What is the Gospel anyway? Why do we need it?
Where is its power? How can it affect our lives?
Is water baptism essential to the Gospel?
How do we obey it and benefit from it?

THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL

“It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (The apostle Paul, 1 Timothy 1:15).

I Tim. 1:15
As your attention is directed to this great, pregnant passage and it is examined carefully you will see that it contains, as it were, the Gospel in a nutshell. By the time Paul wrote this letter from his prison cell in Rome to Timothy his own son in the faith, in about AD 65, the good news that Jesus Christ had come into the world and that to save sinners had become, as the passage says a ...

· “Faithful saying”
That is, it is a dependable doctrine - one you can absolutely rely on - sure and steadfast. “The Gospel” is “God’s (only) power to save” and, dear friend, it is your “one” and only “hope.” (Rom.1:16; Jn. 14:6). Without Christ we face a dark and dismal situation: We have “...no hope and are without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12)

· “Worthy of all acceptance”
The Gospel is for “all” acceptance. That is, total and complete acceptance. And Jesus died for “all.” The rich and the poor of all races. Mk.16:15; Heb.2:9; Mt. 28:19. The Bible says “For you are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek...slave nor free... male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:26-29).

A long time ago God promised that through the “seed” of Abraham One would come to bless the whole world (Gen. 12:3). In the book of Galatians we learn that the promised “seed” was “Christ.” (Gal. 3:16).

· And, it is “Worthy of all acceptance”
It is not a cheap, hollow, empty, meaningless message; as is Humanism, Secularism, Materialism, etc., all God-less ideologies. Rather the Gospel comes to us from the sinless, stainless, spotless, Spirit-filled Son of God, “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15; Jn. 8:46). Therefore with the apostle Paul each one of us can say “...I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ...” (Rom.1:16).

There are a lot of cheap gospels out there today. Jesus told us to “beware of false prophets” and of “false Christs” (Mt. 7:21-23; 24:24; Gal. 1:6-10). And there are many lofty sounding yet terribly hollow and lacking-in-substance messages of puny man’s “wisdom” - that will get us nowhere! As Paul penned it to the Corinthians:
“ The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ “Where is the wise” Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.”

The Gospel of Christ is simple yet sublime. It is pure and unadulterated. It is powerful. “The gospel of Christ is God’s power to salvation” (Rom. 1:16). It is persuasive and penetrating. When people hear it they are moved by it one way or another, either to accept it and be better for it, or to reject it and be the worse off (Acts 2:37; 7:54). And the precious gospel is so elevating! It lifts us up and causes us to “seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:14). It is God’s “Good News” of Salvation!

Yes, it is “narrow.” “Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it,” said Jesus Himself (Mt. 7:13-14). And it is complete and final. It gives us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3; 2 Jn. 9). God is its author: “All Scripture is inspired of God” and Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation”(2 Tim. 3:16-17; Heb. 5:8-9). Therefore Paul said “And I...did not come with excellence of speech or wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:1-2). Nor should we “come” with anything more or less today. “If any one speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11).

· It is a Message “Worthy of ... Acceptance.”
The precious gospel is a gift of God’s un-merited favor/grace/mercy/lovingkindness.
“ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (for by grace have you been saved) ....For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:5-8).

But God’s gift must be accepted/received by obedient “faith.” Jesus is “...the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9). In the Great Commission Jesus put it this way: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk.16:16). In baptism the penitent-believer is put “into Christ” (Rom. 6:3-4).

On the very first occasion of the Gospel being preached after the Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus, people were told to “repent and be baptized (immersed in water) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:37-38). And “that day” some 3000 who “gladly received his word were baptized” (Acts 2:41). It is to be responded to “Now” - in this life (2 Cor. 6:2; 5:10-11). “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth” (Eccl. 12:1).

· “That Jesus Christ Came Into The World.”
This tells us that Jesus had Pre-existence.
“ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (Jn. 1:1-3; 8:56). This “Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14).“Christ came into the world.”

The blessed incarnation! No human father - God was His Special Father. “God was manifested in the flesh” (1Tim.3:16). The marvelous wonder of it all!

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His other Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS” (Mt.1:18-25).

· That He “Came Into The World.”
He came into the world in the sense that he came to this old earth, the very footstool of Deity, of which He “created” and walked upon its crust.
He came into the world in the sense that He came to the people of the earth. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...” (Jn.3:16) He came for you.

