A gospel is "a momentous announcement" or "important news". It may be viewed as either good or bad, depending on one's perspective. The gospel that Jesus rose from the dead and is the Lord and coming judge of all people is good news for those who enter his Kingdom and receive forgiveness and life in his name, but bad news for those who ignore or oppose it.

 

This may seem obvious to you (and it is to me too), but it's worth saying that news is announced using words. That's what makes news news, it's an event that is made known. If a tree falls in the forest and no one's around to see it, it's not news. But if someone saw it and reports it to someone else, it's news.

 

This rather obvious point is what's wrong with the quote that is often (and wrongly) associated with St Francis of Assisi: “Always preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.”

 

This is like saying: "Feed the hungry, and if necessary, use food." It can't be done. The gospel by it's very nature is the declaration that “Jesus Christ is Lord!" Wordless evangelism is not evangelism, and it is powerless to save.

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If St Francis is misguided, what is the right relation between good works and the gospel? 

 

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, draws attention to the connection between good deeds and the gospel in his speech to the Sanhedrin:

 

“Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” (Acts 4:8-11)

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Good works adorn the gospel. Good works are to the good news what a good melody is to good lyrics. When our neighbours see how the Lordship of Jesus transforms our lives, they find themselves drawn to the Jesus we proclaim.

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Good works are ambiguous. A person may do good works because they want to be liked, or because it makes them feel good, or they hope to earn a place in heaven, or because they are obeying the command of Christ. It's impossible to know without words.

 

When performed in silence, it's hard to see how anyone might object to a good deed. But when accompanied by gospel proclamation, even the best deeds provoke rage. Could it be that the Assisi quote is popular because we don't want to suffer for proclaiming the gospel as Peter did?

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Dear friends, like Peter, the Holy Spirit has been given to all of us, and He helps us to sing the praises of him who called us out of darkness to be his ambassadors in the world while doing good.