‘The word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.’
"In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation:
in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise..."
Eph 1:13
Let us ponder on some of the truth stated in this Scriptures.
1. Believing and trusting in Christ come after hearing the word of truth
It is indisputable that the word of truth declares that which is already true, otherwise it can't possibly be the word of truth. The veracity or truthfulness of the word of truth is not dependent or conditioned upon the hearers believing it. Hearers are called to believe the word of truth, i.e. that which is already true of them. They are hearers that ARE saved, and there are hearers that are perishing (1Cor 1:18). To those that ARE SAVED, the word of truth is perceived as the good news of their salvation by God's free grace.
Hearers are not called to believe something which is untrue in order that their believing may make it become true. The word of truth are addressed, and heard by those that are saved - calling them to believe the good news of their salvation. Believing the word of truth does not make it one bit more true. Similarly, rejecting the word of truth does not make the word of truth one bit less true.
Where there is no hearing there is no believing or trusting because 'faith cometh by hearing.' "And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher" (Rom 10:14b). It needs to be emphasized that it is 'faith cometh by hearing.' Too many glibly think the text say, 'eternal life comes by hearing.' Preaching is very necessary to the conversion of God's children to the truth of their salvation by God's free grace in Jesus Christ. Only God's children, those already regenerated by the sovereign activity of God's Spirit, can be converted through the gospel ministry. Those still dead in trespasses and sins are absolutely incapable of being converted, since the word of truth is perceived as foolishness by all such.
2. The word of truth is the gospel of our salvation
The gospel of our salvation is the good news of what is already true. The good news of our salvation is the news of what the Triune God has done (perfect tense, completed actions of the Triune God) to save us. The gospel of our salvation is good news that:
- God has purposed that eternal salvation for the elect before the foundation of the world,
- Christ has accomplished and secured that eternal salvation for the elect on the cross, and
- The Holy Spirit has applied that same eternal salvation to each individual elect personally in God's appointed time.
Only those in whom the Holy Spirit has applied that eternal salvation through regeneration are capable of being called to believe the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation. All others are dead in sin, and are remotely related to the 'word of truth' and 'the gospel of our salvation.'
Eph 1:3-12 describe these divine and gracious acts most wonderfully in its manifold richness. Without these sovereign and gracious acts of the Triune God, there would be NO word of truth; there would be NO gospel of our salvation. There would be no gospel of our salvation to be preached to any one in the whole wide world! There would be NO word of truth to be heard and believed by any one in the world!
3. The gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached to all creatures
In preaching the gospel, the summon to believe the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, must be addressed to the hearers indiscriminately. Among the hearers are found those whom the Spirit has regenerated, already God's children, born of His Spirit. Only such will hear and receive the gospel as the word of truth because the truth of salvation by God's free grace is already true of them. Only such will receive the gospel preached as the good news of their salvation because salvation is already true of them... the Spirit has applied salvation to them personally. The rest will perceive the gospel as foolishness, and reject it.
To them that ARE saved, the gospel of their salvation is already a reality by God's free grace, before it is ever preached to them and before they ever believe it. They are called to believe the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation because it is already true of them EVEN before they believe. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." ONLY those that ARE SAVED perceive and receive the message as the gospel of their salvation, the word of truth.
4. This good news of our salvation is the word of truth
The truthfulness of the good news is based solely on what has actually and truly happened to us, and in us personally by God's gracious acts.. It is based on what the Triune God has done for us and in us, and NOT what we do - believing and trusting. Believing and trusting evidence and make manifest what the Triune God has already done for us and in us by His free and sovereign grace. What God has done for us and in us forms the foundation and basis of the word of truth, make available the good news of our salvation to be proclaimed to us.
The good news is NOT an offer; instead it is a declaration of what God has done by His free grace to save us. What God has done for us constitutes the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation. Because of what God has done for us, there is the word of truth in which we are called upon to believe. Those whom God has made alive are called to believe. Salvation is bestowed by God's free grace. It is not offered to be accepted... spiritually dead sinner can't possibly accept the offer, even if there is one!
Through the preaching of the gospel of our salvation, God calls us, His children (justified, regenerated and adopted) to believe WHAT IS ALREADY TRUE of us, i.e. the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation.
Calling men to believe what is untrue with the promise that believing may make it become true is NOT only wicked and evil, but it is also deceiving the hearers. It is no longer preaching the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation. It is preaching word of lies, an offer of salvation conditioned upon something the lost, condemned and dead sinner must do before God will act to save them. That's hardly any truth or good news in any sense. It is like making a great offer to a dead man, "if you would just whisper 'yes, I believe' then I will make you alive." That amounts to a most wicked mockery at the dead man. It is no word of truth or good news in any sense.
Calling men to believe the word of truth in order that God's gracious work of saving His elect by His free grace may be made manifest SO THAT His children may be gathered in NT churches is the true function of the ministry of preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Great Commission is to make disciples of God's regenerated elect; disciples can only be made out of God's children. The Triune God produces His own children without any human aid whatsoever. He does so sovereignly and freely by His grace. And He appointed the preaching of the gospel to gather His children into NT churches.
5. Christ is already our Saviour
We who trusted Christ after hearing the word of truth do so ONLY because Christ is ALREADY our Saviour, the word of truth, the gospel of salvation is ALREADY true of us. We are called to believe what is already true. Our believing does not make what is untrue to become true. Faith, receiving and resting in Christ for righteousness and salvation, is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and an evidence of the Spirit of Christ already dwelling in them that exercise faith. The indwelling Spirit of God is found in those God has already justified, regenerated and adopted... for the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of adoption.
6. Believing and trusting bring life and immortality to light
"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." 2Tim 1:10
The gospel brings life and immortality TO LIGHT. The gospel DOES NOT bring life and immortality.
The gospel is the means God ordained to bring to light, to make manifest, to evidence life and immortality. The gospel is NOT THE MEANS God ordained to bring life and immortality. The gospel is the good news that God has brought life and immortality to His elect by His free and sovereign grace.
You can only bring to light the life and immortality that are ALREADY there. Life and immortality are ALREADY in the person by God free and sovereign grace BEFORE it can ever be brought to light by the gospel. Biblical example bear witness to this - Abraham, the Jews converted on the day of Pentecost, the eunuch, Cornelius, Lydia. No amount of gospel preaching can bring to light life and immortality that is not already there by God's free and sovereign grace.
It's time to believe the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation.
Cast away various form of lies!
What the new school 'reformed' people believe is quite different from what the Old School Baptists of the 17th and 18th century particular baptists did believe. Their stepchildren have departed from the faith.
