“It is an unhealthy symptom,” says one, “when the simple gospel is not relished. It shows that the mind is at work, rather than the conscience exercised before God, or the affections engaged with Christ. The Spirit, who leads into all truth, connects everything in His teaching with those great primary truths, the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
There are not a few, alas! in our own day who are affected with this unhealthy symptom. “It is only the Gospel,” say some, especially those who assume a high tone of spirituality, and who speak slightingly of earnest gospel workers. But whatever may be our individual thoughts of the gospel, we are bound to think of it according to the word of the Lord, and for the sake of the unsaved.
Here the blessed Master assures all His servants that one human soul is of more value than the whole material world. And can it be a light thing in His sight for any of His servants to be indifferent to the means of the eternal well-being of that which is so precious to Him? Did He not commend in the highest way the zeal of the “four” men who, in spite of every difficulty, brought the palsied man, and laid him at His feet?
“When He saw their faith” (not his) “He said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven.” Mark 2.
We want such zeal now, in connection with all our preaching rooms, earnest hearts that would bring, in faith, poor palsied souls to the place where the Spirit of God is working. Such zeal is sure to meet its bright reward. In no other way can a preacher be so helped and encouraged. He who honored the faith of the “four” then, is unchanged, and honors such faith, now.
A great responsibility thus rests with all who know the gospel, the glad tidings of salvation to the lost. To hold back this truth, or in any way to hinder its full and free proclamation, is to rob the sinner of his only hope of heaven, and Christ of His special glory as the Savior.
What dignity and glory this gives to the gospel! It is nothing less than the power of God,
Such are the marvelous results of the blessed mission of the gospel of the grace of God, that it raises all who receive it from the depths of their guilt and misery, and sets them in the presence of God, pardoned, and accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6, 19, 20; 2:1-106To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)
19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:19‑20)
1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1‑10)).
This is the gospel which the Lord has committed to His servants. May He in His mercy grant that both reader and writer may be found faithful to this sacred trust.