COUNTERFEIT GOSPELS: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope [Paperback]

What is the gospel?

It seems like such a simple question, doesn't it? Yet, if you ask 10 different people, you might get 12 different answers.

Why is that? Why is it that there seems to be so much confusion over what all who profess faith in Christ believe is the greatest news of all?

Why have we traded something so glorious for a pale substitute--a counterfeit? That's the question at the heart of Trevin Wax's new book, Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope.

So why do we fall for counterfeits in the first place? Why are they so alluring? The reality, according to Wax, is that they're just easier than the real gospel. Counterfeits don't cost us anything, and indeed, they can make us quite popular in the eyes of non believers.

"Yet a counterfeit gospel will always leave our souls impoverished at just the point we should be enriched. Counterfeits leave our hearts and affections for God depleted at just the time we should be overflowing with passion to share the good news with others." (p. 13)

Our acceptance of counterfeits has led to a threefold crisis within the Church. Where we should have clarity of the gospel story, we have confusion. Where we should have bold proclamation, we lack conviction. Where we should have vibrant gospel community, we instead retreat from society or become exactly like it.

I greatly appreciated reading Wax's succinct identification of the crisis within Evangelicalism; indeed it was something of an "aha" moment for me as it described many of the frustrations I have had when speaking with fellow believers in my community. This is in no way meant to malign anyone in our city, but when churches see themselves as "homeless" because they're between buildings or believers don't feel like they can share their faith with someone because they don't have any answers to hard questions that might arise, there is something wrong.

Wax quickly moves from identifying the problem to the solution, tackling each aspect of what he describes as the three-legged stool of the gospel, first by unpacking the genuine article followed an examination of the counterfeits.

The Gospel Story. Leg one focuses on the big story of the gospel--Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. The story the context that gives the announcement meaning and fulfillment. To say that Jesus Christ died in your place so your sins could be forgiven doesn't have sufficient weight unless you understand the back story. "Christ died... in accordance with the Scriptures," wrote Paul. Wax describes a story answers the deep questions we have about life and existence because it ties all our individual "stories" to the big story of Jesus, and this is a glorious thing, indeed.

Wax follows up his overview of the gospel story by examining two counterfeits. The first is the therapeutic gospel. This counterfeit targets the fall; confusing "our spiritual symptoms (a troubled marriage, anxiety, anger, addictions) with our spiritual disease (sin). . . . Sin is recast as an obstacle to finding happiness. It's whatever gets in the way of my becoming all that I ought to be." (p. 44)

This counterfeit manifests itself in ideas such as "God wants me to be happy," that sin is a lack of self-esteem (so we shouldn't talk about it because it just makes people feel bad), that Jesus will make my life better, or that God is some sort of cosmic vending machine who is obligated to bless you for your obedience. This inevitably leaves us in a place where we become "more interested in the gifts than the Giver." (p. 56) We don't want God, just what He can give us.

The second counterfeit is the judgmentless gospel. This counterfeit "diminishes the need for the gospel announcement, and eventually changes the make-up for the gospel community as well. . . . Our efforts to minimize boundaries between who is `inside' and `outside' the kingdom dilute the power of our witness." (pp. 68-69)

This counterfeit manifests itself in modified forms of universalism that suggest that heaven is the norm, or in the downplaying of the afterlife for a focus on the "missional life," the thought that "God doesn't send anyone to hell, people choose to go there," or even a twist on "God knows the heart," turning the warning into a promise.

The Gospel Announcement. Leg two is the key--the life, death and resurrection of Jesus change everything. He announced the arrival of God's kingdom, His perfect life is offered to all who trust in Him and we are declared righteous in God's sight because of it, and His death and resurrection bring about the forgiveness of our sins and our reconciliation with God. It's truly the news that changes the world!

Yet, we again find counterfeits. We trade the glorious announcement of Christ for a moralistic gospel. Here, we tell people they need to get right with God without telling them who God is; we offer good advice instead of Good News ("Good advice sells books, but the gospel changes hearts. Good advice is popular, but the gospel is powerful," writes Wax [p. 112]); we begin with grace and move back to the law, forgetting that its whole point is to show us why we need to be saved; and we even spiritualize the gospel announcement so it becomes a form of self-help, rather than something that fills us with awe and wonder.

We also trade the announcement for the quietist gospel, turning the good news into a message that is only personal. It becomes only about individual salvation; it creates a false dichotomy between the sacred and secular, heaping guilt upon those who work regular jobs instead of being in some form of full-time vocational ministry; and it tries to push Christianity out of politics, forgetting that while faith isn't a political weapon, it always has implications.

