Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Gospel is of God's Working

The gospel is an announcement of what God has done, is doing and will do in Jesus. It does not accomplish the work of salvation, rather it brings the work of salvation within the reach of man. Through it The Lord brings "life and immortality to light" - that is, real life, abundant life, everlasting life, eternal life is made manifest to be both accessible and obtainable through the Son of God. This is good news to the one who is convicted of his sin and fully aware of his waywardness and falling short of the glory of the incorruptible God.

Specifically, the gospel announces that all that is accomplished and performed in salvation is according to a Divine edict, not reaction. None of God's working out of His eternal purpose is dependent on man or a reaction to man. It is all driven by His determinate counsel and foreknowledge.

When all of creation is gathered before the Father and before the Lamb in the world to come; when they observe the greatness, the vastness and the detail of redemption; if ever the question is raised "Why are we here?" or "How did we get here?" or "Who is responsible for our everlasting life?" The answer will be a resounding and unified response: "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb" (Rev 7:10). They will say "This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes" (Ps 118:23).

Men of faith have always had this perspective but it will be most notable then. Even in consideration of The Lord of Glory being slain by the hands of godless men we can see that it was not their work primarily but that "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against The Lord and against His Christ...for to do whatsoever [God's] hand and [God's] counsel determined before to be done" (Acts 4:26,28).

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and the salvation of men as a result of this work is proclaimed through the gospel to be the working of God our Savior according to His determinate counsel, His predetermined plan, His eternal purpose.