“Christ sent me…….to preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17).
The gospel message is meant to be prophetic, not diplomatic; preachers are not meant to be public relations agents sent to establish goodwill between Christ and the world, to make Christ acceptable to government, business and the media. Such a task is impossible for friendship with the world is hostility to God (James 4:4).
The gospel message is not compromise, but an ultimatum; God offers life, but not an improved old life. He who would want to know the life Christ offers must first come to death; he must repudiate himself and concur with God’s just sentence against him. There is no place for negotiation with God; no terms or conditions to make. The seeker must simply bow his head before the stroke of God’s anger and acknowledge himself worthy of nothing else but to die.
Forsaking his sins, he must go on to forsake himself. This is the gospel of Christ Jesus. The gospel is “good news” to those repentant sinners who embrace both its demands as well as its promises; but it is very bad news indeed for those who will not obey it. There is an overtone of warning throughout the New Testament, as there were curses of the Covenant in the Old. As Jesus said; “I never knew you, depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23).
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