Philipp Melanchthon, the peace-
loving and consensus-seeking
fellow Reformer of Martin Luther, was once asked by friends why
he was so devoted to Luther, although
the great man could sometimes be
rather obstinate, bossy, and rude.
Melanchthon, himself being one of
the great scholars of the Reformation
period, simply and concisely replied:
“I have learned the gospel from him.”
Through the in uence of Luther and the Reformation “the gospel” returned to the center of Christian faith at the beginning of the modern era. According to the apostle Paul, it is the message through which “the power of God” works, bringing “salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16, NIV).
This de nition provided by the apostle presents ve terms of particu- lar importance:
Gospel
This word means the “good news,” the “joyful message,” the “victory message.” It is the “gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1) because it comes from God and speaks of God. But it is also the “gospel of Christ” (Rom. 15:19), that is, the message of the mission, the sacri ce, and the atoning death of Jesus of Nazareth, the divine Messiah, for the world. Further, it also speaks of His victory over death, His media- tion before God for His people who are still living and struggling in this world, and also of His future return to complete His work. Thus, the gos- pel consoles us that after the present
Through the in uence of Luther and the Reformation “the gospel” returned to the center of Christian faith at the beginning of the modern era. According to the apostle Paul, it is the message through which “the power of God” works, bringing “salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16, NIV).
This de nition provided by the apostle presents ve terms of particu- lar importance:
Gospel
This word means the “good news,” the “joyful message,” the “victory message.” It is the “gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1) because it comes from God and speaks of God. But it is also the “gospel of Christ” (Rom. 15:19), that is, the message of the mission, the sacri ce, and the atoning death of Jesus of Nazareth, the divine Messiah, for the world. Further, it also speaks of His victory over death, His media- tion before God for His people who are still living and struggling in this world, and also of His future return to complete His work. Thus, the gos- pel consoles us that after the present
“salvation in an unsaved world,”
Christ will return to “change the
whole world.”
The gospel provides the solution to the basic human problem: “For earth’s sin and misery the gospel is the only antidote.”1
Power of God
The gospel has creative power because it is God’s Word. Human words do not hold creative power. They are often only “sound and fury.” But when God speaks the gospel, what He says also happens: everyone who believes receives salvation.
Salvation
Salvation does not occur as a result of philosophical speculation, theorems, or wisdom gleaned from books. The salvation of humanity from their misery of guilt and eet- ingness of life is not produced by human speech, but by divine action
The gospel provides the solution to the basic human problem: “For earth’s sin and misery the gospel is the only antidote.”1
Power of God
The gospel has creative power because it is God’s Word. Human words do not hold creative power. They are often only “sound and fury.” But when God speaks the gospel, what He says also happens: everyone who believes receives salvation.
Salvation
Salvation does not occur as a result of philosophical speculation, theorems, or wisdom gleaned from books. The salvation of humanity from their misery of guilt and eet- ingness of life is not produced by human speech, but by divine action
and divine acquittal. It is, what
Luther called, the “admirabile com-
mercium,”2 the marvelous exchange
or substitution.
At the cross “God . . . in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:19) exchanged places with the world. He took over the judgment that should have been executed on the sinner: “The Judge judged in our place.”3 He took our punishment on Himself and gives us His righteous- ness (verse 21); He became weak and gives us His strength (2 Cor. 12:9); He became poor for us and gives us His abundance (2 Cor. 8:9); He exchanged misery for glory, suffering for joy, and “made himself ‘nothing’ (Phil. 2:7) in contrast to His ‘all,’ so that we ‘have all,’ although we ‘have nothing’” (2 Cor. 6:10).4
For All
The gospel’s wonders apply not only to a particular nation, gender or social status but are for all.
At the cross “God . . . in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:19) exchanged places with the world. He took over the judgment that should have been executed on the sinner: “The Judge judged in our place.”3 He took our punishment on Himself and gives us His righteous- ness (verse 21); He became weak and gives us His strength (2 Cor. 12:9); He became poor for us and gives us His abundance (2 Cor. 8:9); He exchanged misery for glory, suffering for joy, and “made himself ‘nothing’ (Phil. 2:7) in contrast to His ‘all,’ so that we ‘have all,’ although we ‘have nothing’” (2 Cor. 6:10).4
For All
The gospel’s wonders apply not only to a particular nation, gender or social status but are for all.
