Romans 1:16-17 Part 2
It is the Gospel of CHRIST!!!
Gospel: #2098–yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on. Literally, a “good message, good news, good tidings.” Translated in the KJV as “gospel” (46X), gospel of Christ (11X), gospel of God (7X), gospel of the kingdom (3X), misc. (10X). NSED. We will not be exploring every occurrence of the word, nor are we going to enter into the controversy of some that there is more than one gospel, the gospel of the kingdom being a different gospel than the gospel of Christ. Suffice it to say that I believe that the Christ is the King on the throne of David and the Gospel of the Kingdom is the Gospel of His conquest as spoken of in Psalm 110. In like manner, the Gospel of God is that “good tidings of great joy” from the Angelic Messenger of the Triune God Announcing The Christ of God.
Luke 2:25-32 And to this attest the words of ancient Simeon, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace. According to Your word; For my eyes have seen YOUR SALVATION.” That Baby in his arms was and is God’s Salvation, God’s Gospel. The various occurrences of the word proclaim the many facets of this “Precious Jewel” of the Glorious Gospel of the Triune God, the announcement of “peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14)
I Timothy 3:16 This beautiful “song” is the “embodiment” of all that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is.
I. This Gospel, this Good Message, is more than just initial message of an “evangelistic service.” This Gospel governs the birth, growth, death and resurrection of the remnant of the chosen of God for all eternity!!!
Mark 1:1 Mark begins his Gospel with, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Christ’s ministry on the earth was only the beginning of the Gospel. And yet this beginning had a preface in all that the Old Testament pointed to, “The Consolation of Israel”. (Luke 2:25)
Acts 16:31 The famous words of the Apostle Paul to the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, and your household.”, affirm the “words the Gospel”.
Acts 4:12 Peter here proclaims that there is salvation in “no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, this man known by that Name is the “good tidings”, there is no other name, no other good news!
I Corinthians 15:1-2 Paul claims that, “the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received (believed) and in which you stand, by which you are saved, (warning #1) if you hold fast that word which I preached to you (the gospel)–(warning #2) unless you believe in vain.” Yes, there is a “vain belief”. This is the message of our Lord’s words in the parable of the soils. (Matt 13) Note Paul’s meaning: The Gospel which they received (past tense) is now the Gospel in which they stand!!! And this is the evidence of true belief–continuance in believing the same Gospel, standing in the Divine Work of the Christ, The Sent of God. (John 6:29)
Note: Vain belief, a lack of continuing in the Gospel is not an evidence of a defective gospel, but is evidence of defective hearing. Consider II Corinthians 4:3-4.
Romans 5:1-2 The word, gospel does not occur here, but notice, the truth in verse 1 is the Gospel and in verse 2, “we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” We stand continually in this Gospel of the Grace of God.
I Peter 5:12 Peter says that, “I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.”
Acts 20:24 The Apostle Paul poured out his life, “so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the Grace of God.”
Note: All is of the Grace of God. Our beginning, and our continuing–our eternal standing, is in and by the Gospel of the Grace of God. It is our continual focus in this fallen world.
Ephesians 6 Remember the emphasis of our study in Ephesians? The purpose of the “weapons” of our warfare are, “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Every piece of armament is an “element of the Gospel of the Grace of God.”
II. The Gospel is a mystery.
Ephesians 3:4-7 Paul’s “dispensation of the grace of God which was given to him was a mystery, hidden in ages past (vs 5), that the Gentiles should be “fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His Promise in Christ through the Gospel.” Vs 9. “To make ll see what is the FELLOWSHIP OF THIS MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God Who Created all things Through Jesus Christ.” Paul goes on to say, that this “fellowship of Jew and Gentile in One Body is an inherent part of the Gospel purpose–that is that by the church, this body, to show forth the “manifold wisdom of God”, to the principalities and powers in heavenly places.”
