FightForJoy.net
  • Home
  • Jesus
  • Blog
  • Sermons
  • Resources
  • Revelation Study

Fight for Joy! Blog

Where Jesus Changes Everything

The Gospel of Your Salvation -- To the Praise of His Glory

3/26/2004

 
“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

What is the gospel? I saw a bumper sticker one time that referred to the gospel as insurance. The bumper sticker read, “Need insurance? Romans 10:9.” I am not too sure God would appreciate the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ being referred to as insurance. The word itself means good news. The Bible says, “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23). In other words, Jesus was proclaiming the good news! It is the good news that the King of kings had brought about the rule of God on earth, thus fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies (over 300 to be exact). This, of course, is God’s glory, the ultimate reason for the gospel. The night before He was to die for the sins of all believers, Jesus prayed, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You. I have glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:1, 4-5). Jesus died to glorify the Father. The gospel is all about the glory of God. However, it is much more than that. Paul referred to the gospel as, “the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13). In other words, Jesus not only died to glorify the Father. He also died for me personally. How else can we, like Paul, say, “I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), and “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)? This is the Word of the Lord!

So whenever we think about or share the gospel we must remember two things. It is all about God’s glory and it is all about me personally. It is all about Jesus’ love for the Father resulting in His obedience to the Father, even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8), and it is all about His love for me (John 3:16). We must not allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in one aspect of the gospel that we lose sight of the other. Paul said it is “the gospel of your salvation,” but he also said it was “to the praise of His glory.” Christ died for me but He also died to glorify the Father. Furthermore He died for me in order that I could be saved, and that I too, could glorify the Father. So that negates any possibility of the gospel being insurance. The gospel is not fire insurance. It is my salvation to the praise of His glory! So my question to you is have you believed the gospel thus resulting in salvation? And if so, are you living your life to the glory of God?

If you answered no to the first question, hear now the words of Paul: “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10, 13). If you answered yes to the first question and no to the second, then I would encourage you to make sure you understand exactly what the gospel is and exactly what salvation is. Then meditate on this truth: It is “your salvation…to the praise of His glory.”

    Comments Policy

    You are welcome to leave comments and you don't have to necessarily agree with me. However, I expect a civil tone and charitable spirit. We can disagree with one another without being disagreeable. "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt." (Colossians 4:6)

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    May 2022
    May 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    August 2012
    May 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    December 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    October 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    August 2007
    July 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    February 2007
    January 2007
    November 2006
    July 2006
    May 2006
    March 2006
    February 2006
    January 2006
    December 2005
    November 2005
    July 2005
    June 2005
    May 2005
    March 2005
    November 2004
    March 2004
    October 2001

    Categories

    All
    Bad Theology
    Bible
    Christlikeness
    Church Revitalization
    Culture
    Death
    Evil
    Faith
    False Religion
    Family
    Fight For Joy! Journal
    Finish Well
    General
    Gospel
    Grace
    Holy Living
    Hope
    Incarnation
    Israel
    Jesus
    Live The Word
    Love
    Make Disciples
    Meditation
    Obedience
    Persecution
    Photos
    Prayer
    Preaching
    Propehcy
    Prophecy
    Proverbs
    Replanting
    Romans
    Salvation
    Sanctification
    Sin
    Spiritual Disciplines
    Spiritual Growth
    Spiritual Warfare
    Stewardship
    Suffering
    Theology
    Treasure Christ
    Video Blog

    RSS Feed

    ​Recommended Reading:
    ​Click on the image to learn more



Striving to glorify God by becoming more like Jesus.
Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • Jesus
  • Blog
  • Sermons
  • Resources
  • Revelation Study