Our Gospel Message Oscar Vouga If we did not have a definite and distinct message to preach to the world, we would have no excuse for our existence. No minister, church assembly or organization can long continue as such, where there is not a clear, clean, scriptural message being presented to the lost, and those inquiring for a deeper life, and truth in the way of life. It is also necessary that this message be absolutely founded upon the Bible as the Word of God, or it cannot stand against the tests of eternal judgment. Only that message which is a clear presentation of Bible truth and doctrine can bring lasting peace to the troubled souls of men. We have no need of sham in declaring what we believe to be the true teaching of God's blessed Word. Neither do we think of saying that we are infallible in our view; neither arc we ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. (Romans 1:16.) And again the Scripture saith, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? . . ." Romans 10:14-15. It is with this prayer upon our hearts that these lines are written, that men may through the pages of this booklet hear of Him, and believe on Him, and be saved by calling upon His name. And may the truth presented here be accepted or rejected only on the proving grounds of the Word of God, which so beautifully pictures the grandest character of all times—Jesus Christ our Lord. Upon our faith in Him depends our eternal destiny, and our faith in Him depends upon our doctrine. It has been said that doctrine is the skeleton of religion, which makes it the foundation about which the living body is built; certainly of no value by itself, but yet the very strength and support of the body. As the skeleton cannot stand by itself, or upon itself, so doctrine cannot stand by itself, but must take upon itself the body, or life and power of Jesus Christ through faith in Him, and it must stand upon the Word of God. Only inasmuch as our teaching is based upon the Scripture are our hopes stedfast and sure. Those whose hopes are based on anything which is not according to the Scripture, are doomed to disappointment. Because we- believe that God has brought us into being as a people, we feel that we owe it to the world to tell them what the message is that we are proclaiming, and give Bible references for each thought that is presented as a part of our Gospel Message. We read in 2 Cor. 4:3, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:" Therefore, we should not hide any part of the Gospel, but proclaim the whole Gospel of complete salvation for the whole man, as it is plainly given to us in the Bible. What glorious truths have been hidden for generations under the heap of the traditions of men, and what wonderful promises have been, and are to this day, of no avail because of human blindness. Souls crying for deliverance who, but for the lack of knowing the truth of God, could find peace and rest by coming to Him who is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. (Heb. 7:25.) The Apostle Paul writes in solemn words in Gal. 1:9, ". . . If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." May the weight of these words be felt in the heart of each one of us, as we preach the Gospel, that we may not falter nor waver, and may they who hear, receive with meekness the engrafted word. As God has called us to preach the same gospel message as was preached by the church of apostolic days, we set forth in brief form some of the ' truths that we feel should be proclaimed to them that are lost. May He guide us by His Spirit into all truth in His Word. THE BIBLE Christian doctrine, faith, hope and all that pertains to the Christian religion can only be founded on the teaching of one book, and that book is the Bible. It is a divinely inspired book, and as far as it has been correctly transcribed and translated, it is infallible—the Word of God. It was spoken and written by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Peter 1:21, and 2 Tim. 3:16.) The Bible has survived every attack of devils, infidels and scorners, and will outlive all that are to come. It will stand when heaven and earth have passed away. (Matt. 24:35.) It is a lamp for the feet of the weary pilgrim, and casts its light on the path of the just, which grows more and more unto the perfect day. (Psalm 119:105; Prov. 4:18.) It gives understanding to the simple, and keeps a soul from sin when it is hidden in the heart. (Psalm 119:11, 130.) It begins with the record of creation and solves that great mystery; it takes us through the ages of time and leads us into the great eternal future; it warns the disobedient, tells of the mercy of God, and shows us the way of salvation, picturing to us the glory that shall be revealed in those who follow Jesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of all them that believe. SIN All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and there is none righteous, no, not one. (Read Romans 3:10, 23.) Sin, though it is regarded lightly by many today, is the great curse that has come to the human family. It is to blame for all the trouble in the world today, for