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- 1. GOD the Eternal, Sovereign Ruler and
Creator
Today we live in an unprecedented time in all history. There is much
interest in the metaphysical, but very little knowledge about spiritual
truths. The Great and Holy One of the Bible is virtually unknown among the
various and myriad people of the earth. And most tragic is the ignorance of
the God of the Bible among those who make claim to being His children;
Christians. Thus we must begin our presentation of the Gospel with the
presupposition that our listener has little or no knowledge of the True God
of the Bible. I love to speak of God to others by describing Him in all His
attributes; His holiness, majesty, omnipotence, love, eternality, aseity
(independence of His creation), sovereignty, immutability, faithfulness,
goodness, patience, grace, mercy, wrath, omniscience, omnipresence,
loving-kindness (covenant faithfulness), etc.
This is a most important foundation to build upon, for we are making known
the Living God in Whom we live, move and have our being. It is to Him that
we must look for our every desire here on earth and our hope for the ages to
come. A wrong understanding of God will inevitably lead to a wrong
understanding of all that follows. Just remember, that God inspired men to
write the 37 books of the Old Testament to make Himself known in all His
glory. He then took on human flesh and fully ?declared Him.? (Jn. 1:18) And
finally God added 29 more ?books? to complete His self-revelation.
Therefore, we should not be overly anxious to rush through this first aspect
of the Gospel.
It has been well said that ?non-Christians have been mistaught by Christians
for such a long time that He is only love. But the non-Christian?s concept
of love today is so distorted as to be almost wholly useless in making the
message clear. Furthermore, the teaching of Scripture that God is love is
for Christians, who have received Christ and can appreciate what He did for
them while they were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8). In addition, the love of God is
not among His most central attributes. To counterbalance the notions that
non-Christians have of God, the Christian ought to concentrate on His
primary attributes and not mention His love at all. Furthermore, the wrath
of God now abides on those who do not believe in Christ (Jn. 3:36).
Scripture nowhere says that God loves the sinner but hates his sin; God is
angry with the sinner continually (Ps. 5:5; 7:11; 10:3).
Many times the non-Christian will ask the question, ?How can a good God
allow evil?? or ?If God is so good, why does He allow so much suffering??
These and like questions afford the opportunity to speak of God in His
majestic and ineffable holiness and the fact that all evil on the earth is
due to sinful man and not God. In fact, things would be much worse if God
wasn?t restraining the outworking of men?s evil devices. We know that all
things work together for good to those who love God and are the called
according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). All things are according to His
eternal plan to bring glory to Himself and the salvation of all them that
believe on Christ the LORD. No one receives that which he doesn?t deserve.
Clearly, God is long-suffering toward all men, for He has reserved the
meting out of His perfect judgment until the last day (2Pet. 3:9). Each and
every day is an expression of His benevolence towards us that we might
repent and turn to Him in faith in His Son. (1Tim. 2:4)
2. God?s Holiness and Man?s Sin and Depravity
Although we have said that the Gospel is ?good news?, that God is reconciled
to men in Christ, it must be pointed out that outside of Christ all men are
by nature, lost, with no natural affection for God nor do they have the
ability to even seek Him. From birth, we are all under the just condemnation
of God. Otherwise, even after presenting Christ?s work, many will think that
there may be another way of being found acceptable before God if they do
certain things and work hard enough at it. The nature of sin and depravity
must be presented in such a way that it is clear that this is an
impossibility and the their situation is utterly hopeless if they are
outside of Christ. (Rom. 3:10-18; Eph. 2:2, 3; 4:17-19)
How are we to do this? By first showing that God in the beginning, made man
in His own image with true knowledge (Col. 3:10) righteousness and true
holiness. (Eph 4:24). And because man is made in God?s image, he is capable
of receiving revelation from Him; and this is shown in the book of Romans:
?Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath
shewed it unto them.? (Rom. 1:19). In other words, built within each person
is the knowledge of what God is like. And it says, ?For the invisible things
from the creation of the word are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead? (Rom. 1:20). So
even the creation shows that God is sovereign. But men, being sinners, they
reject God's testimony about Himself and they substitute the truth for a
lie, ?When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain the their imaginations, and their foolish heart
was darkened? (Rom. 1:21). The worshipped the creature rather than the
Creator (Rom. 1:25). Thus all men by nature know that God is and He is the
Sovereign Ruler and Creator of all things, but these same men reject the
testimony which is within them and which is clearly shown around them and
substitute a ?god? after their own liking. The result is that all men are
idolaters; they refuse to worship He Who alone, is worthy of our worship,
worshipping those things which are no ?gods?, e.g. . . . money, sex, jobs,
material possessions, religion, etc. It has well been said, ?In the
beginning, God made man in His own image, and ever since that day, man has
been trying to return the favor.?
