Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. But some in the present day believe
that the primary reason for preaching is to save souls. Paul, however,
understood that the true purpose of preaching is to declare the
glory of the blessed God. It is in this declaration of
His glory that His redemption and salvation of unworthy sinners
is made manifest. He is the object of the message
of the gospel. He is the power of the gospel, and His complete
and finished work is the subject of that gospel. When those who
are awakened by His Spirit hear this good message, they are given
faith to believe it and rejoice in the deliverance which is made
manifest by the blood of Christ. This is why Paul said, So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Some
have construed the meaning of Paul to be that salvation is
the result of faith. Yet the salvation which is wrought
in Christ is the very object of faith. So it is impossible
that faith could be the cause of salvation. Rather, faith,
which is the gift of God, is the result of that salvation,
which is purchased for the sons of God by Christ himself rather
than its cause. Now, faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The purpose
of preaching must be understood in order to make sense of what
Paul goes on to say in the second chapter of 1 Corinthians. For
we are unto God a sweet saver of Christ, in them that are saved,
and in them that perish. To the one we are the saver of
death unto death, and to the other the saver of life unto
life. And who is sufficient for these things? If the preaching
of the cross is for the purpose of saving souls, then it must
be a failure, because Paul plainly declares that the same message
which is a saver of life to those who are saved is a saver of death
to those who perish. This would be confusion to say
the least. The preaching of the gospel is, first of all, a sweet
savor in the nostrils of the Father, because he delights in
the glory of his Son, even as he declares by the psalmist,
Yet if I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion, I will declare
the decree, The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this
day have I begotten thee. It is a sweet savor unto him
as it is preached to those who are saved, and it is a sweet
savor unto him as it is preached to those who perish. His purpose
is fulfilled in both cases, and he is pleased when Christ is
lifted up in the proclamation of his complete and total redemption
of each and every one which he came into the earth to redeem.
Those who are saved by the blood of Christ are those who receive
the word of God with gladness. To them it is the very perfume
or savor of life. They believe it because the power
of God works in them both the will and the do of His good pleasure.
Even as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, saying, The word of God which
effectually worketh also in you that believe. John said that
all such were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God. There is no place of boasting
for them, for they were chosen by Him in Christ unto this salvation
before the foundation of the world. Those who perish are made
manifest because they do not believe the record which God
has set forth concerning His Son. Those who perish do not
believe on Him. The same message which is the
perfume of life to those who are saved is an odor of death
to those who perish, because the preaching of the cross is
to them that perish foolishness. The Lord Jesus plainly declared
the reason for this unbelief. But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Those who
perish despise the truth of God, because they hate the author
and finisher of salvation, and will not bow down before him.
Paul anticipates the natural reaction of the flesh to the
doctrine of God's unconditional election of his people into everlasting
joy and his unconditional reprobation of the wicked into eternal damnation
by saying, and who is sufficient for these things. By the grace
of God revealed in Jesus Christ, we see him as our sufficiency
in all things and can but bow down before him and give him
all honor and praise both now and forever for his unspeakable
gift of life to such unworthy riches as we know ourselves to
be. We glory in him who formed the light and created the darkness,
and say even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Those who wish to soft-pedal the truth of God's sovereignty
over man's destiny is the same crowd who purports that the purpose
of preaching is to save souls. No one has ever been eternally
saved by any other means than the blood and righteousness of
Christ, who offered himself as a substitute for sinners. He
is the sole sufficiency of his people. For God, who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and
not of us. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.