Is the Gospel Worth It?

The desire to preach the everlasting Gospel is irrepressible in the ‘called’ servant.   Paul was ‘a called apostle’ (Rom.1:1) and his desire above all else was to see his fellow-countrymen saved (Rom.10:1).  He met frustrations galore in his ministry, not to mention hostility and opposition, but by divine grace overcame them all.  For the ‘called’ servant of Christ, obstacles become stepping-stones for the furtherance of the Gospel.   God always finds a way for the progress of His own work.  

However, in today’s church, there is so much vindictiveness and petty jealousies, so much career development and personal empire building, that finding openings for preaching the Gospel are diminishing by the day.  Nepotism is also in evidence at times.  Churches want to maintain the peace of the institution, and not be bothered with preachers who are preaching challenging Gospel messages.  They believe that God has answered the prayer that Jerusalem might be at peace (Ps.122), by pretending that it is God’s peace that is being experienced, when, in fact, it is not.  There is peace in a graveyard, you know! 

But keeping Gospel people and Gospel enemies at peace with one another is the big thing.  And ministers know that, too.  Keep all the troops on board at all costs, and to pot with truth and righteousness.  Treat every member as a Christian, and preach to them as if they are Christians, and you’ll have no serious difficulties in your church.  Don’t emphasise the distinctive of being a Christian because that might upset the Gospel enemies who are church members – and you can’t have that now, can you?

Now, no minister wants difficulties in his congregation; but many minsters will do all they can to prevent problems arising even when these problems concern the Gospel itself.  The irrelevant explanation as to why difficulties arise makes them square with ‘personality clashes’ only; but nothing to do with the message of the Gospel.  They have robbed the Gospel of the offense of the cross, in a bid to ensure peace in the congregation. 

Had the prophets, our Lord Jesus Christ, His apostles, the Reformers, the Huguenots, the Puritans, the Covenanters, and their faithful students right up into today’s times, adopted the same attitude to the truth of the Gospel, would there even have been be a Gospel to preach?  Had the higher critical ‘scholars’ won the day in every Christian denomination, as they have done in many churches, we would not have a Gospel to proclaim at all. 

But the big question is, ‘Is the Gospel worth it?  Is it worth all this hassle, this discomfort, the annoyance?  Surely not, if having a quite life of noiseless meditation is what it’s all about.  If faithfulness to this Gospel will mean losing your job, your income and your pension, then forget it!  If it means losing your home, and your position in modern society, then the cost is too high.  How many can sing with utter honesty, “Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou my inheritance now and always”?  How many really do have the courage of their convictions and are not only prepared to challenge every contender to the truth, but actually do so?  I am wondering if there are many ministers who have done this calculation, have counted the cost, and have concluded that maintaining a good lifestyle is more important than being faithful to Christ and His Word.  

But there you go. That’s modern day religion.  But it is a religion that does not please God!