The Hope of the Gospel

 

The Hope of the Gospel

From the southern end of Africa extends that long cape which for many ages was considered to be a fatal barrier to all navigators. Whoever was caught in its swirling waters went down to a watery grave. It was called the Cape of Storms. But finally a bold explorer sailed around it and opened for Europe and the world a new route to the East Indies. And he changed the name of it to the Cape of Good Hope.

And, so also there jutted out into the sea of life the black Cape of Death, and all who sailed beyond it seemed to be forever gone. But the Lord Jesus sailed through this dark and awful Cape and emerged "alive forevermore" on the other side (Rev. 1:18). He thus changed it into the Cape of Good Hope for the saints--"the hope of the gospel" (Col. 1:23). From beyond death comes His triumphant shout, "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore!" And "because I live, ye shall live also," is His certain assurance to us who have fled to Him for salvation (Jn. 14:19).

--From the April 1981 issue of The Banner of Truth

The Gospel Described

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16).  The gospel tells men that they are ungodly. It tells them that God is just, infinitely and undeviatingly just. It brings these two truths plainly before the mind, and then calls upon it to admire and adore the wisdom and goodness which could reunite them, and make them harmonize together. It tells, in short, of Jesus Christ--of Him who came to preach good tidings to the meek, who was sent to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison door to them that are bound.


わたしは福音を恥としない。それは、ユダヤ人をはじめ、ギリシヤ人にも、すべて信じる者に、救を得させる神の力である (Rom. 1:16).