I’ve become somewhat addicted to a few new television shows lately. Now that The Bachelor, Lost, and American Idol are no longer a part of my life, I’ve found new shows to fill their void…Greek and Glee. (Don’t judge, I have really good excuses.)

Greek follows a brother and sister duo as they navigate the twists and turns of sorority and fraternity life on campus. At first, I watched it purely for “research.” Considering the fact that I spend the majority of my existence speaking to college women, I reasoned that I needed a refresher course on all things greek; seeing as it’s been, oh, let me think, a few years now since I donned my Chi Omega letters. Labeling my TV time as “research” makes me feel better about the hour I’ve wasted. If I can turn it into something productive…like this blog for instance….then I feel a tinsy-bit better about myself. So, instead crashing the next fraternity mixer and taking the whole “cougar” thing to a whole new low, I though watching an episode or two of Greek would be a wiser option. Yet, little did I know that I would soon get sucked into the soap-opera-esque love triangle that emerged in season one between Cassie Cartwright and her two campus loves: Cappy and Evan. Oh-the drama…Oh-the-suspense! So, that’s how my obsession with the show Greek began.

Glee! Just typing the title makes me smile. I heart this show. My niece and I text after each episode to compare notes about our favorite songs. Hands down their rendition of “Single Ladies” by Beyonce is UN-BE-LIVE-ABLE! So good, really. Find it on YouTube, you’ll thank me later. As a former choir geek .I find myself absolutely rooting for the Glee kids to break through their stereotypes and make show choir cool again. It doesn’t hurt that the singing and dancing is just plain fun to watch.

So…I’m sure most of you are asking…what do these television shows have to do with the Gospel? I’m so glad you asked. For starters, let me begin by defining what the Gospel is: It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. (Romans 1:16) Translation: When a person places their faith in Jesus Christ (His life, death and resurrection) as substitution for their sins, then that person is saved by grace…not by their own performance or works. As a result of their faith they are transformed. Or, as the Bible says, “we are new creations in Christ.” This is the good news or the Gospel.

Here’s where these television shows come in. As I’ve watched both of them over the last few months I’ve noticed a common theme: both programs depict Christians who don’t know or represent what it truly means to be a Christian…these characters don’t seem to understand the true Gospel at all. On Greek, the so-called Christian character is extremely religious and his view of salvation is one where he must perform to please God and work hard to earn God’s approval. Glee doesn’t prove any better when it comes to defining authentic Christianity. Here, the Christian students are depicted as hypocritical and lacking any real transformation of heart.

My frustration over this issue has prompted me to defend the true Gospel. For that reason I’ve decided to post a teaching that I did recently on the book of Galatians. In Galatians, the Apostle Paul defends the true Gospel to people who were being deceived by a false one. After watching these television shows, I’ve realized the message of Galatians is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. I pray these teachings videos encourage your faith and help you understand the true freedom we have in Christ because of His finished work on the cross.

Faith Brings Freedom Part 1 of 3 from Simon Swee on Vimeo.

Faith Brings Freedom Part 2 of 3 from Simon Swee on Vimeo.

Faith Brings Freedom Part 3 of 3 from Simon Swee on Vimeo.