Lesson
17
Obedience To The Gospel
After Jesus had
died for our sins, was resurrected and just before He ascended into heaven, He commanded his apostles in Mark 16:15-16, "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." Our
Lord wanted the gospel preached to everyone. The word "gospel" literally means good news or good
tidings.
In Romans 1:16
the apostle Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is
the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek."
So we see that the gospel of Christ is God’s only power unto salvation. It is by the gospel or good news that
God saves us.
What does the
Bible say that the gospel is that saves us? In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul is reminding the church at Corinth about the
gospel when he says, "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which
I preached to you, which also you received, and in which you stand; by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word
I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received; that
Christ died for our
sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again
the third day according to the scriptures." Here we see that
Paul was reminding them of the gospel in which Christ died, and was buried, and was raised again on the
third day. Also notice, they were saved by the gospel. So the good news of the gospel is the death, burial, and
resurrection of our Lord.
Why then is the
death of Christ good news? The good news of the death
of Christ is that Christ has died for us, taking our punishment, and now God can be just in saving us. Without his death
we would all be doomed for eternal punishment and no one could be saved. Even though the death of Christ is a terrible
thing to have to happen, it is good news to us. We read in 1 John 4:10, "In this is
love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
Christ had to
be buried since he died. Then after three days, Christ
was raised up from the dead.
We read in 1 Corinthians 6:14, "And God both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us
by His own power." So why is the resurrection of Christ, the gospel or good news? The
good news of the resurrection of Christ is that since God was able to raise up Christ, He will also raise us up from the dead.
Jesus says in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection, and the life. He who believes in Me,
though he may die, he shall live." So the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is certainly good news.
In 2 Thessalonians
1:7-9 we read, "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming
fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey not the gospel
of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the
glory of His power." Here we see that vengeance will be taken on those who obey not the
gospel of Christ. The gospel as we have seen is the death, burial, and, resurrection of our Lord.
How do we obey the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord so that vengeance will not be taken on us?
We are given
the answer of how to obey the gospel in Romans 6:3-5 which says, "Or do you not know, that
as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried
with Him through baptism into death: that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in
the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection." So here we see that we are baptized into His death, we are buried with Him through baptism, and then just as Christ was raised up from the dead, we also are
raised to walk in newness of life
after baptism. Only after baptism are we born again and our new life in Christ begins. There must be a death,
burial, and resurrection before this new life is possible. Only in baptism does our old sinful person die, is buried,
and rises as a new person free from sin. We are transformed from death to life. We become a new creation.
The chart above
illustrates how that in baptism we obey the gospel. That is we obey a form of His death, burial, and resurrection when we are baptized, so that vengeance will not be taken on us. Continuing
in this sixth chapter of Romans we read in verses 17-18 (KJV), "But God be thanked, that you
were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness." So, we see
when people obey that form of doctrine that is a form of the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection when they
are baptized, they at that point are then made free from sin and become the servants of righteousness.
Have you obeyed
the gospel by being baptized into His death, being buried in baptism with him and then being raised with Him up out of the watery grave of baptism to walk in newness of life?
If your baptism was not for the purpose of making you free from sin so that you can be saved, then you haven’t obeyed
the gospel of Christ. You haven’t been made free from sin. As we have already seen, the Lord will take vengeance
on all those who obey not the gospel of Christ. If you haven't why don’t you correct your situation and make things
right? Don’t put it off. Satan wants you to put off making it right.
The reason so
much time and detail has been spent on pointing out what the Bible says about baptism is because of all the different perversions
and distortions of baptism that men have come up with which are different from what God has said in the Bible. The tragedy
is these distortions and perversions will cause many people to be eternally lost. The gospel is being perverted today
just as it was perverted in the first century. Paul says in Galatians 1:6-8, "I marvel
that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel: which is not another;
but there be some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed." Christ
will not tolerate another gospel.
People pervert
the gospel of Christ today when they attempt to make changes in God’s plan to save man to suit themselves. We
have been discussing these perversions throughout this course. It is a serious matter with God to have his gospel perverted
and it will not go unnoticed. That person will be accursed by God. The person who perverts the gospel of Christ
will be eternally lost and also cause others to be lost by believing and obeying a perverted gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).
Questions for Lesson # 17
Obedience To The Gospel
1.
Jesus wanted the gospel preached: (Mark 16:15-16)
A.
To only a few people
B.
To every creature
C.
To just good people
2.
The gospel means good news.
A.
True
B.
False
3.
The gospel is: (Romans 1:16)
A.
The power God uses to save everyone who believes
B.
Optional since we can be saved without it
C.
Something all people like to hear
4.
Paul was ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
A.
True
B.
False
5.
The gospel is the good news: (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
A.
That all men are going to be saved
B.
That no one is going to be saved
C.
Of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ
6.
We are saved by the gospel.
A.
True
B.
False
7.
Vengeance will be taken on: (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)
A.
Those who do not obey the gospel
B.
Everyone
C.
On no one
8.
We can still go to Heaven if we do not obey the gospel.
A.
True
B.
False
9.
We obey the gospel which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ when
we: (Romans 6:3-5)
A.
Say the sinners prayer
B.
Accept Jesus as our personal savior
C.
Are baptized
10.
When we are baptized we are raised as a new person.
A.
True
B.
False
11.
If a gospel is preached other than what we find in the Bible then: (Galatians 1:6-8)
A.
It is a perverted gospel
B.
It is pleasing to God
C.
It is alright
12.
There are many perverted gospels being taught today.
A.
True
B.
False
13.
One who preached a perverted gospel: (Galatians 1:6-8)
A.
Is doing God’s will
B.
Will be accursed and lost eternally
C.
Will be saved if he is sincere
14.
On who preaches a perverted gospel will cause no one to be lost.
A.
True
B.
False
