Articles
Preaching the Gospel
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16, emp LS). What was Jesus telling His apostles to do?
Jesus told His apostles to "preach the gospel". What is the "gospel"? The "gospel" is simply defined as a joyful message or good news. What is the "good news" about?
When the "gospel" is preached, Jesus Christ is preached. "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:1-4, emp LS). Paul said "the gospel" that he had preached unto them was about "Christ".
When Phillip preached in Samaria, notice what he taught, "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ‚ unto them" (Acts 8:5, emp LS). What was Phillip preaching? "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts 8:12, emp LS). Later, when Phillip meet the Eunuch, notice what Phillip taught him, "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35, emp LS).
When the gospel (that is, good news) is preached, man learns that there is no "salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
When the gospel is taught, what does one learn concerning Jesus? "And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God" (Acts 9:20, emp LS). The good news is the teaching that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, thus ascribing to Him deity. "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God" (John 5:18). When Jesus arose from the dead He was "declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4).
The good news, concerning Jesus Christ being the Son of God, is to be preached "to every creature". The New Law of Jesus Christ was written "that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31).
You have heard the gospel today. Will you believe it? Will you obey it today?
