The Gospel
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—” (Gal. 1:6)
Francis Schaeffer once remarked that if he had one hour to share the gospel, he would spend 45 minutes discussing sin. This makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? If the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ “who will save us from our sin,” we must know exactly what sin is.
Sin is that great moral evil, that corruption of mankind in our head, heart, and hands that has infected every son of Adam (except One). The God who searches the deep recesses of our hearts and knows where sin dwells describes sin in no uncertain terms. “Every intention of the thought of man’s heart is only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5) Is that not clear enough? God describes our hearts as hearts of stone; our minds as darkened, ignorant, and alienated from God; our wills as perverse, crooked, and lusting for evil. Before one of us claims “free will” and the ability to do better, tell me – what have you done with your free will? What has humanity done? Have you seen the news lately? Have you looked in the mirror? Our free will has led to everything from the murder of brethren in cold blood to lying on our taxes in the name of self-preservation. O, the bondage of our wills! Indeed, Paul spoke rightly when he said: “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.” (Rom 8:7) Or earlier in Romans: “None are righteous, no, not one. I know that in me dwells no good thing.” (Rom. 3:10, 7:18)
Have we compared ourselves to Christ? When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. Neither sin nor deceit were found in His mouth. In fact, He could say, “I always do what pleases the Father.” We do not; therefore, we are sinners bound to the just judgment of God Almighty.
And yet, what did Christ do that pleased the Father? “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ Jesus died for the ungodly.” (Rom. 5:6) He did not wait for humanity to clean up their act, nor to make the right decisions. Rather, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.” (Titus 3:5) The wonder of the cross is not that Jesus died in a brutal fashion; the wonder of the cross is that Jesus died in the place of sinners. By His death and resurrection, He grants to us new life that we may reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive unto righteousness. Ascended to heaven, He has poured out the Holy Spirit that we may walk according to His ways and devote ourselves to good works. Even now, Christ remains in heaven, for He ever lives to intercede for us. Our very perseverance in the Christian life flows from His continued work on our behalf.
To summarize the gospel, let us turn to Ephesians 2. We were dead in our trespasses and sins in which we once walked, being children for wrath like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, gave us His Son to live, die, and rise for us and us with Him. For by grace we have been saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing, but is a gift of God. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that we should walk in them.
Do you believe the gospel? Do you preach it to yourself daily? Do you walk in accordance with the grace and mercy you’ve received? Do you adorn this gospel with your life?
