For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
-- Romans 1:16
When I was a little kid, country music stars used to barnstorm the country performing concerts and dropping by local radio stations for promotions. Since my dad was affiliated with the only country station in our town, I met some famous people, including Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn, Tom T. Hall, and Junior Samples, who just like on television wore overalls and smelled like corn liquor. They were all genuinely nice and made good impressions on my father and me.
Since I've been a pastor, I've met many megachurch pastors, book authors, and so-called Christian celebrities. I've not been very impressed. I'll not mention any names, but one was caught in a car after midnight with a woman not his wife, another was credibly accused of forcing himself on another pastor's wife in a beach condo, one had no idea who Charles Haddon Spurgeon was, and still another had no idea what the Gospel is. Perhaps the third -- no, it's the fourth -- is the most shocking of all.
Literally, the Gospel is a word that means "good news." Specifically, it is the exceedingly good news that the God who created us loves us, even though our sins against Him and one another have separated us from Him. So God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to be our Lord and Savior. Those who accept Jesus as Lord, receive Him as their Savior. Sins are forgiven, relationship with God is restored, life has more meaning, and Heaven is our eternal home.
In order for the Gospel to be real, the Jesus of the Bible has to be true. He is God's only begotten Son, God's only incarnation of Himself, and God's only Savior from sin. He actually lived a sinless life, literally died a substitutionary death, and visibly rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, from whence He will return one day, quite suddenly, visibly, and literally.
To make the Gospel your own and have abundant and eternal life, you must do two things, according to the New Testament: repent and believe. Repentance means turn, turn away from selfishness and sinfulness, turn your life over to God and ask for His forgiveness. Believe is an intellectual, emotional, and volitional commitment, totally, to live with and for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Out of genuine Gospel faith will flow baptism, responsible church membership, and a life in keeping with Holy Scripture. Love for the Lord and others will be your theme, faith will be your guide, and hope will keep you hanging on. The Gospel truly understood and accepted will give you all of this and more.
And, the Gospel is free! Anyone who hears it can have it. God gives it by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Understand and obey the Gospel, and you will never be alone. God is with you, for now and eternity.
One does not have to be a Christian celebrity to understand the Gospel. As a matter of fact, it might help if you are not. Pride is the number one reason people do not repent and believe the Gospel. Put your pride away and feel the power, "the power of God for salvation."
Once you've found the good news, find yourself a good church. Don't wander into a megachurch or a silly church, where you'll just be a number or just be confused. Find a joyful and serious church, where they truly believe in the word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Meet the pastor, who will be no celebrity. They will help you turn the good news into a good life, praising God and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others.
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].