Why The Gospel?
One cannot enter the kingdom of God apart from Jesus. Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World— the only link between Heaven and Earth. The Scriptures say, “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5–6) He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). In Acts, we learn that “God has exalted” [Jesus Christ] “to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” (Acts 5:31)
Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. Right at the beginning of the New Testament, we are introduced to the mission of this newborn King—Salvation. He came to die (Lk 19:10; Mk 10:45) and save His people from their sins (Mt 1:23). Compare Isa 7:14; Ps 130:8; Isa. 53:11; Acts 13:23.
At Calvary, Jesus Christ did everything that He could to save the lost humanity. On the Cross, when He cried, “It Is Finished” (Jn 19:30), He fulfilled all God’s righteous requirements (that is, the penalty for sin), made a perfect atonement for sin, and gained victory over death for all who believe in Him (Mt 3:15; Jn 4:34; 17:4; 1 Cor. 15:20-22). Thus, it is important to stress that Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. Jesus told Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, NKJV) Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, told rulers of the people and elders of Israel, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12, NKJV)
REQUIREMENTS OF THE GOSPEL
[1] Faith/ Belief in God: “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12, NKJV) “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:25–27, NKJV) “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36, NKJV)[2] Trust in Jesus Christ: Salvation is more than praying or acknowledging Christ. It’s putting your trust in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is telling Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, NKJV) He is the path to Heaven. And remember, “No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only He has seen the Father.” (John 6:46, NIV). Jesus alone brings us into the right relationship with the Father. Without Him, we cannot have access to the Father. We were once alienated from God (Col 1:20), but because of what He did on Calvary, we are now reconciled to God (v. 20, 22). Jesus being the Mediator, being both man and God, can bridge the chasm separating a sinful person from a holy God (cf. Isa 59:1-2). It is, therefore, important to put our trust in Him. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” (Acts 16:31, NIV)
[3] Repentance: The gospel of Mark, for example, begins with the appearance of John the Baptist, who comes out of the wilderness announcing the approach of the kingdom of God. His message to the people of Israel was straightforward: he called them to repentance. Just a short time after this, Jesus began His public ministry, preaching the exact same message: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14–15, NKJV)
The disciples preached the same message: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 10:7), and “they went out and preached that men should repent” (Mk 6:12). In Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, he declared “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, NKJV) Compare Acts 3:19; 20:21; 26:18.
Repentance is a conscious change of mind and heart (Acts 3:17-20; Ps 51:17; Jer. 3:12-13; 6:16; Lk 18:13-14; Ac 17:30). It includes turning away from sin (Acts 8:22; 2 Chr. 7:14; Ps. 34:14) and turning towards God (Acts 20:21; Jas 4:8-10). Beloved, repentance is not optional but mandatory! If we truly strive to enter the kingdom of God [the kingdom of glory], we must repent our sins at once! And have faith in Jesus Christ.
[4] Baptism: Three reasons are given for Christ’s baptism—to give us an example of obedience, to identify with sinful men, and to give us a foretaste of His death and resurrection. (Mt 3:13-15; Rom 6:4). Because Christ identified with us, we ought to identify with Him through the water of baptism. When we are baptized, we Put on Christ, Follow His Example, and Live for Him—“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27, NKJV). “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, NKJV)
[5] Public Confession of Jesus Christ: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9, NKJV) Notice the order here. First, the confession—which is with the mouth. Secondly, faith—which is in the heart. To “confess” (homologeo) means to “give verbal affirmation.” Anyone can confess Christ verbally, but God only knows each person’s heart. Beloved, it is not enough to merely give verbal affirmation about Christ; we must proclaim and profess Him “from the heart”— obeying His commands, surrendering our lives to Him, and expressing our full conviction.
[6] Discipleship—willingness to learn from Jesus Christ Mt 11:28-30 See also Jn 13:14-15; Php 2:5; 1Pe 2:21
[7] Obedience—willingness to obey Jesus Christ Jn 14:15 See also Jn 14:21,23; 15:10; 1Jn 2:3-6; 3:21-24; 5:3; 2Jn 6
[8] Suffering—willingness to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ Mt 16:24 pp Mk 8:34 pp Lk 9:23 See also Ac 14:21-22; Php 1:29; 2Ti 3:10-12; Jas 1:2; 1Pe 3:14; 4:12-19
PROMISES OF THE GOSPEL
What are the Benefits/ or Promises of the Gospel?