· “To Save Sinners”
Dear friends, yes, Jesus loves even you. Not your sins, but you; and He wants you to recognize that He loves you and that he wants to “save” you. He does not condemn you; you are self-condemned by your own sins (Jn. 3:17). So He lovingly calls and draws you to Him by means of the Cross.
“ And I, if I am lifted up from the earth (on the Cross), I will draw all peoples to Myself.” “...everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (Jn.12:32; 6:44-45; Mt. 11:28-39).

“ O, the love that drew salvation’s plan! O, the grace that brought it down to man! O, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary!” What God did for us! What Jesus went through! We scarce can take it in! What God did for us filthy sinners...on our behalf. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21); “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of the God” (Heb. 10:12).

Indeed, every one of us have sinned (Rom.3:23; 1 Jn. 3:4). From the time that our first parents sinned “all” since have sinned - by our own committed sins in one way or another (Isa.59:1-2; Rom. 5:12; Ezek 18:20). Maybe not by being a terrorist, a murderer, a rapist, etc., but still you have sinned in some way and stand guilty before the bar of Judgment.
Sin separates us from the Loving Father. “The wages of sin is death (spiritual death...separation from God)” - Rom.6:23; Isa. 59:1-2.

But “thanks be unto God” that we can be moved....our hearts can be touched and melted by the love of God through the gift of Jesus and His great suffering and we are made to cry out “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37; 9:6).

It is “Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (means of God’s mercy ) for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:9-10). “In Him we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). “...the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom.6:23). Through Jesus Christ “though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).

And now, after we have responded to the Gospel we all can say with Paul “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal.2:20); And “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 2:10). Yes, the gospel power is such that it frees us from sin and it is able to keep us from falling (1 Pet. 1:3-5). Just what we need (Rom.7:24-25).

· “Of Whom I am Chief”
The humble apostle Paul appends to this great verse “of whom I am chief.” But this is really no mere after-thought of Paul. He really meant it! He put emphasis on it! He felt just sick that he had denied His Lord and had persecuted those who belonged to Him...those who stood with Jesus.

Though he knew he was totally forgiven and completely saved by the blood of Jesus at the time of his compliance with the gospel - doing as he was told to “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16), he couldn’t help but remember his awful past life as a persecutor of the church, as the following references show (1 Tim. 1:12-16; Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-2).

And when we realize our sins committed are against God (2 Sam. 11:13) and truly appreciate “from the heart” His love toward us, we will all have this same attitude. We will say, “No Paul I am...I am the chief...the foremost....the worst of sinners.” It’s me God! “I’m the one!” “I’m the one who shouted crucify; I’m the one who made His cross so high; I’m the one who stood and watched Him die. What have I done, I’m the one.”

Conclusion
· Dear friend what about you? Where do you stand before your Maker?
· Is the precious message tugging at your heart? What condition are you in at this hour?
· Is your life right with God? Is your heart open to His bidding?
· Are you willing to deny yourself, to turn in true repentance from every sin, confess His wonderful name before witnesses and before our loving, Almighty God, and “be baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” ? (Acts 2:38; Mk.16:16).
Then come and obey your Savior; Surrender your life to Jesus; Give your heart to
Him and serve Him with the redeemed in His body, His church the rest of your days.
Then on the resurrection morning you will hear the most pleasant words ever spoken...and that by the Son of God Himself, “Well done, good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of your Lord” (Mt. 25: 21). He is The Savior now (Acts 5:31); He is The Christian’s only Mediator now (1 Tim.2:5); One day He will be our Judge (Acts 10:42). Respond to Him as your Savior now while you have the time and opportunity. “Why do you wait dear sinner? Why do you linger so long? Your Savior is waiting to give you a place in His sanctified throng.”

· Finally - These Fitting Verses From Paul and Jesus:
First from Paul:
“ Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand. by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you - unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-3)

This great text has been referred to as giving us the core gospel. There is no doubt that what Paul “received” and then “delivered” to the Corinthians “first of all” was because it is central to the saving gospel. But like an apple that has its essential core and then has the flesh which we eat...the good part, the “core” gospel needs, as W.E. Vine in his expository of New Testament words says, “interpretation.” The gospel needs application....it needs to be responded to in obedient faith. And when we do so we are into the good part insofar as the gospel benefiting us.

Now From Jesus:
“ Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

This is The Great Commission of Jesus Christ the Son of God as given by the gospel evangelist Mark.

Dear friends, by believing in Jesus Christ with all the heart, confessing Him as the risen Lord, and being baptized into Him upon the repentance of your sins, Jesus says you will be SAVED! Now that’s GOOD! Mighty Good!

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