The Everlasting Gospel

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7)

The message from heaven is good news. It is glad tidings of deliverance from present and impending doom. It is a message of hope when hope is otherwise gone. It announces an impossible thing and then declares that it is possible with God. The gospel is a summons to partake of the glorious salvation offered to men on the basis of the Son’s ability to perform all that is required for the ungodly to gain fellowship with God. 

Everlasting. This message is not for a particular time. It is everlasting. What is declared by the angel was always appropriate. This message is just as fitting for Adam and Eve as it is for us today. The everlasting nature of the gospel does not mean that it becomes dull or common. It never needs to be updated or adapted. This everlasting gospel is a promise of blessing through the Messiah and was sufficient for Abraham (Gal 3:8). It is a message of the salvation of souls by the grace of God and was sufficient to save the prophets and their hearers (1 Pet 1:10-11). It’s glory is seen in that it is still able to save those who hear it today.

The trend of culturing the gospel to fit to “our times” is a vain endeavor that actually makes the message of none effect. Any alteration of the everlasting gospel will cloud the eternality of the purpose of God. It will prevent it’s hearers from fellowship with the saints of old and with the ministry of reconciliation. They will see their experience as something that is isolated from the that which they read about in the Scriptures. 

Peter once said, concerning Gentile converts, “we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:11). Likewise, we must say, “we believe that through the hearing and believing of the everlasting gospel we shall be saved, even as all men throughout history, world without end.”

Fear God! This is the genesis of all sound thinking. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. If men do not fear God whatever they say is of no value in the last analysis. The greatest intellect of the world is made foolish when it’s possessor fails to fear God. In fact, most of the “science” falsely so called of our day is spawn from the well of “the ignorance and rejection of God.” The entire earth has need of hearing this message - “Fear God.” Compliance with such a command would break down the fortress of ungodliness that is our society.

Give Glory to God! This is right because God is glorious. Let him who boasts, boast in God. It is high time for Nebuchadnezzar to come off of his wall and recant of his words. It is time for men to say “Look at this great creation which God has built.” 

Give honor, reverence, praise to the name of God. Those who believe the gospel will do just this. Partaking of the salvation of God will cause men to cry out in praise. Nothing in salvation promotes pride. Men must see the peril of their situation and cry out, “O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death” and then the gospel responds, “thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” - He will! 

The gospel not only commands men to give glory to God but the message itself gives glory to God. In every congregation, gathering, and street corner in which the everlasting gospel is being published, Jesus, the only begotten of the Father, is being faithful to do just this. Through the mouths of His people He is fulfilling His purpose to glorify His Father according to what is written: “I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee” (Ps 22:22).