"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