His was a mission of substitutionary atonement. The Saviour came to earth to carry out the Father’s will. This Gospel is not something new. It’s not a novelty for it has its roots in the Old Testament. God spoke to the prophets, holy men of old, who communicated His truth to others (II Pet. 1:21). These writers did not give us ideas of their own. They were directed by the Holy Spirit. The law could never save but only could condemn. A provision came through the sacrificial system. This looked forward to the day when God’s perfect Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, would offer Himself. God in His grace, through men, directed writ ings without error that we might have a plenary, inspired account of His acts. The Old Testament records prophetic truths which were fulfilled in the New Testament. This is a record we can trust for it bears on our eternal destiny. This is a wonderful Gospel which we should study. This is more than a way of life, for, in the Lord Jesus, we’re not given merely an example to follow but presented with the only Saviour who can bring us to God. If someone should ask, “What is the Gospel?” how would you answer? Scripturally, I Corinthians 15:3-4 would be excellent. A modern sen tence would capsulize it as the story of man’s complete ruin in sin, and God’s perfect remedy through Christ. The Gospel is not a theory or a set of ethics. It is the means by which we are introduced to the Person of Christ. What men need today is peace with God. This can come only through an encounter with the Lord. Christ came not only to forgive us of sin, mak ing it possible for us to go to heav en, but also to provide joy and sat isfaction during these days of trou ble and turmoil. Have you received the Gospel? If not, do so now by faith. 3
STUDIES m ROMANS
by Dr. Ralph L. Keiper
THE GOSPEL S ome words are used so frequently that we may tend to forget their important meaning. Such a one as “gospel” is a nugget of wonderful grace. This is well defined in I Co rinthians 15:3-4 and in Romans 1:1-7. In the latter reference we find in the first verse “the gospel of God.” Our word “gospel” comes from an old English word, “Godspell”. The Good News really spells out for us God’s love, mercy, goodness, and judgment as well. In Luke 2:10, the world’s most wonderful announcement was given “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.” God, incarnate in the flesh, was to enter the stream of hu manity in the person of Jesus Christ. In the original “good tid ings” is the word “evangel”. An evangelist then is one who declares the good news. It, is God’s Gospel because in His sovereignty He planned man’s re demption (John 3:16). Christ did not come to judge or to blame the world.
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