The contrast between night and day, light and darkness, is not more marked than is God’s gospel and man’s gospel.
The gospel of God makes nothing of man, but everything of God; whereas man’s gospel makes everything of man, but very little of God. Now, the gospel of God assumes the total ruin of the creature, and presents God as a Savior – seeking and saving the lost.
The gospel of God neither helps, improves, nor amends. Man is too far gone for any remedial measure whatever. The moment he dared to spit in the face of the blessed One; wreath His brow with the thorn crown, and nail Him to the accursed tree – that moment man was condemned.
My reader, have you accepted this fact as true of you – that you have a nature which is so bad, so hopelessly bad, that God could do nothing with it, but to condemn it, and set it aside as a worthless thing? Are you making the foolish attempt to improve self – to better your condition by praying, attending the ordinances, etc.? If so, let me tell you that your position is a serious and critical one. You are practically on the ground of works; whereas God is acting on an entirely different principle, and on other ground altogether. His dealings with men now are in grace.
Now, does the Word of God treat man as a servant working for and earning salvation as his wages? or, does it treat him as a sinner, and hence a recipient of salvation? What is the gospel? These are questions which are fully answered in 1 Corinthians 15. “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.”
Mark the divine and beautiful order of things: First, reception; second, standing; third, salvation. Now, when the apostle visited Corinth and preached the gospel there, he found the people bad, almost beyond conception. Well, what did the apostle preach to these people? Did he tell them to cleanse themselves from their moral pollution? Did he instruct them how to recover themselves out of the pit of corruption into which they were sunk? No, no; but he told them what God had done for them; not a syllable about their doings. He told them what he had received from God – a message of love – of forgiveness of sins. He told them of Christ’s death, of His burial, of His resurrection, and of His manifestation as the risen One. This good news they received. O! it was good news to those sinners, that God loved them and was for them, as well as the apostles were. It filled their hearts, made them glad, and in the power of such “glad tidings” they rejoiced before God. The revelation of God to them in their deep need and misery was their standing. Had Satan told them of their idolatry, fornication, murder, adultery, etc., they had only to reply, “But God is for me; Christ has died for my sins, according to the Scriptures.” The gospel being thus the revelation of a Savior-God, gives confidence to stand before Him in the integrity of what He is, and in the full value of what He has done by His beloved Son. Now all is done, and “I am saved,” not merely delivered from hell, but saved; fear, anxiety, cloud and darkness all gone, and gone forever, and the saved one, now brought into the eternal sunshine of the light, love and glory of God’s own presence. What a gospel!
But, while the gospel has God for its source, it has Christ as its object. The first thing which the gospel ‘presents to a sinner is death – Christ in death. Here many make a fatal mistake. They are looking to Christ’s life, instead of to Him in death. if as a sinner I contemplate the holy life and blameless walk of the blessed One, it can only cover me with confusion; that life and walk was all to the Father’s glory, and its only effect upon me, if a sinner, is to throw into bold and striking relief what I am.
Where, then, am I to look for a righteous answer to God’s claims upon me? His righteousness must be satisfied. God brings in an answer to His own judgment. He provides a Lamb, and gives a ransom, even His own well-beloved and only-begotten Son. “Christ died for our sins.” He answered for them, O young believer! He met and bore the judgment due to them, discharging in death God’s every claim upon you, thus clearing you of sin, wrath and judgment. Poor sinner! thy sins call aloud for death and judgment, but Christ on the accursed tree has stilled that cry eternally for every believing one. Christ has exhausted the curse. He has been down in the deep, deep waters of death and judgment, and dried them up for you; yes, for you, if believing in this adorable Savior.
He “was buried.” He went into Satan’s stronghold, into his dark domain – death – but death could not hold Him. He rose again ere ever the heavy stone was rolled away from the sepulcher, or ever the seal was broken. He vanquished him that had “the power of death – that is, the devil,” annulled sin, glorified God, and stood in the power of a new life, even life from the dead. Blessed, thrice blessed Savior, we hail Thee risen from the dead!
In 1 Corinthians 15:5-85And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After 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. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. (1 Corinthians 15:5‑8) the apostle insists upon Christ’s manifestation – “seen of Cephas,” “seen of above five hundred brethren,” “seen of James,” “seen of me also.” Precious sight! Christ “seen” in victorious power. O what good news for any working, toiling, anxious one! The work of redemption all done; done by Christ, and done, too, to God’s perfect satisfaction; yea, to the greater shining out of His glory in a God-dishonored creation!