all the broken hearts, broken homes, all murders, slaughter of the innocent, all wars, ignorance, hatred, disease and everything else that has brought suffering and sorrow on mankind. It shuts the door of heaven to those who live in it, and separates from God. (Isa. 59:1-2.) It is to be hated and looked upon with dread and trembling, lest we be lost forever for living in it. Sin caused the spotless Son of God to be mocked, beaten, spit upon, nailed to the cross, and to suffer death for all sinners, with the shame and contempt of sin resting upon Him, that we might be forgiven and washed in His blood. No man can say he loves Jesus, the Christ, and yet continue in sin, when he realizes that his sin caused Him all His suffering. Sin is the transgression of the law; it is disobeying, dis honoring and doubting God. It is obeying the devil and doing his bidding in response to the temptations that entice our fleshly lusts, for “… Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust bath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death." James 1:14-15. SALVATION Salvation is not only reforming ourselves and turning over a new leaf, nor is it becoming a church member—although all saved people should do so—but salvation is being washed in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and becoming a new creature in Christ. It is being born again, from above, of water and of the Spirit. (John 3:3-5.) We are not saved by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. (Read Ttus 3:58.) Salvation comes to those who repent and believe the gospel (Mark 1:14-15) and is accompanied by the witness of the Spirit of God with our spirit. (Romans 8:16.) The believer has the witness in himself (1 John 5:10), that the blood has washed' away his sin and made him white as snow, and it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. (1 John 5:6.) Then, and then only, is a person saved, and his name written in the Lamb's book of life. (Rev. 21:27.) Without the experience and life of a new creation in Christ, no one can truly say they are saved, or in Him, for the Scripture tells us that, ". . . If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17. There are some people who live what is termed self-righteous lives, that is, they are humanly righteous and deal fair and honest with their fellowmen. Often these people trust in their own righteousness and good deeds to take them through into heaven, and feel that they are fit for heaven because of their own good lives, without being washed in the blood and becoming a new creature in Christ Jesus. But self-righteousness cannot avail, for Isaiah 64:6 tells us ". . . We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; nd our inquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Therefore, not person can be saved by his or her own goodness and merits, nor can they earn salvation by good works, for nothing can wash away the filth of sin but the blood of Jesus; salvation is only by grace through faith. Jesus said, ". . . Ye must be born again." (The margin says, "from above.") John 3:7. He was saying plainly that every one who is to see the kingdom of God must be a partaker of the Divine nature, by believing the promises of God in His Word (2 Peter 1:4) and obeying from the heart that form of doctrine which is delivered unto us by the apostles through the Word. (Romans 6:17.) Living a Christian life is, first, having Christ within, thereby being made the righteousness of God in Him, and partaker of His life, the new life—resurrecton life—that which is come to us from the other side of the grave; the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead in us binding us to Him who is alive forever more; the hope of glory living in every true believer's heart, and producing a clean, pure, holy life through our mortal bodies, by His grace and power working in us to will and to do His good pleasure. (Read Phil. 2:13; Eph. 3 :20.) The Apostle Paul wrote it in these wonderful words, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless P live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Gal. 2:20. Those who have found this great grace, being crucified with Christ, and now living in the Spirit, are free from condemnation." (Rom. 8:1-4.) It is this place in Christ which is a victorious life, where we no longer live in the flesh, obeying the flesh and the things it would lead us to do, but we live in this fleshly body, doing what the Spirit of God leads us to do. This is the only true evidence that we are the children of God. