Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? (Isaiah. 53:1)

A young brother that had begun visiting among the Old Baptists sat down at lunch with another Elder and me, and asked us a simple question. What is the gospel? It is a question that is as complex as the one that Pilate asked when he asked, what is truth? Our Lord is the Truth. But our Lord didn't answer the question posed by Pilate. The facts remain the same.

Paul said, "I declare unto you the gospel …. How 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." The other Elder that was with me added, it is the good news of God's salvation. In Proverbs we read: "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Alas, not every soul is thirsty, and news of any sort from a far country, means nothing to those who have no interest in that country or what transpired there.

The fact is that Christ died. He was buried and rose again. But there are some that won't have those facts either. When the high priest asked our Lord, Art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed? Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes (Mark 14: 62-63). Some won't have the fact that Jesus is the Christ of God. The fact that He died for the sins of His people is incomprehensible to them. These precious things are hid from them. Though they are hid from them, it doesn't change the facts. Those facts are recorded in the scriptures.

That which is recorded in scripture all points to the Way, the Truth, and the Life as it is in Christ Jesus. In Isaiah 29 verses 11 and 12 we read, "that the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned." The gospel, like the unsearchable riches contained in the scriptures, is sealed up from those that have not the heavenly birth. The wisdom of the world cannot unseal the things contained therein anymore than they can discover the Truth or rejoice in the good news of the gospel of our salvation. 7/1/2004 Marty Hoogasian