14 Principle 10 - Preaching the Good News

Principle 10. Preaching the Good News. All Christian service is based on the finished work of Christ. The early apostles did not go around preaching a gospel of works, or a message of believers needing to do so much to enter heaven, but rather all godly living was out of appreciation of the mercy of God. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship. They had the good news message of the resurrection of Christ and the hope of trusting in Him for eternal life. This message of God's love is open to all humanity and is not to be a message of condemnation. The finished work of Christ is something that was preached by the apostles through everything they did. When they partook of the Lord's Supper, it celebrated the resurrection and sacrifice of Christ. When they baptized individuals, it spoke of the work of Christ in redeeming us from death to life. All doctrines were centered in the good news of our redemption through the cross of Christ Jesus. In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. God has made us who were sinners to become saints not just in word, but in actual experience. Such is our standing now that we become holy because of the blood of Christ and His redeeming work. Our heart is made new as we grow into His likeness. Yet from this vantage point of being a redeemed saint of God, we should never look down on or despise others who are still in the filth of sin being outside of Christ, for it is from hence we came. Thus, the true work of Christ in us allows us to love all others because God in Christ loved all, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. Though there is a narrow road that we walk with the Lord in sanctification and growing into His likeness, we must never forget that it is the good news of the gospel that saves us and keeps us in daily communion with our Lord. One little girl wrote the words on her arm, Don't forget me, as if Christ had written them on her arm. This reminded her of who He is and what He has done for her. Every time she looked at her arm, she communed with the Lord. This is a wonderful example to all the Lord's people of the need to continually remember our precious Lord who bought us at such a great price. The preaching of the good news must be under the power and direction of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1 it tells us, 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. Without the work of the Holy Spirit in us, we have no witness and no power to do the work of God. The good news itself is power. This message must be preached in purity and simplicity. It doesn't need any wisdom of words or craftiness of speech. It doesn't need any enticing cultural relevance or sensitivity to the hearers. The simple proclaimed good news stands all on its own. Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit, and deep conviction. God has chosen the act of preaching the gospel as a means to offer salvation to all. Gross moral darkness is none but our hopeful light of Christ's return. As the darkness intensifies, we must shine the gospel more intently. Abounding lawlessness must produce two characteristics in the hearts of the redeemed, relentless evangelism and hastening Christ's return. One of the greatest reasons to preach the good news is the soon coming of Jesus Christ back to the earth. This gospel must be preached to the ends of the world before His coming in the midst of growing lawlessness and wickedness and the reign of the Antichrist in the world. Our Lord gave the great commission to preach His gospel to the ends of the world. Such preaching is also given by His authority, so we must have great boldness to proclaim the gospel. If your goal is anything less than all nations, then we are not obeying some of the last words given by our Lord Jesus Christ to His church. Lastly, we have the wonderful assurance and blessing of our Lord's presence with us as we do His work. Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Hallelujah.