WHAT IS THE GOSPEL AND TO WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED
From Signs of the Times -February 15, 1869.
There is, and long has been, much controversy between
legalists and the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, not only as to what the
gospel is, but also in regard to whom it is or should be addressed. If all the
parties engaged in the controversy could understand the scriptural signification
of the word, those who are now zealously contending for a universal application
of it to all mankind indiscriminately, would desire rather to restrict than to
extend its application, as they have ever exerted themselves to suppress its
publication. What they call gospel differs very widely from what Christ and the
holy apostles proclaimed in the primitive days of the gospel church. Our
Redeemer encountered the same class of zealous fanatics, who compassed sea and
land to disseminate their false gospel, but a perversion of the gospel of
Christ; and exposing and denouncing their hypocrisy charged them with teaching
for doctrines, the commandments of men. The voluntary religious institutions
originated and enjoined by men without any divine authority from God are now
very widely taught and greedily received by graceless men, and such teaching is
by them dignified with the name of gospel. Their preachers may entertain
conflicting opinions in regard to what is contained in the Scriptures, for the
doctrine of the Bible and the laws and institutions of Christ are regarded by
them as minor points, while opposite sects can freely unite in opposing the
doctrine of Christ, and in the propagation of any or all of the inventions of
men. They can and do, with much seeming cordiality, take each other by the hand,
and with wonderful reciprocity compliment each other as “truly evangelical,”
while in truth there are but two points in which they are really agreed among
themselves; the one is that salvation is attainable by works, and the other is
in denouncing the Old Primitive order of Baptists. As to precisely what works
will secure salvation, and by what mode of warfare they should fight the Old
Baptists, they may differ widely without interruption of fellowship. What they
call gospel may be obtained in any quantity from the schools of men, in which
every man is engaged in teaching his brother and neighbor, saying, “Know the
Lord.” From Infant and
What of their falsely called gospel they retain for home
consumption, if we may judge from ruling prices, ought to be superior to what
they ship to foreign markets, as those who retail it from their pulpits at home
frequently amass large sums by this traffic.
To make their false gospel salable, they must, of course,
adapt it to the taste of all. Those who have no ears to hear what the Spirit
saith to the churches, have no difficulty in hearing the doctrines of men; hence
there is a great cry about preaching to sinners. Their doctrine is precisely
what unconverted sinners can feast upon; for instead of being told that they are
condemned already and the wrath of God abideth on them, they are told that they
are probationers, free agents, and have ability to move by their prayers the
power that moves the world. Instead of being told that “No man can come to the
Father but by Christ,” and that “No man can come to Christ except the Father
draw him,” they are told that they can do a great deal for the Lord. And this is
profanely called preaching the gospel to sinners. While with an air of affected
superiority, they charge the Old order of Baptists, that we do not preach the
gospel to sinners, while they themselves do not preach a word of gospel to
saints or sinners. It is not gospel to utter falsehood in the name of the Lord;
there is no gospel in telling men what they can and must do, or be damned. To
call on dead sinners to repent and believe the gospel implies ability in them to
do so, whereas the gospel proclaims that Christ is exalted to be a Prince and a
Savior, to give repentance to
But we propose to show how the Scriptures define the word
gospel. Compare Isaiah 61:1, with Luke 4:18, and you will see that what is by
the prophet called good tidings, is by our Lord rendered gospel, and to prevent
any caviling, the good tidings in the prophecy, and the gospel in its
fulfillment, are defined to mean, good tidings to the meek - “to bind up the
broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and opening of the prison
to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day
of vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. To appoint unto them that
mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called
trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”
Observe who these meek, poor, broken-hearted, prisoners are, and what gospel is
preached to them. The Spirit of the Lord God qualifies those on whom it is
poured, to follow the blessed Savior in preaching good tidings, or gospel, to
the meek; not to the proud, haughty, and self-righteous. It proclaims liberty,
not to free agents who were never in bondage, who have all the religion they
live for, and could have as much more if they pleased to work for it. The poor
broken hearted, helpless prisoner hails with joy the tidings that proclaims his
release from prison. But how could the same tidings be joyful, or gospel, to
those who are not poor, nor captive, nor broken hearted, nor meek? When Jesus
said to the poor dying thief, “This day thou shalt be with me in
Without digression from the theme of this article, we will
examine the objection to what is supposed to be our views, and the bearing of
the parable upon the subject.
