The Gospel

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The Gospel of Christ

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God" (Rom. 1:16.)

There are, unfortunately, innumerable multitudes of Christians whose understanding is that the gospel of Christ is the Holy Bible, or the Sacred Scriptures. This, according to Paul's words in our text, obviously is not true. The Scriptures are - and can do - just what their writers claim. Paul in his second letter to Timothy (3:16) used these words: "From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation." This same apostle continues by saying, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." This same apostle says also that "whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our leaming, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). I am quite sure that every true believer has found the preceding statements of both Paul and Christ to be nothing less than absolute truth.

Now, let us see just what the gospel is, since it is not, as we shall see, the Scriptures. The same apostle that we were quoting a moment ago exclaims emphatically: "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God" (Rom. 1: 16).

To those who contend there is no difference between the Scriptures and the gospel, let me, please, ask them this question: "Why did Jesus say unto the Sadducees, 'Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God' (Matt. 22:29)?"

Jesus, himself, used the Scriptures and the gospel exactly as related here by Matthew. Luke (20: 1) confirms what Matthew said by telling us that Jesus "taught the people in the temple, AND preached the Gospel." We have a large number of people today, who like the Pharisees of old, love the Scriptures but hate the power of God, and the gospel of Christ.

One must admit that both the Scriptures and the gospel are quite essential to salvation. Yet, they are not the selfsame thing. We might say that the gospel is the power of God, and that the Scriptures are the inspirational writings that tell about this infinite power. The English word GOSPEL comes from the Anglo-Saxon "godspel", and truly that is exactly what the gospel is: God spell.

To be sure, the gospel or the power of God would be inconceivable to any of us who had not first heard about it through the Scriptures, directly or indirectly. In speaking about first hearing about the gospel, Peter gives us these words, "God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe" (Acts 15:7). Here, we see the word of the gospel coming from Paul's mouth, but he goes ahead in I Thes. 1:5 and says, "Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power."

Now, what does this devoted servant of our Lord mean by the word POWER, as used here? Not a few have said that the word POWER used here by Paul referred to his chain of convincing thoughts, which his great master mind was able to produce, or it was his excellent ability to speak as an orator. This is a distortion of the truth, and we need only his own words to prove this. It was none other than Paul himself who uttered these renowned words: "And I brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (I Cor. 2:1,4,5).

It is amazing how many people are believing today in the wisdom of men and their heretical teachings and not in the power of God. There are so many congregations that are entirely emitting the power of God, the real gospel, and are using the "word only" system, "These be they," Jude reminds us, "who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God" (Jude 19-21).

Turn with me now to see what is meant by the term, "The Power of God," since that is, beyond doubt, the gospel of Christ. In Matt. 10:1, we read: "And when he (Jesus) had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease." This is, indeed, what Paul meant when he said he came not with excellency of speech, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Certainly we all know that Paul preached the same gospel that Jesus did. If not, Jesus would never have said: "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).

In recent years, all congregations in the Pentecostal movement have been repeatedly referred to, as "full gospel". Perhaps no one person is author of this modern ecclesiastical term. The apostle Paul, I am sure, must be accredited with the inference that led to this recently acquired phraseology. At least, we gather this thought by reading his statement in Romans 15:19, in which he declares in no uncertain terms, "I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."

Now, if Paul, as he stated, fully preached the gospel, then without doubt, he must have preached the full gospel. Hence, of course, those who accepted his ministry were, as could be expected, full gospel people.

This same great man of God, as we shall now see, expressed himself crystal clear, as to what he thought of one's not preaching the full gospel. Here are his words, and they are quite appropriate to those today who are in "word only" telling about Christ and his works, and the things that happened in the early congregation by the apostles. Listen once more, my reader, to this flaming evangelist, as he definitely asserts, "I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me" (Rom. 15:18).

Here, Paul is saying, in effect, that "The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits" (2 Tim 2:6). In other words, one must receive something before he can give it.

This same apostle gives us a timely warning now in his letter to the Galatians by saying, "There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." (Gal. 1: 7). One only has to look about one's self today to see this perversion and the multitudes that are being misled by it. As writer of this tract, I wholeheartedly agree with Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians when he maintained that "If our gospel (the full gospel) be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:3,4).

Matthew (4:23) tells us that "Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, AND preaching the gospel of the kingdom, AND heard all manner of sickness." This, my reader, and this alone, is the gospel of Christ, the real full gospel, the gospel that Paul had in mind when he asked that profound question: "How shall they preach, except they be sent?" (Rom. 10: 15) Sent by whom? That is the question, my reader, and probably the biggest problem of the present day ministry. Turning now to the Scriptures, let us see if we can find the answer.

In Matt. 10: 1,5-8, we read: "And when he (Jesus) had called unto his his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, 'Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.' "

Mark (3:14,15) gives us his version of the foregoing narrative in these words: "And he (Jesus) ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils."

Contrary to what anyone might think, this same apostolic gospel is for us today. Needless to say, that thousands upon thousands have sadly left the true gospel and have established a "word only" ministry of their own, a ministry without the power and signs that Jesus promised would follow all true believers. Our Lord surely intended for the unrepealable gospel, which he preached, to be preached and practiced by all congregations, even to the end of this age. He expressed this, clearly, when he said unto his disciples after his resurrection: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel (the power I of God) to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they (and the people in all the world that believe) speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover" (Mark 16:15-18).

"This gospel (the power of God) of the kingdom," Jesus declared in Matt. 24:14, "SHALL be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

The solid Roman Empire melted away before this gospel. It was not, however, the Scriptures, nor the teachings of the early saints that exerted this effect upon that imperial structure. It was God's eternal power, which Jesus exhibited in his earthly ministry and passed on to his followers. Ridiculous as it appears to many, no other way is available that would lead to the salvation of men and the return of our Lord. Jesus, our great living Intercessor, knew only too well that the Scriptures, alone, could never rouse the hearts of people..Nothing short of the loosening, liberating power of God avails to that end.

Yes indeed, my reader, when the real gospel of Christ is preached, the results are miracles. In other words, the power of God, when at work, produces miracles. Paul, in I Cor. 12: 1 0, calls the preaching of the gospel, "The working of miracles." In his letter to Titus, Paul mentioned a class of people who "profess that they know God; but in works they deny him" (Titus 1: 16). Oh, how many thousands there are today who are saying that they know the Lord; yet, they are denying the works and signs which Jesus said should follow those who believe on him! The magnitude of this disaster can only be recognized When one, by the sovereign grace of God, realizes the importance of properly relating himself to a discipleship that can be easily distinguished by the signs and miracles of the early congregation. No sooner do we speak of the disciples of Christ than we are compelled to recall the ecstatic or emotional experience they received at Pentecost and thereafter taught to their followers. Amen!