The message of the gospel is truly a unique message that shines forth the love of God in a way that is so beautiful that when fully understood should cause us to praise Jesus to the highest heavens. When it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is something so mind bogglingly great in this gospel, that when we actually contemplate what is contained in its message, I have no other reaction than to break out into abundant praise, thanksgiving, and worship to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
However, within the gospel, we see some interesting paradoxes that highlight not only its unique nature to mankind but its mysterious beauty. May the following four quotes help us see some of these paradoxes:
“The irony of the gospel is that the only way to be worthy of it is to admit that you’re completely unworthy of it.” – Timothy Keller1
“The glory of the gospel is that when the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it.” – Martyn Lloyd-Jones2
“The Christian Gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me.” – Timothy Keller3
“The gospel is so simple that small children can understand it, and it is so profound that studies by the wisest theologians will never exhaust its riches.” – Charles Hodge4
When one takes the time to analyze what is contained in the gospel it will make you leap for joy. To me the gospel is the ultimate rescue mission. Let’s look at our state before we accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that all of us are born dead in our sins and trespasses, are in total rebellion against God, are spiritually dead, can’t, on our own, even seek after Him, and are on a collision course with eternal damnation. Now that my friends is the ultimate in bad news!
But now enter Jesus Christ, with what can only be described as the ultimate in great news – the gospel! Just as the Bible tells us the aforementioned “bad news” the gospel proclaims the following amazing news. When a person accepts Christ, through faith, as their Lord and Savior, the following events occur. First, our entire lifetime of sins are nailed to the cross and not only are we forgiven, but Christ imputes His righteousness to us! Second, as we stay close to Jesus, even amidst the trials of life, we can experience immense joy and peace. Third, physical death is no longer to be feared since it is only a gateway into the realm of eternal life with Christ. Fourth, when we become citizens of heaven and inhabit the new Earth, we not only will have eternal bliss but a glorified body with perfect health. And fifth, we will spend eternity in the presence of the Lord!
My friends, in closing, I would like to leave you with this beautiful quote on just what is the gospel from Billy Graham: “The Gospel shows people their wounds and bestows on them love. It shows them their bondage and supplies the hammer to knock away their chains. It shows them their nakedness and provides them the garments of purity. It shows them their poverty and pours into their lives the wealth of heaven. It shows them their sins and points them to the Savior.”5
1 100 of the Best Timothy Keller Quotes | Anchored in Christ
2 85 Quotes About The Gospel | ChristianQuotes.info
3 85 Quotes About The Gospel | ChristianQuotes.info
4 85 Quotes About The Gospel | ChristianQuotes.info
5 Quote by Billy Graham: “The Gospel shows people their wounds and bestow…” (goodreads.com)