Man is the same disobedient creature under all dispensations.We morn his rejection of the gospel,and so did Isaiah,who spoke in the name of the whole company of the prophets.It is one of the greatest proofs of the depravity of man's heart that he will no more obey the gospel than the law. Man disobeys his God, whether he speaks to him in love or in law.Men would sooner be lost than to trust in God.When any of us receive the gospel,it is the work of grace:"the arm of the Lord is reveald."But when we refuse it,it is our own sin:"they have not obeyed the gospel."
The gospel comes with the force of a command,it is not optional to us to accept or refuse the gospel at our pleasure.(Acts 17:30) tells us "God now commandeth all men every where to repent".He commands them to repent and believe the gospel(mark 1:15).To refuse to believe is to incur a great sin(john 16:8). There is a death penalty attached to disobedience.As the prodical son was right in returning to his father, so would it be right for each of us to return to our father through our obedience to the gospel.The gospel calls us to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, to renounce our self righteousness and confess our guilt. We must repent and be obedient to both teaching and to his example.This is how we show that we believe the report.There are way to many who say with their mouths they believe, but the life they live is one of doubt and disbelief.
The design of the gospel is to bring us into a union with the Son of God and to believe on him whom the father hath sent.Christ seeks to gather in souls for the Father,but through our disobedience we refuse to be gathered.To disobey the gospel is far worse than to break the law.For disobedience to the law,there is a remedy in the gospel,but for disobedience to the gospel no remedy can be found, for there is no more sacrifice for sin.Let us obey the gospel, this obedience is a grace of great value,and is a great force on the whole man;for when the obedience is in the heart it works a conforming to the whole will of God.Be it life or death,one word from God will command the whole soul as soon as obedience has found admittance into the heart.
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