27/12/2019
COPIED FROM FACEBOOK POST OF Onayinka Olusegun.
What are you doing with The gospel of christ (1)
I once asked a fellow believer the above question,and he was taken aback after he answered by saying " am enjoying it " and I said " it's not for enjoyement or aquisition of information but for sharing
Proverbs 25:25 KJV
[25] As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.
The term gospel means good news that is told not found out or searched for
The term implies a Message and a messenger .
It's the message of salvation
Mark 16:15-16 KJV
[15] And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Romans 1:16 KJV
[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.
It's not a message of asking unbelievers to confess their sins or to condemn them
If it's the gospel of christ at all,there will be no condemnation for sins ,only for unbelief
John 3:17-18 KJV
[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
It's the message of reconciliation .
God seeking peace with sinners not the other way round
Luke 19:10 KJV
[10] For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
He is( was ) the one seeking
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 KJV
[18] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
This is very critical as we shall dwell later on this fundamental fact ,we don't ask sinners to come we seek for them ,just like God in Christ
It's a message of unconditional forgiveness of sins
Luke 7:48 KJV
[48] And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
By faith anyone receives forgiveness of sins by the gospel
Luke 24:47 KJV
[47] And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Remission means to take away .
Exactly what Jesus did
John 1:29 KJV
[29] The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
1 John 2:2 KJV
[2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
We must never preach the gospel with creeds or some legalistic requirements
Acts 10:42-43 KJV
[42] And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
[43] To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
We are COMMANDED to preach this unconditional forgiveness of sins .
Acts 26:18 KJV
[18] To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
They only recieve !
They aren't to pray for salvation or confess sins or ask God to accept them .
It's a receiving .
It's a message of Faith
Romans 10:8 KJV
[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
It's not to ask for penance or change of ways .
It is for believing
It's a message of grace
Acts 20:24 KJV
[24] But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
It means it's freely given and freely recieved
Romans 8:32 KJV
[32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
That said
What are we to do with it ?
Haven recieved it we automatically become its ambassadors
It's messengers
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 KJV
[18] ... and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19] ... and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Many have not recieved this ministry even though it has been given to and committed to them
This message has to be told or it loses its vibrancy and flavor .
It's an aroma
2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV
[14] Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Savour here means fragrance .
It must be spread .
It can't be smelled whilst in your bible ,notes ,MP3 or even your mind !
No one gets to notice the fragrance of a perfume while it's still in the bottle .ied forA
