The Politics Of "Good News"

Some may wonder as to whether my previous post might be regarded as "political" in nature. My answer would be, "Absolutley!" But not in the sense of Democrat and Republican, or even liberal and conservative. There is little distinction between these types of labels when it comes to the "politics" I am thinking of.
I have spent a good deal of time in the book of Romans over the last few months. One of the things that emerges immediately, and becomes clear throughout Romans (and the rest of the NT), is the profound political nature of the gospel. In the first six verses the "gospel of God" is described as having been promised beforehand and is about Jesus, the son of David who has been declared to be the son of God by his resurrection from the dead. This Jesus is, thus, "Messiah" and "Lord." The profound political nature of these statements becomes clear when we understand what "gospel"
means.
The word translated "gospel" literally means "good news." What we lose in being so far removed from the political context of the 1st century is that"gospel," or "good news," was the term used by the Roman Empire to refer to the coming to power of caesar. It was "good news" that ceasar reigned, and the cult of caesar worship was spreading rapidly throughout the empire in the 1st century. But Paul, in his letter to the small church in the very capital of that earthly empire, declares that the Roman "gospel" is but a parody of the true good news, and caesar's claim to divinity is but blasphemy against the true King of the nations. Followers of the true King, so known by their sharing in Christ and His Spirit by faith, are gathered as the church, the Body and Bride of Christ. The church is not a place to hope for salvation, nor is it simply some support group for the saved; the church is salvation.
So, the true good news coming out of Iraq is not about elections, nor restored power, nor schools opening, though these are all good things and deserving of full media concern. The real good news is the establishment of more and growing outposts of the true Empire ruled by the true King, and that is the church, the kingdom of God.