"I Am Not Ashamed Of The Gospel Of
Christ"
Romans 1:16
There were
many in Paul's day, as in ours, who were ashamed of the gospel of Christ,
though they claimed to preach it and defend it.
WHO IS ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL? Those who
hide it and conceal it from men - Those who have the ability and opportunity to
preach it, but choose not to do so - All who preach, but do not preach the
gospel - All who preach the gospel in part, but refuse to preach it in its
fulness - Those who acknowledge in private what they refuse to preach in public
- Those who use ambigu- ous words and phrases,being careful not to offend their
hearers with the truth of God - In a word, any man who seeks to please men in
his preaching,who molds his mes- sage to win the approval and applause of his
hearers, refusing to bear the reproach of Christ, for whatever reason, is
ashamed of the gospel. And any preacher who is ashamed of the gospel is a false
prophet.
GOD'S SERVANTS ARE NOT ASHAMED OF THE
GOSPEL. They glory in it! God's servants faithfully preach electing love,
effectual redemption and sovereign grace openly, publicly and boldly, in the
face of opposition, without regard for their personal interests.
AND THE GOSPEL WE PREACH IS THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST. It is the gospel Christ preached when he was in the world. It is the
gospel we have learned of him. And it is the gospel of which the Lord Jesus
Christ is the sum and substance. There is no other gospel! The gospel is a
declaration of CHRIST'S GLORIOUS PERSON. He is the almighty God, who cannot
fail. And he is a man. Christ is the God-man who came to save his people from
their sins. The gospel is a proclamation of REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED. Christ
Jesus, by the shedding of his blood has put away the sins of his people. Not one
of those sinners for whom he died can, by any possibility be lost. The gospel
is the announcement of CHRIST'S SAVING POWER. He is able to save to the
uttermost all who come to God by him. And all whom he came to save he will
bring to God. The gospel is the revelation of CHRIST'S EXALTATION AND GLORY.
The Son of God, our Savior, rules the universe in total sovereignty, so that he
might give eternal life to all his elect, redeemed people. He cannot fail! The
Christ we trust, the Christ we worship, the Christ we preach is a sovereign,
successful, saving Substitute.
Don Fortner