The Trying Gospel
Many preach the gospel as if it is an attempt on God's part to save
sinners. Almighty God has done what he can. Now it is in the hands
of sinners to determine if the Lord Jesus Christ's death will
accomplish their salvation or not. It is the will of man to determine
if the Lord shed His blood in vain or achieved His purpose in death.
This is what is called a man centered gospel. It is doubly pernicious
for on the one had it demotes God to a place of passively waiting for
man to take up God's offer of forgiveness. On the other it promotes
man to a position of dominating God for it commits to man the power
to give or deny the Lord God what he desires and has tried to secure.
In reality this popular man centered gospel is no gospel at all. The
true gospel is the gospel of atonement but this variety supplies no
atonement. Here Christ wants to atone for sinners sin but his blood
offering must wait until the sinner takes it up. Christ's death is
rendered a mere attempt to atone.
The true gospel is a gospel of redemption, but this hybrid has no
payment of a ransom. Christ offers payment to clear the sinner's
debt to the law but the account remains outstanding regardless until
the sinner releases payment. Christ's suffering is merely an attempt
to redeem.
The man centered gospel is a gospel of co-operation, where God does
his bit and man does his bit then when both are put together everybody's
happy. But it is no gospel. It is a parody and a poor imitation. It is
sold as genuine as preachers who appeal to the emotions and self importance
of the sinner. However, their message does not bear the stamp of their Maker.
Can it be good news to a sinner who is spiritually dead, to be told he can
be saved if he will do something spiritual? Since it is impossible for a
rebel in any way to contribute to his or her salvation or by any means
effect or secure their salvation, why do preachers perpetuate this lie?
Those who preach this gospel might as well offer their hearers instructions
for flying. There message is tantamount to telling someone to step off a
cliff edge, fly to Jesus and He will give you some wings!
The true gospel is much more glorious than that cheap counterfeit. It is
heavenly. It is Christ centered, not man centered. It is efficacious and
complete. True preachers of the gospel tell their hearers that Christ
has died for His people. In accordance with God's eternal covenant of
grace and everlasting love for His elect. He has secures their salvation
by paying the ransom. he has bought their freedom by redeeming their
captive souls. He has propitiated the wrath of God against their sin
and declared them justified by imputing to them His own perfect
righteousness. This is the gospel, the good news that such a salvation
may be found on this earth and is the experience of all who by faith,
truly repent of sin and trust Christ's finished work.
This great salvation is free of cost or obligation to the recipient.
It is bestowed freely and sovereignly by grace, received by faith,
and complete in every aspect. It is the gift of God to sinners. It
is rest for the weary, food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty.
It is full and free salvation to all that believe. We stand for no
cooperative redemption. If Christ died for our sins then in the eyes
of God our sins are gone. We are as certain of heaven as if we were
already there.
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 * SLMR 2.1a * Salvation is a gift bestowed not merely a gift offered
--- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 
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