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Sermon #123 — Romans Series

Title:                           Disobedience to The Gospel

Text:                            Romans 10:16

Subject:                     The Disobedience of Unbelief

Date:                          Sunday Morning — July 16, 2017

Reading:       Isaiah 52:13-54:5[i]

Introduction:

My text is Romans 10:16. This statement of Holy Scripture declares a shocking astonishing fact. Quoting the Prophet Isaiah, the Apostle Paul here tells us that — Fallen man refuses to obey the gospel when he hears it.

(Romans 10:16) “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”

That is one of the most astounding things in the world. Is it not? Who can understand it? Who can explain how perishing sinners can hear the gospel of the grace of God and stubbornly refuse to obey it? Astounding as that fact is, it is one that I face every day; and it is one that all of God’s servants must deal with. We preach the gospel to men and women who desperately need it, knowing full well that, as it was in Isaiah’s day, so it is today: the vast majority of those to whom we preach the glorious gospel of God’s free, sovereign, saving grace in Christ will refuse to obey it.

Both the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul were astonished by man’s rejection of the gospel. — “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”

Total Depravity

This, to me, is a glaring proof that the human heart is totally depraved. Surely, were it not for the fact that man’s nature is utterly depraved and his heart desperately wicked, every sinner would rejoice to hear the gospel and believe it immediately. Is it not astonishing that men, who have offended God and brought themselves into a state of condemnation and guilt, refuse to obey the gospel of God’s free grace in Christ?

·      In the exercise of his marvelous mercy, God has stayed the hand of his justice. He has not immediately executed the guilty. Yet, the guilty despise his mercy!

·      In his infinite wisdom and grace, the Lord God has devised a way by which he can be just and yet justify the ungodly. But the ungodly despise his grace!

·      In his everlasting love, God sent his Son into the world to die for sinners, the Just for the unjust, that sinners might live before him. And sinners reject his love and despise his Son!

Such things as this could never have been imagined, were it not for the fact that man’s nature was utterly ruined by the fall, his will perverted, and his heart depraved. Who would have thought that fallen, guilty men and women would need so many preachers to earnestly plead with them, or that it would be necessary for God to exercise his longsuffering for so many years, or that our hearts could be so hard that we would never obey the gospel until God the Holy Ghost worked upon our hearts by the power of his irresistible grace. Yet, it is so. No wonder the prophet cries out with astonishment — “Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” Man’s unbelief is a glaring proof of his total depravity.

Spurgeon said, “Nothing that I know of beneath high heaven, so clearly proves that man’s heart is absolutely estranged from all that is good, and that the sinner has really become demented through his sin, as that man rejects the gospel of grace, refuses divine mercy, and often stops his ear to the voice of God’s messengers; and, in every case, except where the Holy Spirit graciously renews the nature, tramples underfoot the very blood of the Son of God.”

I am going to talk very plainly to you about DISOBEDIENCE TO THE GOSPEL. That is my subject. That is the title of my message — DISOBEDIENCE TO THE GOSPEL. May God the Holy Ghost enable me to preach to you this hour for Christ’s sake.

In the name of Christ, I want to earnestly plead with you who have not obeyed the gospel, reasoning with you from the Word of God. Some of you who, though you have heard the gospel very often, some of you who are very familiar with the doctrine of the gospel and would never think of hearing anything contrary to the gospel of God, are described by the Apostle Paul in our text — “They have not all obeyed the gospel.” Are you one of these who “have not obeyed the gospel?” This message is for you. — Hear me, now…

Proposition: Unbelief is the most terrible evil committed by man and that the person who is guilty of unbelief is guilty of the greatest crime against God.

Divisions: If you are not in too big a hurry to go to hell, give me your attention, as I make one statement and answer three questions.

1.    The gospel that I preach to you comes with the force of a divine command.

2.    What is man’s disobedience to the gospel?

3.    What must we do in order to obey the gospel?

4.    What will become of those who disobey the gospel?

God’s Command

1^st — Hear this revealed fact. —The gospel I preach to you comes is God’s command. It comes to you with the force and authority of a divine command (Acts 17:30; 1 John 3:23-24).

