What is the Church’s Message? (Copy)
When talking with a pleasant lady at our church’s ‘Mother and Toddler Group’, the subject of church came up. I asked her casually,
“Do you have a faith yourself or aren’t you sure about these things?”
She replied,
“I would call myself a Christian, but only occasionally go to church. I feel I can live as good a life without church services.”
As the conversation continued it became clear that she had no notion whatsoever about the church’s message. She had never been taught the gospel and, even worse, had not realised the dangerous situation she was in. How we Christians need to wake up to the ignorance that surrounds us in our society.
Paul’s Opening Message
When Paul was staying in Corinth he clearly had a longing to travel to Rome, the centre of the known world, to teach there. Because of his delay he wrote a wonderful letter to the church at Rome to teach them what he felt they ought to know. We have this letter preserved for us as the ‘Epistle to the Romans.’
The opening paragraph is a beautiful summary of the rest of the book, emphasising six points about the gospel.
“1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
2. the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
3. regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,
4. and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
5. Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.
6. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
8. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
Origin of the Gospel
The first sentence sets the scene.
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.”
Nothing could be clearer. Paul asserts that the good news he is passing on has originated with God - it is his gospel. To reject the Christian gospel therefore is to reject God. Similarly to reject the message of Christ’s apostles is to reject Christ.
God’s Scripture has one core message
The gospel in the New Testament is the same as that in the Old. The Messiah foretold in the Old Testament has now entered this world. The details of how he would atone for mankind’s sin by dying on the cross has been clarified. However the way people like Abraham, Job and David were saved is the same as the way we are saved, by relying on the grace of God.
“. . . the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures” Romans 1:2
Note the repeated emphasis that the gospel originated with God. This gospel is described in the Old Testament. There it is repeatedly said that all have sinned and fall short of God’s standard. Thus Isaiah said,
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2
The ancient story of Job stresses the same point,
“But how can a mortal man be righteous before God?” Job 9:2
In the Old Testament ‘sin’ is man’s greatest problem. It is sin that separates us from God and often from each other. Sin is a state of mind. We know we have it when we say in our minds,
“Shove off God, I’m in charge, No to what you want.”
Note what the first letters spell,
S, I, N
It was God himself who provided a remedy for his people’s sin; a perfect animal had to be sacrificed - a life for a life. It is clear that no animal can actually pay the price for our sin; these animal sacrifices were a model or illustration of the real thing, when God himself would come and pay the price for our sin. There is no need for further animal sacrifices now that the final sacrifice by God’s son, Jesus Christ, has been made.
A missionary in Turkey had some Muslim students round for tea. Afterwards he read them the following ancient writing and asked them these questions, ‘Who is it about?’ ‘Who wrote it?’ and ‘When was it written?’
“A man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away.
No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave.”
The students quickly realised that this passage was about the crucifixion of Jesus, and thought that it was written by one of Jesus’ early disciples because of the detail given. They were amazed to learn that it was written over seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 53:3-9). This passage teaches that the coming Servant King, the Messiah, would be despised, flogged, killed as a wrongdoer but then goes on to say that he would rise from the dead.
It was foretold that this Messiah would be born in a small town of Bethlehem, which at the time had only about a thousand inhabitants, that he would die by crucifixion and that he would then rise again.
However what is most important is the description of the Lord’s character in the Bible. It teaches that there is one omnipotent creator God who has a remarkably gracious character. He was so different to the pantheon of gods other nations believed in.
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.” Exodus 34:6-7
In essence there is no difference between the basic core message of the Old and New Testaments. This is the point Paul makes at the beginning of this letter to the Romans. All the Old Testament is about Christ and the salvation he would bring. Jesus himself stressed this. Immediately after his resurrection, Jesus joined two of his disciples on the seven mile walk to their home in Emmaus. On the way Jesus,
“ . . . explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27
Soon after this he met up with all his disciples and he also showed them the significance of the Old Testament.
“”This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets and the Psalms.”
Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the Scriptures. He told them,
“This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise form the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.” Luke 24:42-47
So the church’s message today must remain God’s message. This has, in essence, always been the same. It is about the salvation God himself would win for his people.
Jesus Christ is God
A lady came to one of our church services and I went to welcome her. Her opening statement amazed me,
“The trouble with your church is that you talk too much about Jesus!”
