Getting Job-ed
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:14-15 ESV
In the last article, we talked about the side of the gospel that no one likes to hear about: our sin and condemnation before a holy and just King. If you haven’t read that article, we advise you strongly to go back and read that. The bad news is what makes the Good News so good!
What’s the ‘Gospel?’
In Mark 1:15, the word ‘gospel’ is ‘euangeliō‘ in Greek. This translates over to English as ‘good news.’ But what is the ‘good news’ really about?
Mankind is in constant rebellion against a holy King, ever since mankind’s beginning (Romans 1:18-25). Go all the way back to the beginning of the human race in Genesis 1-3. Mankind wants to be god and to be in control (Genesis 3:4-6). We gravitate and love anything and everything apart from what is truly worthy of our love (Romans 3:21-26) and affection, that is, God Himself. That rebellion warrants death and absolute punishment (Romans 6:23). We aren’t owed anything; we don’t deserve anything (Ephesians 2:1-9, Romans 9). But these rebellious people are not totally wiped out as they deserve. This is seen by the grace given to completely sinful people in the Old Testament: Adams and Eve’s rebellion in Genesis 1-3, Noah (passes out drunk and naked- Genesis 9:20-21), Abraham (worshipping pagan gods when he was called by God, Joshua 24:2-3), Moses (a murderer with a temper problem, Exodus 2:11-12 and Numbers 20:7-13), David (a womanizer and murder, 2 Samuel 11), etc. These people were flawed and in rebellion against God, yet God, whose standard is perfection, chose them to be His people.
This King, by grace and grace alone, chooses to pardon His people by sending His Son to atone (sacrificial death, paying a price) for these people (Ephesians 2:1-9, Romans 3:21-26). This King has come to rescue His children from His own wrath, not at all because of the merit of those kids, but by His unconditional grace (Romans 9; John 6:44). God is not forced to do this and does not need to do this: He chooses to do this for the praise of His glorious grace (Ephesians 1:4-14). God reaches into our dead hearts and regenerates them, making them alive to Him through Christ (John 3:1-21; Ezekiel 36:22-36; Jeremiah 31:31-37; Romans 8:29-30). God has to remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh; He has to write His law on our hearts (Ezekiel 36:22-36; Jeremiah 31:31-37– really pay attention to the verbiage). The only way that we can come to God is if He pulls us to Him and empowers us to love Him for who He is (John 6:44). Once our hearts are shocked back to life, there are conditions that have to be met: we have to repent from the heart (turn from sin and walk towards God) and believe in the Gospel of Christ (Mark 1:14-15). Our heart has to change from loving other gods (ourselves, money, food, sex, cars, retirement, vacations, family, etc.) to loving the true God our King.
The ‘Good News’ of the Kingdom is that this King has come to rescue His children, crush the head of the serpent from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15, Revelation 20:9-10), and restore creation (Revelation 21).
So what do we do?
So what do we do? If you hear God’s voice, respond. John 10:25-30 ESV:
Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
If you hear Christ’s call, respond. Turn from rebellion to following the true King— the only King who is worthy of all of our love, devotion, and affection. Believe and trust in King Jesus.
-Austin
