Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Why should we preach the gospel now if God is going to have all men to be saved in the end?


This is a very ridiculous question, but nevertheless, many people continue to ask it in light of the salvation of all men. Our answer is to be found from Romans 10:14,15. We must understand that the preaching ( and teaching ) of the gospel is the means by which God AWAKENS the human race to what He has ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED in Christ. This is taking place and will continue to take place in the ages to come.

-Romans 10:14,15 states, … How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! … Let us also consider what 2nd Corinthians 5:18 tells us. It states, … And all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; …

-What beautiful passages of scripture! They both testify to the fact that we have been called to preach and minister the salvation and reconciliation of our great God. We must first take into account that God has already ( past tense ) reconciled the world unto Himself. This means that ALL PEOPLE have been reconciled to God by Jesus Christ ( whether they know it or not ). Even with this having been accomplished, mankind is still called upon ( by God ) to recognize, repent, and respond to what God has made available. We don’t preach to “get people saved”, but rather, we preach to AWAKEN THEM to the fact that God has already saved and forgiven them. THIS IS GOOD NEWS! THIS IS THE GOSPEL! We must stop thinking that our preaching, altar calls, and formulas ( the sinner’s prayer ) is what saves a person. In essence, they are already reconciled, but they just don’t know it yet. With this being said though, man is still accountable ( to God ) to repent and respond in faith to the message of reconciliation, which then leads us through the salvation process of our spirit, soul, and body.

-We are called upon to preach the gospel for the purpose of awakening the human race to the fact ( GOOD NEWS ) that they have been reconciled to God by the death of His Son Jesus Christ. How can a person know that they have been reconciled to God unless someone tells them? This is God’s method of causing all men to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, WHETHER NOW, OR IN THE AGES TO COME! So … Let us …

-PREACH THE GOOD NEWS!-