(Acts 17:30) “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”

(1 John 3:23-24) “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. ⁽²⁴⁾ And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”

God commands you to repent, to turn to him in reconciliation, trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. God commands us to trust his Son. Paul says, “They have not all obeyed the gospel.” You cannot speak of obeying or disobeying anything, unless it has the authority of a command. It is clear therefore that the gospel comes to sinners in the form of a command. It has the force and authority of a commandment from God.

This is the thing that I want you to see. — The gospel of Christ is much more than a loving and tender invitation. The gospel is not an offer, but a command. The gospel is not an invitation, but a command. It does not humbly crave your acceptance. It demands your acceptance, and claims it as a right. The gospel is not optional. It is not something you may choose to accept, or choose to reject. It is true, you may reject it. If you dare, you may disobey it, but not without great peril to your own soul.

·      The message of the gospel is substitution.

The gospel of the grace of God declares how that God has accomplished redemption for sinners by the substitutionary sacrifice of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-26; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

(Romans 3:24-26) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: ⁽²⁵⁾ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; ⁽²⁶⁾ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

(2 Corinthians 5:17-21) “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ⁽¹⁸⁾ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ⁽¹⁹⁾ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ⁽²⁰⁾ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. ⁽²¹⁾ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

·      The command of the gospel is faith in Christ.

The gospel does two things: It declares a message; and it demands obedience. It demands faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:14-19; Mark 16:16).

(John 3:14-17) “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: ⁽¹⁵⁾ That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. ⁽¹⁶⁾ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ⁽¹⁷⁾ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

(John 3:18-19) “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ⁽¹⁹⁾ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

(Mark 16:16) “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

The gospel comes to you with divine authority, as a command of God himself. If I am God’s servant and God is speaking through me, you dare not take lightly the gospel that I preach to you. It is much more than a man’s opinion, a man’s invitation, or a man’s advice. It is the commandment of God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

This day, in the name of God, I command you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

·      You are commanded to bow to Christ.

·      You are commanded to trust Christ.

·      If you disobey this command of the Most High God, you incur the greatest guilt that a man can incur and the greatest wrath hell shall provide.

·      To disobey the gospel is to blaspheme God to his face, blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and blaspheme the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

·      To disobey the gospel is to trample the blood of Christ beneath your feet.

Three Reasons

The gospel comes to you with the authority of a commandment from God with good reason. Let me point out three reasons for the commandment of the gospel.

1.    The gospel is put in the form of a command to encourage sinners to seek Christ and come to him.

If the gospel were only an invitation, or an invitation given to sinners of a certain character, then the sinner would always be looking to himself to see if he were the right kind of sinner, and never come to Christ. The same is true if the gospel were nothing but an offer of salvation to sinners if they will just meet the conditions of the offer. But, if I am commanded to do something, I have permission to do it. For example:

·      If I am commanded to love my wife, I have permission to love my wife.

·      If I am commanded to appear before the United States Senate, I have permission to appear.

·      If I am commanded to appear in court, I have permission to appear in court.

·       If I am commanded to worship God, I have permission to worship God.

Even so, if I am a sinner, and as such, I am commanded to trust Christ, I am assured that I have God’s permission to put my trust in his Son. I do not need to stop and examine who I am, what kind of sinner I am, or where I am. God’s command to me is my warrant for trusting his Son.

2.    The gospel is given to us in the form of a command from God to give his servants boldness in proclaiming it.

The true preaching of the gospel is done in the name of Christ, with his authority. It is a miraculous thing, contrary to all human wisdom. We command the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the lame to walk, and the dead to live; and they, being commanded to do what they cannot do, are enabled by the power of God attending his Word to do what they cannot do (Ezekiel 37:1-10).

Illustration: The Thessalonians

(Ezekiel 37:1-10) “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, ⁽²⁾ And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. ⁽³⁾ And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. ⁽⁴⁾ Again, he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. ⁽⁵⁾ Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: ⁽⁶⁾ And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. ⁽⁷⁾ So, I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. ⁽⁸⁾ And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. ⁽⁹⁾ Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. ⁽¹⁰⁾ So, I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.”

