Ever since the gospel of Christ came into the world on the Day of Pentecost, there has been dissension concerning the content and meaning of the message. More than a few try to use the Old Testament teachings that don’t apply to anyone today, except for historical record and through the principles found in the content. The fundamental problem is the failure to recognize that the Old Testament was written to the Jews, to tell them of God’s requirements for bringing Christ into the world. The New Testament gives us the history of Christ’s ministry on earth and the revealing of the gospel message to the world.

The word gospel means the good news of salvation and is used 101 times in 95 verses. It is used in a special sense, which gives the essence of Christ, and the news of salvation found in no one else. There are those who are so confused about the relationship of the Old and New that they have decided it easier to disbelieve in God than to believe. One individual in Indiana constantly rails about Christians not observing the Fourth Commandment and the various food laws given to the Jews. He refuses to countenance the truth saying that Christ is a myth, constantly showing his confusion due to rejecting the message of the scriptures. 

The world of today is as deep in sin as when Christ came into the world to save it. Jesus said, For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  (John 3:17) That verse exposes the fact that the world, the humans whom God created, stood condemned by their conduct and needed salvation. Yet, there are those who don’t believe that God will condemn anyone because he loves everyone. Examine that verse carefully. God didn’t send Jesus to condemn anyone. Every human then and now has been and is condemned and needs salvation, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)  Yet, there are those who are so self-righteous or who are so mired in sin, that they say they don’t believe it and continue on the path to destruction. Proverbs 16:25 lays the false ideas to rest or should. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Such people try to rewrite the Bible to suit themselves by thinking that personal goodness, whatever that may be, will get them to heaven. First of all, there isn’t any such thing as a personal goodness.  Jesus said, when addressed as the Good Master, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (Mark 10:18) Paul said of his own goodness, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: It is the righteousness of Christ that we appropriate by faith that saves, not the personal do good ideas of the world that people try to use to “go to heaven,” which is presumably a reference to eternal life.

It is difficult for people to accept the fact that family, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and all other relatives and friends won’t be saved if they don’t obey the gospel. God above all knows that those relationships are precious, but they don’t take precedence over his requirements for salvation. Yet people refuse to believe that those they love won’t be saved. When that is the attitude, which is held by millions, they need to ask, “Why do I not believe God?”

© 06-28-2008 DEC

           Next Lesson Why Do I Not Believe God? Part III