“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
John 3:16,17
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth”
Rom. 1:16
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What is the Gospel?
In John 3:16 we see God’s great love for a world ready to perish justly under the condemnation of its own sins: a world that has left off God, is separated from God, and does the things which God hates, having no care or love for God. Yet God finds within Himself a greater love than His enemies have wickedness, a love originating not in anything found in the creature, but only in His good pleasure. Who is there such as God, who loves the unlovely and even the loveless? Whose love has no depth, and no height? And extends even to the ungodly?
In order to demonstrate the magnitude of His love for this unbelieving world, God spared not His only Son in whom He delighted and was well pleased, but sent Him to die as an eternal sacrifice to offer salvation freely to sinners. The perfect life and death of Jesus Christ, the very Son of God, is the price of man’s redemption. God gave Christ freely over to His enemies, who executed the Lord of Glory, not knowing that God was using this for the salvation of the world. Christ came not only to suffer for the sins of His believing people, but also to buy up a righteousness for penny-less debtors which alone can perfectly satisfy God’s law.
You are in a desperate condition, lacking the righteousness that God requires, and having works in your hands that God must punish. How is it that you, a sinner, will stand before a holy God? You need a substitute; one to stand in your place. Christ is the only Savior. He is the only mediator between God and man; you need Him.
God makes a free offer to you, that if you believe in Christ, you will be saved from what you deserve, from perishing in Hell. God offers to you, friend, what you cannot merit, earn or work for. Salvation is of the Lord. The only thing we can contribute is the sin that we need to be delivered from. Salvation is without works to us, because it is merited wholly upon the work of Christ alone. It costs us nothing because it cost Him everything. God extends grace even to beggars. See the love of God in Christ for you in offering to you the greatest gift that can ever be received.
It is by believing upon Christ and resting in Him alone for salvation that we are saved. He is willing to receive you, friend. Christ calls you to Himself, “Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “Ho, every one that thirsts, come to the waters. He that has no money, come, buy and eat without price.” Where is greater love manifested, but in this market of free grace, where the poor are made rich? None are turned away. Are you a sinner? Christ is the Savior of sinners.
Christ alone can forgive sin. He is willing to pardon all of your transgressions, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He compels you to it by His loving-kindnesses. “Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely.” “Whosoever drinks of the water I shall give him shall never thirst again.”
To know Christ is to know eternal life, for He is the resurrection and the life. He is the One who has conquered death itself by rising from the grave. In believing upon Christ, He will raise you to newness of life, making you a new creature in Him. “He that believes on me has everlasting life.”
Friend, Christ is the Lord of Life, and the Glory of Heaven. For what life is more desirable than one spent upon Him? And why is eternal life now and heaven to come so pleasant, except that He is with us?
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Subsections
The Sincere Free Offer of the Gospel
The Sincere Free Offer of the Gospel Interpretation of John 3:16
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Articles
1500’s
Melanchthon, Philip
The Loci Communes of Philip Melanchthon… tr. Charles L. Hill (1521; Boston: Meador Publishing, 1944)
12. ’On the Gospel’ 143
13. ‘On the Meaning of the Gospel’ 145
15. ‘On the Power of the Gospel’ 165
20. ‘Summation: Law, Gospel, Faith’ 215
Though Melanchthon (1497–1560) was a Lutheran, this work of his was the first ‘systematic theology’ of the Reformation, and, as it was very influential on reformed systematic theologies following shortly thereafter.
Melanchthon on Christian Doctrine, Loci Communes, 1555 tr. Clyde L. Manschreck (1555; NY: Oxford Univ. Press, 1965), pp.