Oh, perishing sinner, I deliver this command to you in the name of my God. — “Repent and be baptized every one of you.” — “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” — In the name of Christ, I say to you who are dead in sin, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give the light.”

3.    The gospel is given in the form of a command to secure the honor of God.

The gospel is not an offer from a man to a man. It is the command of God your Maker who is also your Judge. He will not take it lightly if you disobey his command (Luke 14:15-24). God will not be mocked.

(Luke 14:15-24) “And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: ⁽¹⁷⁾ And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. ⁽¹⁸⁾ And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. ⁽¹⁹⁾ And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. ⁽²⁰⁾ And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. ⁽²¹⁾ So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. ⁽²²⁾ And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. ⁽²³⁾ And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ⁽²⁴⁾ For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.”

This day the God of heaven commands you to trust his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. How dare you refuse?

·      Your unbelief is inexcusable.

·      Your unbelief is the most repugnant of all offences.

·      Your unbelief will be intolerable before long. God will not always be patient with you.

God says, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Believe, or be damned. Trust Christ, or perish. Turn, or burn. There is no alternative! You must either fall upon Christ, or he will fall upon you (Luke 20:17-18).

(Luke 20:17-18) “And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? ⁽¹⁸⁾ Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

The gospel is God’s command. Now…

Disobedience to the Gospel

2^nd — Here’s my first question. — What is man’s disobedience to the gospel? I have told you that the greatest evil ever committed by any human being is to hear the gospel of Christ and refuse to believe it. Perhaps you think that I am being overly zealous. You can think of many things more repugnant than your unbelief. But I tell you that God sees things differently than you do (Matthew 11:20-24).

(Matthew 11:20-24) “Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: ⁽²¹⁾ Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ⁽²²⁾ But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgment, than for you. ⁽²³⁾ And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ⁽²⁴⁾ But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment, than for thee.

Let me show you what your unbelief and disobedience to the gospel really is. — To disobey the gospel is to despise the marvelous grace of God. It is grace upon which you are living today. It is grace that sent a preacher to you. It is grace that God proclaims to you in the gospel (Isaiah 1:18; 55:1-8; 45:22).

(Isaiah 1:18) “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

(Isaiah 55:1-8) “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. ⁽²⁾ Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. ⁽³⁾ Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. ⁽⁴⁾ Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. ⁽⁵⁾ Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. ⁽⁶⁾ Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: ⁽⁷⁾ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ⁽⁸⁾ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

(Isaiah 45:22) “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."

To reject the gospel of Christ is to despise the grace of God and treat it with contempt. You who refuse to trust Christ are guilty!

To disobey the gospel is to reject God’s great condescending love toward sinners (Romans 5:6-8; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10; John 3:16).

(Romans 5:6-8) “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁽⁷⁾ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁽⁸⁾ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

(1 John 3:16) “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

(1 John 4:9-10) “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

(John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Yes, God loves fallen, guilty, depraved, helpless sinners, the most unworthy objects of love and compassion. To disobey the gospel is to spit in God’s face and say, “I don’t want your love!”

To disobey the gospel is to trample the blood of Christ beneath your feet. The Son of God himself died upon the cross as a sin-atoning sacrifice to God. For me to refuse to trust him is nothing less than the highest affront a man can make against him.

·      Unbelief says, “I am righteous enough.”

·      Unbelief says, “The blood of Christ is a wasteful, needless thing.”

·      Unbelief says, “Crucify him, crucify him! I don’t want the Son of God. I won’t have him. Crucify him, crucify him!”

To disobey the gospel is to show your heart’s hatred of contempt for the Most High God.

·      Unbelief says, “God is a liar” (1 John 5:10).

·      Unbelief says, “I will not recognize God’s authority over me” (Psalm 14:1).

·      Unbelief says, “I would rather be damned than trust the Son of God as my Savior. I would rather rot in hell than accept the gospel of the grace of God. I will not obey his voice. I harden my heart against him.”

