Saturday, August 11, 2007

The Simple Gospel:
...the power of God unto salvation

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). This is the only good news; the narrow way that leads to eternal life. 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. 15:1-8); (2 Cor. 5:18-21).

“The gospel of Christ in general is this: It is the good tidings that God has revealed concerning Christ. More largely it is this: As all mankind was lost in Adam and became the children of wrath, put under the sentence of death, God, though He left His fallen angels and has reserved them in the chains of eternal darkness, yet He has thought upon the children of men and has provided a way of atonement to reconcile them to Himself again... Namely, the second person of the Trinity takes man's nature upon Himself, and becomes the Head of a second covenant, standing charged with sin. He answers for it by suffering what the law and divine justice required, and by making satisfaction by keeping the law perfectly, which satisfaction and righteousness He tenders up to the Father as a sweet savor of rest for the souls that are given to Him...And now this mediation of Christ is, by the appointment of the Father, preached to the children of men, of whatever nation or rank, freely offering this atonement unto sinners for atonement, requiring them to believe in Him and, upon believing, promising not only a discharge of all their former sins, but that they shall not enter into condemnation, that none of their sins or unworthiness shall ever hinder the peace of God with them, but that they shall through Him be received into the number of those who shall have the image of God again to be renewed unto them, and they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” -Jeremiah Burroughs

"Brethren, there is nothing in the gospel, apart from the Spirit of God, which can save a man, for man hates the gospel with all his heart! Though the reasonableness of the gospel of Jesus ought to make the belief of it universal, yet its plain dealing with human sin excites deadly antagonism. Therefore, the gospel itself would make no progress were it not for the divine power. There is an invisible arm which pushes forward the conquests of the truth. There is a fire unfed with human fuel, which burns a way for the truth of Jesus Christ into the hearts of men." -C.H. Spurgeon

7 comments:

4given said...

How would you define "Evangelical" Christian?

donsands said...

Amen. Thanks.
"Here am I and the children whom God has given Me." Heb. 2:13

The Father gave us to the Son, and the Son glorified the Father in laying down His precious life for us.

Mike Ratliff said...

Lisa,

I would define an "Evangelical" Christian as one who is committed to the Great Commission and does so by preaching the Gospel and making disciples according to what scripture commands. That's a very short statement covering a whole lot of detail. :-)

In Christ

Mike Ratliff

4given said...

Very short, Mike, but very good. And I know you know why I am asking.

I am thinkin' SOMEBODY is at the T4G conference...

Maybe singing that really great song and being fed MEAT that will be shared when that SOMEBODY gets back?????

As a woman, I am glad they limited it to men. My husband and I checked into going together, but unless I wanted to hang out in the hotel room and read all the blogging about it, well... anyway.

Captured! said...

Our Pastor just preached on "The Power of the Gospel." Speaking simply and clearly the plan of salvation, speaking God's words, in evangelizing is so important, esp when people are one step away from life and death. While our testimonies are powerful in themselves, they only aid in salvation. We are saved from the wrath of God, not just our sins.

Jude 1:24

Journal T. Living said...

Mr Borroughs started off wrong. He said, "The gospel of Christ in general is the..." The gospel very specifically is the Christ, Yeshua, died for our sins according to all the scriptures, He was buried and He rose again the third day according to all the writings of the prophets. (Luke 24, 1 Cor 15:1-6) This is the one true gospel; it is specific and it is simple. There is not general gospel in contrast to a specific gospel. The gospel is very specific and no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. Yeshua, the Christ, is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The very specific gospel does not change.

And why does Mr Spurgeon have to say "Brethren, there is nothing in the gospel, apart from the Spirit of God, which can save men". Paul simply says "for I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believeth". The gospel is spirit and it is the power of God. You cannot separate the gospel from the Spirit of God. For no man can preach the gospel apart from the Spirit of God. Just as no one can receive the gospel apart from the Spirit of grace. The power of God is being preached whether men accept the gospel or reject it.

Daniel Lang

gigantor1231 said...

DD

Please elaborate as to what the meaning of your statement is.
you said;

'The power of God is being preached whether men accept the gospel or reject it.'

Rom. 1:16,17

"16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”"

The New King James Version. 1982 (Ro 1:16-17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.