Proclaiming the Full Gospel

Proclaiming the Full Gospel As Christians, we are to preach the gospel. But what is the gospel? As Pentecostals, we claim to preach the full gospel. What do we mean by the full gospel? Let us begin by looking at Paul's words in Romans 15:18, 19: I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done - by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. The gospel is transformational good news. The word gospel means good news, news of salvation through Jesus Christ. And the gospel brings results. In verse 18, Paul says he was leading people into obedience to God. The first obedience God requires is to believe in His Son, Jesus, for salvation. Once we believe, that faith then produces obedience to God in all things. People are saved from sin and are changed through the gospel, transformational good news. In the next verse, Paul shows that this gospel is empowered by the Holy Spirit. He enables signs and miracles to back our proclamation. And the same Spirit that gives power for miracles then transforms the lives of those who receive the message of the gospel and believe in Jesus. The gospel is Spirit-powered news that transforms lives. The gospel is given to free people from sin. Listen to Romans 5:6-10: You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! God manifests love for the lost in the gospel. We are called powerless, ungodly sinners. We were deservedly under God's wrath. We had made ourselves enemies of God. But the good news is that God provides full salvation from our sin. Jesus died for us, taking our place. In Jesus, we are justified, declared not guilty of sin. Through Jesus, we are saved from God's wrath which He bore for us. Through His death as our substitute, we are reconciled to God, now friends instead of enemies. Then after speaking of the benefits we receive from Christ's death, he adds, "How much more" salvation is ours through His life, His resurrection life. All this is the gospel. So, what do we mean by the full gospel? The full gospel makes four points. Some even call it Four Square. It is four-fold good news with what is commonly referred to as the gospel being the first point. That first point is that we are saved FROM our sins. In Matthew 1:21, the angel tells Joseph: She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Forgiveness is central to any presentation of the gospel. But salvation goes deeper. We are saved not in our sins but from our sins. Sin is to be overcome. We are to be made holy. Jesus came to free us from both our guilt AND from sin's bondage. While none of us are yet faultless, we are to be growing in holiness. We can be victorious. Once we are saved, God has a purpose for us. All of God's people are to share the gospel with others. So, we come to the second point of good news. God does not expect us be witnesses in our own strength. Listen to Jesus in Acts 1:8, just before He returned to heaven: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. God knows our limitations. So, He gives us His power to enable us to be witnesses of Jesus. This power comes as we are filled with the person of the Holy Spirit. The initial filling is an experience distinct from salvation called baptism in the Holy Spirit. It deepens one's relationship with the Spirit. At salvation, the Spirit indwells us to conform us into the likeness of Jesus. When we are baptized in the Spirit, He fills us to empower our witness and service. The third point of the full gospel is that we are delivered from present consequences of sin as well as from eternal punishment. Listen to the prophecy of the work of Jesus given in Isaiah 53:5: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Sickness, disease, and many troubles of life result from the fall of man and sometimes from our own personal sins. Jesus delivers us from our transgressions (acts of sinful rebellion) and from our iniquity (sinfulness flowing from our fallen nature). This brings us peace. The Hebrew word, shalom, means wholeness. This includes spiritual wholeness, relational wholeness with God and others, emotional wholeness within ourselves, and physical wholeness. Because our sins are forgiven, God can justly heal us physically and otherwise. Some healing is immediate. For some we are asked to wait. But we can receive healing by faith and share it with others as good news that there is healing and wholeness in Jesus. The fourth and final point of good news is that Jesus is coming again. Listen to Titus 2:11-14: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing to our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Jesus is God who became man, died for our sins, and rose again in victory. Jesus then ascended to the Father as our advocate and mediator. Soon Jesus is coming back to reign as King and to bring judgement to those who reject Him and rewards to those who live by faith in Him. His promise to return motivates us to grow in Him and to live in holiness with victory over sin. His promise to return motivates us to eagerly seek to please Him by doing good. And His promise to return motivates us to actively live as His witnesses bringing others to Him. His promise gives us hope, a confident expectation of future blessing. This full gospel is totally Christ-centered. First, Jesus is our Savior, giving us freedom from sin. Second, Jesus is our Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, giving us power to serve. Third, Jesus is our Healer, giving us wholeness. And fourth, Jesus is our coming King, giving us hope. Let us respond to the full gospel. Worship Jesus as our Savior, our Baptizer, our Healer, and our coming King. Receive Jesus as your Savior, your Baptizer, your Healer, and your coming King. Proclaim Jesus as the Savior, the Baptizer, the Healer, and the coming King. We all need all the full gospel. But at any given time, we may especially need one point. Which speaks to your immediate need: Savior, Baptizer, Healer, or Coming King? Call on Jesus for what you need today. Let us pray.