THE BIBLICAL GOSPEL: God has Provided a Savior

Exodus 34:6-7

“Then Yahweh passed by in front of him and called out, ‘Yahweh, Yahweh! The God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.’ And Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.” 

GOD’S PERSON: ABOUNDING IN LOVINGKINDNESS

God is love: “The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). “And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16). This love that the apostle John refers to is ἀγάπη love (ἀγάπη is the Greek noun). This is self-sacrificial love, this love does what is objectively best and beneficial for someone else regardless of what it costs to you. God’s character and person and nature is love. Therefore God loves His enemies and is merciful to the wicked while they are on this earth: “‘You have heard that it was said, “you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect’” (Matthew 5:43-48). “‘But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’” (Luke 6:35-36).

God is gracious towards wicked man in giving him breath, life, food, shelter, clothing, rain, sunshine—in giving mankind TIME TO REPENT: “‘In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness’” (Acts 14:16-17). It is God’s desire that all men be saved: “First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4). It is God’s command that all men repent: “‘Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead’” (Acts 17:30-31). God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked: “‘Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,’ declares Lord Yahweh, ‘is it not that he should turn from his ways and live?’” (Ezekiel 18:23). “‘For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,’ declares Lord Yahweh. ‘Therefore, turn back and live’” (Ezekiel 18:32). “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares Lord Yahweh, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’” (Ezekiel 33:11). 

God doesn’t change: “Of old You founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. / Even they will perish, but You will remain; and all of them will wear out like a garment; / Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed. / But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end” (Psalm 102:25-27). “‘For I, Yahweh, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed’” (Malachi 3:6). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). God is wrath and justice while at the same time being love, mercy, grace, and compassion. Exodus 34:6-7 declares this unity of God. He does not change. He will accomplish His will. He is all of His attributes/perfections all of the time. God doesn’t stop being God. God has always been this way. God has always been justice, God has always been righteousness, God has always been holy, God has always been love, God has always been good; God is glorious. God would not be righteous if God were not love; He would not be righteous if He were not just and holy. God’s plan and purpose for His creation from beginning to end has always been the same, since before the foundation of the world, because God does not change and He is the same forever—always completely all of who He is. 

GOD HAS PROVIDED A SAVIOR

THEREFORE. Because God is love, just, holy—because God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth—God has provided a Savior for man: “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’” (Luke 2:8-12). “For thus God loved the world, so that the only-begotten Son He gave, in order that every believer in Him might not himself perish, but might have eternal life” (John 3:16). “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me’” (John 14:6). 

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). The noun “gospel” translates the Greek noun εὐαγγέλιον which means “good news” or “good message”. The content of the message of the gospel is Jesus who is Christ, the Son of God. The gospel of God is God’s good news of salvation, restoration, and redemption through the person and work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel demands a specific response—it is God’s imperative to all men for repentance to and belief in Him and His good news: “Now after John had been delivered up into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself’” (Acts 2:38-39). “‘So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, practicing deeds appropriate to repentance’” (Acts 26:19-20). “‘Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding men that everyone everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He determined, having furnished proof to all by raising Him from the dead’” (Acts 17:30-31).

For those whom God calls, the gospel is the power of God for salvation to bring about obedience of faith—to bring about transformed, holy lives of submission in worship to God. Lives of repentance and faith in God that are now pleasing to Him through the effectual work and righteousness of His Son: “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). “For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous will live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17). “Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the Gentiles, leading to obedience of faith; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen” (Romans 16:25-27). “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

The gospel is the good news of the unfathomable riches of Christ: “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the good news of the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for all what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things” (Eph 3:8-9). The gospel is the good news of the glory of Christ, it is light to those who believe: “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your slaves for the sake of Jesus. For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor 4:1-7).

You need to know and believe and submit to the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to know who He is, His person, His work, His will, His word. It is now my intention to clearly explain something of what God has revealed in His Word concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ—to explain what God’s good news is.

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN 

In the beginning, God created mankind in His image to have dominion over the animals and to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). But Adam failed in his role and function of having this dominion as God’s image-bearer/representation on earth when he did not kill the serpent who lied about God and usurped Adam’s authority by addressing his deceit at Adam’s wife (Genesis 3:1-7). At the same time, Adam listened to the voice of his wife (Genesis 3:17) and rejected his role as her authoritative head when he let her lead him, when she gave him some of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 1:6). And finally, both Adam and Eve sinned against God when they ate from the tree of which God commanded them not to eat, and as a result they both died spiritually (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6-7). Therefore, God pronounced cursing on the serpent and on the ground, and promised pain for the woman and Adam in their roles as man and woman (Genesis 3:14-19). All creation experiences the effects of the curse which are pain, sickness, decay, and physical death—the result of sin. God was merciful to mankind when He purposed that they live instead of starting over and making a new creation; God was merciful according to His single plan which He decreed before the foundations of the earth; and God was merciful in promising One who will restore His creation, the One promised in Genesis 3:15.

This demonstrates from Genesis 1-3 that there are two areas that need God’s salvation and restoration, which God graciously purposed and intended for His name’s sake and for His glory: 1) the restoration of God’s original, very good design of man bearing His image/representing Him on earth for the purpose of having dominion over the animals and subduing the earth (Genesis 1:26)—which will include the undoing and reversing of the curse and the end of death. 2) Salvation of man from his sins and reconciliation to a right relationship and fellowship with God. And God promised One who will accomplish these two things in Genesis 3:15, which is the beginning of God’s promises for this salvation and restoration—

“‘And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall crush you on the head,

And you shall crush him on the heel.’”

God addressed this promise to the serpent. The serpent (the devil, Satan) thought that he could ruin God’s very good creation by rebelling against God’s design and circumventing the man’s authority through addressing and deceiving his wife. But God will bring about the serpent’s death and the restoration and salvation of His creation through One from this woman. This One whom God promised in Genesis 3:15 will succeed where Adam failed and will have dominion as the image of the invisible God because He will kill the serpent who instigated the fall of man which led to sin, death, and the curse. He is the One who will save His elect from their sins, who will put death to death, and who will undo and reverse the curse; who will redeem and restore His creation. The gospel, the good news, is about God and His plan for His creation and for man; it is about God’s glory.