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What is it to preach the gospel?
by Don Fortner
"Salvation is, in its entirety, the work of
God's free and sovereign grace in Christ.
Election, redemption, justification, sanctification,
and preservation are all works of grace alone, in no way
conditioned upon the will, works, or worth of the sinner."
What Is it to Preach the Gospel?
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about MAN.
What is the truth about man? "All flesh is grass," -withering,
worthless, insignificant grass (Isa. 40:6-8). All men are fallen,
depraved, helpless, guilty sinners, without the least inclination
or ability to do good, seek God, or know God (Rom. 3:9-18),
dead in trespasses and in sins (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3).
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about GOD.
God is is the eternal, holy, sovereign Monarch of the universe.
It is he who made all things, rules all things, and disposes of all
things (including you and I) as he will. "All things are of God."
Nothing in this universe writhes or wiggles apart from God's
purpose, predestination, providence, and power (Rom. 11:36).
It is this great and glorious Lord God who lifts his hand and says,
"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I will have compassion."
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about the LORD JESUS CHRIST.
The Lord Jesus Christ is God in human flesh, God come to save.
He was called "Jesus" because he is Jehovah our Savior.
He came here on an errand of mercy, with a commission from
God the Father as our covenant Surety to save his people from
their sins (Matt. 1:21; John 10:16-18); and when he left here,
all that he came to do was done! Righteousness was established.
Justice was satisfied. The sins of God's elect, which were
imputed to him, were put away. His people were fully and
forever redeemed, justified, and sanctified by his blood
(Heb. 10:10-14).
To preach the gospel is to tell the truth about SALVATION.
What does it take to save a sinner? It takes a work of God's
sovereign, eternal, electing love and predestination (Eph. 1:3-6).
It takes a work of effectual, blood redemption, the satisfaction of
divine justice by an infinitely meritorious Substitute-- the Lord
Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:24-26). It takes all the work of God's
universal providence (Rom. 8:28-30). It takes the infallible,
irresistible grace and power of God the Holy Spirit in
regeneration and effectual calling, by which chosen, redeemed
sinners are raised from the dead and given faith in Christ (Eph.
1:17-20; Psa. 65:4). It takes a work of immutable grace, preserving
the called ones in life and grace, causing them to persevere
in faith, keeping them unto the end (Phil. 1:6). It takes a work of
resurrection glory, by which these bodies sown in corruption
shall put on incorruption, mortality shall put on immortality, and
God's elect shall enter into that eternal state of bliss called
"the glorious liberty of the sons of God" (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
This salvation, in its entirety, is found in the Lord Jesus Christ
alone (1 Cor. 1:30-31).
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