The Gospel: An Introduction and Refresher
Romans • Sermon • Submitted
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
This Presentation of the Gospel Teaches Two Things About God:
This Presentation of the Gospel Teaches Two Things About God:
1. The Power of God
2. The Righteousness of God
Before we look at the power and righteousness of God, let’s take a minute and see what else this passage reveals about the Gospel.
We See Four Additional Concepts That This Presentation of The Gospel Clarifies:
1. The unrighteous WILL be saved by God and be made righteous (imputation)
2. The righteous WILL know God
3. The righteous WILL encourage others to know God
4. The righteous WILL live by faith in God
Today, our exclusive focus is what the Gospel teaches us about God and its effect upon us.
Main Point: THE GOSPEL DOES WHAT WE COULD NOT AND CANNOT DO—it shows us God’s nature and work!
Main Point: THE GOSPEL DOES WHAT WE COULD NOT AND CANNOT DO—it shows us God’s nature and work!
The Two Things the Gospel Does:
1. Intimately Reveal God to Us
2. Dynamically Change Us
What is our NORMAL (worldly) approach to Life?
1. Work at Being a Better You (Pride)
2. Work at Being Affirmed by Others (Idolatry of People)
3. Work at Enjoying Physical Things Within Life (Idolatry of Things)
4. Work at Being Approved of By God (Religion)
The Gospel is Good News Because it Frees us From Normality!
The Gospel is the “Good News” that God solved a seemingly insurmountable problem!
The Gospel is the “Good News” that God solved a seemingly insurmountable problem!
Aspects of “good news” that are implied:
1. It implies a need:
2. It implies an actual event or completed action:
3. It implies a desire to hear:
4. It implies a messenger:
While it would be helpful to look at each of these implied areas, we really have time to look at only two:
1. Our need for the good news:
2. The event the news explains:
Our Need of the Gospel:
Our Need of the Gospel:
The categories of our need:
1. We Have a Physical Need = We are going to die
2. We Have Spiritual Need = We are separated from God
Summary: We know that we are destined to die physically, and we assume (from the Bible) that we are destined to suffer eternally for our sin! Thus, we have two great needs:
1. We need help to live presently
2. We need relief/deliverance from our future (hell)
The Problem Introduced:
How can a good God not punish a wicked people both temporally and eternally?
The pride that is inherent within ALL of humanity asks this question:
“How can a good God allow evil?”
· However, this question assumes far too much:
o It assumes that we have the ability to ask and answer this question (who can know the mind of God)
o It assumes we have the ability to properly assess morality and the complete nature of the universe.
o It assumes God is not in control, or that He is incompetent.
o IT ASSUMES GOD TO BE THE PROBLEM AND NOT HUMANITY!!!
§ It assumes our ability to choose is immoral
§ It assumes God acted in evil to allow His creation the opportunity and ability to rebel
§ It assumes that our challenge of God is of little to no consequence
The Better question:
“Why has God not destroyed me for evil I commit, and will He eventually punish me?”
· This assumes I am to blame for my actions
· This assumes I am infracting upon the Lord’s lawful reign
· This assumes the righteousness of God remains intact
· This assumes the proper response to evil is punishment—meaning, though evil is present, the propriety of God remains intact (it is we that are improper)
Outline of the Problem God Had to Work Through:
1. God’s righteousness demands that he punish ALL sin (sinners)
2. God’s love compels Him to rescue sinners from the consequences of sin
3. The fact that all sinned () implies three things:
a. All of humanity MUST experience the wrath of God
b. No redeemer can arise from within humanity that originates from Adam’s bloodline.
c. The only available redeemer is an absolutely perfect/sinless being—this being is God ALONE!
The act of reconciling these three problem areas is the message that is classified as “good news” (the Gospel)
The Message of the Gospel:
The Message of the Gospel:
“Good news” is not a theoretical piece of information, but an announcement rooted in the concrete nature of an actual event or action!
1. In the case of the Christian Gospel, the Good News is that God perfectly reconciled His Righteousness and His Mercy in an event located within the space-time of humanity.
