Ecclesiology
The Gospel of God - I
Lesson VI
I
am including material in these lessons to show the importance of knowing what Paul has written in his
epistles. What Paul has written is very
important in the study of ecclesiology.
Texts Romans 1:1-4 ,
16-18
Romans 1:1-4
(1) Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an
apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
(2) (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
(3) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
(4) And declared [to be] the Son of God with power,
according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Romans 1: 16-18
(16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
(17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall
live by faith.
(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness;
I Romans 1:1 It is the gospel of
God
Romans 1:19-20
(19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest
in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.
(20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even]
his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Nature
reveals the fact of God but it does not reveal the gospel.
The
heathen knows the God of nature and lives in fear.
The
love of God is revealed in the gospel as found in God’s book.
Nature
does not proclaim the gospel of God. For
the gospel is good news to bad people.
It
is glad tidings to those who do not deserve it.
This
is either a true message or it is false.
If there is a gospel from God and of God we want to know!
The
first message of the gospel is summed up in John 3:16.
John 3:16
(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.
It was God who first loved the world.
It was God who gave His Son for the world.
God
has given this message to proclaim. God
is the author of this message.
The
gospel is good news from heaven. It is a
declaration of accomplished facts.
1 Corinthians 15:1 “I declare unto you the gospel…”
(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
You
do not dialogue the gospel. You declare it!
How
that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again from the grave
according to the Scriptures.
What
then is the gospel?
It
is not what we do for God but rather a declaration of facts as to what God has
done for us. It is best illustrated by
the story of the Samaritan in Luke 10, who did everything for the helpless man
in the ditch.
Men
know that God is but natural man does not know the gospel.
The
gospel is to be preached (1 Corinthians 1:23).
1 Corinthians 1:23
(23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
The
gospel is to be declared (1 Corinthians 15:1).
1 Corinthians 15:1
(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
The
gospel is not of or from men (Galatians 1:11-12).
Galatians 1:11-12
(11) But I certify you, brethren, that
the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
(12) For I neither received it of man, neither was I
taught [it], but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The
Church needs to know, to preach and to proclaim the gospel. This is the message men need to hear today
above all others.
II Romans 1:2 The gospel was promised in the Old Testament
6000
years ago the gospel was promised to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 in the coming
of the Seed.
4000
years ago the gospel was promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 when God said “in
thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
3000
years ago the gospel was promised to David when he was told in 2 Samuel 7:12
when God said “I will set up thy seed after thee.”
2000
years ago the final proclamation was made to Joseph in Matthew 1:21: “She shall
bring forth a Son and thou shalt call His name Jesus.”
Galatians
4:4 When the
fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son to redeem.
Galatians 4:4
(4) But when the fulness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Acts
17:1-3 At
Thessalonica Paul preached the gospel out of the Old Testament.
Acts 17:1-3
(1) Now when they had passed through Amphipolis
and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a
synagogue of the Jews:
(2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and
three sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the scriptures,
(3) Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have
suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach
unto you, is Christ.
Romans
15:4 Everything
written in the Old Testament was written for our learning.
Romans 15:4
(4) For whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the
scriptures might have hope.
Matthew
22:29 We will
err if we have not knowledge of the Old Testament.
Matthew 22:29
(29) Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Acts
17:11 When the Bereans searched the Scriptures they only had the Old
Testament.
Acts 17:11
(11) These were more noble than
those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of
mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
There
are 66 books in the Bible but in reality it is one book that presents the
gospel.
Luke
24:27, 44-45, It
is because Christ is in all the scriptures, the gospel is found in seed form in
the Old Testament.
Luke 24:27, 44-45
(27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he
expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
(44) And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I
spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all
things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the
prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.
(45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might
understand the scriptures,
III Romans 1:3 The gospel concerns Jesus Christ.
Matthew
1: 1 “… the
book of the generations of Jesus Christ ….”
Here we come face to face with a Person apart from Him there is no
gospel.
The
gospel does not concern Mary. The gospel
does not concern Mohammed or Joseph Smith or Father Divine or William Branham
or Prophet Jones or even John the Baptist.
Paul
writes about: another Jesus (2
Corinthians 11:4); another spirit (1 John 4:1-3); and another gospel (Galatians
1:6-9).
While
traveling down the sea-coast in Lebanon our driver said his name was “Jesus”. But he was not my Jesus for there was not the right spirit nor the right feeling!
IV Romans
1:3-4 The Gospel concerns a specific
Jesus
Made of the seed of David according to the flesh. He was human.
“Ordinary men are born of the
flesh, but the eternal Son of God was made
flesh.”
Declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection.
There
are two essential things about Jesus Christ: His humanity and His Deity
Romans 1:3………….of the seed of David
John 1:14……………made flesh
Philippians 2:7…….. made a man
Galatians 4:4……….. made of a woman
2 Corinthians 5:21…..made sin
Galatians 3:13……… made a curse
Acts 2:36……………He hath made Him both
Lord and Christ
Elsewhere
he is called both the root and the fruit of David.
Isaiah 11:1 The branch out of the roots
Psalm 110: 1 (cf Matthew 22:45) If David call him Lord, how is he his son?
The Old Testament Scriptures about
the coming branch are of great importance to the student of Scripture.
V
Romans 1:4 The
gospel concerns a resurrected Jesus
Christianity
is the only religion based on a resurrection.
Jesus
was declared to be the Son of God at his birth, at his baptism and at his
transfiguration. But the final
declaration was the resurrection.