Paul would never tolerate such a view. We looked at the first ten verses in Paul’s first letter to the troubled church at Corinth. Every sentence mentions the Lord Jesus. The problem the Corinthian church had is that they focused far too little on what Jesus and Jesus’ apostles taught. This is also the problem many modern churches have today. If Jesus is God, then focusing on him and his teaching will inevitably be a focus on what God wants. To move from Christ is to move from the Gospel.
In his introduction in his letter to the Roman church, Paul emphasises the dual nature of Jesus Christ, he was both fully human,
“. . . regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendent of David.” Romans 1:3
but also divine - the unique Son of God,
“ . . . and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:4
There have been many false teachings concerning who Jesus really was. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine. If he is not both, then his self sacrifice on that cross to pay for our sin becomes invalid and we are still unforgiven. This is a major reason why such sects as the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians are so wrong. I won’t burden the reader with the many Bible verses that emphasise this, but Paul’s letter to Titus makes Jesus’ divine nature very clear,
“ . . . while we wait the for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:13
The extent of God’s concern
The message that sinful humans can be put right with God because of Jesus Christ is for all people, both Jews and Gentiles. The one God the Bible describes is the creator of this universe and of all people. The message of salvation is also for all people. Paul writes that this same Jesus had commissioned him and all Christians to share this news with everyone they could.
“Through him and for his names sake we received grace and apostleship to call people from among the Gentiles . . .” Romans 1:5
A little later in this chapter Paul again emphasises this point,
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes|: first the Jew, then for the Gentiles.” Romans 1:16
Any one who has no concern for the lost, those who are without Christ, does not have the Spirit of Christ in them. Whatever the profession of faith that they make, their status as real Christians must be in doubt. Jesus’ commission to his church is clear,
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19-20
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
The prime responsibility of all Christians
When Paul became a Christian he became “a servant of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1). There is no such thing as a Christian who is not committed to living as Christ wants - we are his servants now. We have been called,
“. . . to the obedience that comes from faith.” Romans 1:5
God has no time for those who are Christian in name only. A patient came to one of my surgical clinics wearing a beautiful cross round her neck. After chatting for a while I casually remarked,
“That’s a beautiful cross you are wearing. Do you mind if I ask if that means you are a Christian?”
“Yes, I am,” she replied, but then added as an afterthought, “It depends on what you mean by a Christian.”
Time in a clinic is short so I simply replied,
“Surely, it is someone who is sold-out to the Lord Jesus.”
“Oh, then I’m not.”
All Christians are called to be obedient to Christ. This has always been the case. The early church in Jerusalem grew as the Bible’s message was widely taught - but note what sort of faith they were expected to adhere to,
“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:7
Paul never deviated from emphasising that the Christian faith that saved people was Christ- centred from beginning to end and that faith must involve a commitment to obey Christ. This commitment involves obeying what Christ’s apostles have given us in Scripture.
“Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service of God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done.” Romans15:17-18
The goal of all Christians
The goal of all Christians is to honour the Lord Jesus in all we do. Our aim is to live in our private lives in a way that pleases our Lord and Saviour. It is not just the impression we give to others that concerns the Lord. Christians must speak up for Jesus so that others may come to find the salvation that is in him, and in him alone. Any who don’t have this concern are probably not yet Christians; the Spirit of Christ is not at work in them. Paul was able to encourage the young church in Rome because he recognised that they had this same Spirit as he had.
“First, I thank my God, through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son . . .” Romans 1:8-9
Paul’s concluding message
The final paragraph of Paul’s letter to the Romans is remarkably similar to the opening paragraph. He emphasises the very same points. This is how the paragraph reads,
“Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nationsmight believe and obey him - to the only wise God be glory for ever and ever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” Romans 16:25-27
Origin of the Gospel
The gospel has been made known,
“. . . by the command of the eternal God.”
God’s Scripture has one core message
“revealed and made known through the prophetic writings” and “by my gospel’
Jesus Christ is God
“to the only wise God be glory for ever and ever through Jesus Christ.”
The extent of God’s concern
“so that all nations might believe”
The responsibility of all Christians
“that all nations might believe and obey him”
The goal of all Christians
“to the only wise God be glory for ever and ever”
Paul could not make the church’s message clearer. His opening message is repeated at the end. The church of today has the same responsibility that all true churches have always had - to proclaim this same message, that salvation can only be found through submission to the Lord, Jesus Christ. Becoming a real Christian is not just taking out an insurance policy with God, it is nothing less than a complete change in the direction and purpose of life.
BVP
