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The Gospel
God's Word
Hebrews 4:12-13; Psalm 19:7-11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Devotional Thought
Major Michael Harris
Area Commander
Greenville, South Carolina
As a child growing up in the UK, a phrase we often used to describe something as true was to say it was “gospel”. “I’m telling you the gospel truth”. The natural implication is that the “gospel” is an exceptionally credible source of truth. The saying is used to refer to something as true as the biblical gospel, which is to be taken as absolutely and undeniably true.
While the credibility of the Scriptures, like most things in our increasingly skeptical world, continues to be questioned, there are a number of undeniable facts that give them great credibility. The New Testament, for instance, has been preserved in more manuscripts than any other work of ancient literature with 5,800 complete or fragmented Greek manuscripts, 10,000 Latin manuscripts and 9,300 manuscripts in other languages. Due to the age of these manuscripts (they predate the printing press) they are then reconstructed through the process of textual criticism so the translation of the Bible you and I read is as accurate representation of those ancient manuscripts as possible.
As Salvationists, we stand firmly on our first doctrine which declares, “We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and that they only constitute the divine rule of Christian faith and practice.” This critical doctrine is the foundation of all that we believe, including the good news of Jesus Christ, which is the true gospel.
When translated from its original Greek, the word “gospel” as used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, means “good news.”
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
As you read through those verses, particularly verses 3-4, you will quickly be reminded of the good news to all mankind, that the person of Jesus Christ suffered crucifixion and death so that sin would no longer have a hold on you. This news brings freedom; it brings hope; it brings joy. It is not designed to make life easy, but it stands as a promise that, if we truly love God – which is to obey Him – we will one day be released from this temporal existence and inherit life eternal in fellowship with God. This is indeed good news.
Yet, as Paul was writing to the Galatians, he was dealing with people who were denying the gospel.
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all… Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7, 10).
As a corps officer in The Salvation Army, I was often frustrated by what I call Christian agnostics. These are people who attended church, often regularly but who showed no real evidence that they believed in the resurrected Christ. They are folk so mired in the plight of this world that they could not consider anything better was possible. Simply put, they lived their lives as though they knew nothing of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Another problem, a growing problem, is the issue of conformity to the world. While the gospel proclaims that Jesus Christ died so we may be free from sin, many Christians have begun the process of negotiating sin. The crescendo of the world has become so deafening that it has become easier to compromise than to stand tall and take a firm grip of the gospel.
It is absolutely imperative that the Church preach nothing but the gospel. There can be no place for politics, there can be no place for personal opinion, there can be no place for anything but Jesus Christ who lived as an example to us all, who became our sin when He was crucified on that cross, who rose from the dead on the third day and who ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. That is the good news of Jesus Christ and it all we need!
The title of this series of devotionals is “The Non-negotiables of our Faith”. In this particular instance I implore all who are reading to be sure of your salvation. Is your focus an eternal focus built on the foundation of the good news of Jesus Christ or is your focus on this world and what it has to offer you? Are you grounded in your faith, or are you on shifting ground that moves as the world moves?
When I have the opportunity to preach to an outdoor audience, I typically choose the subject of peace. I will talk about the world’s notion of peace and the Christian’s experience with peace. The world will tell you that peace is the absence of conflict while the Christian will tell you that true peace is reconciliation with God meaning that, despite the conflict around me, I am fully at peace. On one occasion, as I was speaking on this subject, a woman who was passing by stopped in her tracks. As she listened to what I was saying, a local Salvationist approached her and asked her why she had stopped in her tracks so abruptly. She replied, “My husband committed suicide last week so when he started speaking about a peace that exists despite the difficulties of this world, I needed to hear it”.
Here lies the importance of living in the gospel. There is a world out there that is trying to navigate the consequences of a fallen world. If we change our message to fit their problem or circumstance, we have done them no favors at all. People are looking to be lifted out of their circumstances. They want to believe there is a better way. By living as though the gospel is true, we have the opportunity to lift people up so that they too might experience the truth that is the gospel. Surely this is the true hope for our world.
Our Corporate Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ came into the world to be our Savior, that He lived among us, that He died to save us, that He raised from the dead victoriously to seal our salvation and to take His place at the right hand of the Father. Thank You that the Holy Spirit now dwells among us and in as our Helper to empower, inform and guide us along the way. Thank You that You hear our prayers, that Your eye is upon us. Oh, let us proclaim Your salvation to all we know! Let us tell of Your greatness and live as people grateful for what You do daily for us! We rejoice to offer this prayer in the matchless name of Jesus, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Our Worldwide Prayer Meeting for October 25, 2023
South America West Territory
Reaching Out to Others
At any one time in the United States, 10% of individuals are suffering from clinical depression. For them, each day is a struggle. Pray that God would help you to sense someone who is in this pain, to offer a word of encouragement, to not try to make light of their pain or struggles. If they have not seen a doctor, encourage them to see one. It is a medical condition and medication often helps. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Notable Quotables
“The object of the Bible is not to tell how good men are, but how bad men can become good.” —Dwight L. Moody
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