THE GOOD NEWS

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. —I Corinthians 15:1-9

Someone recently asked “Why, with all the evidence, are not more people responding to the Lord for salvation.” The answer is that they have not heard the gospel and evidence for it yet or they are in process but have not come to the point of salvation yet or they are of the majority who will flatly reject the gospel because they want to live like they want to live and not the way God desires them to live.

There is plenty of evidence for those who are truly seeking. Besides, when we share the gospel we are planting or watering and it is God who actually causes the seed of His Word to grow in a person to the point of salvation (I Corinthians 3:5-8). We need to be faithful in the planting and watering.

Change of life is a great evidence for what God has done through His Son and by the Holy Spirit’s power. In the above verses the apostle Paul says about himself “For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.” He had tried, as many have since, to destroy the church of God, but the Lord changed that man to be a great preacher in the church(Galatians 1:13).

The church (every person who has truly trusted Jesus) will not be destroyed… ever! God is going to carry out His plan and no puny man will be able to prevent it— try as they may. Nor Satan, who is much more powerful than man, will be able to thwart what God is doing. He is already a defeated foe and is headed for destruction along with every man who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, there is plenty of evidence for who Jesus is. But, for those who desire to live life apart from Him, they will never trust Him. May we be faithful to life for Him and encourage others to do the same.

Dear Father, thank You for showing me who Jesus is and saving me from my sin, to a relationship with You through Him, to be able to serve You now and then be with You in heaven one day. I truly look forward to that time. Even so come Lord Jesus!