The Gospel Community. Leg three deals with the implications of the gospel--the birth of the Church. The gospel announcement brings about the formation of gospel community, one that "is empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a blessing to the nations by bringing the good news of salvation and living distinctly from the world for the good of the world." (p. 170)

Like the rest, this too has its counterfeits. The first, and one of the most popular today, is the activist gospel, which "unites us around social action or political causes rather than the gospel itself" (p. 174). And it's incredibly appealing because it brings immediate results to those who pursue it, even as it completely wears them out.

Where the quietist gospel tries to limit the impact of the gospel announcement, the activist gospel focuses only on its impact. So we find ourselves in culture wars, speaking "out against adultery in society while overlooking the adulterer singing from the choir loft" (p. 175), raging against our hobby horses, but not doing battle with sin. We serve as errand runners in the quest to make the world a better place, believing that politics is the primary way to change the world. We look to education as the solution to the world's ills, ignoring the truth that ignorance isn't our biggest problem--our rebellion against God is far more serious.

This counterfeit is probably the most personal to me as it impacts my day job (I work at for a Christian NGO) and, I've seen how easy it is to get sucked into this trap. Activism is very alluring, but the cause can too easily supplant the gospel. Reading this chapter offered me an opportunity to recalibrate and refocus my attention on where it needs to be, especially as I write.

The final counterfeit Wax describes is the churchless gospel. This counterfeit reduces the importance of the local church to the degree that people do not see the importance of the institution at all, or don't see the need to attend regularly.

One variation is put forward in Pagan Christianity by Barna and Viola, who paint everything about the institutional church as utterly pagan and worthy of opposition, and the only hope for restoration if to abandon the organized church and adopt structureless forms of Christian fellowship. Another suggests that the local church is optional, but if you have fruitful Christian fellowship through a parachurch organization or college ministry, then you don't really "need" it. The third most common variation suggests that the church is actually a hindrance to true spiritual growth for people who love Jesus and want to be like Him.

Wax ends Counterfeit Gospels where he begins, reminding readers again of the beauty of the true gospel and a plea to counter the counterfeits by telling the gospel story, making the gospel announcement and inviting others into the gospel community. This is a challenge all of us, myself especially, need to hear. The truth is, counterfeit gospels are ugly--pale imitations that fail to help, encourage and save. We need to immerse ourselves in the gospel as we find it in Scripture and let that drive our motivations.

Instead of the activist gospel, we should pursue gospel-driven activism. Instead of fleeing from the institutional church, we should embrace the opportunity that God has offered for our sanctification to increase and to serve others in love and humility. Instead of relying on politics or education to change people, we need to bring the light of the gospel to politics and education. And instead of offering good advice, we need to start announcing good news. If you're inspired by the gospel, if you want to be captivated by its beauty, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to read Counterfeit Gospels.

I've been following with great interest blogger Trevin Wax's research and writing about the gospel on his blog, Kingdom People, for months. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read a pre-release copy of his new book, based on what he's learned: Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope.

The premise of the book is that "counterfeit gospels"-ways of thinking and speaking about the good news that are diluted or distorted-are the biggest threat to the church today. These counterfeit gospels cause a gradual drift from the truth of Scripture that is less obvious, but no less dangerous, than blatant heresy, persecution, or a number of other threats. These counterfeits are like candy: pleasant to the taste, but leaving us spiritually malnourished. In extreme cases, they may lead to outright heresy, but in most cases, they either dilute the truth or teach it out of proportion. There's often enough of a saving message to reconcile us to God, but as Trevin says,

"...the watered-down version never satisfies our longings. Nor will it empower us for service, or embolden our witness before a watching world." (p. 13)
He goes on to define the gospel using the concept of a three-legged stool. The three legs are story, announcement, and community.

Story is the "big picture", God's sweeping plan of redemption for all of Creation. We often see it referred to as "Creation-->Fall-->Redemption-->Restoration". This is the overarching grand narrative told from Genesis to Revelation.

Announcement refers to the announcement of Christ's life, death, and resurrection and our personal, individual response to it. This is the "God-->Man-->Christ-->Response" component, addressing our individual salvation.

Community describes the embodiment of the gospel as we are shaped by it and live according to it's truth as a community of believers in the world...a present manifestation of God's Kingdom.

Each leg of the stool is essential. Cut one off and the whole thing tips over:

"Each leg of the stool is important because each relates to the other two. The gospel story provides the biblical narrative necessary for us to understand the nature of the gospel announcement. Likewise, the gospel announcement births the gospel community that centers its common life upon the transformative truth of Jesus Christ. Though the New Testament authors generally use the word 'gospel' as referring to the announcement of the crucified and risen King Jesus, a closer look reveals that they never separate the announcement from the back story which gives it meaning-nor the community that the announcement births." (p. 16-17)

He goes on to say:

"The counterfeit gospels in the church today resemble the biblical gospel in some ways, and yet fail to incorporate and integrate all that the Bible says about the good news. Each counterfeit is like a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of the stool, and therefore toppling the stool and damaging the other components as well." (p. 17)

Each counterfeit focuses on one leg of the stool, overemphasizing and/or distorting it. The rest of the book evaluates six common counterfeits, grouping them according to which leg each one targets. It explores the therapeutic, judgmentless, moralistic, quietist, activist, and churchless gospels. Each chapter addresses one of these, describing the different forms each one takes, what makes it attractive, and discussing what each gets right and wrong. Wrapping up each chapter, Trevin advises how to counter each counterfeit biblically, concluding with a list of Scripture references that address each aspect of that particular counterfeit.

I really loved this book. There are so many different "versions" of what is encompassed in the gospel, and each one has parts that ring true. How do we sort it all out and keep the main thing the main thing? I grew up in an environment that emphasized the "announcement" over the "story" and "community", and for years I struggled with where those pieces of the puzzle fit...I knew they were biblical and important, but couldn't reconcile exactly where they fit in to the picture. I have to say that Trevin's three-legged stool concept is one of the most helpful models I've encountered...it really lays out very clearly what I've come to understand slowly over a number of years...that the gospel encompasses much more than just a set of facts to be believed at a moment in time to get you "in", and each aspect is essential. In fact, I'm using this model in a family discipleship class that my husband and I are teaching when we discuss communicating the gospel to our children.

The way the counterfeits are categorized according to which leg they overemphasize or distort is well done. Everything is organized and laid out very clearly. The charts scattered throughout were super helpful. I especially like this one that compares all six counterfeits at a glance.

Counterfeit Gospels is an incredibly timely and needed book. It seems like in general, confusion reigns in today's churches about the gospel. Counterfeit Gospels is just the prescription needed to clear through all the obscurity and bring clarity and understanding. In short, I think it's a must read and give it my highest recommendation! It released on April 1 and I encourage you to get your hands on a copy!

Thanks so much to Moody Publishing for the advance review copy! All opinions expressed are my own. Also, since this was an unedited proof copy, I can't guarantee that the page numbers cited will coincide with the published version of the book.

The Bible records that "the gospel ... by which also you are saved" is "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1Corinthians 15:2-5). Often, due to unconscious self-deception or tacit pre-commitments to humanist notions, men attempt to substitute the biblical gospel with a counterfeit gospel. Trevin Max in "Counterfeit Gospels" delivers a much-needed wakeup call to the modern church as a way to refocus believers on that which Paul called the "utmost importance."

Herein Wax provides an outline of the gospel as he refutes gospel counterfeits (therapeutic gospel; self-help; make me happy gospel; no judgment, hell or sin gospel; no church gospel - overly individualistic).

Romans 4:5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

Jesus announces the Gospel in the first chapter of Mark with the words "repent and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15) forasmuch as the advent of the kingdom of Heaven was at hand. The author informs the reader that Christ's perfect life (Jesus never sinned in thought, word or deed; He obeyed God's Law perfectly) is given to all who repent and believe the goodnews. The believer has all his sins expiated (removed, forgiven, and cleansed); additionally the believer receives Christ's imputed righteousness. Thus one cannot work for one's salvation; the believer trusts Christ alone for acceptance by God; furthermore the believer follows hard after Christ because he is now saved, out of gratitude, not in an effort to gain merit.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I advise that the believer to always remember the 3 G's:
Guilt, grace and gratitude.
1. All people are guilty before God due to sin;
2. by Grace alone God saves us as we trust in Christ alone;
3. the saved now obey God's word out of gratitude for all He is and for all that He has done for us in Christ.

Titus 3:4 "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men."

If you are confused about the central truth of Christianity, the Gospel, or if you want to be stirred by the truth of the gospel anew, then you should pick up this volume for it will help you pin all your hopes on Jesus Christ: His person and work.

See the New Apologetic book:
Truth, Knowledge and the Reason for God: The Defense of the Rational Assurance of Christianity

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