The Gospel: What It Is; and What It Is For.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
THE apostle Paul tells in plain language just what the Gospel is, so that we need not make any mistake concerning it. He says: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. "For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith; as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith." Rom. 1: 16, 17. The Gospel is God's power unto salvation to every one that believeth. Such is the plain statement of the text. No argument or reasoning or anything of the kind is needed. The text itself makes it plain that God's Gospel is power; and, furthermore, it is power that is strong enough to bring salvation from sin. The depth of the sin from which this Gospel is able to deliver is made plain in the verses that immediately follow the foregoing quotation. They read: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived thru the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse; because that, knowing God, they glorified Him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. "Wherefore God gave them up in the lust of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves; for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." "And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unmerciful; who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them." Rom. 1: 18-25, 28-32. The foregoing text does not say in so many words that the Gospel can save persons who are sunken so low in vices and heathen superstitions as the ones therein described. But the whole epistle from which the text is taken was addressed to the converts from heathenism, and is very similar in expression to the following that was addressed to a similar class in Corinth: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you; but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. 6: 9-11. This last text names some of the same sins that are enumerated in the text from Romans and says, "Such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." Then some of the believers in Corinth were saved from the very lowest depths of the vices, superstitions, and iniquities of heathenism; they were lifted out of the same depths of mire that cursed the heathen of Rome in the profligate days of the Cæsars. And note how complete is this salvation spoken of. Notwithstanding the depth of sin into which these heathen converts had been sunken, it is said of them, they are "washed," "sanctified," and "justified." Their characters are completely made over. They are no longer defiled with sins, but are made just and clean. Then how literally true it is that the Gospel is "power," yea, it is even "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." We admire the mighty abilities of the great engine, with its multiplied thousands of horse-power, but this is only a mechanical strength to be used in mechanical work. How vastly and indescribably greater should be our admiration of that power that can lay hold on the mind that is degraded by the lowest of vices and sins and lift it up to the high level of justification; so that when the individual is washed by the Gospel's power, he is rendered just. Our highest ideal is the just man. And such is the perfect character that is created by the power of the Gospel. "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." 2 Cor. 5: 17. Then the Gospel's work is to destroy the old creature of sin and make a new man in Christ Jesus. How marvelous the power! And how clear the purpose of the Gospel!