We come to the seventh and eighth mark of the true gospel that we find in Acts 10. I know that this seems forever but one of the problems with the modern day version of the gospel is that it has been reduced to 3 points or 4 laws and so much of the meat and truth that needs to be understood before accepting that fact that you need Jesus to be your LORD is left out. If you want Jesus to be your fire insurance policy then we need a couple of unfinished thoughts -- but when we come to faith it is coming to Christ as LORD and SAVIOR.... Today's truths will drive that home.
7. The Gospel is a precaution for the future when Jesus will judge the living and dead.
42 “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
One of the roles that the Son of God has earned from His work on the cross is that He will judge the living and dead – the saved and unsaved in the future. When the end of all time comes the entire human race will have to stand before Jesus….Heb. 9:24 – “appointed for man to die – then comes the judgment.” We will stand before him as either as believers in Christ – people who heard the gospel and accepted it and those who did not accept the gospel. Both will experience some level of examination and will have to give reckoning for their lives. The believer is able to stand on Christ's work and righteousness for forgiveness of sin and redemption. The unbeliever cannot that is why he will be condemned to hell forever. But the believer will have their work on earth examine since salvation. Good works will receive crowns....no work or work of the flesh will receive condemnation by our Lord.
The gospel is a message of warning – God desire that no one perish….BUT some do perish! God sent prophets to warn…Israel represented Him to the sinful world…Jesus was sent to set the captives free…Apostles went to preach and spread the gospel. Peter reminds Cornelius that judgment was coming. It is a motivating factor of the gospel…..that is good warning and it should invoke fear and terror in our hearts! THERE IS SUCH A THING AS GOOD FEAR! (HOLY FEAR)....There is nothing wrong with hearing or preaching that part of the work of the gospel is to avoid the wrath and judgment of God. As I always say.... "Why would someone who is not concerned about the future, be interested in dealing with his or her future NOW."
8. The Gospel preaches forgiveness of sins of those who believe in Christ alone.
43 “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
Why do we need Christ? Because we are SINNERS who need a SAVIOR. We can not forgive our sins or do anything that will remove those sins. We can’t cover them up or minimize sins affect on our lives – we are without peace; separated from God and facing judgment. Peter makes it clear what the gospel says – when we believe in Christ – we have forgiveness of our sins. But it is very clear that it is “through His name”….”believe in Him”
That belief must be exclusively one Christ…Jesus said that “he is THE way…THE truth…THE life…NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER….any other way! Salvation is by grace ALONE, through faith ALONE, in Christ ALONE
The gospel clearly preaches Christ alone – Christ plus nothing. The Bible’s gospel is not Christ plus…baptism…plus communion…plus Church attendance. If any of those things are added then it’s salvation by works.
The only source of forgiveness of sins is through Christ atoning work. This is where all other religions….even some that call itself CHRISTIAN divide company with the Bible – such as Catholicism.