WHAT IS THE ONE VITAL ISSUE OF THE GOSPEL?

Most people today talk about "the simple gospel". To them the gospel is a very simple thing, appealing to the natural man and understandable by the smallest child. They think that the gospel is simply a statement of the historical fact that the Lord Jesus Christ died for sinners, and that the cause of his death is the love of God. These things are certainly true; but many believe these things who do not know or believe the gospel.

The one vital issue of the gospel is this -"H 0 W THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES" (I Cor. 15:3). The gospel is not a declaration of God's love, which all men delight in. Neither is it a mere statement of the fact that Christ died upon the cross, which all men can understand. THE GOSPEL REVEALS THE JUSTICE OF GOD AND THE EFFECTUAL SATISFACTION OF THAT JUSTICE IN THE SINNER'S SUBSTITUTE, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. Everyone knows that Christ died on the cross, but few know HOW HE DIED.

HOW DID THE SON OF GOD COME TO DIE THE PAINFUL, SHAMEFUL, IGNOMINIOUS DEATH OF THE CROSS? Isaiah tells us that, "It pleased the Lord to bruise him." Christ died according to the eternal purpose and decree of God. Because he and his Father loved us, the Son of God voluntarily laid down his life for us, according to the will of God (John 10:11, 17, 18; Heb. 10:5-14; I John 3:16; Acts 2:23).

WHY DID THE LORD OF GLORY ENDURE SUCH A DEATH FOR SINNERS? The answer is plainly revealed. When Christ died as the sinner's Substitute, God made him to be sin and made his soul an offering for sin (II Cor. 5:21; Isa. 53: 10). In order for God to save his elect people, whom he loved with an everlasting love, justice had to be satisfied. And there was no way for justice to be satisfied without the substitutionary death of the incarnate God in our place (Rom. 3:24-26).

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF OUR LORD'S SIN-ATONING SACRIFICE? Isaiah tells us that there are three things which are the sure results of Christ's substitutionary death (Isa. 53:10).

First, HE SHALL SEE HIS SEED". He shal1 see all his seed, justified, sanctified, and glorified. "He shall not fail" (Isa. 42:4). "He shal1 see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied" (Isa. 53:11). In other words, all of those for whom he died shall live forever with him in glory.

Second, "HE SHALL PROLONG HIS DAYS." That is to say, though he died for our sins, he lives in glory to make intercession for his redeemed ones.

Third, "THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD SHALL PROSPER IN HIS HAND." That is to say, he must rule all things as the God-man, our Substitute in glory, to accomplish God's eternal purpose of grace.

Behold, the crucified Christ sits upon the throne of universal dominion (Acts 2:36). He is accomplishing the pleasure of the Lord! Those sinners for whom he died, for whom he intercedes, for whom he rules the universe must be saved. This is the pleasure of the Lord. This is the revelation of the gospel. Any preacher who declares anything less than an effectual redemption is preaching a false gospel. And no one shall ever be saved by believing it. It is written, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).