The Everlasting Gospel
Feb 5, 2016 1207
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15–16, NKJV)
The writers of the New Testament are at pains to point out that the gospel that must be preached is the same identical gospel as preached by Christ and the apostles:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures – 1 Cor 15:3
There it is – Scripture’s own definition of the gospel! The gospel is that “which you heard from the beginning” (1 John 2:24). This special message cannot be changed, redefined or added to. Note how strongly Paul makes this point in Galatians 1:8–9, where he says that it cannot be altered even by divine revelation (‘an angel from heaven”).
The everlasting gospel was first announced the apostles on the basis of the cross and resurrection of Christ, and it remains until the end of the world, for it is the means by which God has chosen to save sinners. There are no adjustments, no fine-tuning – the everlasting gospel is it – the good news for every sinner in every circumstance, and for all time.
We can restate it but never redefine it, we can magnify it but never augment it, we can reclaim it but never claim to own it – that’s the everlasting gospel! And we must always confess that we are the ones who need it most.
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