The Nature of the Glad Tidings
By Al Stoner
By Al Stoner
By its very nature, the gospel of Christ is good news. It is news that is wonderful to the receptive hearer, marvelous to consider; it is a report that is ever new, and even more wonderfully new. The tidings are as "cold waters to a thirsty soul" (Prov. 25:25), and as "the light of the eye which rejoices the heart" (Prov. 15:30). They are tidings of "great joy", and they are intended to be perceived as such by "all people" (Lk. 2:10), as they are perfectly adapted to man's most deep-seated, fundamental need in his fallen and sinful condition. By nature, men are "alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them" (Eph. 4:18), and consequently, earnestly giving heed to the gospel is the only divinely appointed means of remedying this woeful situation.
The gospel tidings are regarded as news because they are continually coming to those who are dwelling in a cursed realm, that is old, and passing away (I Cor. 7:31; I Jn. 2:15; Heb. 8:13b). And thus, to those, whose hearts are attuned to the gospel message through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the message is perceived to be ever new. The glad tidings come to rescue, to save, to nourish, and to give power unto living acceptably in the sight of God. To those who see it aright, they cannot live without regularly giving heartfelt attendance to the gospel message. They sense acutely that it is impossible to survive the earthly course of this present evil world with a safe and abundant entrance into the world to come, apart from giving "the more earnest heed to the things which" they "have heard" (Heb. 2:1), "in the word of the truth of the gospel" (Col. 1:5).
But there is another vital reason for the newness that is inseparably associated with the gospel. And that has to do with the Source of where this message is proceeding from. The gospel is coming to us from God the Father, and from Christ, the Son. Those who preach this gospel are standing before men "in Christ's stead," in summary declaring "be ye reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20). The tidings, of which we speak, are called in Scripture, for example, "the glorious gospel of the blessed God" (I Tim. 1:11), "the gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1; 15:16; II Cor. 11:7), "the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16; 15:19), and "the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Th. 1:8). They are proceeding from Him who declared, "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth" (Isa. 65:17), and as well from Him who has assured us, "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5).
To state this another way, whatever "new" things there are that have their origin in earth, begin immediately to wax old and vanish away from their very inception. But not so with the "gospel", which is "preached" unto men "by the Holy Spirit sent forth from Heaven" (I Pet. 1:12, ASV).
To those who have believed the gospel, the nature of the glad tidings are such, that they desire to hear this report again and again. Those who believe the gospel are never heard to say, “Well, I’ve heard that before.” Well, no doubt, they did hear it before, but never in the sense that they are hearing it in the most recent consideration. Incidentally, this ought to make immediately suspect the perverted notion of having an “annual salvation message,” meaning that other things are talked about and emphasized during the remainder of the year in those circles.
There are always more wonderful things to behold in the gospel, and things that are desperately necessary to lay hold of for life and godliness. With regard to believing the gospel, believing men go "from faith to faith" [that is, from faith unto a greater faith] (Rom. 1:16-17). --editor@banner.org
The gospel tidings are regarded as news because they are continually coming to those who are dwelling in a cursed realm, that is old, and passing away (I Cor. 7:31; I Jn. 2:15; Heb. 8:13b). And thus, to those, whose hearts are attuned to the gospel message through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the message is perceived to be ever new. The glad tidings come to rescue, to save, to nourish, and to give power unto living acceptably in the sight of God. To those who see it aright, they cannot live without regularly giving heartfelt attendance to the gospel message. They sense acutely that it is impossible to survive the earthly course of this present evil world with a safe and abundant entrance into the world to come, apart from giving "the more earnest heed to the things which" they "have heard" (Heb. 2:1), "in the word of the truth of the gospel" (Col. 1:5).
But there is another vital reason for the newness that is inseparably associated with the gospel. And that has to do with the Source of where this message is proceeding from. The gospel is coming to us from God the Father, and from Christ, the Son. Those who preach this gospel are standing before men "in Christ's stead," in summary declaring "be ye reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20). The tidings, of which we speak, are called in Scripture, for example, "the glorious gospel of the blessed God" (I Tim. 1:11), "the gospel of God" (Rom. 1:1; 15:16; II Cor. 11:7), "the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16; 15:19), and "the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Th. 1:8). They are proceeding from Him who declared, "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth" (Isa. 65:17), and as well from Him who has assured us, "Behold, I make all things new" (Rev. 21:5).
To state this another way, whatever "new" things there are that have their origin in earth, begin immediately to wax old and vanish away from their very inception. But not so with the "gospel", which is "preached" unto men "by the Holy Spirit sent forth from Heaven" (I Pet. 1:12, ASV).
To those who have believed the gospel, the nature of the glad tidings are such, that they desire to hear this report again and again. Those who believe the gospel are never heard to say, “Well, I’ve heard that before.” Well, no doubt, they did hear it before, but never in the sense that they are hearing it in the most recent consideration. Incidentally, this ought to make immediately suspect the perverted notion of having an “annual salvation message,” meaning that other things are talked about and emphasized during the remainder of the year in those circles.
There are always more wonderful things to behold in the gospel, and things that are desperately necessary to lay hold of for life and godliness. With regard to believing the gospel, believing men go "from faith to faith" [that is, from faith unto a greater faith] (Rom. 1:16-17). --editor@banner.org
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.