Six Facts Plainly Revealed in the Gospel

Romans 3:24-26

While the Gospel of Christ is the singular message of all the Holy Scriptures, it is briefly stated, summarized in many passages of Scripture. One of the clearest, brief, inspired summaries of the Gospel is found in Romans 3:24-26. Following the example of Inspiration, let me summarize the Gospel in six, plain, unmistakable statements.

1. All men and women by nature, since the fall of our father Adam, are sinners, alienated from God. — “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). As sinners, we are alienated from the life of God and have become enemies unto God. The wages of our sin and enmity to God is death. Every transgression must receive its just recompense of reward (Hebrews 2:2). All sin must be punished, either in the sinner or in the sinner’s Substitute. — “The soul that sinneth, it shall die!” (Ezekiel 18:2). — But…

2. It is the will of God to save sinners. — “He delighteth in mercy!” God has decreed the salvation of some. Christ came to save some. There are some people in this world who must and shall be saved, because it is the will of God to save them; and God’s will cannot be frustrated (John 10:16). Every chosen sinner (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14), every predestined son (Romans 8:29-30), every heir of the covenant (Ephesians 1:3-7), everyone whose name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from the foundation of the world must be saved (Revelation 13:8). There is no possibility that even one of God’s elect will perish! — However…

3. It is impossible for a holy and just God to save any sinner apart from the satisfaction of His justice (Hebrews 9:22). He declares, “I will by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:7). I know that God is omnipotent, almighty, and sovereign. He does what he will. But God cannot do that which is contrary to His nature. We do not rob God of His sovereignty when we repeat the declaration of Scripture and say, “God cannot lie.” He who is the Truth cannot lie. Neither do we rob God of His sovereignty when we assert this truth of Holy Scripture: — God cannot forgive sin without the satisfaction of justice.

4. The only way the justice of God could ever be satisfied is by the substitutionary sacrifice of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Job 34:23; Romans 3:24-26). God could not die, and man could not satisfy; but the God-man both died and satisfied. Would God almighty slay His darling Son, if there were any other way to save His people? If the salvation of His people could be accomplished by any means other than His death upon the cross, would not God the Father have granted his tormented Son the desire of his soul?

5. It is impossible for God in His holiness to punish any sinner for whose sins justice has been satisfied by the blood of Christ (Isaiah 53:11 Romans 7:14). The law has no claim upon an executed felon! “Payment God cannot twice demand, first at my bleeding Surety’s hand, and then again at mine!”

6. Every sinner who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ has been chosen, redeemed, and called, and must be forever saved. It is written in the Book of God, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). May God the Holy Spirit now enable you by his sovereign grace to trust the Lord Jesus Christ.

Don Fortner

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