The Gospel is a message of ‘good news.’

[JM]

“The Gospel is a message of ‘good news.’

To whom?

To sinners.

But to what sort of sinners?

To the giddy and unconcerned, to those who give no thought to the claims of God and where they shall spend eternity?

Certainly not.

The Gospel announces no good tidings to them: it has no music in it to their ears. They are quite deaf to its charms, for they have no sense of need of the Saviour"

The Sermon on the Mount A.W. Pink

 

[MW]

Some differentiation needs to be made between the outward and inward call. Outwardly the gospel is good news to sinners as sinners because it is perfectly adapted and suited to their condition. One sinner is no different from another. What Christ has done to save one sinner is perfectly sufficient of itself to save another sinner. If Christ had chosen to save all sinners there was nothing more that needed to be done on His part. As the gospel sets forth what Christ has done and offers salvation to those who will believe in Him it is good news in and of itself. What is preached and offered to one man is preached and offered to another man.

Inwardly, not every hearer of the gospel comes to the conviction that they are sinners in need of salvation. Only those who are called according to the purpose of God and have the gracious work of the Spirit are able to embrace Christ and receive the grace that is offered in the gospel. The life promised in the gospel is believed and subsequently leads to life enjoyed in the soul. On the other side, there are many who walk on in their sins and satisfy themselves that all is well with them. They stiffen their necks and harden their hearts. To such the gospel is not received as good news. Rather than receive its promises they incur its judgements. To these people the gospel's message of death seals their condemnation.

Many mistakes in the area of the free offer of the gospel result from a failure to properly distinguish the outward and inward call. Hyper-Calvinism and hypo-Calvinism have this in common.

 

[seajayrice]

Q. 31. What is effectual calling?
A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ,86 And renewing our wills,87 he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ,88 freely offered to us in the gospel.89

 

[Herald]

Only those who are called according to the purpose of God and have the gracious work of the Spirit are able to embrace Christ and receive the grace that is offered in the gospel. The life promised in the gospel is believed and subsequently leads to life enjoyed in the soul. On the other side, there are many who walk on in their sins and satisfy themselves that all is well with them. They stiffen their necks and harden their hearts. To such the gospel is not received as good news. Rather than receive its promises they incur its judgements. To these people the gospel's message of death seals their condemnation.

Deuteronomy 30:19 "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live..."

 

[JM]

Thanks folks.

“The gospel is not an ‘offer’ to be bandied around by evangelistic peddlers.” ~ A. W. Pink

 

[MW]

“The gospel is not an ‘offer’ to be bandied around by evangelistic peddlers.” ~ A. W. Pink

Continue on: "The Gospel is no mere invitation, but a proclamation, a proclamation concerning Christ; true, whether men believe it or no. No man is asked to believe that Christ died for him in particular. The Gospel, in brief, is this: Christ died for sinners, you are a sinner, believe in Christ, and you shall be saved. In the Gospel, God simply announces the terms upon which men may be saved (namely, repentance and faith) and, indiscriminately, all are commanded to fulfill them."

And compare with the following statement from The Interpretation of the Scriptures: "Particular redemption (Christ making atonement for the sins of His own people only) must not prevent His servants from preaching the Gospel to every creature and announcing that there is a Saviour for every sinner out of hell who appropriates Him for his own. Sunder not the two halves of John 6:37: all that the Father gives Christ shall come to Him, albeit the individual must seek Him (Isa. 55:6; Jer. 29:13). Nor does the inability of the natural man annul his accountability, for though no man can come to Christ except the Father draw him (John 6:44), his refusal to come is highly blameworthy (Prov. 1:24-31; John 5:40)."

 

[JM]

Excellent quotes! I would never say we are not to preach freely to all, like Pink, announcing "the terms upon which men may be saved."

 

[MW]

I believe Pink says more than that: "Christ died for sinners, you are a sinner, believe in Christ, and you shall be saved."

 

[JM]

Ok.