The Gospel

The Gospel is a wonderful message of God’s salvation plan for a fallen world, that in itself holds the power of God for those who believe. Yet the sad fact is that many people, including many professing Christians, fail to comprehend the truth and power of this message that can only truly be received by faith. This blatant ignorance on the part of those who profess to believe is shameful to say the least, and belittles the call of Jesus Christ Himself to all believers;

The good news of the Gospel message is about the revelation of the Righteousness of God to a sinful and fallen world, and how through His Righteousness displayed through amazing Grace and Mercy because of our fallen condition; He reveals His loving plan of eternal Salvation for those who will humble themselves before Him and receive this sacrifice as their redemption. It has little if anything to do with our best life now, or freedom from sickness and poverty, as some would have it today. Nor is it about bizarre spiritual manifestations, and using the Scriptures as some sort of book of incantations, that if confessed boldly enough “in faith”, will get you just about anything your worldly mind can think of.

There truly are benefits beyond recollection for those who believe in Christ Jesus as their Saviour, but these benefits are the fruit of our salvation in Him, not the means by which we are convinced to accept His sacrifice and follow Him. In fact, there is absolutely no part that we can play that cause us to believe in Him, for even our ability to believe in faith is quite literally a gift in the first place.

Many people have been convinced at some point in their lives to “make a decision for Jesus”, in order that they may be saved. This may have been responded to for a whole host of reasons. It may be because of a sense of joy and peace amongst the Christians who met, it may have been out of a desire to be free from addiction or sickness, it may have been out of a desire to find a better way of life that has been longed for, or it may even have been out of a desire to be loved in a way that has never been experienced before. And this decision will most often be cemented through confessing Jesus as Saviour through the “sinners prayer”, and inviting Jesus into your heart.

While this is common practice throughout the Christian church, and though as in my own situation, it must be said that eventually this led me on a path of true salvation in Christ. This decision was never the point at which I received the new life promised in Christ, it was merely a man made tradition that is unfounded in Scripture, that because of my desire to reach out to Him, He came to my rescue. How long I actually spent in a state of limbo because of this doctrine I cannot truly say, but I can testify to many years of highs and lows, one minute being sure of my standing before God, and the next not so sure.

Yes it is true these needs may be met from the grace of God when we call out to Him in faith, but they are not the needs of man that the Gospel message addresses. And should you hear the Gospel message preached as a way to meet those needs, know that it is a false gospel that you are listening to. For the Gospel message is first and foremost the message of man being reconciled to God, and it is only in that place of right standing before a Holy and Righteous God, that any of the needs mentioned even come into the equation.

Whether you are reading this as an unbeliever, or someone who would consider themselves as saved through the blood of Christ, I ask you to consider the following points, for they are crucial in the true discernment of the Gospel message:

1. The whole work and plan of salvation begins and ends with God. There is no such thing as a “seeker”, in the sense that anyone begins searching for Jesus Christ of their own accord Romans 3:11-12, for it is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who was sent to seek and save the lost Luke 19:10, not vice versa. We are all like sheep gone astray with no intention to seek Him Isaiah 53:6, and unless the Father in Heaven rescues us by His own Hand, then we shall remain lost John 6:44.

2.The default state of man is dead in their sin, and only the redeeming work of Christ can make them alive in Him Eph 2:1. We are either alive in Him, or dead without Him. That state of being dead, meaning to be as a “dead man walking” in prison terms, whereby awaiting the penalty of death for a judgement already made against us. Jesus Christ is the only way, and provides the only sacrifice on behalf of man that will accomplish this John 14:6. He is the only One able to take the penalty of God’s righteous judgement against us upon Himself 2 Cor 5:21, for He is God incarnate John 10:30.

3. The only way by which we may be eternally saved from the wrath of Almighty God, is to believe upon the One He sent, and call upon His name, Jesus Christ as our Saviour Rom 10:13. If this is true of us, then we shall enter into a process whereby we die to ourselves, and are raised to new life in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, thus being redeemed, sanctified and justified before God Almighty, and not by any work of our own Rom 6:3-5. Only by first understanding our desperate need to be saved, that produces a desire to repent, or turn away from all that we have relied upon previously and turn towards God, that goes on to produce a willingness to be immersed into His death; will release to us the newness of life He promises 2 Cor 5:17. If we come to Christ on these terms, and only if we come to Christ on these terms, the Bible says this of us:

If you are reading this message and find yourself under the conviction of the Spirit of God for your sin, then know beyond doubt that there is hope for you. It matters not whether you consider yourself the worst of all sinners, or the saintliest of all men, it only matters how the Lord God Almighty considers you. If He considers you truly in Christ, and a new creature washed in His blood, then He will remember your sins no more, and your name will be found in the Lamb’s Book of Life Rev 3:5. If your name is not found in this Book of Life on the Day of Eternal Judgement, then your soul will be cast into the Lake of Fire Rev 20:12-15.

Anyone who considers themselves as worthy to bear the name of Christian, should as the apostle Paul writes;

The eternal state of your soul is not something to be treated lightly, or something to be played around with whilst in search of the latest “spiritual fad”, which is being falsely labelled as the next “move of God”. The eternal state of your soul is the very reason that Christ, God’s own Son, was sent to seek and save that which was lost. It is the very reason He hung and died on a Cross, beaten and bruised, and suffering the Wrath of His own Heavenly Father, on your behalf. How great is the wrath that shall fall upon those who have treated this act of God with contempt Col 3:6-7?

If you are reading this message under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and your soul is crying out within you; “What must I do to be saved!”. Then hear the words of the apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost, when he preached the Gospel message for the first time under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and in response to those who made the same cry;

Whilst for those who have already known this call and responded in faith, then heed the warning of the Holy Spirit upon your life. And from this day onwards make it your conviction to take your faith in Christ seriously.

If your response to Christ is truly in the faith that God has placed within your heart as a gift, His promise is to complete the work He has begun Phil 1:6. You will receive the promise of His Holy Spirit as a guarantee 2 Cor 1:22, who will empower us with the very power of God, and will lead us personally into victory Rom 8:14. What is more, in His infallible Word found in Scripture alone, you will find all the wisdom of God in order to succed in every good work, and fullness of instruction how to live in Him 2 Tim 3:16. Therefore rely solely upon the leading of His Spirit, through the divinity of His Word, as your means by which to live your life of faith, and He will make all grace abound to you to ensure you are able to succeed.

Should you have read thus far, and have the opinion that this message is somehow lacking in love or compassion, I ask that you consider something. The love God desires us to proclaim through the Gospel message, cares little for human self-pity, or whose feelings are hurt by the force of truth that is contained within it. For the very act of God Almighty that is described in the Gospel above, is the most perfect display of love and compassion on display to mankind.

Whilst Christ, Whom by all things were made, was seated in eternal glory, and surrounded by angels worshipping Him in adoration; He chose to leave that place to come to a fallen world. He was willing to humble Himself even to death on behalf of those who despised Him, and willingly nailed Him to the Cross. He suffered death and the wrath of His own Father, for no other reason than we should not have to. Although He was completely without sin, through His death and resurrection, He took our death and sinfulness upon Himself, and in return imputed freely to us, His Life and Righteousness. Ask yourself, has there ever been a greater love than this?

Faithfully yours in Christ,

John Dunning.