Why does the gospel matter in Recovery?

Kim’s Story.

In the meetings this week, I asked the question, “what good could come from owning our own sin?”

When it was Kim’s turn, she said nothing.

But the tears fell down her cheeks and didn’t stop for several minutes.

When she did speak, all she could say was, “I’ve been an alcoholic my whole life. My family has disowned me. My son won’t talk to me.”

It was an effort to get the words out.

No one who was there spoke. Everyone was quietly absorbing the moment.

A number of lovely things happened next. People in this women’s meeting were so kind and comforting. I am amazed at them.

• One woman moved next to Kim, offering physical comfort and a tissue.

• Another person thanked Kim and told her she was not alone in feeling sad and hopeless because of alcohol.

• One person told her, “it’s going to get better.”

• At the end of the meeting, one woman got down to her knees in front of Kim, embraced her, and whispered comfort and encouragement to her while looking her directly in the eyes.

But my favorite thing that happened is that the Gospel was read out loud in the meeting.

Kim was told she was righteous in God’s eyes. [Verse].

Then she listened to each person in the room react to this question: “What difference does it make that God sees you as righteous.”

The insights, realizations, and testimonies of God’s kindness and mercy were amazing.

• One woman with 13 years of sobriety said that being seen as righteous energizes her to keep helping other alcoholics and addicts.

• Another said she got goosebumps realizing that God saw her— not as she sees her 70-year-old face in the mirror— but as a precious, perfect infant—no wrinkles, no blemishes.

• “If I could see myself as righteous, wouldn’t have to fear what other people think of me. I’d have confidence and an unshakable sense of safety.”

• Another said, “I can let go of my past and just start fresh—doing good things, and helping my family.”

The God of the Bible gives us Gospel Motivation.

What they described are all examples of what Lutherans call “Gospel Motivation”. Gospel Motivation is the energy and power to change that comes from being loved, forgiven, accepted, and blessed by God. Gospel Motivation grants us freedom. We do good things because we want to do them. We enjoy them. As my pastor says, we “get to” do them.

An illustration. Imagine a man with a heart condition who is unable to hike, play with his children, or do chores around the house without feeling exhausted. Gospel Motivation is like a heart transplant that gives this man a new ability to do all the things he was incapable of doing in the past.

Imagine the first few times he is able to absorb the views while hiking. How much would he enjoy the scenery, the fresh air, and the exhilaration of exercise that comes from a beautiful hike? Imagine how grateful he is to be able to play with his children and not get winded. He may even chuckle happily to himself as completes chores around the house—amazed at the energy his new heart gives him.

He would simply marvel at his new capacity to do all these things. That is Gospel Motivation!

Gospel Motivation is the opposite of what Lutherans call “Law Motivation”. Law Motivation is the motivation that comes from guilt and shame. Law motivation is the result of fear—fear of punishment, or the fear of loss of status. Law Motivation is expressed by words like, “I should” and “I shouldn’t”. Under law motivation, our life becomes a series of “Have to’s”.

A God of our own understanding cannot give us Gospel Motivation.

Gospel Motivation is a gift of the Holy Spirit who uses the word of God to transform our hearts and minds.

The Bible contains the gospel message. No other book or philosophy does.

Search the pages of the Big Book— and all the literature that 12-step programs have ever produced— and you will not find a single declaration of the gospel. There is not one explanation of the cross or the resurrection.

A God of our understanding can’t give us the gospel because the gospel is beyond our understanding. See this post.

Why does Gospel Motivation matter?

The actions driven by law and gospel motivation might look similar—but they are very different.

For example, a husband could buy his wife flowers motivated by love, or motivated by fear. In the first case, he gets a kick out of doing something special for her. It makes him happy to surprise her. In the second case, he has ulterior motives. Maybe he wants to manipulate her to a specific outcome, or he wants to avoid hearing his wife complain that he is unromantic.

The action is the same. But, one causes their love to flourish. The other is done from selfish motives.

Gospel Motivation matters for Three main reasons.

1. It is deeper than law motivation.

Gospel Motivation comes from inside a person. It wells up. To paraphrase what Jesus says of the wicked woman who washed his feet with her hair, “Those who are forgiven much, love much.” A heart that is full of grace and love and acceptance does good things and isn’t diminished at all. “I came that they might have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10

2. It is more long-lasting.

A driver lowers his speed to the speed limit when he sees the cop car. He doesn’t actually want to go slower. He just doesn’t want a ticket. But his heart still loves to speed—which can be seen by how quickly he resumes his velocity once the cop is no longer in sight. That’s law motivation.

3. It is secure.

It’s easy to feel insecure if God’s forgiveness is based on our actions. As soon as we make a mistake, the security is gone. Love that is based on performance will necessarily be fragile.

But acceptance is assured for the person who acts out of gospel motivation. This person knows that their acceptance was never based on their performance. It was a deep and abiding love that was freely given to us— not a love that we inspired by our acts of love and devotion.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

It was the greatest love anyone can ever receive

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

This love was given when we were unlovable. Because of that, our current and future actions can’t shake it either.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8