I Timothy 3:16 I would remind you that two of the six Truth Declarations of the Mystery of Godliness, are devoted to this mysterious Gospel Union: “Preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world.” Any teaching that does not give place to this “mystery of the Gospel”, is defective at best and is not faithful to the Divine ministry of the Apostle Paul. See also Romans 11:25-29 where he further explains this “mystery of the Gospel.”
III. This Gospel is everlasting, governing all things for eternity.
Revelation 14 This chapter appears to be the prophetic visionary history of the Gospel of Christ. Vs 1-5 declare the victory of the Gospel call, 144,000 standing on Mount Zion “having His (the Christ) Father’s Name written on their foreheads.” (Consider John 14:1-11, John 17, 1-6 & 20-26; Ephesians 1:1-23)
Vs 6-20 record the warfare of Psalm 110. Notice verse 6: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach to those that dwell on the earth–TO EVERY NATION, TRIBE, TONGUE, AND PEOPLE.”
Vs 14-20 speak of the final victory, recalling our Lord’s parable in Matthew 13:24-30 of the wheat and the tares, the judgement of God upon those who do not believe the Gospel.
Romans 2:4-16 Paul points toward the “day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God and speaks of the just judgement of God toward both Jew and Gentile. Now notice vs 16: “In the Day (of God’s wrath-vs 5) when God will judge the SECRETS of men by Christ Jesus, ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL.”
The Righteousness of Jesus Christ will be the “Gospel Standard” by which all men will be judged in the Day of God’s Wrath. The Jew will be judged by his inadequacy to fulfill the Law that he so vainly stands in. The Gentile will be judged by his conscience and blindness to the Goodness of God surrounding him each day, calling him to repentance.
II Corinthians 4:3-4 And I repeat, “Vain belief, a lack of continuing in the Gospel is not an evidence of a defective gospel, but is evidence of defective hearing.”
This Gospel requires more that carefully reasoned words, persuasive speech, elequent oratory. It is proclaimed to dead people (Eph 2:1), people whose deafness is demonically supernatural! (II Cor. 4:3-4) It must be the Power of God. And that will be our next consideration.
It is the Gospel of CHRIST!!!
Gospel: #2098–yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on. Literally, a “good message, good news, good tidings.” Translated in the KJV as “gospel” (46X), gospel of Christ (11X), gospel of God (7X), gospel of the kingdom (3X), misc. (10X). NSED. We will not be exploring every occurrence of the word, nor are we going to enter into the controversy of some that there is more than one gospel, the gospel of the kingdom being a different gospel than the gospel of Christ. Suffice it to say that I believe that the Christ is the King on the throne of David and the Gospel of the Kingdom is the Gospel of His conquest as spoken of in Psalm 110. In like manner, the Gospel of God is that “good tidings of great joy” from the Angelic Messenger of the Triune God Announcing The Christ of God.
Luke 2:25-32 And to this attest the words of ancient Simeon, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace. According to Your word; For my eyes have seen YOUR SALVATION.” That Baby in his arms was and is God’s Salvation, God’s Gospel. The various occurrences of the word proclaim the many facets of this “Precious Jewel” of the Glorious Gospel of the Triune God, the announcement of “peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14)
I Timothy 3:16 This beautiful “song” is the “embodiment” of all that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is.
I. This Gospel, this Good Message, is more than just initial message of an “evangelistic service.” This Gospel governs the birth, growth, death and resurrection of the remnant of the chosen of God for all eternity!!!
Mark 1:1 Mark begins his Gospel with, “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Christ’s ministry on the earth was only the beginning of the Gospel. And yet this beginning had a preface in all that the Old Testament pointed to, “The Consolation of Israel”. (Luke 2:25)
Acts 16:31 The famous words of the Apostle Paul to the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, and your household.”, affirm the “words the Gospel”.
Acts 4:12 Peter here proclaims that there is salvation in “no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, this man known by that Name is the “good tidings”, there is no other name, no other good news!
