1255. The Gospel of God

The Gospel of God

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an Apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God" (Rom_1:1).

What a wonderful expression–"The Gospel of God!" How full of meaning! How rich in boundless grace! Gospel means "good news." The Gospel of God is "good news" from God. There are those, and they number multitudes, who think of the Gospel only in connection with Jesus Christ. They vainly imagine that God neither loves the sinner, nor cares for his redemption.

The truth is, that God the Father originated the plan of salvation, and promised it aforetime through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures. He it was Who "so loved the world that He gave." He it is Who commendeth His love unto us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

It was God Who sent Christ into the world; it was God Who laid upon Him the iniquity of us all; it was God Who made His soul an offering for sin.

The Gospel of our salvation is distinctly the Gospel of God, but it is concerning His Son, Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

No wonder that the Apostle Paul says: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel." Why should he be? Not alone because of what the Gospel does, but also because of its source.

Let us never again isolate God from the purpose and plan of our salvation. Let us never think of God as a God Who must be appeased and quieted from wrath before He ever desires to receive a sinner.

Of course, we know that man's only approach to God is in the Cross, and that God's only approach to man is in the Cross. However, it was God Who sought out and prepared that way of approach.

God is holy and just and cannot overlook sin in a sinner, but God, in mercy and grace, has given us a Gospel whereby He can get to the sinner and the sinner can get to God.

What a wonderful picture of this Gospel of grace is found in Eph_2:1, Eph_2:4 : "You hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." "But God Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us."

Man was lost BUT GOD Who is rich in mercy, love and grace quickened him, raised him up and made him to sit with Him in Heavenly places. Thank God, for the Gospel of God!

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR