What is the Gospel?

I have lately been thinking about the best way to present the gospel to the lost. I used to do what Ray Comfort teaches at "Way of the Master," but have noticed a couple things that I do not like. So here is my attempt to write out the gospel, and I want to credit Thabiti Anyabwile for helping me understand the gospel better.


A good way to present the gospel is in four categories: God, man, Christ, response.


1. The gospel declares that there is a God, there is none like Him. He is eternal, infinite, righteous, all wise, all knowing, and He is Creator. We as creatures, owe our Creator all love, praise, adoration, and honor. So, this holy God made us in His own image for fellowship with us, and he is angry with us because we are sinners.


2. All have disobeyed God, all have dishonored God, all have turned away from Him, and therefore all deserve to die separated from God for all eternity in hell.


3. God is not only holy and righteous he is also a God of love. So God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself our flesh, our likeness, and lived a perfectly righteous life to satisfy the holy requirements of God. Jesus died, suffering the wrath of God to pay the penalty for the sins of the world on Calvary's Cross, so that the wrath of God would be removed. He was buried, resurrected three days later, ascended into heaven, and He will come again.


4. Everyone who repents of sin, and trusts in Christ have Jesus' righteousness credited to their account, and has their sin nailed to the Cross with Christ, so that they bear it no more. They are justified, a miracle happens, they are made new creatures in Christ Jesus, they are united to Christ, and all the benefits of Christ become theirs through faith, who in the promise of everlasting life, receive the joy of being in the presence of God's love and glory throughout all eternity!


Our appeal to the lost is that they would first hear this message, understand it, trust in Christ, call upon his name, for everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Book Review: Samuel Morris:The Apostle of Simple Faith

Here is my book review for the biography of Samuel Morris, you can buy the book here.


This biography of Samuel Morris is a great example of what true living faith produces. Samuel was originally born in Africa; his family was a member of the Kru tribe, which was located in the forests of Liberia in Western Africa. Samuel's life in Africa is filled with suffering, fear, and hopelessness. Unexpectedly this young boy experiences the grace of God in the face of Jesus Christ. As you read the pages of this biography, you can't help but see the invisible hand of God watching over His young servant. Samuel, filled with new life in Christ, finds himself on a ship heading to America. Who would've thought that this young African boy would come to America, and have such a big influence for the kingdom of Christ? What about the life of Samuel Morris made him have such a big impact? I can think of at least four aspects of his life.

1)He was overwhelmed by what Jesus did for him. He realized that apart from the saving work of God in his life, he most likely would have died at a very young age, and worse would've been in hell, because of his sins. Samuel Morris is proof that if you do not have assurance of your own salvation story, you cannot possibly lead others to Christ. He loved to tell the story of the great salvation in Christ.

2)He believed in the importance of prayer. When you read this book, you do not go many pages without reading about Samuel spending time talking with His Father. Why? I think he realized how dependent he was on God for everything.

3)He considered others more important than himself. Here he especially followed in the steps of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One example from the book, illustrates this point. Sam was just accepted at Taylor University, and was asked what kind of room he wanted, Samuel responded, "If there is a room nobody wants, then give that one to me." Also, he loved to share the love of Jesus with others; he cared about their eternal welfare.

4)He trusted God. His life was filled with unshaken confidence that God would take care of him in every aspect of his life.

After reading this biography, you begin to realize the possibilities of the Christian life. Samuel lived twenty years, yet he did more than maybe anybody in such a short period of time. Read this book! Read this book! And be challenged, be encouraged, and then join in singing Samuel's favorite hymn which so marked his life: "Fade, fade, each earthly joy. Jesus is mine, Break every tender tie, Jesus is mine!" 

Are You a True Christian?

The man who hears the word of God, and does it, is the true Christian. He hears the call of God to repent and be converted, and he obeys it. He ceases to do evil, and learns to do well. He puts off the old man, and puts on the new. He hears the call of God to believe on Jesus Christ for justification, and he obeys it. He forsakes his own righteousness, and confesses his need of a Savior. He receives Christ crucified as his only hope, and counts all things loss for the knowledge of Him. 
He hears the call of God to be holy, and he obeys it. He strives to mortify the deeds of his body, and to walk after the Spirit. He labors to lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets him. This is true vital Christianity. All men and women who are of this character are true Christians.

~ J.C. Ryle

Great Paul Tripp Quotes

These are all from Tripp's Twitter:


Grace means that in your darkest moment of sin you can run to God and not away from him.
Sin offers you hope, but leaves you on your own. Grace shatters that hope, then gives you all the help you'd ever need.
Sin leads you to death, while it promises you life. Grace demands your death, but delivers eternal life.
Sin is a tyranny, obedience is a liberty and grace transports you from one to the other.
Grace releases you from your slavery to the shadow glories of the creation so that your heart can be consumed by love for the Creator.
You don't have to wonder if somewhere down the road you'll have what you need. The cross has already delivered everything you'll ever need.
Today you'll be tempted to insert yourself in the center of your world or by grace will you live for a Glory greater than your own?
You have to be willing to accept the worse news ever (your sin) in order to receive the best news ever (God's grace).
The deceit of sin keeps you from having the accurate view of yourself that you think you have, that's why you need the mirror of God's Word.

Awful Sin of Rejecting Christ

Was reading a sermon from John Flavel's Fountain of Life, and was struck by what he said:
"If the greatest love has been manifested in giving Christ to the world, then it follows, that the greatest evil and wickedness is manifested in despising, slighting, and rejecting Christ. Blush, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth; yea, be horribly afraid! No guilt like this." (Flavel, works Volume 1, pg. 70)

Its easy for me to say, "Well, I don't reject Christ, I mean I read His Word, I read books about Christ, I attend a church that proclaims Christ."  But, would I be willing to die for Christ? Is Christ my all in all? Is Christ my only treasure? Good time for self-examination.

Joy in Christ

Don't let anybody fool you that the Christian life is joyless. Our problem is we do our own will, instead of the Father's will revealed in Scripture. Jesus was always tired, hungry, thirsty, yet he was full of joy. The pleasures of sin only last a second and then you are left with nothing. The way of Christ is hard, but life everlasting. (1 Peter 4:12-16)

Earthly Fame which Vanishes

Courtesy of "The Daily Spurgeon" 

Another transient blessing which our poor humanity fondly covets and eagerly pursues is fame. In this respect we would fain be more honorable than our brethren, and outstrip all our competitors. It seems natural to us all to wish to make a name, and gain some note in the circle we move in at any rate, and we wish to make that circle wider if we can. But here, as of riches, it is indisputable that the greatest fame does not bring with it any equal measure of gratification. Men, in seeking after notoriety or honor, have a degree of pleasure in the search which they do not always possess when they have gained their object. Some of the most famous men have also been the most wretched of the human race.

If thou hast honor and fame, accept it; but let this prayer go up, “My God, bless thou me indeed,for what profit were it, if my name were in a thousand mouths, if thou shouldest spue it out of thy mouth? What matter, though my name were written on marble, if it were not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? These blessings are only apparently blessings, windy blessings, blessings that mock me. Give me thy blessing: then the honor which comes of thee will make me blessed indeed.” If you happen to have lived in obscurity, and have never entered the lists for honors among your fellow-men, be content to run well your own course and fulfill truly your own vocation. To lack fame is not the most grievous of ills; it is worse to have it like the snow, that whitens the ground in the morning, and disappears in the heat of the day. What matters it to a dead man that men are talking of him? Get thou the blessing indeed.

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Prayer Of Jabez."