What is the Gospel - 15 points
Romans 1:14-18 “I am
debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise and to the
unwise. So as much as in me is, I am
ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the
Jew first, and also to the Greek. For
therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is
written, the just shall live by faith.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”
All your knowledge is
divided into 3 categories: 1, things
that are not important, 2 things that are important, 3 things that are
absolutely essential. You can live a
happy life without knowing certain things.
Some things are interesting, some are useful, but they are not important
that they are something you must
know. Other things are very important
that we may understanding, example: how to drive a car according to the rules
of the road, how to use a chain saw's safety rules, electrical safety.. if you
live a life without knowing important things, you might live a short life.
The gospel is
absolutely essential not only for well being, but essential for your
everlasting welfare. If you are ignorant
of the gospel for your whole life, you will be suffering the consequences one
million years from now. But if you
understand the gospel but accept it and receive it and believe it, you will be
receiving the benefits of the knowledge of the gospel in a million years time.
The gospel is the
most important subject. This is the
knowledge that we most need.. this
knowledge of the gospel is very lacking.
Not all of the gospel is preached, just the part about believing and you
are forgiven. What is the real
gospel? the biblical gospel. You must know this because if we do not know
the real gospel, how are we going to witness it to others?
What does the word
gospel mean? good news, good tidings,
good message.. here are 15 points of what the gospel is:
1. The gospel is something that is preached:.. Matthew 4:23 “And Jesus went about all
Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…….” Matthew 9:35 “And Jesus went about all the
cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of
the kingdom…..” preaching is the predominant
means of presenting the gospel.
2. The gospel is preached about Jesus: Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 2 Corinthians 2:12 ”Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach
Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord” The gospel is something preached to you about
Jesus, it is his gospel.
3. The gospel is about the grace of God: Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me,
neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with
joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the
gospel of the grace of God.” It’s about
God's blessing, his favor given to us that we do not deserve. It’s about God
removing the punishment for our sins that we do deserve and giving us blessing
that we don't deserve.
4. The gospel is something that is heard: Acts
15:7 “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto
them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among
us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and
believe.” Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard
this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of
the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” You may hear it through your eyes as in sign
language. You may hear it in your mind
from reading a book. You may hear it
with your ears from listening to a sermon, but the gospel is always heard. The gospel is word, not pictures. The only gospel you should ever see is a
changed believer's life.
5. The gospel is true: Galatians 2:5 “……… that the truth of the
gospel might continue with you” 2:14 “But
when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel,
I said unto Peter before them all……..” Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is
laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of
the gospel; which is come unto you, as it is in all the world;….” The gospel is not a nice message made up by
men to help them through life, it is truth..it is real and it is factual.
6. The gospel is powerful to save sinners: Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to very one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” 1 Thess. 1:5 “For our gospel came not
unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much
assurance;…….” The gospel is the explosion of the power of God to save men and
women. The purpose is to save sinners
from sin.
7. The gospel is something that must be believed:
The whole gospel must be believed. Mark
1:15 “..the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye,
and believe the gospel.” Acts 15:7 “…Peter
rose up, and said unto them, men and brethren, ye know how that a good while
ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the
word of the gospel, and believe.” John
3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish,but have everlasting life.” This is
presently, actively believing, every day.
8. The gospel is peace with God: Romans 10:15 “…..how
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things.” Ephesians 6:15 “and
your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” God gives peace.. it is the doctrine of reconciliation.. enmity
is removed and we have peace with God.
9. The gospel needs to be obeyed: 2 Thess. 1:8 “In flaming fire taking vengeance
on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ:” The gospel is not just head knowledge that doesn't affect our
lives, its obedience to God.
10. The gospel is
about fellowship and unity: Philippians
1:5 “for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;” The gospel brings unity and fellowship
because we become a part of the family when we are believers. One family with all other true believers.
11. The gospel calls
sinners 2 Thess 2:14 “Whereunto he
called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.” The gospel calls us to the
crucified Saviour Jesus Christ.
12. The gospel is something that is seen in the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel
know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ.” The gospel is
about the crucified and resurrected Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The gospel is never a bland message that is
about "God just wants to forgive all your sin because he just loves
everyone." that is nonsense. God
forgives a believer’s sin only because he punished that sin on Jesus Christ in
their place. There is no forgiveness
outside of Christ's sacrifice. He is punished in our place as our
substitute. There is no love of God
outside the cross. John 3:16 “For God so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish but have everlasting life.” If you reject the cross you
don't have any love of God. Its not that
God is love, love love.
13. The gospel is hid to those who are lost: 2 Corin. 4:3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is
hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds
of them which believe not…” The lost are blinded by the god of this world. No unbeliever will see it unless God opens
their eyes.
14. The gospel can be perverted and polluted:. Galatians 1:6-9 “I marvel that ye are so soon
removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the
gospel of Christ. But though we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other
gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. The lovely
gospel, the means, the only way by which sinners can be saved can be perverted
until the point that it is not the gospel anymore. The lovely gospel about salvation by grace
alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone can be polluted by men, by
liberal, by worldly evangelicals. Even if you are listening to a preacher
preaching an eloquent message, even if you hear the fluttering of angel wings,
and see a bright angel that appears that it came from God, if that preacher is
preaching a different gospel, you are to let that preacher be accursed. We are not to be in fellowship with those
who pollute and corrupt the gospel.
Christians (so called) who deny or twist the gospel are to be considered
accursed.
15. The gospel needs defending: Philippians 1:16-17 “The one preach Christ of
contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for
the defense of the gospel.” Jude 3-4 “Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend
for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares,
who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the
grace of our God into lasciviousness, an denying the only Lord God, and our
lord Jesus Christ.” The true gospel needs to be contended for and defended from
the perversions of sinful men. The
gospel needs to be defended against "easy believism" that adds all the man made actions to the
gospel "come up to the front, raise
your hand, repeat after me" By
another gospel, Paul means one into which the inventions of men are added. Man's traditions added are twisting the
gospel.
You have been hearing
the answer to the question What is the Gospel.
It’s absolutely essential for you forever, but just knowing the answer
to the question is not enough. You have to believe it, you have to trust in it,
you have to obey it, you have to receive the Jesus of the gospel. Head knowledge of what the gospel is, though
essential is not enough. You can know
the gospel and still go into outer darkness, but you can't know Jesus and still
go into outer darkness. The gospel is
not an end, it is the means to the end. It leads us to the person of Jesus Christ, to
know him, and that is salvation, to know him.
Will you receive the Saviour? Will
you obey the gospel? The Lord Jesus is
going to be revealed from heaven. There
is eternal separation from the Lord if you do not obey the gospel. It is not enough to know about it, you have
to believe, obey and do it. You have to
receive Christ. You don't have to be
good enough because that is the point, none of us are good enough, that is why
it is by grace. We are all sinners and
no one is good enough.
The gospel is a
heavenly mystery that cannot be comprehended by the most intellectual of
men. It is contained in Christ, nothing
else but repentance and faith. Anyone
who is not saved, here is what Spurgeon says:
"I beseech you that you rest not your head on your pillow tonight
unless you know that if you die this night you will open your eyes in
heaven. But if you have not that faith,
that you might open your eyes in heaven, how dare you sleep lest your bed
becomes your tomb and your bedroom becomes your gateway to hell.
This is based on notes I made from a sermon by Rev. Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational (Reformed) at Sermon Audio. Link following:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=82151033558
This is based on notes I made from a sermon by Rev. Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational (Reformed) at Sermon Audio. Link following:
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=82151033558
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