THE GOSPEL
Elder J. F. Poole
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from
the dead according to my gospel (II Timothy 2.8).
The gospel! Good news! Glad tidings! These are a few of the
expressions we find in the Bible describing God's message of deliverance for
His blessed and chosen family. For those with ears (spiritual ears) to hear,
there is no sweeter message nor engaging theme than the gospel of deliverance.
How sweetly satisfying and joyful is the gospel message! It speaks in bright
terms to a troubled soul of pardon, hope and promise of life everlasting for
redeemed sinners. (By redeemed sinners we mean those who have been washed in
the blood of the Lamb.) Only the heirs of grace, those that have been made
alive by the quickening of the Spirit, will benefit from these good tidings.
There is no comfort or joy therein for any others. The gospel has no word
solace for the children of the wicked one, but it overflows in great measure
for needy sheep.
The gospel is good news, glad tidings, timely words of comfort to
the living children of God, and much more, too. Time and eternity are not
sufficient in duration to fully reflect upon all blessed benefits contained in
the gospel proclamation. "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good
news from a far country (Proverbs 25.25)."
"Thou dear Redeemer, dying Lamb, We love to hear of thee; No
music's like thy charming name, Nor half so sweet can be." Cennick Hymn
291; Beebe Collection
The gospel is not an offer. It is not an invitation to
"whosoever will." Search the Word. Go from one cover of the Bible to
the other. It shall not be found where the gospel is tendered, offered or
prospectively broadcast for any soul that ever lived. The gospel is a
restricted message, certainly not for everyone. Be sure of this; the gospel
comes (in power and effectually) only to those elect souls for whom it was
everlastingly ordained. The gospel comes with authority. It comes as a message
so abundant, so rich with heavenly tidings, that it is wholly impossible to
turn from it or refuse to hear its message. The hearer, for whom the gospel was
intended, cannot fail to be enraptured, captivated, and receptive. The blessed
gospel of God surely comes to His chosen as welcome news. To all others it is
but a message, ranging in interest from none to a delusional acceptance.
Good news can only be agreeable and important if it directly
pertains to the recipient. What may be extremely good news to one person may
actually be bad news to another. Suppose there are two employees, A and B, of a
certain company. Both of these employees bid on a promotion. At the appointed
time the results are posted. Employee A was chosen for the promotion; employee
B was not. The posting is certainly a source of exhilaration for employee A,
the one chosen for the promotion. This employee will, without doubt, share this
good news with fellow employees, friends, and family. Poor employee B, however,
is cast down. Upon learning of his rejection, he is dejected. Thus, he is
saddened by the very same news which caused joy in employee A. Employee B may
show courtesy, and even extend well wishes to the victor, but by no means can
the news of the promotion be pleasing to him. This good news for employee A is
just the opposite for the loser. The announcement or posting of the decision
could not be glad tidings to the rejected individual; only to the chosen one.
This illustration is not perfect. None are. However, the comparison shown
appears so simple it seems beyond dispute.
The resurrection of Jesus. Among the first Scriptures to be
considered whenever contemplating what the Bible says about the gospel should
be the text at the heading of this article. The writer, Paul, had called
Timothy to remembrance. Thus, there was a truth to be kept in mind. To
paraphrase the text, Paul says, "Timothy, remember that, according to my
gospel, Jesus Christ, the seed of David, was raised from the dead." That
Jesus was the seed of David was significant, but the essential element of the
good news was, and is, that Jesus was raised from the dead. Though the house of
David was greatly diminished at that time, there were, in fact, others of
David's seed remaining at the time of Christ's birth. But the splendor of those
good tidings was, Jesus, the heir-appointed seed, had been raised from the
dead! This, the coming forth of Jesus from the dead, is what becomes such glad
tidings to those blessed to hear it. Surely, on the testimony of His resurrection
from the dead hangs all the ornaments that garnish the gospel with everlasting
splendor. The silver trumpet has sounded. This is the vital matter Paul would
remind Timothy to call to remembrance. Whenever one of the elect hears the
sweet gospel, with the inward ear as well as the outward ear, it cannot but be
received as good news, perfectly suited to his or her needs.
In order to hear the gospel with that inward ear one must first hear
the voice of the Son of God speaking life (creating life) into them. On hearing
the gospel initially, by the voice of Jesus directly, the elect live. See John
5.24, 25. Living, they see Him Who speaks life unto and into them. There is no
other source of spiritual life! Be sure of this; none can inwardly hear a word
of gospel news apart from this initial preparation. A recounting of the good
news may fall upon the natural ear, but like stony ground, the message cannot
penetrate except first there be this divine, initial preparation.
A brief explanation relative to the above paragraph. It is not the
purpose of this article to engage in dispute with those who may believe the
gospel, as preached by sinful man, is the means of bringing life to depraved,
dead sinner. That scheme, known as gospel regeneration (falsely so-called), is
a delusion, and, in our opinion, a pestilent heresy. It has ever been rejected
by the church of the Living God. The household of faith certainly do believe
that all the family of election, the sheep, will hear the voice of the Son of
God, and they that hear shall live. This is the gospel in its initial
communication to us. Such power accompanies this declaration of good news from
Jesus to His children that death loses its grip on them as eternal life is
implanted. It is a point long denied by the Old Order of Baptists that the
gospel, as preached by man, brings life to dead sinners. Rather, they are
persuaded that the gospel brings life and immortality to light (II Timothy
1.10).
The gospel of the resurrected Jesus, as declared by God's called
servants, is the subject now at hand.
Romans 1.1-4 There is one text, more than many others, that seems
well suited to represent our aim. As much as any that could be cited from the
Scriptures, this one brings the meaning and purpose of the gospel in focus,
particularly for this brief study. It is this: "Paul, a servant of Jesus
Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he
had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures.) Concerning his Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection for the dead (Romans 1. 1-4)." How forceful,
yet comforting and encouraging. In penning this weighty doctrinal epistle to
the saints at Rome, Paul left no room for successful dispute. Paul opened the
book with revelations regarding the blessed truth of a resurrected Jesus. (The
gospel derives its basis for being glad tidings to sinners from the
resurrection of Jesus from the dead.) The Romans, and also all that through the
centuries would read this book, would see at once that Paul was a gospel
servant; called as an apostle separated to the gospel. This gospel, he affirms,
was promised afore (centuries before) in the writings of Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Hosea, along with other prophets during the earlier years in Israel's
sojourn.
This gospel of which the prophets wrote, God's glad tidings to His
family, concerns His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. That is plain enough!
Furthermore, and importantly, Paul reckoned how Jesus was the Son of God. That
Jesus was the Son of God is the sum and substance of this gospel, proven so by
the powerful declaration of the Spirit of holiness when Jesus came forth from
the dead. Again, the gospel is vitally linked with, and associated to, the
resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If that is not good news, glad tidings,
and the gospel of the grace of God, whatever could be? If it is the gospel, the
glad tidings, the good news, then what else could compare to it in wonder and
power to dying sinners?
Acts 13. No message, however well-intended, can be the gospel of
God's grace, nor glad tidings from heaven, unless it is anchored in the
resurrection of Jesus, the seed of David, from the dead. It is the raising
Jesus from the dead that empowers the message with sweet tidings to needy
sinners. "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which
was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children,
in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second
psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee (Acts 13.32, 33)."
Notice well: glad tidings! It was the good news, the gospel, that God had kept
His promise to the Fathers by fulfilling those same promises unto their
children. How, it may be asked? By raising Jesus from the dead as the
firstfruits of the resurrection. For all who are His by covenant love and
everlasting election, the good news is this: Jesus came forth from the tomb,
and even so shall all His family. That is exactly what Paul declared as being
the meaning of Psalm 2.
Paul continued in Acts 13: "Be it known unto you therefore, men
and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of
sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye
could not be justified by the law of Moses (Acts 13.38, 39)." So then,
Paul affirmed first a resurrected Jesus. Then he preached Him (Jesus) unto his
hearers as the sum and source of the forgiving of sins. And what evidence did
Paul produce in this affirmation? Just this; all who believed this gospel were
justified (not going to get justified) from all things. By simple deduction it
may be fairly said, if one was a believer, then those glad tidings he believed
pronounced him justified. Note well! The gospel did not justify him; the
believing did not justify him. The gospel was the glad tidings of this
justification and the believing was God's ordained way of comforting the
believer. It is a much blessed sinner who has been enabled to believe in a
resurrected Saviour; a Saviour that has completely secured and justified his
brethren. See Acts 13.48.
The living Lamb. If it cannot be seen by now what our aim is, to set
forth the resurrection of Jesus as the heart of the gospel, then we are at a
loss to do so. And, why the emphasis on the resurrection? It was, after all,
the cornerstone of the Apostle's message from the very beginning. "The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in
the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare
thy way before thee (Mark 1.1-3ff)." With but a little comparison it can
be seen that in the beginning of the gospel Jesus was identified by John as the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. And, was it not as the Lamb
slain this was accomplished? "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the
throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as
it had been slain.(Revelation 5.6)." Again: "And they sung a new
song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof:
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation (Revelation 5.9)."
This was not a dead lamb these congregated voices adored. The Lamb
these admirers worshipped had come forth triumphant from the tomb. Death had
been vanquished! It could have been nothing more, or nothing less, than evil
tidings had they learned that Jesus had deceived them; that His death resulted
in nothing other than His burial and ultimate corruption. But no; He lived! The
Lamb which John the Baptist had pointed to in the beginning of the gospel had
been gloriously elevated. After His ascension, His resurrection became the core
and heart of the gospel. This then was glad tidings, sufficiently empowered to
lift the lowest sinner from his depths and to revive the flagging spirits of
the vilest rebels who ever lived.
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I
preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which
also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye
have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And
that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
scriptures (I Corinthians 15.1-4 ff)." Here, as Paul again affirms the
importance of the resurrection, he tells the reader he is at that time
declaring the gospel. He had previously preached this same gospel, the
Corinthians had received this same gospel, and were presently standing therein.
The question, then, what had Paul first preached unto these brethren? Certainly
nothing new, for he tells them it was also what he had received. It was this:
Christ died for our sins. This was in complete agreement with the Scriptures.
Christ was buried. Christ rose again on the third day! This too was in harmony
with the Scriptural record. The gospel now flies on the wings of the
resurrection message.
We are all dying sinners. The entire human race lives, and then, in
their order, they die. Those sinners who groan under the felt weight of their
sins, fearing the consequences of past and continued trespasses against their
holy God, are seekers. They are seeking a word from some authoritative source
to relieve their burden; to cheer their soul as they see yonder the awaiting
grave. Reader, there is but one word to relieve these seekers. It is the word
of the gospel! In the simplest terms it is this: God will not at all acquit the
guilty. We are guilty. However, we have an Elder Brother, Jesus, the eternal
Son of God, who has come to earth, born of Mary, without sin. He has undertaken
all, everything necessary, to satisfy the Father in our behalf. Whatever the
law demanded; whatever the holiness of the Father demanded, Jesus met and
obliged. All, all that could possibly be required of us, Jesus has fulfilled.
This includes His substitutionary life; the righteousness thereof to be imputed
to us. Accomplished as well was the sacrifice of Himself upon the altar of
God's justice to pay our debts. So, Jesus died. He was buried. He arose the
third day. He was received up unto the Father after His resurrection. All this
for His own.
Is this good news? Is there any glad tidings in this dispatch?
Perhaps not as much as at times might be desired, but does this not somehow
bring a little light of hope to your dark path of gloom and dread, especially
as you face the reality of death and the world of the unknown? Yes, there is
good news contained herein. When blessed to have some little understanding of
the Word of God it can be seen that the everlasting love of God to His elect
provided a way of salvation. The gospel brings this heavenly intelligence to
our souls. We find a measure of elation. Perhaps, when I die, when my life is
over and done, my soul will be gathered to the Father in the harvest of His
family. When the world as we know it is concluded, perhaps too my body shall
also be raised in the glorious fashion as was the body of Jesus my Brother.
These brief thoughts have not been submitted as a full explanation
of what the gospel is, or what its purpose may be. If something here has been
useful to encourage any that feel a need for good news then the effort was
worth the time involved.