First, we will correct a misapprehension of the position and
practice of the ministers of our order. While we believe and preach the gospel,
as Christ and his apostles did, wherever a door is open for that purpose, openly
addressing our preaching to every one within the sound of our voice, the gospel
which we preach discriminates between the living and the dead. It is a savor of
life unto life, to those who are quickened by the Holy Ghost, and a savor of
death unto death, to them that perish. It is “to the Jews a stumbling block, and
unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” And if our preaching is
not a savor of death unto death to the ungodly, and a stumbling block to the
Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, and if it be not a savor of life to the
quickened, and if it be not to them that are called, Christ the power of God and
the wisdom of God, then it is not apostolic preaching. Who ever knew an Old
School Baptist to refuse to preach the gospel to any but saints? We cannot
search the hearts or try the reins of those to whom we preach; but the word
which we preach makes the discrimination; for it is quick and powerful, sharper
than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart; neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his
sight; but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have
to do, (Heb. 4:12,13). The gospel which we preach is good tidings to the meek;
but if any part of our audience are not meek, it is not gospel, or good tidings
to them. All who have an ear to hear, are more than welcome to hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches. But if any have not hearing ears, the preachers
cannot supply them; for the hearing ear and understanding heart are of the Lord.
The Son of God alone has power to cause the dead to hear his voice and live; for
the words which he speaks to them, they are spirit, and they are life. Therefore
his sheep hear his voice, and he knows them, and they follow him; for he gives
to them eternal life, and they shall never perish. He, and he alone has power
over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father has
given him. All this the Old Baptists preach to every creature. But we do not
give the children’s bread to any but the children, nor do we give what belongs
to the dogs to the children.
But let us examine the parable of the marriage of the king’s
son, (Matt. 22:1-14). Unto whom, and for what purpose was it spoken by our Lord,
and why spoken in parable? The context will show that it was addressed to the
Jews, including the Pharisees, who were so much enraged on hearing it, that they
went and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk, (see v. 15). As
whatsoever God speaks is certain to secure the object for which it is spoken,
(Isa. 55:11). What was accomplished by this parable shows conclusively for what
purpose it was spoken. And the reason why he spake to all but his saints in
parables, is given in his own words to his disciples, in Luke 8:10. “And his
disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?” Alluding to the
parable of a sower, “And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of God; but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see,
and hearing they might not understand.” We must reject Christ’s own explanation
of his reason for using parables, or admit that this parable was spoken
expressly to discriminate between his disciples to whom was given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of God, and all others from whom that gift was
withheld, and by the inscrutable purpose of God all but the disciples, in seeing
should not see, and hearing should not understand. Instead of his parables being
used to elucidate, illustrate, and make the mysteries of the
Then said the king to his servants, or ministers: The wedding
is ready, but they which were bidden, the carnal Israelites, were not worthy.
The law could make nothing perfect. Their legal self-righteousness was but
filthy rags, and would not answer for a wedding garment. They with all their
filthy rags, or legal works, were now utterly rejected, and the decree of the
king is published, that none of them which were bidden, or to whom the prophets
had been sent, should taste of the supper, the gospel feast. And now the
servants are sent forth to the Gentiles, who had not been bidden to the feast as
were the Jews. Comparing the version of Luke 16 of this same parable with that
of Matthew, we perceive that when those who were whole had declined the feast,
the servants were instructed to gather from the streets and lanes of Jerusalem,
or Israel, the poor, the maimed, the halt and the blind; quite a different
description of guests; yet the very description to whom the gospel is good
tidings; and of this description there were gathered by the apostles from the
secluded lanes and streets of Israel all the original constituent members of the
gospel organization. And the apostles reported to their Lord, saying, “It is
done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.” Poor, helpless, halt and
blind sinners who felt their poverty, and had no works or merits of their own to
plead, were gathered to the gospel feast; but those of that character called
from the Jews did not exhaust the provisions of grace, and the gospel
proclamation is by divine command extended to the high-way and hedges of the
Gentile world. “Go ye,” the ministers of the everlasting gospel, who had
received a “Go ye” from their King, “and as many as ye shall find bid to the
marriage.” Certainly not as many of the self-righteous work-mongers, but as many
as they should find of the character already gathered into the marriage, of the
poor, lame, broken hearted, helpless and guilt-stricken; bid them welcome, in
the name of the King to the marriage. But none others should partake of the
feast, as we see how he fared who came in not having on the wedding garment. The
broad phylacteries of self-righteous Pharisees would not do; the guest must be
clothed with garments of salvation, as sinners saved by grace alone, and covered
with the robe of Christ’s own righteousness, that is the wedding dress; and a
profession of religion without it will avail nothing. All who come in without
God’s grace will be thrust out without his favor.
