Title: The Gospel of Salvation
Contents
Gospel of Salvation
(2012.01.29. Week) (Hebrews 2:1~4)
We believers who believe in God must live with the Word of God as the standard of life.
And the Bible is the book that contains the Word of God.
And because the Word of God, the Bible, is the blessed Word, we call the Word of God the Gospel.
God gave us this gospel - what is the ultimate purpose of giving it to us?
(John 3:16) - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
God sent Jesus for the purpose of saving mankind who have fallen into sin, and he has given us the gospel that if we believe in Jesus, we will be saved.
The purpose of giving us the Gospel is to help us know and believe in Jesus and be saved through that Gospel.
So the gospel is the gospel of salvation.
We, who have received the gospel of salvation, have already entered the class of salvation.
In addition, we, who have been saved by the gospel, must know this gospel well and treat it properly.
1. The Gospel is the Word (Old Testament) given through angels.
The Gospel is the word of God - in the Old Testament times, people could not see God even though they wanted to see Him - How could they have heard the invisible Word of God???
(2:2)-“If the word spoken through the angels was confirmed, and all transgression and disobedience received a just recompense”- Angels are spirits from God.
So, in the Old Testament era, God allowed mankind to preach the word of God through angels.
He sent an angel to tell Abraham the word of God, he sent an angel to Moses, and he sent an angel to speak to the prophets.
The Old Testament prophets did not consider the words given through angels to be the words of angels - because they knew the angel who delivered them as ministers of God - they also accepted those words as the words of God.
*Even if the president's discourse is read by the spokesperson, not the president himself - the discourse is the president's discourse, not the spokesperson.
*Not all the presidents and ministers are present at every school graduation ceremony - even if the principal delivers the president's ministerial prize - it becomes the president's and minister's awards, not the principal's.
*As if you did not shake hands with the president and received the President's Award - Even if you did not see the face of God - Through an angel, God spoke to God's people - The words delivered through the angel are the Word of God, the Gospel.
2. The gospel is the word given by Jesus.
The God who could not be seen with human eyes - Jesus was the one who came in the flesh so that people could see Him.
Therefore, in the Old Testament times, God spoke indirectly through angels - just as the God who came in the body was Jesus - all the words Jesus spoke are the words of God.
(2:3) - “If we neglect so great a salvation, how can we escape its retribution? This salvation was spoken of by the Lord at the beginning, and it has been confirmed to us by those who have heard it.”
* Every word of Jesus is the word of God.
*The very act of Jesus is the manifestation of God.
Therefore, everything that Jesus did is the gospel, and everything that Jesus said is the gospel of salvation.
The actions of Jesus are well recorded in the Gospels, and the words of Jesus are well recorded in the Gospels.
That is why the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are called the Gospels in the Bible.
3. The gospel is the word preached through apostles and evangelists.
Wouldn't it be great if Jesus was still with us? Then it would be great to hear the gospel directly from Jesus.
Then, since Jesus is not with us in the body, can we not hear the gospel? - Don't worry.
(2:3) - “If we neglect so great a salvation, how can we escape its retribution? This salvation was spoken of by the Lord at the beginning, and it has been confirmed to us by those who have heard it.”
Jesus is not speaking directly with us now. Jesus didn't even write the Bible himself.
However, this does not mean that the gospel has disappeared.
*Those who heard the gospel from Jesus - wrote the Bible to pass on the gospel they heard to the next generation - recorded the gospel they realized as the Bible. - Therefore, the New Testament - is the gospel of salvation delivered to us by those who have heard the gospel given by Jesus.
*Those who heard this gospel first - have a mission to share this precious gospel.
So today, I am sharing this gospel with you - you must not be finished after hearing this - I hope you who have heard this gospel also go out into the world and spread this gospel.
4. The gospel is the word that was given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
There are times when you do not understand certain words even when you read the Bible. There are times when I do not understand the sermon - Are you frustrated? Don't worry - even if you haven't realized it yet, read and listen carefully.
*(2:4)-“God also bore witness with them by signs and wonders and by various powers and by the Spirit distributed according to his own will”- The Holy Spirit will enlighten you when the time is right.
*The gospel that we cannot understand through the Bible, the gospel that we cannot understand even after hearing the sermon - If we listen to it, we will realize the day when the Holy Spirit opens our hearts.
*Even if you evangelize - those who do not accept them easily - Don't hate them, don't get frustrated - Please do evangelize anyway - When the time comes for them to be saved too - the Holy Spirit will enlighten them.
5. The reaction of those who hear the Gospel is important.
The gospel has the power to save. However, the power of salvation does not apply to everyone.
Although the gospel of salvation has already been given - there is no salvation if we do not hear this gospel - we should know that we are fortunate enough to hear this gospel and be thankful.
And we who have this good fortune must preach this gospel diligently in order not to be resentful of those who cannot be saved because they have not heard this gospel.
Then will everyone who hears the Gospel be saved? - Not even that.
1) If you disobey even after hearing the Gospel, you will be rewarded.
(2:2) - “If the word spoken through the angels was confirmed, and all trespasses and disobedience received a just recompense” - There were many people who received retribution for not obeying the gospel given through angels.
*Although he sent an angel to preach the gospel even to the city of Sodom - The people of Sodom ignored the gospel and were destroyed.
*Lot's sons-in-law thought the gospel preached by their father-in-law was a joke and were destroyed.
(2:3)-“If we neglect such a great salvation, how can we escape the retribution...”- The people of Sodom who ignored the gospel preached by angels and the sons-in-law of Lot who regarded the gospel preached by their father-in-law as a joke. Receiving the blessing became an example for future generations - Even now, those who ignore the Gospel or consider it as a joke will receive retribution and go to destruction, that is, hell.
2) Pay attention to the Word and obey it.
The gospel is the word of God, and it has the power of salvation. If you obey this gospel, you will receive salvation and blessings.
*(2:1)-“Therefore, we ought to pay more attention to what we hear, so that we do not drift away.”
The gospel is the word of God. The gospel has the power of salvation - I pray that you will become obedient believers by listening carefully so that not a single word flows and drifts away.
* I pray that you will receive abundant salvation and blessings by hearing this gospel and obeying it.
* I pray that you will do well in the mission of saving the souls of those who are lost by spreading this gospel.