Thread by @tisaiahcho

The gospel is powerful but it isn't magic. We know this intuitively. Evangelical Christians know that "the gospel solves abortion." This leads them to preach about abortion from the pulpit, create a community atmosphere where support can be given to unexpectedly pregnant mothers,

volunteer at crisis pregnancy centers, write books and studies on the sanctity of unborn life, and foster and adopt babies who have been given up by their birth mothers.

Evangelical Christians know that "the gospel solves pornography." This leads them to preach about lust and..

sexual immorality from the pulpit, create a community of transparency, vulnerability, and accountability in their churches, volunteer time in mentoring young men and women in this digital age where porn is just a click, swipe, or tap away, and write about its social impact.

We know intuitively that the gospel doesn't magically zap sin away, but the Holy Spirit works the gospel in and through various means, including but not limited to the church as an institution, the church as organism, and the daily faithfulness of believers.

Yet, when it comes to the sin of racism, "the gospel solves racism" comes to mean "just preach the gospel and racism will automatically go away." "The gospel solves racism" becomes a weapon that tries to undercut attempts to preach about it from pulpits, Sunday schools, and...

small groups. It becomes weaponized against attempts to create a community of accountability where racist actions and inactions can be biblically dealt with. It shouts "distraction from the gospel" at efforts of discipling Christians with a robust understanding of the imago dei.

It creates statements, podcasts, sermon series, blog posts, and lectures about why Christians shouldn't write and talk about racism but instead "just preach the gospel."

When it comes to racism, the gospel becomes magic, as if simply uttering the right words and formulations...

will zap believers into some sort of state of non-racist colorblindness.

"The gospel solves racism," indeed. That's never been put into question. It's about *how* the gospel solves racism, or more precisely, how does the Holy Spirit make the people of God more like Jesus?

It is *because* we believe that the gospel is powerful, that it solves all sins, that we do all that we can to create an atmosphere where grace and truth can work in people's lives so that they die to sin and live unto righteousness. That is being serious about the gospel.

I have been advised by several wonderful folks that the phrasing I should have used was "placed in an adoptive family" instead of "given up." My sincerest apologies for this, and any harm it may have done, and thanks to those who brought it to my attention.