The Fall of man was great indeed, for our rejection of the One True God has
resulted in God?s rejection of us and He has thus allowed us to live out our
lives in an ever accelerating downward spiral; living out our lives with
according to the dictates and imagination of our reprobate minds, doing
those things which are abominable to Him. We are indeed responsible for our
actions and will suffer the just punishment for them. Our nature is
corrupted; we are bondservants to it and love to do its bidding. We love the
darkness and hate the light (Jn. 3:19). There is no good thing within us
(Rom. 3:10-18), and if not for the gracious hand of God restraining each and
every one of us, we would commit those things which even the most heinous of
individuals would consider horrible. The world would be in a state of
complete chaos and we would more than likely annihilate ourselves in a very
short time.
The ?bad news? is that even though men know that their words, thoughts and
deeds are not acceptable even by their own standards, they are incapable of
changing themselves to do that which is right and good. Our condition is
pitiable and hopeless and God is wroth with us because we refuse to do that
which He has commanded and shown to be right and good.
3. God?s Provision of Redemption in Christ
Jesus said, ?I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh to the
Father but by me!? (Jn. 14:6 Now, how is it possible that Jesus can be the
ONLY way to God? Well, if Jesus lived a life that was in perfect conformity
to the law of God, even in its spirit, and was thus sinless, He would
therefore have the right to say this. And this is exactly what the Bible
says about Him! For He ?was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin? (Heb. 4:15). And the Scriptures, long before His birth,
prophesied that He would be the one to come and be the human substitute to
pay the penalty for sin. In that way He could be the ONE WAY men can come to
God. Isaiah wrote that God ?shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be
satisfied; by the knowledge of Him shall (His) righteous servant justify
many; for He shall bear their iniquities? (Is. 53:11).
This is what the death of Christ means. He paid the penalty for sins by
bearing those sins in Himself, so that sinners could be made righteous
(2Cor. 5:21). But if He were but a finite man, how could He then be a
substitute for more than just one man? We then bring forth the glorious
truth that it was God Himself Who came to earth and became man in the one
person Jesus of Nazareth (Jn. 1:14; Phil. 2:6-8, Col. 2:9). Jesus is the
Christ, the Saviour, God with us Who saved His people from their sins.
(Matt. 1:21) Jesus, being the Eternal God was able to be a substitute for
all those Whom He came to save. (Jn. 6:37-39) His death is infinite in its
sufficiency to save all those who come to Him in faith.
That great chasm which exists between the Holy God and sinful man was
removed through His shed blood. (Rom. 5:8-10) In Christ men are brought back
to God, because His righteousness is imputed to their account. And not only
are we brought near unto God but we are made sons and daughters by adoption
through Christ?s work for us. (Gal. 4:4, 5; Heb. 2:10) We can now reign with
Christ, right here on earth and experience God?s love and fellowship in Him.
Further, we are given the power to overcome our sinful natures and live
lives that are pleasing to God; though it be only in principle there is
still a dramatic change which takes place in us (2Cor. 5:17; 2Pet. 1:4).
4. God?s Requirements
This where we bring all that we have said before together. How is this
reconciliation which Christ has accomplished through His death applied to
us? How does a person become cleansed of his sin and receive God?s
forgiveness and the power to lead a new life? The Scriptures are clear that
a person must be born again/born from above. God must initiate a mighty work
in a person. That person?s wicked and evil nature must be changed or he
?cannot enter or even see the kingdom of God? (Jn. 3:3,5). And without this
new birth, that person will never come to Christ (Jn. 6:44,65). We need to
make this fact known. The ability to become born again is not within man?s
ability to accomplish. There is absolutely nothing which we can do to even
initiate this supernatural work within us. Yet, it is absolutely necessary
that it happen.
