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We are doing a series on a high view of God, Scripture, Christ, the Gospel, and the Church. By a high view we mean a biblical, God-centered view of these great truths as opposed to a man-centered, man-pleasing false view.
Isaiah 57:15 presents a high view of God: sovereign, majestic, eternal, holy, and merciful. No generation of the church will ever rise higher than her view of God. Tozer: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Hebrews 4:12 we learn about the true nature of the Scriptures: breathed out by God, living, powerful, sharp, and the Spirit’s weapon to cut deeply into our lives. Scripture is God’s light in a spiritually pitch black world. In view of Christ’s return and judgment, Paul left us a command in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 that we dare not ignore – Preach the Word! People need to hear the Word of God.
In Hebrews 1:1-3 we saw a high view of Jesus Christ: heir and creator of all things, in His incarnation fully God and fully man, two natures in one Person known as the hypostatic union. He came to make purification for sins and is seated today in full glory and authority at the right hand of God. He’s returning as king of kings and lord of lords (Rev. 19:16).
THE GOSPEL – BREAKING GOOD NEWS!
This morning we’re looking at a high view of the gospel. Do you know what the gospel is? It is God’s breaking good news to sinners that Christ came to save us from our sins, to save us from God’s wrath and to bring us to God! You may be a news junky, but you really don’t need to know what’s on Hunter Biden’s laptop or how many people were shot in Chicago this weekend. But the news we are talking about this morning is news you absolutely must hear – the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Paul fought hard to preserve the true gospel of the sovereign grace of God and so must we. We see Paul’s battle in Galatians 1.
THE BATTLE FOR THE GOSPEL – Galatians 1:6-8
Galatians 1:6-9, I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
Paul took the pure gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone to the Galatians. In Galatians 1:4 he summarized the gospel message: Christ gave Himself for our sins, so that he might rescue us from this present evil age. But something horrible happened among these Galatian Christians, and it happened fast. People who professed faith in Christ had quickly deserted the pure gospel under the spell of false teachers and embraced a different message altogether, a message that distorted the gospel, adding the law to the gospel, specifically requiring circumcision for salvation. Paul is not only astonished but furious and delivers a double curse on any who preach a false gospel in verses 8-9. Anathema means curse or damn. Paul wasn’t interested in men’s approval or being a nice guy – “Am I striving to please men?”(v. 10). He devoted his life to fight for the gospel. God’s glory and people’s souls depended on it.
The gospel has been under attack by false teachers and churches ever since. The Reformation stood against Rome’s false gospel of sacramentalism, liberalism replaced the gospel with a social gospel in the early 1900s, today you have the false gospels of social justice, all religions are equally valid, the gospels of mysticism, trans-genderism, and affirming the LGBTQ+ movement. Churches are baptizing people who aren’t repenting of their sexual perversions. I can hear the latest ladies’ choir named “The Birthing Person’s Choir.” And the old “God helps those who help themselves” gospel is still with us. We too must do battle for the gospel – we can’t ignore it, replace it, forget it, change it, or assume everybody knows it. The gospel is the church’s message, yet there are churches where people never hear the true gospel. Luther said that the sure mark of a true church is that the pure gospel is preached there. We better make sure we’ve it right.
GET IT RIGHT – Matthew 7:13-28
Matthew 7:13-14, Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Matthew 7:22-23, Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
Jesus clearly warned all of us in Matthew 7:13-14 that many people will get the gospel wrong. They’ll enter the broad gate – religion without regeneration and repentance – strolling in thinking they are on the way to heaven, saying, “Lord, Lord!” (vs. 21). “Look at all the religious stuff we’ve done. Of course I’m a Christian. I’ve always believed in God. I made a decision, prayed a prayer, was confirmed, baptized, catechized; I did all kinds of religious stuff, plus God loves everyone unconditionally so we’ve got nothing to be concerned about. God accepts everyone.” They built their hopes on the sinking sands of their own religiosity and not on the solid rock of faith in Christ alone.
