“Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name…” (Romans 1:5).
The New Testament contains a body of information called the gospel, or “the faith”. In it are historical facts, clear commandments, wonderful promises, and somber warnings.
Like deep, healthy roots of a mighty tree, the historical facts serve as a firm foundation. These immutable events of yesteryear distinguish the gospel from the cleverly devised fables and fictional myths of idolatry’s gods and goddesses. Unlike a fairy tale’s “once upon a time…”, the gospel of Jesus Christ starts with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Many of the historical facts of the gospel are fulfilled prophecies predicted hundreds of years prior. At its very core, the gospel of Jesus Christ stands upon the truths that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The precise predictions and exact fulfillment of these prophecies are designed to nurture an ever-increasing trust in the inherent truthfulness of God and His word.
Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), He has a flawless record of keeping His word. Therefore, the gospel’s somber warnings ought to be heeded; its wonderful promises ought to be joyfully embraced; and its clear commands ought to be zealously obeyed in every nation.
Without obedience to the faith, the gospel’s power for salvation remains unrealized in your life. Keeping the Great Physician’s prescription for sin in a bottle cures nothing.
