It’s the greatest story ever told, and the treasure map is in the Bible.  That’s the Gospel. - Bob

Spirituality Column #850

February 28, 2023

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Preach the Gospel, Part 2

By Bob Walters

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” Paul, 1 Corinthians 1:17

It’s the greatest story ever told, and the Apostle Paul knew the key was to keep the message simple, accessible, consistent, and reliable. Complexity kills accessibility.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s announcement and invitation that sinful humanity, by recognizing and trusting the Lordship of His Son Jesus, is graciously forgiven and lovingly welcomed back into the eternal perfect garden of God’s Kingdom, rejoining our righteous Creator.  In the here and now, we are to love God and love others (John 13:34).

“Eloquent wisdom” may refer to the great human philosophers of biblical times – be they Greek, Roman, Hebrew, African or from the Far East – whose vain words were human pleas and propositions for truth and understanding.  Jesus surpassed all worldly knowledge and brought into humanity the righteous truth of God, i.e., the Gospel of Christ.

The Bible is indeed a treasure map guiding us to this divine gift. In toto, we have in scripture the game plan for our salvation.  Yet a few Bible highlights sparkle brightly …

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Jesus’s message was love and faith, not condemnation.  We mustn’t love God to “avoid Hell” but for the joy of a loving relationship with God.  That’s the Gospel.

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” “Repent.” Yes, shape up.  But “repent” actually means, “renewed thinking.” We must think like Christ, with humility, sacrificial love, and trusting obedience.  Better behavior helps us, but God already loves us.  That’s the Gospel.

John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” The world imagines many “ways” to salvation, or maybe no salvation at all.  There is a path to God and one gate: Jesus Christ.  That’s the Gospel.

1 Peter 3:18 “…Christ suffered once for sin, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”  Think about that: “suffered once.”  Our salvation is already achieved. Even in our fallenness, Jesus died to cover sin and heal our brokenness while restoring our lives in the Holy Spirit of God, “once for all.” (Romans 6:10, Hebrews 10:10).  Jesus did that regardless whether one believes it; it’s our gift to accept or reject. That’s the Gospel.

Psalms 16:10 “…you will not abandon my soul to Sheol (death), or let your holy one see corruption.” King David, in all his sin, is confident of God’s eternal protection, that God will not abandon him to death, and – unknown to David – prophesies of Jesus’s bodily resurrection.  Death is finally defeated in Christ.  That’s the Gospel.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  The gift of Jesus Christ is confidence in God’s reality, God’s grace, God’s love, and our restored relationship in God’s Kingdom; the Kingdom humanity once enjoyed in the Garden of Eden.  That’s the gift Jesus presents; the gift in faith we accept.  That’s the Gospel.

We call it “The Good News” and there is no other news like it.  Preach it boldly.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) notes a key stop on the treasure map: Acts 10:39-43.