Gospel in a Minute
As Paul Barnabas continued to preach the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia, the Jewish leaders rejected and slandered them, prompting these words from the apostles.
Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. Acts 13:46 (NLT)
Principle: Rejecting the Gospel Is an Act of Self-Condemnation
A frequent objection to the gospel being God’s only means of salvation is the question: “What about those who never have the opportunity to hear it?” It is not my purpose in this brief meditation to try to answer that question. A more important one for anyone reading this is: “What about those who do hear the gospel and reject it?” Paul clearly said that, if we do that, we condemn ourselves.
An interesting thought is that no one goes to hell against his or her will. By opting to know good and evil for themselves in direct defiance of God’s command, Adam and Eve chose to experience the rest of their human existence cut off from God’s presence, sustaining power, and guidance.
The essence of sin is to try to do life independently from God. The gospel is an invitation to reverse course and come back to a proper relationship with the Creator – Sustainer of the universe.
Jesus made this possible by taking upon himself the consequences of our rebellion. If we put our trust and allegiance in him, we are released from the guilt and condemnation of our past. If not, we seal our own doom – an eternity without God. The choice is ours.
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:17-18 (NLT)