I Corinthians 15:1-2 Paul claims that, “the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received (believed) and in which you stand, by which you are saved, (warning #1) if you hold fast that word which I preached to you (the gospel)–(warning #2) unless you believe in vain.” Yes, there is a “vain belief”. This is the message of our Lord’s words in the parable of the soils. (Matt 13) Note Paul’s meaning: The Gospel which they received (past tense) is now the Gospel in which they stand!!! And this is the evidence of true belief–continuance in believing the same Gospel, standing in the Divine Work of the Christ, The Sent of God. (John 6:29)
Note: Vain belief, a lack of continuing in the Gospel is not an evidence of a defective gospel, but is evidence of defective hearing. Consider II Corinthians 4:3-4.
Romans 5:1-2 The word, gospel does not occur here, but notice, the truth in verse 1 is the Gospel and in verse 2, “we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand.” We stand continually in this Gospel of the Grace of God.
I Peter 5:12 Peter says that, “I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.”
Acts 20:24 The Apostle Paul poured out his life, “so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the Grace of God.”
Note: All is of the Grace of God. Our beginning, and our continuing–our eternal standing, is in and by the Gospel of the Grace of God. It is our continual focus in this fallen world.
Ephesians 6 Remember the emphasis of our study in Ephesians? The purpose of the “weapons” of our warfare are, “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Every piece of armament is an “element of the Gospel of the Grace of God.”
II. The Gospel is a mystery.
Ephesians 3:4-7 Paul’s “dispensation of the grace of God which was given to him was a mystery, hidden in ages past (vs 5), that the Gentiles should be “fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His Promise in Christ through the Gospel.” Vs 9. “To make ll see what is the FELLOWSHIP OF THIS MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God Who Created all things Through Jesus Christ.” Paul goes on to say, that this “fellowship of Jew and Gentile in One Body is an inherent part of the Gospel purpose–that is that by the church, this body, to show forth the “manifold wisdom of God”, to the principalities and powers in heavenly places.”
I Timothy 3:16 I would remind you that two of the six Truth Declarations of the Mystery of Godliness, are devoted to this mysterious Gospel Union: “Preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world.” Any teaching that does not give place to this “mystery of the Gospel”, is defective at best and is not faithful to the Divine ministry of the Apostle Paul. See also Romans 11:25-29 where he further explains this “mystery of the Gospel.”
III. This Gospel is everlasting, governing all things for eternity.
Revelation 14 This chapter appears to be the prophetic visionary history of the Gospel of Christ. Vs 1-5 declare the victory of the Gospel call, 144,000 standing on Mount Zion “having His (the Christ) Father’s Name written on their foreheads.” (Consider John 14:1-11, John 17, 1-6 & 20-26; Ephesians 1:1-23)
Vs 6-20 record the warfare of Psalm 110. Notice verse 6: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach to those that dwell on the earth–TO EVERY NATION, TRIBE, TONGUE, AND PEOPLE.”
Vs 14-20 speak of the final victory, recalling our Lord’s parable in Matthew 13:24-30 of the wheat and the tares, the judgement of God upon those who do not believe the Gospel.
Romans 2:4-16 Paul points toward the “day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God and speaks of the just judgement of God toward both Jew and Gentile. Now notice vs 16: “In the Day (of God’s wrath-vs 5) when God will judge the SECRETS of men by Christ Jesus, ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL.”
The Righteousness of Jesus Christ will be the “Gospel Standard” by which all men will be judged in the Day of God’s Wrath. The Jew will be judged by his inadequacy to fulfill the Law that he so vainly stands in. The Gentile will be judged by his conscience and blindness to the Goodness of God surrounding him each day, calling him to repentance.
II Corinthians 4:3-4 And I repeat, “Vain belief, a lack of continuing in the Gospel is not an evidence of a defective gospel, but is evidence of defective hearing.”
This Gospel requires more that carefully reasoned words, persuasive speech, elequent oratory. It is proclaimed to dead people (Eph 2:1), people whose deafness is demonically supernatural! (II Cor. 4:3-4) It must be the Power of God. And that will be our next consideration.