Declared
to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection, it is the resurrection
that forever settles the question of Christ’s Deity.
Herein
is the gospel declared in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Jesus resurrected and seen by
witnesses.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
(1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
(2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what
I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
(3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I
also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
(4) And that he was buried, and
that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
(5) And that he was seen of Cephas,
then of the twelve:
(6) After that, he was seen of above five hundred
brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some
are fallen asleep.
(7) After that, he was seen of James; then of all the
apostles.
(8) And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one
born out of due time.
Romans
10:9-10 There
is no personal salvation apart from believing the bodily resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
Romans 10:9-10
(9) That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
A
gospel that leaves out the death and resurrection of Christ is another gospel,
lacking in power, lacking in authority, lacking in ability.
VI Romans
Paul
the prisoner said he was proud of the gospel.
There
is no power in religion, but there is power in the gospel.
Religion
does not save. The Jews boasted in their
religion and tradition.
1 Corinthians 1:18
(18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Any
external religious form is just so much religion and it is useless.
Acts
16 illustrates the power of the gospel first in the life of Lydia, then in the
life of the jailor and finally in the life of the poor slave girl. The gospel melted them together in Christ.
Peter
and Matthew become kings on thrones by the gospel.
God
can take a “brown” and make him “white”.
Brother
Hollands often told me the story about Rev. Reid. In a work-camp with some very rough men he
tried preaching his social gospel and it did nothing for the men. So, although at the time he was not a
believer himself, Mr. Reid testified that he started to preach the gospel and
many of those men were saved and born again.
Later he himself became a believer as a result of what he had witnessed
in that work camp. The gospel worked.
Why
are you here in this room? Is it not
because of the power of the gospel?
Romans
1:16 is God’s good news. It is a
manifestation of God’s power. Its effect: salvation. Its extent to everyone Only connection is
faith.
VII Romans 1:17 The Gospel reveals the righteousness of God
This
is a great subject especially in the book of Romans. We shall deal with it at
length in another lesson.
But
here is one major point.
Until
you see the holiness and righteousness of God, you are never able to see your
own sinfulness.
There
is a story in my old reader about the Chimney sweep. The point of this story is that the chimney
sweep did not realize how dirty he actually was until he came to experience
what being clean actually was like and what wearing clean, white clothes
actually felt like.
Such
Scriptures as Romans 3:10, 21-22, Romans 4:1-3, 5-6 ,
Romans 4:21-25 and 1 Corinthians 1:30 need to be considered here.
Romans 3:10, 21-22
(10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not
one:
(21) But now the righteousness of God without the law is
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
(22) Even the righteousness of God [which] is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference:
Romans 4:1-3, 5-6
(1) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as
pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
(2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath
[whereof] to glory; but not before God.
(3) For what saith the
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted
unto him for righteousness.
(5) But to him that worketh
not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
(6) Even as David also describeth
the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works,
Romans 4:21-25
(21) And being fully persuaded that, what he had
promised, he was able also to perform.
(22) And therefore it was imputed to him for
righteousness.
(23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it
was imputed to him;
(24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we
believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the
dead;
(25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised
again for our justification.
1 Corinthians 1:30
(30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is
made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
VIII Romans
This
is too often neglected.
God
loves the sinner but he hates the sin.
God loves righteousness but he hates all unrighteousness. God loves the ungodly but hates ungodliness.
If
you would really see God’s wrath, see it as manifest at Calvary, when He turned
his back on His own beloved Son, and when the sun turned black at noon. It was there and then the wrath of God was
fully manifested. Until one sees that
one will never understand nor truly appreciate the cross.
IX Romans
1:19-32 The Gospel reveals the
wickedness of man
If
you do not believe that men are wicked, you will never believe in God’s wrath.
If
you do not believe in God’s wrath, you will not see that you need God’s
righteousness.
If
you do not believe your need of God’s righteousness, you will not ask for God’s
power.
If
you do not feel your need of God’s power, you will not seek after Jesus Christ.
If
you do not seek Christ, you will not be interested in the gospel.
The
righteousness of God is sufficient for both the wrath of God and the wickedness
of men.
Said
one: “Only a few are born bad. Thank God there
are not many Hitler’s, Herod’s, and Haman’s.”
But
the truth is: All are born bad!
God
allows only a few to live unrestrained.
He lifts the restraint of parents, Governments, Conscience and one day
will remove the constraint of the Holy Spirit.
Romans
Chapter 1 is a dreadful revelation of the human heart:
Romans
1:24, given up to uncleanness;
Romans
1:16, given up to vile affections;
Romans
1:18, given up to a reprobate mind.
These things are true of all unsaved men.
Jeremiah
17:9 The heart is desperately wicked.
Jeremiah 17:9
(9) The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and
desperately wicked: who can know it?
Psalm
14:1-3 There is none that seeketh
after God.
Psalm 14:1-3
(1) The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there] is none that doeth
good.
(2) The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of
men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and] seek God.
(3) They are all gone aside, they are [all] together
become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not one.
All
are sinners because all are sons of fallen Adam.
In
Adam we all inherited a debt of guilt. We
cannot reduce the debt and it gets bigger every day.
In
Adam we all inherited a carnal nature that cannot please God. It is incapable of doing righteousness. All men are ungodly and therefore unrighteous
before God.
X
Conclusion
Because
of man’s wickedness, because of God’s righteousness, because of God’s wrath, man cannot save himself.
Doing
one’s best is not good enough. You
cannot fix up yourself to be good enough for Heaven.
Christ alone, by what He has done,
can make you fit for heaven.