Those Who Preach the Good News

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15 ESV)

Now, I am going to be talking about this in relation to how things are in our world, and in the church, and among the people of God today. For, as those of us who are of genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ, we are to be his witnesses. We are to be making disciples of Christ of the people of this world. We are to be the light in the darkness and the salt of the earth in preserving and in sharing the truth of the gospel. For as his holy people we are called to proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness (sin) into his wonderful light (Christ, truth, righteousness).

[Matt 5:13-16; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 4:31-38; Jn 13:13-17; Jn 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18; Acts 26:18; Rom 10:14-15; 1 Peter 2:9]

But we are to be sharing the truth of the gospel that Jesus and that his NT apostles taught, and not what is popularized in our culture today. And they taught that by faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness. So we are no longer to allow sin to have reign (power) in our mortal bodies, to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death. But if we obey obedience to God, its end is eternal life (Romans 6:1-23).

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

“But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for

“’Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

    and their words to the ends of the world.’

“But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,

“’I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;

    with a foolish nation I will make you angry.’

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,

“’I have been found by those who did not seek me;

    I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.’

“But of Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.’” (Romans 10:16-21 ESV)

And sadly this appears to be where the majority of those professing faith in Jesus Christ are today. They have not obeyed the gospel, for most are not even being taught the true gospel of Christ, and it appears that the majority are not even interested in hearing the truth of the gospel. They prefer the watered-down and altered gospel presentations today which do not require death to sin and living to righteousness for salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. But God’s word does require these. For if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to God, we will not have eternal life with God.

But it isn’t as though they don’t know or that they have not heard. At least from my experience, it is that they don’t want to hear the truth, and they will fight against the truth if presented to them, for they prefer the lies. For the lies allow them to continue living in sin and for self and to live worldly, not godly lives, while they claim Jesus as Lord and heaven as their eternal destiny. For the lies do not require self-denial, dying daily to sin (in God’s power) and walks of obedience to the Lord Jesus and to his commands. So while they claim faith in Jesus they still live for self and for what they want.

And so it is true what is said here about Israel of Paul’s day, but of many who profess faith in Jesus Christ today. All day long God is holding out his hands to a disobedient and contrary people who will not accept him as Lord (Owner-Master) of their lives, and who will not surrender their lives to him, and who will not forsake all their sins to follow him in obedience to his will for their lives. For they still want to be in control over their own lives and to determine their own course and to choose their own choices and to do what brings them pleasure even if it means giving God the ‘back seat.’

Here is Your God!  

An Original Work / July 18, 2012

Based off Isaiah 40:9-31 NIV

You who bring good tidings to Zion,

Lift up your voice; raise with a shout,

And do not be afraid of the people.

Say, “Here is your God!”

See how the Lord God comes now with power.

His arm rules for Him; His reward with Him.

He tends His flock just like a shepherd,

His lambs in His arms.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? 

Has it not been told you from beginning?

Our Lord sits enthroned above all things.

None to Him compare.

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens.

Who made all of these? Who calls them by name?

Because of His great power and strength,

All accounted for.

Why do you say, “My way is hidden

From the Lord, and my cause forgotten”?

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Lord, He is your God.

He will not weary. He gives us power.

Those who trust in Him will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings just like eagles;

Walk and do faint not.

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