Every saved person, having believed into the Lord, must preach the gospel and delights to preach the gospel. The life of God in us, which we have received, is such a life. The more we preach the gospel, the more this life is released, and we will grow accordingly.
1)Being the glad tidings, the good news-“Him that bringeth good tidings...that publisheth salvation” (Isa. 52:7); “Those who announce glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10:15). The gospel is the glad tidings and the good news of great joy, which God asked His servants to announce to men.
1)Jesus Christ-“Bringing the good news of Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). The chief content of the gospel is Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). He is the One who is both God and man (Rom. 1:1-4), who has become the sinners’ Savior (Matt. 1:21).
2)“The gospel which I preached to you...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Christ’s death, by which He bore our sins, His burial, and His resurrection are also the main contents of the gospel. What Christ is, His person as the God-man, and what Christ has done, His work of redemption, constitute the contents of the gospel.
1)Witnessing-“Be My witnesses...unto the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
2)Leading people to the Lord-“Andrew...found first his own brother Simon...He led him to Jesus” (John 1:40-42).
3)Sowing-“Gathers fruit unto eternal life, that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together” (John 4:36).
4)Reaping the harvest-“Beseech the Lord of the harvest that He may thrust out workers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:38).
5)Paying a debt-“I am debtor...to [men]...I am ready to preach the gospel to you” (Rom. 1:14-15).
6)Fruit-bearing-“I [the Lord] chose you, and I appointed you that you should go forth and bear fruit” (John 15:16).
In the foregoing six portions of the Scripture, witnessing for the Lord, leading people to the Lord, sowing, reaping the harvest, paying a debt, and fruit-bearing are the other designations of gospel preaching.
1)“Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
2)“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all the creation” (Mark 16:15).
After the Lord Jesus accomplished the redemption God had planned for His chosen people through His death and resurrection, and when He was about to leave the earth and ascend into heaven, He charged His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all the creation, discipling all the nations and baptizing them into the Triune God. This is a solemn charge. It was given not only to the disciples who were with the Lord but also to all those who have believed into Him and have been saved throughout the generations. We must, therefore, receive seriously this charge to go and spread the Lord’s gospel.
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