What is the Gospel to You

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.

A wise preacher once told me that life was given to us to be lived and and enjoyed along the way. He told me that the two greatest days a man will ever experience are the day when he is born, and the second one is when God tells him why.

Yes I know that it is a twist on a rather famous Mark Twain quote. Yet we need to get back to the simplicity of the country preacher, and yes even good ol Samuel Clemons Longhorn. Simplicity not only in life, but in thought and in theology.

So with that in mind, I want you to consider the question at hand. What is the gospel to you?

My plan is to give you 8 simple reasons why you should evaluate exactly where you stand according to Gods grace and His miracle working power within the gospel.

# 1 Our opinion of the gospel doesn’t matter.

If we are to come to God, we must come to Him on His own terms. Acts 4:10-12- Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this stand before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

If Peter could stand before those who have accused him of blasphemy and heresy for simply being the channel of Gods healing power through the glorious work of the Holy Spirit, then we need to stop and consider our thoughts and actions.

Peter was in jail facing at the least a beating with a cat of nine tails if convicted, but quite possibly martyrdom as well. Yet we see the simplicity of the gospel message being preached. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the gospel in its’ most simplest form.

#2 Our opinion of the Gospel doesn’t matter, but our response does.

The Bible makes it plain that we are all sinners, condemned before a thrice holy-God. Roman 3:23 For all have sinned and come short the glory of God. Yet it doesn’t have to remain that way for an eternity, and yes even while we are here on Earth. John 3:16-18 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. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Concerning the gospel, our response is built upon our belief. Yet upon belief, we must remember that even Satan and the his demons believe in God. yet they, like many of us lack the humility to bow before the King of Kings. Phillipians 2:9-11Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Concerning our response to the gospel, we ought to just bow now and enter into eternity saved by the grace through faith, or enter into eternity condemned due to our refusal to bow.

#3 Salvation is not religion.

Now I know that a lot of old timers used to say that so and so got religion, or we need religion to straighten us out. Personally I hate most of what we find in religion, but I do love Christ. And I know that the closer I draw to Christ because of my salvation, the greater my religion will look to the outside world. In Matthew 15:9 Jesus warned us about saying we are one thing without actually being it. No matter how religious we may seem, or others may look on the outside, if they never accepted Christ as their savior, then my friend they are just as Christ says they are, hypocrites and blasphemers.

#4 Our false sense of worship is often based on whatever we deem essential for life and happiness.

There is a right way and a wrong way of worshipping God. We often mistake that we can come to God on our own terms. Yet we fail in realizing that authentic and true worship is for God and His majesty…not our glory and our personal Kingdom.

Perhaps one of the greatest examples of this is found in the Book of Malachi. They were guilty of robbing God in thithes and offerings, offering up sick or maimed animals, giving greater allegiance to the statesman of their day than the work of the Lord and they claimed oh what a weariness it is.

Beloved may I be frank with you and tell you that the wrong church, and wrong version of worship is worse than no church and no worship. Remember pastors…what we win them with is what we will keep them with.

#5 What God truly desires is a heart that desires Him.

David said in Psalm 27:4- One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and inquire in his temple.

After spending the last 10 years in the ministry in one form or another, I can tell you with 100% surety that the #1 cause of divorce among both the lost and believers alike all starts with a lack of communication.

The same can be said for the child of God and his relationship with the Father.

Communication is a two way street and if we aren’t desiring to be in Gods’ house and within His presence on a daily basis, then we are to blame for a lack of His power in our lives. The gospel message suffers when the believer chooses to love the things of the world and desires the worlds’ methods of entertainment outside of what God desires for them.

#6 The gospel tells us not to change to earn Gods approval, but salvation earns the approval of God.

Yes I believe that repentance is the first word of the Gospel message so to speak. If a man isn’t willing to repent and get right with and before God almighty, then has that man truly been born again by the Spirit? Simply reading Romans 3:19-26 will prove to you that we are justified by our faith.

Yes a Christian ought to have good works. But it’s not the good works that saves him/her or gives them an extra amount of good standing before God concerning salvation. In fact there is an often over looked verse found in Romans 1:17- For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

We also see the same concept in Galatians 3:11-But no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident:for,The just shall live by fait.h

And concerning salvation, Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.

The Christian life is a life of faith. We seek Gods will, Gods desires, and Gods direction for our lives, and it all starts with salvation.

#7 The gospel reveals Gods beauty in a way that causes us to desire more of Him.

One of the greatest joys I’ve ever had concerning the ministry is conducting the fiftieth wedding anniversary of church members of mine. It was amazing to see how not only did their bodys obviously change over time, but their love for one another. What started out as a blossoming high-school romance, turned into a Christ honoring and Bible saturated marriage.

However it wasn't always that way. The husband was a womanizer early on their marriage and a drunkard as well. Yet his wife got saved and began attending a small country church. Over the next few years the man began to see that no matter what he did to drive his wife away, she still prayed for him and wanted to be there in the home for him. After 5 years of neglect as a husband, the husband fell under conviction and was gloriously saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The same goes for us as well. No matter what I do concerning my salvation, God has promised to never leave me nor forsake me. We also find that Christ himself stated in John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Knowing that God loves me unconditionally draws me to a closer relationship with him.

#8 The gospel reveals Gods grace and mercy. We reveal it by it’s transforming power in our lives.

There is no greater testimony than a changed life and changed perspective on life. The believer who has done a complete 180 degree change and now has a Biblical world view is the greatest testimony that the world needs to see. We are the only Bible some folks are ever going to read.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Gospel centered change is not about giving us a list of things we need to change to earn Gods approval, or do to earn His unmerited favor. However the gospel message should cause us to stand in awe of what He has done for us. That awe produces within us a desire to serve Him.

#9 Never measure God’s unlimited power by your limited expectations.

As an evangelist I’ve come to notice that dead Christians and dead churches make decisions based on their current situations. However successful Christians and successful churches base their decisions on where they want to be. And that place always starts with the propagation of the gospel message.

I leave you today with this very simple and concise question. Where do you want to be concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ and it’s power unto salvation.

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