Nuggets from Seeking and Finding God—The Non-Negotiable Gospel

Salvation comes on God’s terms and by His grace, and we negotiate the gospel neither with God nor with one another. “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John:4:14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
See All...). Salvation is a work of God and His Son. We either believe it or reject it. We don’t “dialogue” about it. Nor does any church or religious organization have a franchise for dispensing it. Salvation is free from God without any “middleman.” It is granted to “whosoever” will take God at His word and accept His pardon by faith.

It is also called the “gospel of Christ” (Mark:1:1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
See All...; Romans:1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
See All...; 15:19; 1 Corinthians:9:12If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
See All...). He is the Savior and salvation is His work, not ours, as the angels said: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke:2:11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
See All...). Salvation could be accomplished only by Christ, and when He had paid the full penalty by suffering on the Cross for our sins, he cried in triumph, “It is finished” (John:19:30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
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Paul specifies the gospel that saves: “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians:15:3-4 [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
See All...). “I am the door,” said Christ: “By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John:10:9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
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The gospel contains nothing about baptism, church membership or attendance, tithing, sacraments, or rituals, diet or clothing. If we add anything to the gospel, we have not only declared it to be insufficient but have corrupted it and thus come under Paul’s anathema in Galatians:1:8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
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The gospel is all about what Christ has done. It says nothing about what Christ must yet do, because the work of our redemption is finished. “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians:15:3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
See All...). His death on the cross is in the past, never to be repeated.

Nor does the gospel say anything about what we must do, because we can do nothing. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us” (Titus:3:5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
See All...); “for by grace are ye saved, through faith…the gift of God[is] not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians:2:8-9 [8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
See All...). Whoever offers God anything for salvation has denied the sufficiency of what Christ did and has rejected God’s salvation.

Instead of works, the gospel requires faith. It is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans:4:5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
See All...)… “that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John:3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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The gospel is a two-edged sword. It declares, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” The same verse also says, “he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John:3:36He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
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