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Obey The Gospel - Romans 1:16
Obey The Gospel - Romans 1:16
Gospel: its basic meaning is ‘good news’. In particular it is the good news concerning the bad news! The bad news is that all have sinned, and because of such sin, each sinner is facing the wrath of God – and there is nothing that the individual can do to avoid this. The Good News is that God has provided the way of forgiveness and thus we can, through Jesus, be saved from this experience of wrath.
The gospel basics as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: “ 1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”.
God has REVEALED the nature and substance of this good news to mankind: “16 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” (Romans 1:16).
Jesus, having prepared the apostles for this commission; sent them out saying: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
Men, upon hearing this good news, are to respond in obedience to it. We see both Paul and Peter warning about those who do NOT obey the gospel. Paul writes that God will “… give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Peter wrote that “… if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:16-17). Indeed, what will happen to them? They will experience the wrath of God because of their sins.
Obey the gospel? Are there commands that come with the gospel? Yes. These commands are those that pertain to our forgiveness. 1) We must trust in Jesus – John 8:24; Mark 16:16, etc. Without such faith, we cannot please God. 2) we must repent of our sins – Luke 24:44-45; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30; 2 Pet. 3:21. 3) we must confess such faith in Jesus – Rom. 10:9-10, Matt. 10:32-33. 4) we must be baptized in the name of Jesus unto the forgiveness of sins – Acts 2:38; 22:16; 10:38.
Have you obeyed the gospel of Christ or are you facing the wrath of God that awaits the day of judgment?
Hugh DeLong
