation for Jesus.  

We repent, not just of external and observable sins, but we repent of our sin under our observable sins. We repent of our heart idols such as comfort, approval, control and power. These heart idols are often behind our emotions and motivations in life. We recognise that any sin we commit is first breaking God’s command to worship him alone. Our hearts run to find comfort and significance in things other than God. 

What do we believe? If repentance is one side of the coin, the other side is faith. Repentance begins the cycle of gospel renewal. Faith completes it. Sin is fundamentally unbelief in the goodness and character of God. And we are called to turn from our sin and look to the gospel for our identity, approval and significance. 

You are now raised with Christ to a place of honour and glory. You are God’s chosen, loved and cherished. This is who you are in Christ. And this is possible because you are hidden in Christ, his righteousness, his death and his resurrection. 

You don’t have to hide in shame or downplay sin. The gospel gives you the confidence to be honest about your sin and brokenness and to believe in the gracious sacrificial gift of Jesus for you.