- To Whom is the Gospel Good News?

8. To Whom is the Gospel Good News?

The gospel is good news only to those whom God has effectually called to life, and no one else. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3-6. Spiritual life is the absolute prerequisite for the spiritual activity of perceiving and believing the truths of the gospel concerning the kingdom of God in Jesus Christ.

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:47). Not until a man is justified, born, and adopted of God, i.e. by being effectually called to life, could he ever hear and understand even the perfect preaching of our Lord Himself (8:43). “Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” John 17:1b-3. The giving of eternal life is absolutely necessary for a saving knowledge of the one true living God and Christ Jesus whom He has sent. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God… but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” 1Cor 1:18,24. It is only those who have been saved eternally, bestowed with eternal life at effectual call that are being saved through the ministry of that word.


9. To Whom is the Gospel Foolishness?

The gospel is foolishness to all who are still dead in their sin, and to all who are perishing. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” Rom 8:7. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” 1Cor 1:18. It is to those that are saved (perfect tense) that the preaching of the gospel is not foolishness. It is to those that are saved that the gospel is indeed good news, something already true of them. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” 1Cor 2:14. “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?” (2Cor 2:15-16). The gospel only reveals life to those with life, and it only reveals death to those still dead. The gospel is never the savor of death unto life, for the life must already exist for the gospel to reveal and confirm it. Surely we agree that unregenerate sinners will always reject the gospel and despise it as foolishness.