9. ‘Of the Gospel’ 141-50
30. ‘Of the Kingdom of Christ’ 274-80
Zwingli, Ulrich – ‘The Gospel’ in Commentary on True & False Religion eds. Jackson & Heller (1525; Labyrinth Press, 1981), pp. 118-31
Hamilton, Patrick – Patrick’s Places… (d. 1528; London: White, 1598)
‘The Doctrine of the Gospel’
‘The nature and office of the Law and of the Gospel’
‘A disputation between the Law and the Gospel: wherein is showed the difference or contrariety between them both’
Hamilton (1504–1528) was a proto-reformer and martyr in Scotland.
Bullinger, Henry – 1st Sermon, ‘Of the Gospel of the Grace of God, who has given his Son unto the World, and in Him all things necessary to salvation, that we, believing in Him, might obtain eternal life’ in The Decades ed. Thomas Harding (Cambridge: Parker Society, 1850), vol. 3, 4th Decade, pp. 1-55
Musculus, Wolfgang – Common Places of the Christian Religion (1560; London, 1563)
How the Gospel is also weak [like the Law] 114.b
The Gospel is the virtue of God unto salvation 115.a
2 Cor. 3, That the Gospel consists of the Spirit and not of the letter, 1 Cor. 15 115.a
‘Of the Gospel of Jesus Christ’ 142.a
Beza, Theodore – A Brief & Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith made in Form of a Confession (London, 1565), ch. 4
26. How the Gospel comprehends in substance all the books of the Old Testament
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573), A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism
1st Dialogue, Of the Gospel & of its Office
Olevian, Caspar – An Exposition of the Apostle’s Creed (London, 1581), pt. 1
What the kingdom of Christ is, and that the new covenant is administered therein
Olevian (1536–1587) was a significant German reformed theologian, and has been said to be a co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism along with Zacharias Ursinus (though this has been questioned).
Ursinus, Zachary – The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered… in his Lectures upon the Catechism… tr. Henrie Parrie (Oxford, 1587)
1. What the Gospel is
2. Whether the Gospel has been always known
3. How the Gospel differs from the Law
4. What are the proper effects of the Gospel
5. Whence the truth and certainty of the gospel may appear
Zanchi, Girolamo – Confession of the Christian Religion… (1586; Cambridge, 1599), pp. 91-99 & 295
ch. 13, ’Of the Gospel, and of the Abrogation of the Law by the Gospel’
. On Aphorism 7
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1600’s
Perkins, William
The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience… (Cambridge: Legat, 1606), bk. 1
ch. 5, What must a Man do that he may come into God’s Favor & be Saved?
sect. 1, Giving of the First Grace, giving of the Second
sect. 2, Humiliation
sect. 3, Believe in Christ
sect. 4, Repentance
sect. 5, New obedience unto God in our life and conversation
A Golden Chain (Cambridge: Legat, 1600), Appendices
A Treatise tending unto a Declaration whether a Man be in the Estate of Damnation or in the Estate of Grace, and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it and persevere in the same to the end
A Declaration of the True Manner of Knowing Christ Crucified 815-30
A Grain of Mustard-Seed: or, the Least Measure of Grace that is, or can be Effectual to Salvation 1046-57
1. A man that does but begin to be converted, is even at that instant the very child of God: though inwardly he be more carnal than spiritual
2. The first material beginnings of the conversion of a sinner, or the smallest measure of renewing grace, have the promises of this life, and the life to come
3. A constant and earnest desire to be reconciled to God, to believe and to repent, if it be in a touched heart, is in acceptation with God, as reconciliation, faith, repentance itself
4. To see and feel in ourselves the want [lack] of any grace, and to be grieved therefore, is the grace itself
5. He that has begun to subject himself to Christ and his Word, though as yet he be ignorant in most points of religion: yet if he have a care to increase in knowledge, and to practice that which he knows, he is accepted of God as a true believer
6. The foresaid beginnings of grace are counterfeit, unless they increase
Bucanus, William – 20. ‘Of the Gospel’ in Institutions of Christian Religion... (London: Snowdon, 1606), pp. 202-9
What does the word evangelium signify?
But in what signification does the Scripture use this word evangelium, or ‘gospel’?