What then, are we to tell them beyond this truth? Well, the Scripture is
clear, ?Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am
God, and there is none else.? (Isa. 45:22). And again the Scriptures say,
?Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God,
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.? (Acts 20:21). All men everywhere
are to repent and believe on Christ. They are to trust God Who promises to
save all those who come to Him in faith. Jesus said, ?Verily, verily, I say
unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.? (Jn. 6:47). Thus
we have the two requirements; repentance, which is the turning from sin and
the world with all its sinful ways; hating the very sin within us and
desiring those things which God has commanded, to do them out of a heart of
gladness and thankfulness ? and faith, which is a trusting in God?s Christ
and depending upon His work as being done in our place.
The new birth (regeneration) is a sovereign and secret work of God the Holy
Spirit (Jn. 3:3-8). Because all men are born spiritually dead, they need to
be ?made alive?. Resurrecting a corpse requires the power of God to
accomplish. And this is exactly what He does according to His own will and
when He wills. (Eph. 1:4-11; 2:1-10). Salvation is of grace; a gift of God.
This being true, men are therefore totally dependent upon the mercy and
grace of God. However, God has also instructed us in His Word, that in spite
of our total inability to do anything, even to initiate our salvation, we
are responsible to repent and believe upon the Lord Christ. (Acts 2:36, 37;
3:19; 8:22; 17:29-31) The fact is that if anyone has even the slightest
desire to seek after God, it is because the Holy Spirit has done a work in
them. We are not to try and second guess what God is doing, or what He may
or may not do. What we are responsible to do is to repent of our sins and
turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that all who come to Him will be
received warmly. (Matt. 11:27, 28: Jn. 6:37-40)
5. The Consummation and Judgment.
We know that not all those who we talk to about these deep and wonderful
things will be positive in their response to us. Many will openly reject our
words as being foolish and offensive. And this should not surprise us, ?For
the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us
which are saved it is the power of God.? (1Cor 1:18). Let us never forget
that ?Many are called, but few are chosen?. Only those whom God has worked
His marvelous work of the new birth will believe on Christ (Jn. 1:13). And
yet this is our hope and joy, knowing that there is a definite number; a
multitude of people in this world which God has determined to bring into His
kingdom and in His perfect time brings them to faith, using broken vessels,
mere men who faithfully bring the ?Good news? to the nations (1Cor. 1:21).
Therefore it is incumbent upon us to tell the ?rest of the story?! We must
be open and honest with our hearers to tell them of the coming judgment.
There is a price to pay for rejecting God?s Christ, the only way back to
Him. The fact is we are under condemnation even now, if we are outside of
Christ. (Jn. 1:19; 5:24; Rom. 5:18) God?s patience and long-suffering
towards all of us is meant to lead us to repentance. (2Pet. 3:9) But if we
refuse to heed the call, the end will be a dark and fiery day. For there is
coming a day when everyone of us must stand before this Holy God and give an
account for every thought, word and deed. All things will be made known and
displayed for all to see, even the deepest recesses of our hearts will be
uncovered before all. And we will receive the just punishment for these
things which are not in perfect accord with God?s commandments; for they
will not be passed over but be dealt with in strict accordance with His law.
Because our acts are in rebellion against God, who is infinitely Holy, the
punishment must and will be eternal; everlasting torment. There is a place
called Hell, in which will be cast the Devil and all the fallen angels with
him. And all those who refused to trust in Christ will be cast there with
them, for all eternity. (2Pet. 2:4-6; Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15) The One Who
is able and willing to save those who come to Him by faith is the same One
Who will judge all those who refuse to come. For every knee shall bow and
every tongue will confess that Jesus is LORD! (Rom. 14:11; Phil. 2:10).
Jesus IS the Lord of Glory! He is and will be everyone?s Lord; either the
Lord of their salvation or the Lord of their damnation; but either way,
Jesus IS LORD! God has bestowed this honor upon Him (Acts 2:36), and has no
need of us, nor can we make Him Lord. We are required to bow before Him as
LORD.
These headings therefore can be used as a guide in presenting the Gospel to
others. Hopefully they will help give some structure to our speaking the
?truth in love? to those who are lost. Again I would consider them to be
minimal, and a guide. Each person we meet is different and is living in
different circumstances, thus our approach will vary. BUT our message must
be the same. If anything, we will append to this guide, but never diminish
it.
It must also be remembered that the attitude of our hearts is very important
as we seek to bring the gospel into the world to needy sinners. Let us ever
be in prayer as we seek to speak to others. We should speak with a boldness
through brokenness, knowing from whence we came; that we all were at one
time ?children of wrath? even as others.