WHAT IS IT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL?
Psalm 130:5-6
The Apostle Paul said, "Though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of" (I Cor. 9:16). What is it to preach the gospel? Is everybody preaching the gospel? Regrettably no! It would be great if all the churches everywhere did preach the gospel, but this certainly is not the case. Preaching the gospel involves telling the truth as it is revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Telling the truth about God, man, Jesus Christ, and salvation; lets take a closer look at those four things.
1. TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT GOD!
God is not who we think He is, He is who He is as revealed in the scriptures. All men by nature have an incorrect and false notion about the true and living God. The God that is revealed in scripture is absolutely HOLY. "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy" (Rev. 15.4). God is also sovereign in all things (Psalm 135.6). Divine sovereignty simply means that God is God, beside Him there is none else. God is also immutable in all His attributes and actions (Mal. 3: 6). All that He is today, He has been, and ever will be (Heb. 13: 8). He is the etemal I AM (John 8: 24).
2. TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT MAN!
Men don't like to hear the truth about God nor about themselves. But we must be faithful to God and His word. Man is the exact opposite of everything that God is. He is holy, we are unholy. He is omnipotent, we are impotent and frail. He is unchanging, we change all the time. The truth is, man is fallen, totally depraved, sinful in all thoughts, actions, and dead in sin (Rom. 3:9-19).
3. TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS CHRIST!
Who is Jesus Christ? Fully and totally almighty God, and fully and totally a real man (I Tim 3:16). What did He accomplish? He is the God-Man Mediator sent of God to effectually and eternally redeem His people from all their sin (Heb. 9.12, Matt. 1:2 1). He did not fail to secure the eternal salvation of His blood-bought people (Isa. 42:4; John 19:30).
4. TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT SALVATION!
Every aspect of salvation from the beginning in election (I Thes. 2:13); to the end in glorification (Rom. 8.30), is of the Lord.
Salvation is all of grace not of works (Eph. 2:8-9)!
