HALLELUJAH, THE GOSPEL IS ALIVE

by Charles Robey
(Trussville AL)

In worship among many, expressions of "Hallelujah" and "Praise the Lord" are acceptable spontaneous expressions of joy, thanksgiving and praise towards God, requiring no specific prompting or call or direction from those leading times of praise and singing. Thus. "Hallelujah, the gospel is alive.

HALLELUJAH, THE GOSPEL IS ALIVE
Alive way back before time began, Before a world filled with our sin
Alive now from yesterday until today, This good news is here to stay
Alive when the announcement came, As Jesus was to be the name
Alive when from Heaven's gate, The manger sealed the Childs fate
Alive when in the river He eased, As to Him the Father was Well pleased
Alive when the preaching began, Teaching to all God's salvation plan
Alive when to the temple He showed, The religious leaders who abode
Alive as He freely counted the cost, Suffering for mans sin on the cross
Alive by conquering deaths sting, Now waiting Heavens trumpet ring
Alive the comforter Spirit to consume, Those praying in the upper room
Alive for the Word to be shown, To all who from sin will fully atone
Alive by faith in the free gospel grace, Whoever will God's love embrace
HALLELUJAH, THE GOSPEL IS ALIVE

The Gospel is called the "good news" because it addresses the most serious problem of the human race. That being: God is Holy and He is Righteous , and we are not. For like all mankind, we were born with inbred sin (Romans 5:12), brought on by disobedience in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:1-7).

And at the end of our life, we will stand before a "Just and Holy" God, and be judged. Judged either on the basis of our own righteousness – or lack of it (Romans 6:23).

There is no greater, nor a more simpler, message to be heard than that which we call the full Gospel (1 Cor 9:16). It is this gospel, in accordance with the scriptures, with which we should plan and live our daily lives (2 Timothy 3:16).

And the good news of the Gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obedience, as the incarnation of God (John 1:1-3,14), not for His own well being but for His people. He has done for mankind what one couldn’t possibly do for themselves, redeem them from a life of inbred sin (John 1:12-13). But not only has He lived that life of perfect obedience, He offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice to satisfy the justice and the righteousness of God (John 3:16-17).

The gospel also has a personal dimension. How are the benefits of Jesus subjectively appropriated to us? How do we get it? The Bible makes it clear that we are justified not by our works, not by our efforts, not by our deeds, but by faith, and by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) in excepting God's free Grace (Acts 20:24).

The only way we can receive the benefit of the preaching of Christ’s life and death is by putting our trust in Him ( 1 Cor 1:18) and in Him alone (John 14:6). When we do that, we are declared justified by God, and adopted into His family, forgiven of all of our sins, and free to begin our pilgrimage for all eternity with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7-8).

Author's Post Script
To understand the applications of the "good news" of the gospel, one must first consider the "bad news". For as a result of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6), every part of our life, our mind, our will, our emotions and our flesh, have been corrupted by the Garden of Eden inbred sin. Because of this inbred sinful nature, we do not and cannot seek a Righteous and Holy God on our own, as we have no desire to come to God. Actually, our mind is hostile toward God (Romans 8:7).

The scripture declares that this inbred sin dooms mankind to an eternity torment, separated from God. It is in this state that we pay the penalty of sin against a Holy and Righteous God. This would be bad news indeed if there were no remedy.

However, God's mercy, through the gospel of the scriptures, has provided that remedy, a substitute for us in the person of Jesus Christ, who came to pay the penalty for our sin by His sacrifice on the cross . This is explained in (1 Cor 15:1-4). There are three basic elements of the full gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Our old nature died with Christ on the cross and was buried with Him. Then we were resurrected with Him to a new life (Romans 6:4-8).

You see, this true full gospel, is the only gospel which saves. Believing in any other gospel is to believe in vain ( Romans 1:16-17) (John 14:6).

Because of the gospel, through the power of God, we who believe in Christ (Romans 10:9) are not just saved from an eternal torment. In fact, we are given a completely new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17) with a changed heart and a new desire, will, and attitude that are manifested through our good works and witness. This is the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in us by His power. Works are never the means of salvation, but they are the proof of it (Ephesians 2:10). Those who are saved by the power of God will always show the evidence of salvation by a changed life. YES, HALLELUJAH, THE GOSPEL IS ALIVE