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GOD'S DEFINITION OF THE GOSPEL by M. E. Wright
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." (I Cor. 15:3-4).
There is as much difference between God's definition of the gospel of Christ and man's definition, as there is distance between heaven and earth (Isa. 55:9). Perhaps there was never so much preaching being done as there is today, and yet, so little gospel preached. Almost everything this is preached is called the gospel. But when the searchlight of God's eternal Word is turned on we much of it is nothing more than tradition and man's opinions.
First, we want to call attention to some things that are not part of the gospel of Christ.
There is much said in the Word of God about the things mentioned above, but all of the Word of God is not the gospel. The word gospel means "good news'', and there is much in the Word of God that is not good news. The Word of God says "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Psalms 9:17). This is the Word of God, but it is not good news. Therefore, it is not gospel.
The gospel of Christ is 100 percent what Christ has already done to save lost sinners. It is stated and defined in I Corinthians 15:3-4 as being "...how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
Every prophet in the Old Testament bore witness unto Christ. Peter in Acts 10:43 says, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (See also Luke 24:27) The statement "according to the scriptures'' shows that He died as the believer's substitute. Back in the Garden of Eden, before God drove Adam and Eve of His presence, and separated them from Himself, "he made them coats of skins, and clothed them'' (Genesis 3:21). Thus, we see from the very beginning that before a poor guilty sinner could ever stand acceptable before God a substitute had to be provided. The guiltless had to suffer for the guilty. Jesus is God's Lamb "...slain from the foundation of the world'' (Revelation 13:8).
The Lamb of God is the One Who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). In Genesis we see another scripture pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ. God calls Abraham to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham takes Isaac and goes to the place where God appointed him, builds and altar, lays the wood in order upon the altar, binds Isaac, lays him upon the wood upon the altar. He then stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. Just there stop, my friend, and think of yourself as being bound by sin. He is also condemned. The wrath of God is upon him. He is without Christ, has no citizenship, is a stranger to the covenants of promise, has no hope and is without God in the world (John 3:18, 36; Ephesians 2:12). Therefore, he is just as helpless, and more so, than Isaac was to free himself from the condemnation that was upon him. But, God did something for Isaac. He stayed the hand of Abraham, and provided a substitute. Abraham lifted up his eyes at the Lord's command, and beheld a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. The ram was offered as a burnt offering in Isaac's stead. Thus we can see that through the mercy and grace of God in providing a substitute for him, Isaac's life was spared and he went home free, not because he was good, or had done good, but because a substitute was found to take his place. The same thing has been done for you. God, through His great love and mercy, has given His dear Son to be our Substitute. He (Christ) suffered for sins the just (Christ) for the unjust (you and me), that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened (made alive) by the Spirit (I Peter 3:18).
"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6). So, on and on, through the Scriptures we see that one thing standing out above all others, and that is, Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, buried, and risen again. Paul writing to the Corinthians was determined to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and Him crucified (I Corinthians 2:2). Again, he said, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..." (Galatians 6:14). That which people think and talk about is what they most glory in. "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness...'' (Proverbs 20:6). Therefore, most people think that if they will be good enough, God will save them on the ground of what they are and do. But lost people cannot do good, because goodness is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and lost men do not have the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).
But there is good news for the lost man, and that is the glorious gospel of Christ. "For it (the gospel) is the power of God unto salvation (not to those who live right, or do the best they can) to every one that believeth'' (Romans 1:16). Reader, do you know the gospel? Do you believe it? If so, you have everlasting life. If not, may the Lord help you do so before it is too late.
M. E. Wright
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