2. The “Action” that comprises basis of the Gospel (Good News) is multifaceted:
o The Incarnation:
o The Perfect Humble Life in Submission to God ()
o The Sacrifice and Substitutionary Death
o The Burial and Resurrection
o The Gift of the Holy Spirit and Our Regeneration
o The Promise of a Future Perfect Union with Christ
We understand the “action” through the following summary:
1. God Judged Sin on Jesus
2. God Saved/Redeemed His People through Jesus
“The power of God of which Paul writes is not aimless but directed to salvation. It issues in salvation. This is the general term of which justification, redemption, and the like are particular aspects.”[2]
First, in order for the Gospel to have any inherent value, God had to maintain His righteousness!
First, in order for the Gospel to have any inherent value, God had to maintain His righteousness!
Think about this:
1. Sin must be punished by God or God is evil because He tolerates, condones, or promotes evil.
2. Sin must be punished by God or God is unloving for not protecting and avenging those who’ve been harmed by sin!
3. Sin must be punished by God or God is unjust and does not keep His law/standards
4. Sin must be punished by God or God is not GOD! (a failure to judge sin negates several of God’s attributes)
a. Omnipotence
b. Integrity
c. Purity
d. Sovereignty
e. Righteousness
Where sin is forgiven of one person, another person must bear its penalty for to maintain the integrity and justice of God!
1. Sin can NEVER get a free pass!
2. Sin can NEVER be ignored!
3. Sin can NEVER be condoned!
4. Sin can NEVER be promoted!
5. SOMEONE MUST PAY THE PENALTY OF SIN!!!
The Reason the Gospel is such Good News is because our God is still perfectly intact—if the nature of God had succumb to change in the face of our sin (or His attempt to correct it), we would have no hope in God!
Second, in order for the Gospel to have any inherent value for us, God had to rescue us from our present and future dire states!
Second, in order for the Gospel to have any inherent value for us, God had to rescue us from our present and future dire states!
The fact God punishes Sin is not good news to us—it is terrifying!
1. The day when God punishes sin is referred to as “The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord” within the Bible ().
2. The fact that God sees all, knows all, and will reveal all terrifies me—my sin will be exposed.
3. The fact that sinning against an eternal, perfect, and Most-High King demands a punishment that fits the crime terrifies me—the penalty for sin is eternal!
The fact God forgives us is VERY good news to us and for us!
1. Instead of an expectation of judgment, we have a promise of life!
2. Instead of fear, we have boldness!
3. Instead of isolation, we have acceptance
4. Instead of conflict, we have peace
5. Instead of separation, we have a place in His family
6. Instead of helplessness, we have an abundance of power in His Spirit
It is the message of the gospel—empowered by the Spirit—that has ALWAYS brought about transformation because it is rooted in the nature, work, and power of God—not mankind!
It is the message of the gospel—empowered by the Spirit—that has ALWAYS brought about transformation because it is rooted in the nature, work, and power of God—not mankind!
1. What the Gospel does not say:
a. The gospel does not tell me to try harder
b. The gospel does not tell me to earn God’s affection
c. The gospel does not tell me to cease sinning in order to be saved
d. The gospel does not invite me to assist God in procuring my deliverance
2. What the Gospel says: THE GOSPEL TELLS ME WHAT GOD DID FOR ME!
a. The gospel tells me that God loves me
b. The gospel tells me that God forgives me because He JUDGED previously on Jesus Christ!
c. The gospel tells me that God invites me into His presence and fellowship
To wrap it all up and conclude…
The Gospel is not an invitation into a theoretical “nothingness”, but an invitation into a real state of “being” because of what Jesus became for me!
The Gospel is not an invitation into a theoretical “nothingness”, but an invitation into a real state of “being” because of what Jesus became for me!
1. Jesus—the eternal God—became the Lamb of God that took away the sin of the world
2. When we approach Christ, by the invitation of Christ, we are born again in Christ!
3. We are born again and saved from God’s wrath in order to walk in His mercy because His wrath is completely satiated in the death of Christ!
4. We are empowered by His Spirit so we can live in perpetual fellowship with Him!
How? How do we get this?
1. In faith, we ask God for what He promises to give us
2. In faith, we seek to know and enjoy the Lord
3. In faith, we seek to invite others and fellowship with them as we seek the Lord
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
[2] Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1988), 67.