Perhaps you say, “But I am no sceptic. I believe the Bible to be God’s Word. I believe that Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. I plan to believe some day, but not right now.” Your speech condemns you! By your own words you shall be judged. That is the most monstrous disobedience and unbelief of all!

I appeal to your conscience, if it is not seared already. Are you prepared to face the living God in judgment with such excuseless unbelief? In that last great day, you will be like the man without the wedding garment — speechless!

·      You are without excuse.

·      I am clear of your blood.

·      No one shall pity you.

Obedience to theGospel

3^rd — What must we do in order to obey the gospel? I will put the answer to you as briefly and clearly as I can. May it please God the Holy Ghost to drive his Word home to your heart, and enable you this day to hear and obey the gospel of Christ.

In order to obey the gospel, you must first hear it. God says, “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live.” — “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

·      Be careful what you hear. — Hear the gospel. Do not be flattered with a false gospel that makes you feel good about yourself. Seek to hear that gospel which strips your soul naked, pierces, and wounds your heart, and exalts the grace of God.

·      Be careful how you hear. There must be in your hearing a deep, earnest desire to know the truth, to know the whole truth — About yourself! — About God! — About Christ! — About God’s salvation!

Open your heart and make it bare. God help you this day to hear the gospel —

·      With reverent attention.

·      With prayerful meditation.

·      With personal application.

But hearing is not enough!!

To obey the gospel is simply to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. The command of the gospel is, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Trust Christ with your soul, like you trust the bank vault with your money. That act, which is a continuous one, throughout your whole life, is the act by which your soul is saved. That is exactly what our Savior said to…

·      The Woman with an Issue of Blood in Matthew 9:22. — “Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”

·      Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:52. — “Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”

·      Mary Magdalene in Luke 7:50. — “And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”

The Lord Jesus Christ requires that you confess him as your Master, your Teacher, your King, your Commander, your Lord, your All-in-All. Christ requires a whole-hearted faith, which will make you give up yourself to him, to obey him, and to follow him.

·      Confess him publicly as your Lord and Savior.

·      Confess him in baptism.

·      Confess him daily before men (Matthew 10:32-33).

Result of Disobedience

4^th — What will become of those who disobey the gospel? What will be the result of disobeying God’s command? It is an awful thing to hear a gospel sermon, or to have the opportunity to hear the gospel, if you are not saved by it. Your disobedience to the gospel is not to be taken lightly. The gospel, when it is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, becomes the basis of divine judgment to those who refuse to obey it (2 Corinthians 2:15-16; Proverbs 1:23-31; 29:1).

(2 Corinthians 2:15-16) “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: ⁽¹⁶⁾ To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

(Proverbs 1:23-31) “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. ⁽²⁴⁾ Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; ⁽²⁵⁾ But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: ⁽²⁶⁾ I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; ⁽²⁷⁾ When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. ⁽²⁸⁾ Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: ⁽²⁹⁾ For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: ⁽³⁰⁾ They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. ⁽³¹⁾ Therefore, shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.”

(Proverbs 29:1) “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

You will hear this sermon again in the Day of Judgment. You will not take it lightly then. What a terribly fearful thing it is to perish within the sound of a preacher’s voice, declaring the gospel of the grace of God!

Application

How can I persuade you to obey the gospel, and come to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why will you perish in unbelief?

·      He is able to save.

·      He is willing to save.

·      Come to him, just as you are, right now, and go down to your house like the publican our Lo described — Justified!

It is your responsibility to believe our report. But, blessed be God, your ability to believe does not depend upon you. That depends entirely upon the Lord God himself. The arm of the Lord must be revealed to you and in you. If you trust Christ, if your can believe on the Son of God, it is because God the Holy Ghost has revealed him to you, working faith in you by his almighty grace. Therefore our Savior declares, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life!”

(2 Corinthians 4:6) “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

If you have come to him, if in your heart you have trusted him, you are saved. You are a believer. You are a child of God. Come, confess Christ today.

Amen.

Don Fortner

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