Again, permit us to ask, What is there in this parable that
can be justly construed to favor an indiscriminate address of the gospel
ministry to all mankind?
The work of the gospel ministry is very clearly and fully
stated in the words of our risen Savior to the apostles immediately before he
ascended to heaven. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth.” This is a most vitally important
introduction to their commission. If there are any sinners who have power to
resist his will, or to secure their own salvation, or to prevent their own
salvation, then all power in earth is not in him. If ministers have power to
save souls, to quicken dead sinners, or to prevent their quickening and
salvation, then there is power besides what is vested in him. Or if Theological
Schools have power to prepare men for the gospel ministry, or Mission Boards
have power to commission men to preach, then that power is not exclusively found
in him. The fact is not only in itself important, but it is also important that
all who are called by him to the work should know it; for it is upon this very
therefore that they are commanded to go. Go ye therefore, or from this
consideration. It does not allow the alternative, to them to tarry at home, and
send somebody else. “Go ye therefore.” And what? “Teach all nations.” He who is
the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, having all
power in both worlds, has a right to send them over every state, territory, and
division of the universe; and no king, potentate or ruler of the earth has any
legitimate right to forbid, or throw impediments in their way. All nations. The
command of Christ is no longer restricted to the Jews; now the middle wall of
partition is taken down, and the messengers of Christ are commanded to go into
all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. For God has a people in
every tribe and nation, and his gospel shall search and find them out, and call
them out; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. That is as was understood and practiced by the apostles, baptizing
all who gladly receive the word, and who believe with all their heart on the
Lord Jesus Christ. Thus by baptism adding them manifestively to the apostles,
and to the apostolic church. “Teaching them.” They need instruction, and Christ
has by his supreme authority authorized this manner of instruction, by and
through the diversified gifts which he has received for and given to them. But
what are they to teach them? Not the arts and sciences of this world; for in the
knowledge of them the ministers of Christ are generally quite limited
themselves. But the orders of the King are very plain and definite. “Teaching
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” No new lessons that
Jesus has not commanded the apostles. No progression beyond the commands of
Christ. Nothing that he has commanded may be omitted. Nothing that he has not
commanded may be added. If any man shall add to the words of the book of this
prophecy, or instruction, God shall add to him the plagues written in this book;
and if any man shall take from the words of his instructions, he shall be
expelled from the church of God, the communion of the saints, and from the
privileges of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. But, “Blessed and happy are they
that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs.”
We have been the more particular in showing what the gospel
is, by whom, and to whom Christ has commanded it be preached, that not only our
friend, but all who read may see that very much of what passes currently for
gospel at our day, is but the teaching for doctrines the commandments and
institutions of men, instead of the all things whatsoever Christ commanded his
apostles to teach. In conclusion of this extended article we wish to add a few
words in regard to the object and utility of the gospel ministry. The apostle,
who is commanded to teach us, defines it thus: “Feed the flock of God, which he
has purchased with his own blood.” Jesus commanded Peter, saying, Feed my sheep,
and feed my lambs. None but the flock of God can feed upon the gospel; none but
they can live on every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The beloved
disciple and inspired apostle John says, “Ye are of God, little children, and
have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the
world. They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world
heareth them. We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of
God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of
error,” (1 John 4:4-6). Finally, as the sun in the heavens can only be seen in
its own light, so the light and glory of the everlasting gospel can only be
discerned in its own divine radiance. Until God who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, shines in our hearts, we cannot comprehend the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God shining in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ.
