1 Corinthians 15:2

Title:  By this gospel

If we would regard the gospel as the means to salvation by faith, in the same manner it has to carry us all the way to the resurrection, help us grow in the knowledge of the truth, strengthen us in the trials of our faith, encourage us in our commitment to serve God and obey his commands.

By no means is the gospel message an initial truth that would not permeate every facet of the Christian life.  We are saved by it, and by it we are shepherded to the very gate of the Kingdom.

Romans 1:16

Title:  I am not ashamed

In Canada and in the U.S.A., preaching against sin is now being labeled as “hate speech” and the Bible as “hate literature”.  In no time the preaching of the gospel will be forbidden outside the walls of a place of worship and the Bible banned in public places.

The assault against the gospel (1Cor. 15:1-4) is intensifying day by day.  Now it has become a political issue, just the same way abortion and same-sex (abomination) union have been legitimized in the halls of Congress, whereas these are spiritual and moral concerns that should have been decided upon by the church of the Lord Jesus in the light of Scriptures.

The church must stand its ground and call abortion and same-sex union as sins abominable, disgusting, repulsive, loathsome, indecent, shameful, and unnatural; that if self-serving politicians and sodomites will not repent, they will all likewise perish.

We must preach against sin in the face of imprisonment or even death.

That is our calling.  That is our blessing.

Luke 1:17

Title:  To make ready

Are we leading the church to get the most out of life or are we preparing it for the destruction of the earth and the return of the Lord Jesus?

Do our friends and neighbors suspect that we are building an ark in our backyards?

A Christian possesses a life hidden with the Lord Jesus in God; for purposes of understanding, a Christian is in heaven looking down to earth.  Nothing on earth can bring him joy except those things and opportunities which he can use to edify the church and proclaim the gospel.

Everything we see in this world will be destroyed by fire.  This world is condemned.  Not a thing can be done to save the economy, to bring peace between nations, to alleviate poverty and hunger, to stem the spread of disease.

What remains for us to do is to declare the gospel, so that those who had been chosen before the foundation of the world might hear and believe.

And then the end will come.

1 Peter 4:7

Title:  The end of all things is near

It is the certainty rather than the timing of the end of all things that should compel Christians to live for the will of God.

We can’t afford to wait for the bandwagon to appear on the horizon before we would act, because by then it would be too late.

The proper way of waiting is to utilize whatever gift God has bestowed on us to serve other believers, encouraging and edifying them in the process, and announcing the gospel in all its simplicity but in God’s power so that he may be praised in the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1

Title: The Gospel

No one can be labeled “good” without being “just” at the same time.

The act of taking away sin is not put into effect at the expense of justice. We can be sorry all we want for our transgressions, and perform all the good deeds in the hope of tipping the scale of right or wrong in our favor, but to no avail will these earn us forgiveness. In the Christian economy forgiveness is not earned; forgiveness is received as a gift by faith.

The gospel message is not about forgiveness per se; it is the good news of the Lord Jesus taking our place in order for him to pay in full the penalty for our sins, so that repentance might be made possible and forgiveness received as a gift.