What next?

                We completed our study of a few of the attributes of God which I believe were most essential to understand the salvation of men. We first looked at the holiness of God, followed by the justice of God, the wrath of God, the mercy of God, and the love of God.  I realize that my study was in no way exhaustive. It is absolutely impossible for us to even come close to plumbing the depths of the attributes of God.

                I would now like to begin a study on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Why do we need to know the Gospel?  For the lost, Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation…the only way to be reconciled to a Holy God. For those of us who are saved…why do we need to know the Gospel?

                First, we will never love the LORD our God as we should until we better understand the Gospel…even then we will never love Him as He should be loved by us. The more we grasp the Gospel, the more we will love our LORD.

                Why do we not love the Lord more?  Because we have no idea what we have been forgiven of. We know very little of our sin. Consider the difference between the two individuals found in Luke 7:36-50.  One invited Christ into his house, yet his life was not changed. The other’s life was changed and she loved Christ much because she was forgiven much…to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Luke 7:36-50

36   And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.

37   And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment.

38   And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39   Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

41   There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42   And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both, Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?

43   Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

44   And he turned to the woman, and said to Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.

45   Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

46   My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.

47   Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

48   And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

49   And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?

50   And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

                Why should a Christian study the Gospel and know it…I mean in the depths of your core existence know it. Because by knowing the Gospel you will see how much you have been forgiven and believe me it is much. This will cause you to love Christ more than you ever imagined possible.

Second, we have been given a commission…the Great Commission to go and preach the Gospel to every creature.

Mark 16:15   And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

                It has pleased the LORD to use the preaching of the Gospel as the means to show men and women, boys and girls their exceedingly sinful condition and their need of Christ. He is the only way of salvation.

  

Romans 10:13-15

13   For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

14   How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

15  And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

                Without the preaching of the Gospel, how will the lost sheep…those who were given to Christ by the Father before the foundation of the world hear?

1 Corinthians 1:18-23

18   For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.

19   For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20  Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21   For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22   For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23   But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24   But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

                Without hearing the Gospel, we would have not been brought to Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. We need to know the Gospel so we can accurately tell it to others.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

                To the non-elect, the preaching of the Gospel is foolishness. However, to the elect it is the power of God, the means by which they are brought to salvation through Jesus Christ.

                The reason we need to know the Gospel is because Jesus Christ, Himself, commissioned His believers to go and preach the Gospel to every creature. How can we serve our Lord in obedience if we don’t know the Gospel? How can we preach if we don’t know the true Gospel? Most professing Christians will tell you they know the Gospel, but do they know the true Gospel or do they know the watered down, easy believe-ism that is being preached today in many churches? Where in scripture is the sinner told to say a little prayer and invite Jesus into his or her heart? I have not found it.

                Sinners are commanded to repent and believe the Gospel.

Mark 1:14-15

14   Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15   And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

                In the posts to follow I will look at the exceeding sinfulness and vileness of sin. Before one can see their need of a savior they have to be shown the wretchedness of sin. It will not be a pleasurable experience, but necessary nonetheless. After that, we will look at the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.