Think Wink.

As I finish up my series on the arguments of the preterists for an AD 70 fulfillment of the Olivet Discourse, I want to begin a new series on things that I think of when I hear or see the term “gospel” or euaggelion. I have no idea how long this might run, it could just be a work in progress that never stops as I grow and learn more from scripture or it just might be only a few posts. Who knows but I am going to enjoy this and I hope you do too.

I want to start off with something that many people don’t really see as gospel or good news. And that is the sovereignty of God. They see it as a good thing, that God is sovereign. But we rarely equate it with or put it with the gospel of Scripture. But I think Scripture says otherwise. To start let us go to Romans 10:13-15 where Paul says,

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [ho kurios] will be saved.” 14 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? 15 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!”

We can see that Paul is blessing people who are bringing the tidings of good news because they preach it, the people hear it, believe it, call upon ho kurios and are saved. The quote that Paul gives in Romans 10:15 that says, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news [euaggelizomenon]!” comes from Isaiah 52:7. Let us look at the whole verse to see what Isaiah viewed as the good news. The prophet declares,

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

Notice the progression. The person is bringing good news, he publishes peace, he brings good news of happiness, he publishes salvation, he says to Zion/Jerusalem “Your God Reigns.” The good news that Paul and Isaiah had in mind is that God is sovereign. That is a key element to the gospel. Apart from the sovereignty of God, the gospel would be incomplete!

It is good news that God is on his throne. It means that he is in control of all things, working them out according to his good pleasure and according to the counsel of his will (Ephesians 1:6, 11). It means that the promise of Romans 8:28 is secure and true. It means that sin will be put down and that God will one day vindicate his holy name. It means that he has the ability to save a sinner from the clutches of sin if he so ordains to do so. It means that he can and does command that you and I submit to him and that all who do bend the knee before him will be saved. It is good news that God is sovereign over everything, including me and my sinful, rebellious will that desires only to gratify and glorify me. He has the power to defeat that rebellion and bring me to himself.

So when we preach the gospel, one of the things we must preach to preach the full gospel is, “Your God reigns!” To the rebellious sinner this will both kill and resurrect him/her. Otherwise, why should we call upon Jesus as ho kurios?

Another look into euaggelion

Truth, Salvation, and “euaggelion”

The “euaggelion” of Peace