The 4 G’s: Living in Light of Who God Is
Everybody's telling you something. What success looks like. What you're worth. Who you should be. But underneath all of that is a bigger question: What do I believe about God?
At Buck Creek we say the Gospel is central to all we are and do. So I love when I can find powerful tools or teaching to help us believe the truth of the Gospel.
Back when we were preparing for our first church plant, the team was gathered around a dinner table and we worked through The Gospel Primer by Caesar Kalinowski. In it was a simple but completely transformative little thing called The 4 G’s.
I’m not kidding when I say it blew my mind! I found out it was something used by quite a few missional disciple making leaders around the world. So OF COURSE I began to integrate it into the life of our church plant.
Fast forward to Buck Creek Church, if you’re part of our Sunday gatherings then you hear The 4 G’s referenced quite a bit. These truths about God confront the lies we so often believe and help us live in the freedom of the gospel. If this is new to you I have a feeling you’re going to love it. Check it out…
1. God is Great...So I Don’t Have to Be in Control
When life gets chaotic, I grab for the wheel. Family stress, work stuff, a health scare, and suddenly I'm trying to manage everything and everyone. The Gospel reminds me that God is great. He's sovereign and He's wise, even when my life is a mess.
“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure.” (Psalm 147:5)
He spoke all things into existence. With words. He is upholding billions of things throughout the universe and within the molecules of your body all at the same time. And I can barely remember to get the trash to the curb on the right day. That means I make a TERRIBLE god.
In Matthew 6:26-33 Jesus reminds His disciples that we can’t even add an hour to our lives (in the world of being a god, that is like J.V. stuff. Beginner god level power) yet here we are worrying about tomorrow. The point is we should trust God to handle tomorrow and simply be present today, resting in His sovereign love and greatness.
Because God is in control, I can rest. I don’t need to manipulate outcomes or carry burdens I was never meant to bear.
2. God is Glorious...So I Don’t Have to Fear Others
Fear of what other people think is a prison. It decides what we say, what we post, and what we keep quiet about. But God's glory means His opinion carries more weight than anybody else's.
“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)
If the God of the universe loves you, saves you, empowers you, drafts you to His team and calls you His child then why would what another person thinks of you have any power over you?
God’s glory eclipses human approval. In Christ, we are fully known and deeply loved. That frees us to stop performing and start loving.
3. God is Good...So I Don’t Have to Look Elsewhere for Satisfaction
We chase stuff. The next purchase, the right relationship, the promotion. We're sure this one will finally do it. It never does. The Gospel says God is good, and He's enough.
“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)
He is NOT holding out “the good stuff”. He has given you everything you would choose if you could see what He can see.
In Luke 11:11 Jesus says, “If your child asks you for a fish, would you give him a snake instead?”
This verse is part of Jesus' teaching on prayer. He’s making the point that God is a good Father—far better than any earthly parent—and if human parents know how to give good gifts to their kids, how much more will God give what is truly good to those who ask Him. So why chase after anything or anyone else to find fulfillment, purpose and satisfaction?
When we believe that God is the source of true joy, we’re free to stop chasing lesser gods.
4. God is Gracious...So I Don’t Have to Prove Myself
A lot of us are worn out from trying to earn our worth, before God and before everybody else. But Jesus lived the life we couldn't and died the death we deserved. Because of His grace, we don't have to prove ourselves.
“By grace you have been saved through faith... it is the gift of God, not a result of works.” (Ephesians 2:8–9)
If you tend to be a rule follower then you know how hard it is to keep the rules. Impossible. If you tend to be a rule breaker then you know the shame of constantly trying and failing and failing again.
Because we are saved by grace through faith in what God has done (the “Gospel”) then we don’t have to try and meet any standard. Because Jesus already did. And on the cross He traded our sin and shame and unrighteousness and self righteousness for His perfect righteousness. It’s called “The Great Exchange”. You can’t earn it. It’s a gift. The only choice you have with a gift is whether to reject it or receive it.
God’s grace means the end of shame, fear, and striving. We don’t earn His love—we receive it.
Believing the Truth Leads to Bearing Fruit
Here's the key. Real change doesn't come by trying harder. It comes by believing better. Too often we focus on fixing bad fruit (sinful behavior) or forcing good fruit (obedience) and never get to the root, which is what we believe in our hearts. Jesus says…
“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
Behind every sin is a lie about God or about who we are in Him. The only way to break sin's power is to replace that lie with the truth.
Jesus has saved us from the penalty of sin by dying in our place.
He will save us from the presence of sin when He returns to make all things new.
And right now, He is saving us from the power of sin as we believe His truth.
This is why discipleship has to go deeper than behavior modification. It's also why we need each other. We need brothers and sisters who will remind us who God is, what He's done, and who we are because of it.
So let’s help one another believe the truth.
Because we are saved by faith, not effort. And the truth really does set us free.
Reflection Questions:
Which of the Four G’s do you find hardest to believe right now?
What’s one lie about God you’ve been believing—and what’s the truth that can replace it?
Who can you encourage this week with a gospel truth?
What helps you believe these Four G's? (Hint: Do more of that!)
What causes you to question these Four G's? (Hint: Cut it out. Stop doing that stuff!)
Now Put It Into Practice
The Four G’s aren’t just four truths to memorize. They’re a tool for getting underneath the stuff in our lives that needs to change.
When you see bad fruit in your life, don’t just ask, “How do I stop doing this?” Dig down to the root.
What am I believing right now?
What am I believing about God?
Which of the Four G’s am I struggling to believe?
Then replace the lie with the truth of the Gospel.
That’s what we call Root to Fruit. It’s a simple exercise that helps you move from the fruit you can see, to the root underneath it, and then back to the truth about who God is and what He’s done for you in Jesus.
Ready to try it? Work through the Root to Fruit exercise here.