Then we have the most shocking words ever to come from Jesus’ mouth, “Depart from Me, I never knew you!” (vs. 23). More dreaded words could not be heard! Look where that broad gate leads – to destruction (vs. 13). No dealing with sin, no self-denial, no radical change, no heart humbling and clinging to the cross. Many go waltzing in that wide gate and walk that broad way to destruction. Verse 14 says few there be that find the path that leads to life, so listen and humbly respond to the gospel message this morning. Build your hope on Jesus Christ alone!
No wonder Paul said in Galatians 1:8-9 if anyone, even an angel from heaven, brings another gospel other than the one he preached, let him be accursed! In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul contrasts the gospel with all man’s wisdom and efforts, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block and foolishness to the unsaved, but to those called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (vss. 23-24) Then Paul continues verses 29-31 and removes all reason for human boasting. The true gospel exalts God alone.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31, But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
It is of God’s sovereign grace alone that you are in Christ Jesus. When you get to heaven and someone asks how you got there, what will you say? “I figured it out; I did my best; I gave to charities ; I recycled; I protested fracking; I was smart enough to choose Jesus; I came of my own free will.” No, you’ll say nothing close to that. First, you’ll be utterly amazed you’re there and then you’ll give all praise, glory, and honor to Jesus Christ, as Revelation 5 portrays, “Worthy is the Lamb.”
GUARDRAILS FOR THE GOSPEL
So what is the gospel? It is all that God has done for sinners in and through His Son, Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. The good news isn’t what we do for God, but what God does for us. God’s saves sinners by His sovereign grace and we don’t help him out. Ironside tells of an elderly man who gave his testimony, giving all praise to God. Afterwards a legalist came up and said, “You told us all that God did for you, but what did you do for God? We have a part to play, too” “Oh, yes,” replied the gentleman,“I should have said something about my part. My part was running away, and His part was running after me until He caught me!”
Let’s put a high view of the gospel into five simple but all-important points. Some of you will recognize these as what are called the doctrines of grace, often summarized by the “TULIP” acrostic . These are five guard rails to keep us on the high and glorious gospel highway. I received help for this section from James Montgomery Boice’s last book, The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Evangelical Gospel.
#1MAN’S GREATEST PROBLEM is not some human neediness, mistreatment, low self-esteem, or even living without purpose. Man’s greatest problem is sin! From Genesis 3 to the end of the Bible tells us sin is man’s problem. Paul exposes the corruption of the human heart in Romans 3:10-23, ending with “all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” Ephesians 2:1 says we were dead in our trespasses and sins and in verse 3, we were all naturally children of wrath. We are radically, totally depraved, blind to God’s glory, deaf to God’s Word, and dead to God’s life! This doesn’t mean we were all as bad as we could be, but we’re as bad off as we could be. We are naturally slaves of sin and we can’t free ourselves. The law of God is like a spiritual mirror, exposing our hearts as idolatrous, blasphemous, murderous, adulterous, lying, and disobedient. The law shows us that our sin is exceedingly sinful. We are naturally rebels against God. That’s where we start, totally or radically depraved and unable and unwilling to respond to God.
#2 GOD’S GREATEST PLAN for sinners is that He has chosen a vast number of guilty sinners from before the foundation of the world to give to His Son! This is called “unconditional election.” If you don’t include the sovereign election of God, you really don’t have the gospel. Ephesians 1:4 says He “chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.” We’d all go on in our sin and under God’s wrath if God didn’t have a plan in place to save sinners. He chose us purely by His mercy and grace, not for any reason in ourselves. And He didn’t choose us because He foresaw that we would choose Christ. He chose us so that we would choose Him. He chose us to give to His Son.
- John 6:3, “All that the Father gives me will come to me.”
- John 6:39, “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”
- John 17:2, “To all whom You have given Him He may give eternal live.”
- John 17:6, “I have manifested Your name to the men you gave Me out of the world.”
- John 17:9, “I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me.”
