DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON ROMANS 1:2:
“THE ETERNAL GOSPEL”
- As shared by Rev. Don Schink © 2010
- As shared by Rev. Don Schink © 2010
“THE GOSPEL HE PROMISED BEFOREHAND THROUGH HIS PROPHETS IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES” (NIV)
I think that any of us appreciate getting good news at any time. Our world is marked with so much bad news; it is marked with so much tragedy, - that good news is refreshingly welcome! Also how often do people make promises only not to keep them. How often is it that promises are made, hopes are uplifted, only to end in disappointments. There is an old truth that I used to hear a lot that goes like this: Say what you mean and mean what you say. If you don’t intend to do it in the first place, don’t say it at all. Keep your mouth shut!”
God’s Word, true to His nature, is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. When God gives His Word, He keeps it. We can count on it. It is recorded in His Word… precious promises from cover to cover.
God had promised the proclaimed Gospel… the Good News… through both the written law as well as the spoken word through the prophets. As such, we see God’s stated purpose to introduce a more perfect and glorious state of things into the world. This was and is to take place through the influence of the Messiah. The Messiah was and does bring life and immortality to light by His gospel. Where the law reveals sin, the Savior redeems. Where the law in revealing sin, demands that it must be recognized and dealt with, - love and grace is revealed in the Savior of all mankind, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, Who came to redeem all who willingly repent and turn from their sins to be saved.
In Jesus’ day, as He walked this earth, there was a variety of false teachers, sects, cults; a variety of those who were leading people astray, just as in our day. The Word reveals that as people heard Him speak and teach that they recognized that no one had ever done it before, bringing a powerful message of hope, filled with grace; filled with truth; filled with hope; and filled with relief as they realized the way to be truly saved. Jesus lovingly assured them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In my Father’s house are many rooms [mansions]; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” [John 14:1-3] He also assured them, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” [John 14::6]
The gospel is new and yet old. It is old in that it is revealed in the Old Testament, being concealed in its precious promises. It is new as it is unfolded and unfurled in a fresh form and promulgation. The apostle Paul reveals that the new Christianity is the real continuity of the old and the new, as prophesied and as fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
God preached and promised this gospel in the Old Testament. In Galatians 3:8, the Bible says, “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”” As a Jewish rabbi Paul had read the Scriptures with a veil, a cloud, over his eyes. In 2 Corinthians 3:15-18, we read, “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness, with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit.” It was not until Christ confronted Paul that he received the true meaning of the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is first and foremost a book of promise pointing toward Christ. As we read it, with veils removed by the Holy Spirit, we, too, recognize the acts of God preparing for the event of all events, Jesus Christ, in Whom God’s act and God’s being are One.
So do you like receiving good news? Certainly. You do. I do. We all do. As I’m writing this my heart and mind goes to good news that we received just last night. Our daughter, Samantha and her boyfriend, Gilbert, came home to show us her new engagement ring. It is a really beautiful piece of jewelry. But more importantly, is the fact that they are planning to live and love one day as a married couple, as God’s Word admonishes us to do. We appreciate Gilbert and his family. We knew that this was coming one day and rejoice with them! It was fun and uplifting as they shared this good news with us.
We have the best news that has stood the test of time, through God’s Word, His prophets, and His Son and our Savior, - the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our one and only hope of Salvation. Through Christ and His sacrificial offering on Calvary’s Cross, He has revealed the truth. Now it is up to each of us as to what we will do with this precious truth.
If you haven’t already accepted Jesus Christ into your heart and life, why not do so today? We don’t know if we’ll have a tomorrow. Our hearts beat one beat at a time. Today is the day. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts daily, making sure that we’re truly walking in the love, in the grace, and in the truth if God’s Word.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me: PastorDonNM@gmail.com.
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