Eternal election is the work of God the Father in salvation. The particular, effectual redemption of the elect, is the work of God the Son in salvation. And effectual calling, or irresistible grace, is the work of God the Holy Spirit in salvation. Sinners cannot be saved without the Father's sovereign election, the Son's blood redemption, and the Spirit's effectual call. Every chosen sinner was redeemed at Calvary. Every chosen, redeemed sinner shall be called by the Spirit. And every chosen, redeemed, called sinner comes to Christ in faith and has eternal life. There is no possibility that any sinner can be chosen by God the Father, redeemed by God the Son, and called by God the Holy Spirit, and yet perish in hell at last! To teach such nonsense is blasphemy! Such blasphemy exalts Satan above God, the free-will of man above the omnipotence of God, and makes the triune God an utter failure in his purpose, work, and grace. It cannot be embraced or tolerated by anyone who knows God.
I have shown you repeatedly that no one is saved apart from the effectual call of God the Holy Spirit. We rejoice to sing with the inspired psalmist, "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee!"
I have also shown you repeatedly that no one is ever saved in this gospel age apart from the preaching of the gospel. Do not let the hard shells and hyper-calvinists deceive you in this matter. The issue is not whether or not God can save his people without the use of means. The issue is whether or not he will. We know that he will not because he has revealed it plainly in his Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It pleased God to save his elect by the foolishness of gospel preaching. All who are begotten of God are begotten of him by the gospel. All who are born again are born again by the incorruptible seed of God's Word, which is preached to them by the gospel. These things are so plainly revealed in Holy Scripture that there is no excuse for error regarding them (Rom. 10:17; 1 Cor. 1:21; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23-25). Those who teach that God saves sinners apart from the preaching of the gospel fly in the face of Holy Scripture. It is therefore no surprise to see them favor emotionalism, experiences, dreams, custom, and religious tradition above the Word of God.
Proposition: The preaching of the gospel is God's chosen, ordained means of grace, by which he calls chosen, redeemed sinners to life and faith in Christ by the irresistible power and grace of his Holy Spirit.
Divisions: If the preaching of the gospel is, as the New Testament universally declares that it is, then no questions can possibly be more important and pressing than the three I want to answer in this message.
I want you to open your Bibles tonight to Romans chapter one, and just hold them open on your laps as I show you the answers to these three questions from the Word of God.
I. WHO PREACHES THE GOSPEL?We cannot do better, when we look for an example of a gospel preacher, than the Apostle Paul. Look at verse one, and see how this inspired man describes himself and thus describes all who truly preach the gospel.
Romans 1:1 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God."
A. "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ" – That man who truly preaches the gospel, that man who always preaches the gospel, that man who preaches the whole gospel and that exclusively is A SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST.
Gospel preachers are the willing, voluntary bond-slaves of the Son of God. Notice how Paul describes himself. It is not, Rev. Paul, Dr. Paul, Father Paul, or Pope Paul, but "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ." This man counted it his highest honor to be a servant of Christ, not the servant, but a servant. He was just one servant among man; but he was a servant.
B. "Called to be and apostle (messenger)" – Gospel preachers are called and gifted of God to be his messengers, MEN SENT WITH HIS MESSAGE.A gospel preacher is a man with a message, a message from God, a message burning in his soul, which he must deliver. He is a man with a messianic call, a messianic purpose, and a messianic mandate.
Note: If you ever run across a man with a mandate from God, or a man who even thinks he has a mandate from God, you will not have to wonder about it. You will know it. He will fit no mold, bow to no pressure, surrender no ground, make no compromise. Why should he? He is has a mandate from God! That makes him utterly uncontrollable by anyone, except God who sent him.
Look at verse one again. I will tell you something else about that man who truly preaches the gospel. He is a servant of Jesus Christ, a divinely called messenger of Jesus Christ, and he is…
C. "Separated unto the gospel" – God's servants, true gospel preachers are men who are SEPARATED UNTO THE GOSPEL.I could spend a good bit of time here. A good bit of time needs to be spent here. God's servants do not take this business of being God's servants lightly. They are men separated unto the gospel.
That man who preaches the gospel of Christ is like Abraham's servant, who was sent to get a bride for his son Isaac. He will not be distracted from his work by either pleasure or pressure.
Romans 1:9-17 "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 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. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
Who preaches the gospel? Those men who are servants of Jesus Christ and called messengers of God almighty, men who are separated unto the gospel of God.
If you will look at Romans one again, in verses 1-6, you will see the answer to this second question…
II. WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?There are many other texts of Scripture which could be used to show the answer to this question; but for our purposes tonight, and for the sake of brevity, let's stay with Romans one.
Romans 1:1-6 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, ) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ."
In these six verses of Scripture the Holy Spirit has given us five distinct, identifying characteristics of the gospel. Mark them carefully. Learn what they mean. Any gospel which fails to measure up to this standard is a false gospel and those who preach it are false prophets.
A. The Gospel we believe and preach, the gospel of Holy Scripture, the only true Gospel is here described as "THE GOSPEL OF GOD".
