Jesus is the only way

A. The gospel has been sent out. (14-15)

The previous section ends with the assurance that WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED. (13c)

The obvious question that comes from that statement is: How does it come about that you would CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD?

1. Five steps to salvation

2. Preachers have been sent. (15b)

Isaiah 52:10 NASB95

The Lord has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations, That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.

3. All Christians are to be on mission.

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 NASB95

Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Galatians 2:20 NASB95

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

B. The gospel is often not obeyed. (16-17)

1. Rejection doesn’t change the requirement. (17)

C. You won’t be excused for rejecting the gospel. (18-21)

· In these verses the Bible removes any hope that anyone might have that there’s a loophole in God’s law that gets around the gospel.

1. Israel heard the gospel message. (18)

John 17:3 NASB95

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Deuteronomy 32:21 NASB95

‘They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,

3. God continued to reach out in Israel’s rebellion. (21)