APART from and in addition to the actual doctrines of grace promulgated and taught by the ministry of the gospel, we find in the New Testament quite a number of considerations dealt with by the inspired writers of the Gospels and Epistles, which are related one way and another to the Gospel itself. And we now propose to note several of these matters.
There is, for instance the preaching of any other gospel, other than that authorised by the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul discovered that there were such among the Galatians who appeared to have received the gospel of the grace of God, but who were prepared to intermingle with the doctrines of free grace, a measure of legal teaching, and to lead back their hearers to the observance of rites and ceremonies which characterised the ceremonial law given by God, through Moses, to the Jews; as for example, circumcision, which was abolished under the gospel of Christ. Then there was the tendency in this mixed teaching to inculcate the necessity of works in obedience to the moral law, and all to the end of seeking and attaining to justification by God and before God. But Paul says: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2, v. 16). Now, in this connection Paul issues a most solemn warning to false teachers and preachers, in these words: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1, v. 8); and indeed he repeats in almost similar terms this warning in verse 9 of the same chapter. From this we perceive the exceedingly dangerous conduct of many men in these present times, who preach doctrines which are foreign to and inconsistent with the teaching of the gospel, and who are bewitching and deluding sinners, and coming between them and the truth which alone the Holy Ghost blesses. Such men are exposed to special divine displeasure.
And as to the blessed effects and fruits of the gospel, as when sinners are converted and believers revived and sanctified, the power is of God and not of man. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (II Corinth, ch. 4, v. 7). The great treasure of the doctrine and ministry of the gospel of Christ was, as it still is, deposited in and with men called specially of God, yet frail, weak, perishing men, exposed to hatred and the scoffing of the world; men who obviously could not affect and turn thousands of sin-hardened Jews from their sins in penitence to God as on the day of Pentecost. The manifest weakness of the “earthen vessel” contributes to the revelation that the glory and wonder of the influence of the gospel in its convincing and converting power, is of the infinite and gracious God of salvation and not of finite, imperfect men who are but vessels to carry and convey the truths of the gospel to their fellow men in the world. See how persecuted and ill-thought of the Apostle Paul was in many places, and was as nothing in the eyes of multitudes; yet the Lord, through him, did many mighty works in saving precious souls, by sending His power along with Paul’s preaching; and all the glory to God.
Although ministers should certainly give due consideration to the method and manner of their presentation of the gospel to their hearers; yet they must not be given to a reliance on oratory and a philosophic mode of handling the truths of salvation. The Apostle of the Gentiles reminds the Corinthians that he refrained from this, when he writes: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God” (I Corinth., ch. 2, v. 1). His “preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (I Corinth., ch. 2, v. 4). Dr. Charles Hodge comments on this as follows: “It was not with the persuasive words which human wisdom would suggest. In his endeavour to bring such to the obedience of the faith he did not rely upon his own skill in argument or persuasion.” We would suggest here that the key words are: “He did not rely upon.” This aspect of gospel practice is one which indicates the vanity and folly of men in thinking that they themselves or some well-known personality have personal properties and powers which when exercised in gospel activities are bound to succeed in influencing men seriously and savingly. There is, indeed, a subtle danger here. By all means let ministers of Christ devote all their gifts and powers to the task of holding forth the Word of life to perishing men and the needy of God’s people, but let there be a banishing of the thought that the greatest gifts and natural powers can achieve anything, apart from the essential and almighty power and energy of the divine Spirit, in the matter of the salvation of men and the spiritual and gracious edification of believers.
It is a striking and solemn observation which Paul records as to the fact, “… that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called” (I. Cor. i. v. 26) into the fellowship of God’s Son Jesus Christ, by means of the gospel. Although one noble Christian lady said long ago, that it was good that it was not written “not any.” Indeed there were in Scotland itself in times past a goodly number of the then nobility of the land, who greatly feared the Lord and revealed that they were called out of darkness to the blessed life of faith upon Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and Lord. Yet from the Word of God and the history of the Church, it does appear that, “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence” (I. Cor. ii. vv. 27-29). And so the greatest of all honours and blessings, that is, spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, are bestowed upon lowly, despised and unknown sinners of our ruined race, more so than upon the mighty and exalted ones of the world, and that in the sovereign and unmerited love of God—”that no flesh should glory in his presence.” We read of Jesus that the common people heard Him gladly; and that the chief priests and rulers, with few exceptions, despised and hated Him. And so thus God works by the gospel, and in His power, to the calling of those whom He hath chosen in Christ Jesus, before the world began.
The gospel unites and separates men in its effects. Those brought under its power and enabled to believe in Christ Jesus, are firstly united by faith to the Saviour, but are also joined to others who are similarly united to Christ, and are thus members one of another. And on the other hand, the gospel separates between such as may have been bosom friends for years. When Paul preached to the Jews at Rome in his hired lodging, while a prisoner there he spoke of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. The effect was that some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not; and so there was a very fundamental separation made between men of the same nation and same community. If we are not for Christ and the gospel, we are at heart against Him, His Cross and the gospel. “He that is not with me, is against me,” said the Saviour himself. Believers who love the gospel, in spite of their spiritual and temporal trials and troubles, are being fitted for heaven; and others who oppose the gospel, however prosperous otherwise, are going to eternity on the broad way which leads to destruction. At the judgment of the Great Day, the Saviour of the gospel, in His office as judge, shall deal with those who obeyed not the gospel by punishing them with everlasting destruction from His presence and the glory of His power. But on the other hand, He shall be glorified in his saints and admired in all them that believe (see II. Thess. i.). What remorse shall be included in the everlasting punishment of sinners who heard the blessed gospel of Christ and salvation, and disregarded and despised the same! What joy unspeakable shall fill the souls of believers in heaven, world without end.
And finally, where the pure gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached by such as are obviously sent of God; let those who fear the Lord be given much to secret prayer, that the Holy Spirit come in blessed measure upon the servants of Christ and those who hear them. And let sinners among us beware who are at ease in Zion, and are treating with evil indifference the unsearchable riches of Christ in the gospel. Remember what the Saviour said to the people of Capernaum, as to their being “exalted to heaven” and then “thrust down to hell.”