Proclaiming Salvation: The Power of Preaching the Gospel

The Apostle is continuing the argument he takes up a different facet a different aspect of the argument but it's clearly connected how then and when you say how then you're obviously referring to what you've just been say what you've been saying has raised a question a problem or a difficulty. [00:04:08]

The first big thing they were wrong about the way of Salvation and that of course in a way produced the second difficulty raised the second thing which was a stumbling block to them and that was that Paul and others should be preaching ing the gospel to the Gentiles. [00:08:40]

The first answer is the preaching of the Gospel to all Gentiles as well as Jews that's what he deals with in verses 14 and 15 but that isn't the only answer there's a second part of the answer here is a gospel then that is preached to everybody whosoever Jews and gentiles. [00:12:01]

There is a general call to all but there is also an efficacious call to some there is a general call to all men everywhere to repent and to believe the gospel General but it isn't efficacious in the case of all and what makes a men belong to the company of the whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord and be saved is the efficacious call. [00:14:20]

Salvation is the result of calling upon the name of the Lord this is the way to Salvation well then if that is so he says it follows of necessity that the knowledge concerning this Lord on whom they're going to call must be available to men and women if it is for whosoever well then the knowledge must be given to all and it must be made available to all. [00:17:26]

The Apostle is true to his own method he always is and we'll find it now even in this little subsection with its two subdivisions he does what he always does he makes a statement and has a scripture quotation to prove it he does it in both them you see he says uh here to prove his first point as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring Glad Tidings of good things. [00:20:24]

These verses are the great Charter for the foreign Mission Enterprise and not only foreign Mission but for any missionary Enterprise but they are in particular and have always been regarded as the great Charter for the foreign missionary Enterprise the great argument for the need and the necessity and the urgency of the foreign missionary Enterprise that the good news of Salvation should be taken to all countries Under the Sun. [00:22:40]

There is only one gospel we ended with that last Friday night there is only there is only one gospel there has always been only one gospel there will never be another gospel it is the gospel of the grace of God he's established it salvation is only possible in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ there never was a way where by anybody could be saved apart from that there never will be never salvation is in Christ and in him alone. [00:24:02]

The primary cause of anybody's condemnation is the sin of Adam now you see the Apostle took great trouble to make that perfectly plain and clear to us in chapter 5: 12- 21 which I say once more are in many ways the hinge on which the whole of this epistle to the Roman Romans turns it's in the 12th verse mainly wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all men sin. [00:30:20]

What celvin is saying is that all the Apostle is saying here is that normally God does save men through the preaching of the word but he does not go on to say that that's the only way he doesn't say that God cannot if he chooses do it in some mysterious manner which he calls her by infusing or pouring his knowledge into men. [00:39:50]

Salvation is of God and there is no limit to what God can do show me a man if you like who's dying on his deathbed and who's never believed the gospel you say to me that man's going to hell I say you can't say so he may not well how you say he's never heard the preaching of the Gospel I agree with you but what is there to stop the almighty God to illumin the man's mind to give him a revelation of Christ and the gospel concerning him even in the last Agony of death. [00:41:38]

The scripture teaches that it is always the work of God and there is nothing here which confines it to this this is the usual this is the habitual this is the ordinary but it isn't the invariable method as God dealt with sa of tasus in a special way distinct from that of the other Apostles so he still does and so he will still continue to do. [00:44:09]