Good News for all men

After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations!” He then sent his disciples to announce his salvation to the “ends of the Earth.” The Era of Salvation commenced with his Death and Resurrection. His life-giving message must be announced to all men. The Messiah of Israel has liberated his people from bondage to sin and the never-ending cycle of death!

God exalted Jesus to the Messianic Throne as promised in the Scriptures: “I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession,” and therefore he sends his emissaries to announce his sovereignty and salvation throughout the nations of the Earth – (Psalm 2:8).

[Photo by Philipp Waldhauer on Unsplash]

By bestowing the Gift of the Spirit on them, Jesus empowers his disciples to proclaim his Good News to all humanity, the one task he assigned to his Church before his departure:

• “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the Earth” – (Acts 1:8).

This salvation is for men of every generation and nation without exception. Jesus died and God raised him from the dead so they no longer would live for themselves but for Him, and in newness and fullness of life.

God loved mankind so much that He “gave his only born Son” over to death so all men might believe and receive “everlasting life.” Moreover, Jesus has bequeathed to each of us the ministry of reconciling other men and women to His Father by proclaiming this Good News to all men – (John 3:16, Acts 2:36-38, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Because of his suffering “for our sins,” God raised Jesus from the dead and “highly exalted him, granting him the name that is above every name,” – JESUS - the name that means “Yahweh saves,” for this Messiah “will save his people from their sins.”

Thus, the salvation promised by the God of Israel has become real for all men who will embrace His Son, the “Ruler of the Kings of the Earth,” shepherds the nations until the day when they stand before him in New Jerusalem – (Philippians 2:6-11, Revelation 1:4-6, 7:9-17, 12:5-11).

All peoples and nations belong to Jesus. His sacrificial death voided the legal claim of Satan over mankind, while his resurrection broke the iron grip of Death that held us all. This is a radical message of liberation from the tyranny of sin, Satan, and death that all men must hear – (1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Philippians 2:6-11, Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 1:6-8,3:21, 5:5-14).

• “Now I make known to you brothers, the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved if you hold fast the word which I preached to you… For I delivered to you that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, that he was buried, and that he has been raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures.”

ONLY ONE PEOPLE

God has “spoken” with eloquent finality through His Son. It is the Son alone who “achieved the purification of sin,” therefore, he sits “at the right hand of the Majesty on High places” as the Great High Priest who mediates salvation and life for his people – (Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:14-18).

Salvation is available to all men “through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction.” The offer of life is made to all because of the faithful obedience of the Messiah who “died for our sins” when we were still “enemies of God” – (Romans 3:21-22).

Sin is the Great Equalizer that condemns every man, woman, and child to bondage, decay, hopelessness, and death. Neither ethnicity, political power, nor economic status will make any difference. Death awaits us all.

Because of his Death and Resurrection, anyone may receive the forgiveness of sin and justification before God, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, poor or rich; namely, “from the faith of Jesus Christ.” Death still occurs, but for his disciples, it will be reversed when he raises them from the dead – (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

Considering his faithful act on our behalf when we deserved only death, we can only respond to his generous and unmerited offer by repenting and placing faith in Jesus and what God has accomplished through him.

God is forming a new community composed of men and women from every nation who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the ‘Ekklésia’, the “Assembly.” Every person who places faith in Jesus becomes a member of this holy people – (Ephesians 2:15).

No nation, civilization, or political ideology can claim Jesus or his teachings as its property. His Gospel is a message for every man, woman, and child on the Earth; therefore, it transcends all national and cultural boundaries. His disciples proclaim one message for all men, whether “Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male and female, for all are one in Christ Jesus” – (Galatians 3:28).

In the truest sense, his “Good News” is a universal message. All men have sinned. Everyone needs salvation and everlasting life. No one deserves it, but God graciously offers it to one and all through His Son.

Finally, salvation is provided on the same basis to every man, woman, and child, namely, from the faith of Jesus Christ. All we can do is respond with repentance and faith to this offer and the self-sacrificial act of the Nazarene who “gave his life as a ransom for many.”

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• Both Jews and Greeks - (The equality of Jews and Gentiles before God is pivotal to Romans. Members of either group stand or fall before Him on the same basis)

• Paul's Gospel - (In Romans, Paul presents his gospel from humanity's plight due to sin to the resurrection of the dead and the New Creation)

• The Faithfulness of God - (The “righteousness of God” refers to His faithfulness to His promises, which is demonstrated in the salvation He has provided in Jesus)