The Good News
Those who DO NOT OBEY the gospel will be dealt eternal destruction.
"when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 NASB
What is the gospel?
The word gospel means good news. It is knowing and believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
We obey the gospel by following God's command to be like Christ. And to be in Christ.
“Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,” Romans 6:3-5 NASB
But many argue that baptism is not necessary. They believe that it is just an act carried out after they are saved simply by their belief. They say that salvation is a free gift and we can not "work" for it. They consider baptism a "work" on the part of the believer.
However, baptism is actually a work of God on our behalf as evidenced in Colossians 2:11-13
“and in Him you were also circumcised with a CIRCUMCISION MADE WITHOUT HANDS, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him THROUGH FAITH, IN THE WORKING OF GOD, who raised Him from the dead. When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,”
Can you see just how very important baptism is?
We cannot just hear a sermon, believe it, ask Jesus into our heart and think we are saved. If that were true, why then did the people after hearing and believing Peter's first sermon about Jesus ask, "What MUST we DO?" They knew there was more then belief.
“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:37-38 NASB
God's plan for our salvation is easy to see and follow:
Hear the gospel, believe that Jesus is the Son of God, confess publicly that Jesus is the Son of God, obey the gospel in baptism by dying to your old self, being buried under the water where God's hand will circumcise you of your sin and indwell you with the Holy Spirit, then raise you up a new creation in the likeness of Christ.
Then you must continue to be transformed. Your mind must be renewed and expanded as you learn, study and grow. And you must remain steadfast and stand firm daily as your faith is tested over and over by Satan, who is always trying to snatch you from God's hand.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:2
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 15:58 NASB
It is my hope and prayer that you have obeyed the gospel and that you are producing fruit by sharing this good news to this lost world.
I love you all, but God loves you more.