Through his Damascus experience
the apostle Paul, who would have
proudly boasted of his Jewish ances-
try and Pharisaic self-righteousness
(Phil. 3:4-6), became a friend of the
Gentile nations to which so many of
his fellow Christians belonged. They
were his “joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1).
For him, Christ’s suffering and death
for all (1 Tim. 2:6) erased all national,
social, and gender prejudices (Gal.
3:26-28). The gospel breaks through
all barriers and creates a suprana-
tional community.
In Christ diverse people with dif- ferent origins and varied education and experience are merged into the “familia Dei,” the family of God: “Christ tears away the wall of parti- tion, the dividing prejudice of nationality, and teaches a love for all the human family.”5 Above all, humans all become “children of God.” Christ unites us not only on the horizontal plane, but also and especially on the vertical: He recon- nects humanity with God by His sal- vi c death. How?
Through Faith in Christ
When Paul speaks of “believing,” he does not refer to surmising or imagining, nor even agreeing to a speci c statement. Believing in the Scriptures—the Old Testament at that time—means to “take rmly hold of, grasp, be faithful.”6 In the New Testament, belief means “trust” and “faithfulness.” We receive salva- tion—forgiveness of sins, acceptance
In Christ diverse people with dif- ferent origins and varied education and experience are merged into the “familia Dei,” the family of God: “Christ tears away the wall of parti- tion, the dividing prejudice of nationality, and teaches a love for all the human family.”5 Above all, humans all become “children of God.” Christ unites us not only on the horizontal plane, but also and especially on the vertical: He recon- nects humanity with God by His sal- vi c death. How?
Through Faith in Christ
When Paul speaks of “believing,” he does not refer to surmising or imagining, nor even agreeing to a speci c statement. Believing in the Scriptures—the Old Testament at that time—means to “take rmly hold of, grasp, be faithful.”6 In the New Testament, belief means “trust” and “faithfulness.” We receive salva- tion—forgiveness of sins, acceptance
by God, renewal of life and nal
redemption—by trusting Christ’s
promise of salvation, holding rmly
on to it, and remaining faithful to the
end. What saves the “wicked,” or sin-
ners, is not their religious achieve-
ments (“works”), but their trust in
the God who declares them righteous
in Christ (Rom. 4:5). Justi cation of
sinners, that is, their declaration of
being righteous before the mercy seat
of God, happens by faith alone, apart
from the works of the law (Gal. 2:16).
The church believed that it had preserved this gospel through the centuries, and that it was its faithful interpreter. Many who thought they understood Paul had forgotten the essence of his message. A type of “innocent righteousness of works”7 had taken possession of Christendom and had turned the apostolic preach- ing of grace by faith into a subtle work religion. Under the in uence of synagogue legalism, Greek virtue teachings, and Roman legal thought, sinners’ acquittal by grace was replaced by an indispensable “toil,”8 in which salvation seekers never knew whether they had done enough to be worthy of salvation. There were dissenting voices, but either they were not entirely clear themselves, or they went unheeded.
Then came the glorious rediscovery of the apostolic message by the Reformation of the sixteenth century, when Paul’s word, “The righteous will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17, NIV), again began to shine, and Christendom
The church believed that it had preserved this gospel through the centuries, and that it was its faithful interpreter. Many who thought they understood Paul had forgotten the essence of his message. A type of “innocent righteousness of works”7 had taken possession of Christendom and had turned the apostolic preach- ing of grace by faith into a subtle work religion. Under the in uence of synagogue legalism, Greek virtue teachings, and Roman legal thought, sinners’ acquittal by grace was replaced by an indispensable “toil,”8 in which salvation seekers never knew whether they had done enough to be worthy of salvation. There were dissenting voices, but either they were not entirely clear themselves, or they went unheeded.
Then came the glorious rediscovery of the apostolic message by the Reformation of the sixteenth century, when Paul’s word, “The righteous will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17, NIV), again began to shine, and Christendom
once more realize: The only glory of Christians is in Jesus Christ alone.”9 n
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