#3 CHRIST’S GREATEST WORK was not being a good example or a wise teacher or a social justice warrior. Christ’s greatest work was what He accomplished on that cross – namely that loving, definite atonement or propitiation for every one of those guilty sinners God had unconditionally chosen in eternity past. Romans 3:25, “Whom God set forth to be a propitiation!” Propitiation means Christ satisfied God’s holy demands against sin. This is the heart of the gospel. On that Roman cross Jesus Christ suffered the wrath of God that every one of your sins deserved, substituting for all those guilty sinners God had chosen, draining the bowl of divine wrath, all the way to the end. When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” no wrath remained to punish God’s elect people. We call this definite atonement because Christ actually paid in full the penalty for all of those God had chosen in eternity past. Christ didn’t die making salvation possible, hoping some would believe on Him, but He died to actually save His people from their sins. How do you know if He died for you? There is only one way – believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. That’s how you know if you are one of God’s elect and that Jesus came to pay for your sins. But someone says, “If I’m dead in my sins, how can I respond in faith?”
#4 THE SPIRIT’S GREATEST WORK is applying the gospel of Christ to the heart of God’s elect sinners. When the gospel goes forth, the Spirit does His work of calling people to Christ. And sooner or later all the sinners God has chosen will be drawn in their heart to repentance and faith in Christ. All the sinners for whom Christ died, will be saved. Not one will be missing.
2 Thessalonians 2:13, But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
The effectual call is when someone hears the gospel and the Spirit brings new life to that dead heart, calling them to repentance and faith, and actually bringing them to salvation. This is the irresistible or effectual calling of God’s grace through the gospel. No one naturally responds to the call of the gospel. We don’t trigger our own regeneration by our faith. God gives us a new heart and we repent and believe in Christ. That’s why we don’t use human pressure or manipulation to try to get people to make decisions. When Billy Graham went to London for a crusade, he wanted Martyn Lloyd-Jones to join his team. Martyn Lloyd-Jones met with Billy and agreed if Billy did two things: get the liberals and Roman Catholic leaders off his platform, and not use the invitation system. Of course, Billy declined so MLJ did not hook up with him. It’s the Spirit of God who brings sinners into Christ. That’s why when Charles Spurgeon walked to the pulpit, he repeated to himself, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”
The Spirit gives you a new heart called regeneration: you see your need for Christ, you turn from your sin, trust in Christ, and God does the great exchange of forgiving your sins and imputing to you the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ, declaring you righteous! That’s the great doctrine of justification by faith alone. That is how Jesus brings you to God! Christ died for our sins, the just for the unjust, in order that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). Now that’s good news! He takes you by the hand, as it were, and brings you straight to God as a joint heir with Christ, secure in Christ.
#5 THE BELIEVER’S GREATEST BLESSING is the assurance of being accepted in Christ and kept by the power of God for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last day! This is called the perseverance or preservation of the saints. The gospel is good news, and a great part of that is that every believer is as secure in their salvation as Jesus Christ is at the right hand of God. Why? Because when you come to Jesus Christ, you are baptized into Him, brought into union with Him, you are IN CHRIST. And just like a bean in a cup goes wherever the cup goes, wherever Jesus goes, you go. Every believer is positionally seated with Christ in heavenly places right now (Ephesians 2:6)! You’re in Him!
“More secure is no one ever,
than the loved ones of the Savior.”
Plus you have magnificent promises like Philippians 1:6, “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Jesus assures us in John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, they follow Me, I give them eternal life, they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” Romans 8:35 promises, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” No one and no thing, from the deepest depths to the highest heights. If you believe you can lose your salvation, just keep studying. Get into Romans 3-8 and Ephesians 1-2 and if you believe the Bible, you’ll come to believe in the security every genuine believer has in Christ. The only ones who “lose it” never had it. This is called the preservation of the saints. If God took the trouble to choose you in eternity past, then to die for you 2000 years ago, and then sent His Spirit to give you the gifts of repentance and faith and transform your life, He’s not going to desert you once He’s saved you.
SO WHAT?
This is the good news of the gospel. And these five doctrines of grace – Total Depravity; Unconditional Election; Loving Definite Atonement; Irresistible Grace; and Preservation of the Saints, are guardrails to keep us on the straight and narrow road of the gospel. But until you respond to Christ’s invitation to come to Him by faith alone, it isn’t your good news. Are you safely in Christ? Have you gone in the narrow gate of heart repentance and trust in Christ alone and then follow Him as your Master and Lord? That’s the good news. That’s a high view of the gospel. Responding in faith to the gospel gives you eternal fellowship with the living God in and through Jesus Christ our Lord.