[1] Forgiveness of sins— “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1–2, NKJV) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NKJV)[2] Peace with God— “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1, NKJV). “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1, NKJV)
[3] New Birth— “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13, NKJV) “Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5, NKJV)
[4] Gift of the Holy Spirit— “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, NKJV) “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.” (Joel 2:28, NKJV)
[5] Adoption into God’s family— “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:16–17, NKJV) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12–13, NKJV) “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1, NKJV)
[6] Eternal life— “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, NKJV) “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31, NKJV) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:14–16, NKJV)
RESPONDING TO THE GOSPEL.
First of all, throughout the Scriptures, we are commanded to accept the Gospel. Read Mt 6:19-24; Mt 7:7-12; Mt 7:24-27; Jn 4:13-14; 6:35-40; 8:31-32,36; 10:9-10; 11:25-26; 12:44-46.Why should we respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Listen to this text: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30, NKJV). In the past, God had overlooked the sin of the nations when they rejected Him and turned to idolatry, but now he demands that all should repent. But the incarnation of Christ brought about a change in how God dealt with humanity. In Christ, we saw God—His love, justice, and mercy. On the cross, we saw the consequences of sin and that God punishes sin. “He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32). Now, if God did not spare His Son, what makes you think that He will spare you? Beloved, there is coming a day in which God will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed—Jesus Christ. Repentance is necessary because Jesus will judge this world. Remember that all judgment is committed to Him— “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22, NKJV) Jesus Christ will return to judge the world and bring his people to glory (Mt 16:27). Compare Jn 14:3; Ac 1:11; 17:31; 1Th 4:16-17; 2Ti 4:1; Rev 1:7; 22:7,12, 20. The day has been fixed, and there will be no escape from God’s wrath other than through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ (Rom: 8:31).
What kind of attitude ought we have in light of the Gospel?— “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:11–14, NKJV)
What Proper Responses should we have to the Gospel? Since Christ is the only Way to Heaven, our response should be accepting Him as Lord and Saviour; following His guidance; trusting His ability to change us to His likeness; believing in Him by obeying His commands; and putting into practice what He taught us daily.
WARNINGS AGAINST REJECTING THE GOSPEL
- “Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,” (Hebrews 2:1–3, NKJV)
- “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:36–38, NKJV)
- “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48, NKJV)
- “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4–6, NKJV)
- “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:29–31, NKJV)
- “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven” (Hebrews 12:25, NKJV)
THE GOSPEL’S VOICE
Listen to the Lord’s voice as we conclude this discussion. Christ says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Beloved, God desires that all men should be saved. At Calvary, Christ gave Himself a ransom for all; now He invites all to come to Him.Beloved, we must not lie still; stay where we are—lukewarm or indifferent. We must come! Coming implies spiritual effort; there must be thought, meditation, earnest prayer, and diligent use of all the appointed means of grace. We must rouse our souls. We must be like the prodigal son, who said— “I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” (Luke 15:18–19, NKJV)
The prodigal son would never have recovered his lost home if he had remained in the far country. Beloved, it doesn’t matter how far you have gone astray. Like the prodigal son, you can still come to Jesus irrespective of your sins. Listen to this special heavenly invitation just for you— “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18, NKJV) “If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 1:19–20, NKJV)
The Gospel’s Voice: Listen to the Lord’s voice as we conclude this discussion. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20, NKJV) He stands not far off, but nigh, at the door! Standing implies the attitude of waiting: persistence in waiting. He does not come and go; He stands! He has one object in view—You!
Notice the Patience of Christ here— He stands and knocks! The word “knock” is in a verb tense, indicating continuous action. Christ keeps on knocking. This patience is spelled g-r-a-c-e. But note: Christ will not always keep knocking if rejection continues, for He also said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen. 6:3).
This invitation is a personal one since salvation is on a personal level. Christ is calling sinners—all sinners to a saving faith so that He may enter in. God will not force anyone to respond to the Gospel. But if anyone opens the door of his heart by repentance and faith, Christ will enter. Christ’s offer to dine with the repentant sinner speaks of fellowship, communion, and intimacy. And we know that in the end, the overcomers will “dine with Christ” at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9) and in the millennial kingdom (Luke 22:16, 29–30). Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ urging us all to repent and have fellowship with Him before the night of judgment falls upon this world—when it is too late to be saved (Rev. 6:15-16; 16; 22:11). Would you open your heart’s door now?
