disobedient to the Evangel

QUESTION: If the Evangel is nothing else than a message of Good News, how can one then be disobedient to it (Rom.10:16; 2Thes.1:8; Heb.4:6)? Does disobedience not assume that there are requirements to be fulfilled? ANSWER: The word “evangel” means “good news”. When Abram, in the night, looked at the countless stars, God said to him, So shall your descendants become (Gen.15:5). “And Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” we read in Romans 4:3. Abram believed the Evangel (Gal.3:8). Nothing was asked of him; he didn’t need to do anything, but he said Amen to what God promised. And that made Abram righteous. Abram gave ear to the good news, i.e., he believed it. That is what Paul, in the letter to the Romans, calls, “obedience of faith” (1:5; 16:26). Please note: “of faith”, not “of works” (Rom.4:5). When God makes an unconditional promise, then people honor Him by taking Him at His word (Rom.4:20,21). The greatest dishonor that they can do to Him is to change His unconditional promise to a requirement of “work” (in order to merit the promise). To obey means ‘give a positive ear to’. This is synonymous to believing.

But not all obey the evangel. For Isaiah is saying, “Lord, who believes our message?” -Rom.10:16-

When God declares to be a Savior of all mankind (1Tim.4:10) and Christianity changes this announcement into an offer (> a Savior for all mankind), then that is disobedience to the Evangel. They do not listen to what God is saying. When God promises: “you shall be holy” (1Pet.1:16) and man changes this to “be holy”, then that is admittedly a pious response, but pure disbelief, nevertheless. Then they do not listen to what God promises. That is disobedience to the Evangel. To be disobedient, one needs first to have heard. “How would they believe of whom they have not heard?” (Rom. 10:14). The world, from whom the Evangel is withheld, cannot disobey. Disobedient are those who pretend to tell the evangel, but change grace into works (Rom.11:6).

Delen: