Monday, March 23, 2009

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
...it is the power of God unto salvation

declaring the good news of the gospel of grace
This is the gospel of Jesus Christ: 

Salvation is by sola fide--through faith alone; sola gratia--by grace alone; solus Christus--in Christ alone; sola scriptura--according to the Word alone; soli Deo gloria--to the glory of God alone (Rom. 3:21-26; Rom. 10:9-10; Luke 24:46-49). The gospel is good news! Jesus Christ being fully God came to earth, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, fulfilled the law and all righteousness, went to the cross as our divine substitute, satisfied the holiness and justice of God through His once for all sacrifice for our sins, took on Himself the guilt, penalty, and wrath of God that burns against us, was buried and rose bodily three days later from the grave; and that by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone we have eternal--for we are clothed with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, and have peace with God forever. This is the narrow way that leads to eternal life--that is the good news of the gospel. Anything less, no matter how sincere, is just a cheap watered down substitute. When the souls of people are at stake, may we not speak with timidity, uncertainty, or unbiblically. But let us speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:11-16); always ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15-16).

May i encourage you to read the following verses--even use them for your family or personal devotions; and rejoice in your great salvation. (Isaiah 53); (Hebrews 2:1-3); (Hebrews 2:9-18); (Rom. 3:21-26); (Rom. 4:1-12); (Rom. 5:1-11); (Titus 3:4-8); (1 Cor. 15:1-21; (2 Cor. 5:18-21).


by Dr. Roger Nicole
"Moved by His incomprehensible love for mankind, the Triune God was pleased not to abandon our rebellious and corrupt race to the misery and hell that it justly deserved, but to undertake to save a great multitude of human beings who had absolutely no claim on His mercy. In order to bring this plan into execution, the second Person of the Godhead, the Son, took unto himself a full human nature, becoming in all things like his brethren..., sin excepted.

Thus he became the [Last] Adam, the head of a new covenant, and he lived a life of perfect obedience to the Divine Law. Identifying with his own, he bore the penalty of human sin on the cross of Calvary, suffering in the place of the sinner, the just for the unjust, the holy Son of God for the guilty and corrupt children of man. By his death and resurrection he has provided the basis for the reconciliation of God to humans and of humans to God; for the propitiation of a righteous Trinity, justly angry at our sins; for the redemption of a multitude of captives of sin whose liberty was secured at the great price of His own blood. He offered himself as an expiatory sacrifice sufficient to blot out the sins of the whole world and secured the utmost triumph over the enemies of our soul: sin, death, and Satan.

Those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ are thus to be absolved from the guilt of all their sins and are adorned with the perfect righteousness of Christ himself. In gratitude to him they are to live lives of obedience and service to their Savior and are increasingly renewed into the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. This good news of salvation by grace through faith is to be proclaimed indiscriminately to mankind, that is to every man, woman, and child whom we can possibly reach.

3 comments:

cyd said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
cyd said...

"we are clothed with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ"

AMEN!! How wonderful to rest in this great Truth.

Thank you for posting this today, Steve. It is a great encouragement and a dear reminder that the time is short, and soon we will be forever with the LORD.

Hallelujah!

SJ Camp said...

Cyd
During these uncertain days in our nations history and the personal trials for all of us that flow from such turmoil, how grateful I am for the surety of the gospel. It is not only our comfort for our future with the Lord, but for each day presently that we live as well.

Thanks for your comment.

Grace and peace,
Steve