There are not many gospels, but one, and that one gospel is "the gospel' which is "of God".
B. That gospel which is of God is that "WHICH HE HAD PROMISED AFORE BY HIS PROPHETS IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES".
The gospel revealed in the New Testament is the gospel promised, portrayed, and typified in the Old Testament. As I said a moment ago, there is only one gospel, not two. God did not save sinners by works in the Old Testament. He saved them by grace, just like he does today.
Noah was saved by grace, not by works. The Scriptures do not say that God found grace in the eyes of Noah, but that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Enoch walked with God just like we do, by faith in Christ. Abraham was saved the same way we are. He believed God, he believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
C. That Gospel which is of God and according to the Scriptures, promised in the prophets of the Old Testament, is CONCERNING GOD"S SON, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
The gospel is good news about a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not a set of doctrines, a proposition, or an offer. It is the blessed good news of the Person, work, and accomplishments of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look at this description of Christ, given by God the Holy Spirit.
1. He is the Son of God, God the Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity (1 John 5:7).
2. He Jesus, our Savior, Deliverer, and Redeemer (Matt. 1:21).
3. He is the Christ, Jehovah's Servant, his Elect, the Messiah, that One of whom it is written, "He shall not fail!"
4. He who is God our Savior is our Lord, the sovereign Monarch of the universe (John 17:2; Rom. 14:9).
5. He of whom the Gospel speaks is God the eternal Son who was "made of the seed of David, according to the flesh".
He was "made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law". Being made a man, he was made a man according to the direct, royal line of King David, to sit upon his throne forever.
6. Then, after he had satisfied the law and justice of God for the sins of his people, which were imputed to him, by his death upon the cursed tree, our great Substitute was manifestly and indisputably "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead".
7. It is this great God and Savior revealed in the gospel by whom we have received grace, faith, and obedience (v.5).
Here is a litmus test by which we must judge all religion, all doctrine, and all preaching. If it exalts the Lord Jesus Christ and the free grace of God in him, it is according to the gospel of God. If it exalts man, his will, his works, or his religious deeds, it is of the devil, the father of lies, the flatterer and deceiver of men's souls.
E. And it is by this gospel, the glorious gospel of the all glorious Christ, that we who believe are "THE CALLED OF JESUS CHRIST".
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 "But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Now, let me answer one more question, and I am done. This is a question I have been asked many, many times by preachers and others. It may be that some of you are yet confused about it. Here is the question…
III. WHAT IS IT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL?Let me give you five answers to that question. I got these from Bro. Henry Mahan a long, long time ago. I know of no better answer to this very important question than this.
A. What is it to preach the gospel? It is to simply declare it.God never called a preacher to defend the gospel, apologize for the gospel, explain the gospel, or adorn the gospel. It is my job simply to declare the gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
B. What is it to preach the gospel? To preach the gospel is to simply declare it, and to declare it as God's message.
Our gospel is the gospel of God, not the gospel of the Reformers, the gospel of the Puritans, the gospel of the Calvinists, or even the gospel of the Baptists. That which I have preached to you tonight is God's message.
If the message I preach to you is just my message, then you may hear it or not hear it without consequence. But if the message I have delivered to your soul is God's message, then you must hear and heed it, or suffer the consequences of ignoring and disobeying God.
C. What is it to preach the gospel? To preach the gospel is to declare it as God's message for everyone.
We do not have one message for the lost and another for the saved. We do not have one message for children and another for adults. We do not have one message for one group and another for another group. Our message, the gospel of God is a message for everyone. Our message is always the same…
Note: The minute we start to specialize we compromise. If you try to make the gospel special for one group of people, you have to make it palatable to that group; and you cannot make the gospel palatable to sinners without compromising it.
D. What is it to preach the gospel? If I would preach the gospel of the grace of God, I have to preach it as my message.
Romans 2:16 "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."
Romans 16:25 "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began."
2 Timothy 2:8 "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel."
I am not standing here talking to you about abstract religious, theological principles which I have learned from a book. I am preaching the message of God which has been inscribed upon my heart by the finger of God with fire and burned into my soul as with a branding iron by the Word of God in the hands of God the Holy Spirit.
E. What is it to preach the gospel? To preach the gospel is to declare it with a genuine desire that all who hear may believe.
Those who preach the gospel indifferently do not preach the gospel. They only go through the motions of preaching. God's servants do not preach with indifference, but with passion, as dying men to dying men.
Every time I preach, I pray that God the Holy Spirit will enable me to preach the gospel to you as if I had just learned it today, as if you had never heard it before, as if you were sure never to hear it again, and as if I were certain that I would never preach it again. I pray for grace to preach with fire from heaven in my soul, because my prayer and heart's desire to God for you is that you may be saved. And I know that if God is pleased to save you, it will be by my gospel. If he calls you from death to life, if he calls you to Christ, it will be by the gospel which I preach to you in his dear name. Come, O Spirit of God, come. Call sinners to Christ by the gospel, for the glory of God. AMEN.
Application:
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