FAITHFULWORD.ORG | TEACHINGS

Acts 28:31; Romans 1:15-17; I Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 3:19-21; 23-28; [Galatians 4:11, 15]; Romans 6:17-23; Galatians 1:1-12; John 8:32, 36; Romans 10:9, 10; John 4:35; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; [Matthew 24:14]; II Corinthians 5:20; [I Timothy 6:10]; Matthew 23:1-13

We have the gospel of God as presented to us in the scriptures as “it is written.” When it comes to living our lives, we look to the Word of God as our only source for truth. What the Word does for a person’s heart and life initially is what we strive to have it do for our hearts and lives all the time. In the book of Revelation, the Lord Jesus Christ addresses seven different churches, which symbolize the various mind-sets of churches that were and will be from the day of Pentecost until Christ returns. To the church at Ephesus, he said, in essence, that they knew the Word and he commended them for this. However, they left their first love, needed to repent and go back to it so their light did not go out. What was their first love? They had heard the gospel that Jesus Christ had died for their sins, was buried and raised the third day. They knew that by Jesus Christ man receives justification, redemption and righteousness. They learned that receiving the gift of eternal life was by faith through grace and was the gift of God.

Often Christians lose the youthful exuberance of the simple gospel. We get caught up in the deeper meaning of Greek words or Orientalisms to explain the scriptures and forget the simple gospel of deliverance of Jesus Christ. Paul never lost that youthful exuberance. Acts 28:31 speaks of what he was doing at the end of his life. He was preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.

We are to be ready to preach the gospel with all that is in us. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all that believe. We are to preach the gospel according to the scriptures. People need to hear that Jesus is the Just One, the justifier of all who need to be justified. No works of man can achieve salvation. Paul said to the Galatians that he marveled that they were so soon removed from the gospel. He warned them of those who would trouble them and pervert the gospel of Christ.

The simplicity of the gospel we are to preach is in Romans 10:9 when it declares that if a person confesses with his or her mouth the Lord Jesus and believes in his or her heart God raised Jesus from the dead, that man or woman will be saved. This is a matter of heart, not of the will or mind, actions or works. Jesus gave the great commission in Mark 16:15 when he said, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” II Corinthians 5:20 says we are ambassadors for Christ.

We are not to burden people with rules and regulations. Matthew 23 records how Jesus confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees who placed burdens upon people that they would not bear themselves. We cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in such legalism. Let us speak the pure, unadulterated Word of God in love.