But what is the reason of this name?
What is the Gospel?
Who is the author or efficient cause of the Gospel?
By what instrumental cause, or by whose means was the Gospel made known to the world?
Did not the patriarchs also and prophets preach the Gospel and mention it in their writings?
Was there therefore one and the same Gospel from the beginning of the world, or one and the same way to obtain salvation common to all men in all times?
Is there then no difference betwixt our doctrine and theirs who lived under the Law?
What is the matter of the Gospel or the subject where about it is employed?
What is the subject to whom the Gospel belongs?
What is the end of the Gospel?
What are the effects of the Gospel?
But whence proceeds this efficacy of the Gospel?
How many parts of the Gospel are there?
Is it the proper office of the Law or of the Gospel to preach repentance?
What opinions are against this doctrine?
Alsted, Johann H. – 16. ‘Gospel’ in Polemical Theology, exhibiting the Principal Eternal Things of Religion in Navigating Controversies, pt. 2, 4-6 (Partial) tr. by AI by Onku (Hanau, 1620; 1627), pt. 2, 2. A Major catholic Symphony: Theological Common Places, pp. 53-55 Latin
Polyander, Johannes – 22. ‘On the Gospel’ in Synopsis of a Purer Theology: Latin Text & English Translation Buy (1625; Brill, 2016), vol. 1, pp. 556-74
Alsted, Johann Heinrich – ‘On Law & Gospel’ trans. Michael Lynch in Tome 5 of the Encyclopedia … (Herborn, 1630), p. 1,614
Maccovius, John – ch. 3, ‘On the Gospel’ in Scholastic Discourse: Johannes Maccovius (1588-1644) on Theological & Philosophical Distinctions & Rules (1644; Apeldoorn: Instituut voor Reformatieonderzoek, 2009), pp. 97-107
Maccovius (1588–1644) was a reformed, supralapsarian Polish theologian.
Turretin, Francis – 1. ‘The origin and meaning of the words bryth, diathekes, foedus, epangelias and evangelium used here.’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, tr. George M. Giger, ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1994), vol. 2, 12th Topic, pp. 169-74
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1800’s
Alexander, Archibald
‘The Gospel no Failure’, no date or source info, 4 paragraphs
‘The Peace of God’, no date or source info, 5 paragraphs
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2000’s
Fentiman, Travis
‘John 3:16 – God’s Love for all Mankind in the Sincere Free Offer of the Gospel’ (2014) 16 paragraphs
‘Jesus the Friend of Sinners’ (2014) 10 paragraphs
Is Jesus friendly to the unconverted? The Bible says ‘Yes’, as well as historic reformed theology.
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Book
1600’s
Perkins, William – The True Gain: More in Worth than all the Goods in the World (Cambridge: Legat, 1601) 104 pp. on Phil. 3:7
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Latin Articles
1600’s
Wendelin, Marcus Friedrich
ch. 19, ‘Of the Instrumental Causes & Parts of the [Gospel] Offer, where is of the Gospel, Calling & Covenant’ in Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 1, ‘Knowledge of God’, pp. 314-25
ch. 21, ‘Of the [Gospel] Offer & of the Covenant in the Old [Testament]’ in Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 1, ‘Knowledge of God’, pp. 341-53
ch. 22, ‘Of the Gospel in Specific, so called, [& the Offer in the NT] & of Baptism’ in Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 1, ‘Knowledge of God’, pp. 353-79
Wettstein, Gernler & Buxtorf – 12. External Calling, where is of the Gospel & the Sacraments in General in A Syllabus of Controversies in Religion which come between the Orthodox Churches & whatever other Adversaries, for material for the regular disputations… customarily held in the theological school of the academy at Basil (Basil, 1662), pp. 41-45
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“The children of men have despised and rejected Him, but we never read that He despised and rejected men.”
“Jesus is a suitable Savior to a lost sinner.”
John ‘Rabbi’ Duncan
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