Who Needs the Gospel?

Many Christians believe that "The Gospel" is for non-believers alone. Once a person becomes a Christian they leave the "ABC's" of Christianity to go on to deeper things. But the Gospel is not the ABC's of the faith; it is the "A to Z" of the faith. We never go beyond the gospel, we just go deeper.

St. Paul considered the Christians at Rome to be "loved by God and called to be saints" (v.7). And yet he can say to these believers that, "I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome." (v.15) The Gospel is for believers too!

A mark of a revitalized church is that it is "Gospel-Driven and Christ-Centered". What, then, is the Gospel? The gospel includes all that God has done for us in Christ, past, present and future. Consider these elements of the gospel:

Deliverance - "Past"

• The Persuasion of Sin – Effectual Calling (A New Perspective) - Romans 8:30, 2 Thess. 2:14. God gives us eyes to see and ears to hear!
• The Power of Sin – Regeneration (A New Heart) – John 3:3, Titus 3:5. We exercise saving faith and godly repentance!
• The Penalty of Sin – Justification (A New Record) – Rom. 3:21-24. In justification the Lord has cleansed us from our sin and clothed us with His righteousness!
• The Position of Sin - Adoption (A New Family) – Eph 1:5, Rom 8:15. With God as our Father we relate to him as redeemed sons and daughters.

Deliverance - "Present"

• The Practice of Sin – Sanctification (A New Life) – Eph 4:22-24. God works holiness into our lives as we walk in repentance and obedience to Him.

Deliverance - "Future"

• The Presence of Sin - Glorification (A New Home) – Romans 8:30, 2 Cor 5:1. Not just new bodies in the new heaven and earth, but new desires to love God and new capacities to enjoy him!

What fuel for meditation, worship, and application! That should give us all a lot to chew on. Join us next Sunday in our "From Embers to a Flame" Family Bible Hour class as we feast together on the Gospel!

The well wisher of your soul's happiness,

Pastor Tom