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Rom. 8:14. This is the most vital part of our "Gospel Message"—that God would wash every sinner in the blcod of Calvary, and make him a partaker -of His own nature, that from then on he may no lbnger fulfill the desires of the flesh, but live a victorious overcoming life on this earth in the midst of a wicked generation, under the guidance and leadership of the spirit of. God, looking for that.day when he shall be like Him at His appearing. Come sinner! Come! It is God's will to save you. Whosoever will may come. FAITH Faith is the gift of God. Without it no one can be saved, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." Eph. 2:8. The sinner must be drawn to Jesus by the Spirit and Word of God, being convinced by the Spirit and Word that he is a lost sinner. He is also convinced by the same Spirit and Word that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin. Then, yielding to that conviction, faith takes hold and saves him. Thus, we see and know that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17), and that it is not of human origin, but is the gift of God. Faith is not the fulness, but the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1.) First, the substance and evidence, then, salvation, the baptism of the Spirit, healing, and finally eternal life. Now, the just live by faith, overcome by faith, work signs and wonders by faith—all of these are as yet but the earnest of our inheritance, the substance of that which we hope for when we shall be like Him. We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2-3 ) , and this is the blessed hope. (Titus 2:13.) Faith is created in those who hear and receive the Word of God, and works in the soul from the very beginning of conversion until we stand in His likeness. Neither race, education, ability nor anything that is esteemed as valuable humanly avails in Jesus Christ, but only faith which worketh by love. (Gal. 5:6). Without faith it is impossible to please Him, ". . . For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. 11:6. In these words faith is believing that God is, and that He grants the petition of the earnest seeker. Elijah was a man subject to the same weaknesses and temptations that we are, and he prayed, earnestly, that it might not rain, and it rained not for three and a half years. (James 5:17.) He pleased God because he had faith. Faith abides forever when combined with hope and love. (1 Cor. 13:13.) Faith is power. By it, we can be completely healed of a sick body. (Mark 5:34; Mark 16:17-18), and though it is seldom found today, as it was in the days of the apostles, we are exhorted to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Read Jude 3). And that faith is for us today, for Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever. (Heb. 13:8.) THE GOSPEL The gospel that Paul preached is: ". . . That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures…" 1 Cor. 15:3-4. "By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." 1 Cor. 15:2. This is the "Gospel Message" which we preach, and which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. (Rom. 1:16.) Some would pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ and try to have us believe that there are others who can save, but there is salvation in none other, ". . . For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. No man can of himself forgive or remit sins. Though a man, called of God, may preach the gospel to lost souls, and their sins be remitted because they believe the gospel that he is preaching, God alone can forgive sins. Even the Son of God did not forgive of Himself, for He said: ". . . The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works." John 14:10. When He said to the sinner, "Thy sins are forgiven thee," He was not speaking of Himself, but it was God speaking through Him; the sins were forgiven, but it was the Father in Him forgiving the sins. So also today, we say to one who repents and believes in the gospel, "Your sins are forgiven you," but we do not forgive those sins, for God alone can forgive sin. (Mark 2:7.) As Jesus did nothing of Himself, so we can do nothing of ourselves. However, He never said to anyone, "Thy sins are forgiven thee," excepting such as truly received remission of sins, would say such to those whose sins are not actually forgiven, God alone can forgive sin, and that only to those who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel which we preach is not another, but the same as that which the apostles preached. It teaches that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Heb. 9:22), and that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin, when we confess and forsake our sins. (1 John 1:9; Prov. 28:13). We give thanks and praise unto God that the blood of Jesus which was shed on the cross of Calvary has made complete atonement for all the sins of the whole human race, and whosoever will may come and receive remission of sins, in the name of Jesus. All who reject the gospel will be lost eternally. God raised Jesus from the dead, thus bearing witness that the sacrifice of the Son of God on the cross of Calvary is accepted, and that all who come unto God by Him are accepted in Him through faith, for we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins. (Eph. 1:6-7.) Now we are made partakers of the Spirit of God, or the divine nature, thus being new creatures in Christ. ". . . Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Rom. 8:9. The above article, “Our Gospel Message” was written by Oscar Vouga. The article was excerpted from Vouga’s book, Our Gospel Message. The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.