Preaching the Gospel
From "Counsel and Encouragement: Discourses on the
Conduct of Life"
by Hosea Ballou, 2D., D.D.
1866
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall
be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark
16:15-16).
I. Our text is naturally divided into two distinct parts: -
1. The first is the commission which our Savior gave his twelve
apostles, when he sent them forth on their great work: "He said unto
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
That was their commission. The second part of the text, is his
declaration to them, of the consequences that would follow their belief of
that gospel, on the one hand, or their disbelief of it, on the other hand.
If they believed the message, - if they truly believed, it would save them:
for the gospel "is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth;" "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;" but if
they rejected the message, it would be to their condemnation: "He that
believeth not, shall be damned," that is, condemned, - for both are
one and the same. I would remark, on this place, that there is no
difference between these two words, according to the New Testament use of
them. The idea in the text is just the same that Christ asserted in another
passage, when he said, "He that believeth not is condemned already.
"This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men
choose darkness rather than light," &c. It has been the practice with
people in these two words, - to make an immense difference between these
two words, - to take it for granted that the word "damned" refers
to the future world, while the word "condemned" refers only to the
present. I trust you will bear in mind - what every well-informed person
knows - that the inspired writers knew no difference at all between these
two words, - that they mean the same by the one as by the other; and that,
in many cases, both of the English terms are translated from but one single
original one. When Christ says here, that "He who believeth not shall
be damned," he refers only to the condemnation that would rest on such
as might wilfully reject the message he had just given to his apostles.
II. I shall first ask your attention to the former part of our text.
1. When Christ had risen from the dead, early on the first day of the
week, he appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden; afterwards, to the two
who were going to Emmaus; and at successive times, to others of his
disciples. At length, when the time of his finally leaving them, and
ascending to heaven, drew near, he appeared to the eleven apostles, as they
sat together, and gave them their solemn commission: "Go ye into all
the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." This was the
beginning of their ministry, - properly speaking; here it was they received
the authority under which they were to act; here the great work of their
lives was imposed upon them, - to "preach the gospel,"
universally; and it is from this charge of their risen Master, that the
gospel message has been transmitted down to us, with all its saving
influences. We come here, today, my friends, to learn the truths which were
contained in that solemn message of Christ to his apostles, and to listen
to that same gospel, accordingly as God shall enable us to unfold it, in
its several parts.
2. There is nothing on which more is said, in the religious world, than
on the gospel; perhaps there is no word so frequently on the lips of
Christians, as that one term, "the gospel;" and there seems to be
an impression that every body, of course, understands, what it is, - that
it is necessary only to name it in order to bring it to mind. And yet,
there is nothing on which there is a greater difference of opinion, as we
all know, the moment we recollect the mutually conflicting doctrines which
are supported under that name. I cannot think it so difficult a problem to
determine what the gospel is, at least as to its general character, - if we
would approach the question without prejudice. In the first place, the
gospel is good news, glad tidings; it always bears that character, for that
is what the very term itself signifies, both in our own language, and in
the original from which the New Testament was translated. When Christ
taught, and when his apostles, in obedience to this commission, went forth
to preach, their doctrine was felt to be a message of joy; and if there was
any fault found with it, it was only because of the abounding grace, peace,
and mercy which it announced. Is it commonly so understood at the present
day? Would not that one fact correct a great many misapprehensions? We
sometimes hear the preaching of the most terrible idea, called the gospel -
the more terrible, the more evangelical it is supposed to be. All the
fearful representations of "eternal woe" often pass current under
that sacred name. How long will it take people to learn the very first
letter in the alphabet of Christ's religion, that to preach the gospel is
to preach good news, and that nothing which does not come under this
general character, is entitled to the appellation?
3. Again, if you call to mind the manner in which the Scriptures always
define the gospel, whenever they use any language that does define it, you
will see, at once, how the inspired teachers regarded it. They call it
"the gospel of the grace of God," never, "of the wrath of God,"
- for that would be a contradiction in terms, - it would not be good news,
or gospel. They call it, "the gospel of our salvation," never,
"of our hopeless damnation," - for the same reason, that such language
would be an absurdity in itself. St. Paul says, "How beautiful are the
feet of them that preach the gospel of peace; and bring glad tidings of
good things." Such was the nature of the gospel which the apostle
proclaimed, in obedience to his commission from the risen and ascended
Master. When our Savior himself began his ministry at Nazareth, the first
sermon he ever preached was in these cheering words: "The spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me, to preach the gospel to the
poor: He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to
the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set a liberty them
that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord:" and all
the people "wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his
mouth." Such was the sermon with which Christ introduced his own
ministry. It was the keynote to all he afterwards taught. And you see, from
it, how cheering was that message which he preached as the gospel. You see,
too, the effect it had upon those who heard him, "they wondered at the
gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth."
4. We must consider that if the preaching of Christ and his apostles was
really a declaration of the glad tidings - if the gospel, as they
proclaimed it, was of this nature, - then, the impression it produced on
the generality of the people, must have been a joyful one. We know this
must have been the case, from the laws of the human mind, and from what we
see taking place in our day. Let a preacher - or a body of preachers - come
into this village, call the people together, and address them with a
message of woe, preach something opposed to the gospel; and if it have any
effect at all, you know what it will be; one of painful anxiety. You will
soon see terror and sadness in the countenances of the people. Their
"heads will be bowed down as a bulrush." But, on the other hand,
should you, while passing along, only look in on a congregation listening
to a discourse, and see their countenances lighted up with joy, and
elevated with hope, you would know what the nature of the topic was, even
though you could not hear a single word the preacher was saying; - you
would know, from the delight it shed around, that his message was "good
tidings of good." Now, what I wish to say is, that this is the very
effect which, we are told, the ministry of Christ and his apostles actually
produced on the great mass of those who heard them, in their day.
Witness the case we have just mentioned at Nazareth. There was but one
class of people who were an exception, and they were the bigoted,
self-righteous Scribes and Pharisee. They indeed were angry, at the
freeness and impartiality of the Divine grace, which was preached. But we
are told, of his ministrations in general, that "the common people
heard him gladly." And when the apostles entered into a place, and
proclaimed the gospel, we are informed, "there was great joy in that
city." How could it be otherwise? How could it fail of producing these
joyful impressions? if it was, itself, "glad tidings of great joy."
III. The subject may be still further illustrated, by showing what are
the leading truths that constitute the gospel.
1. We have often had occasion to observe that the whole superstructure
of Christianity rests upon this one foundation, truth: viz - "God's
universal love; God's love to the whole world, when it was dead in
trespasses and sins; his unchangeable love to sinners as well as to
saints." Our Savior bases his mission to the world on this ground. He
taught the people that all the mercy which he himself showed, all that he
performed, and all that he ever will accomplish, was but the outworking of
that favor which reigned from eternity in the bosom of the Almighty Father.
Now, preach this universal and unchangeable love of God, as Christ preached
it, and we know it will be glad tidings, - in other words, it will be the
gospel, - and nothing contrary to this can be. Wherever this message is
proclaimed and believed, it will kindle the same hope, and diffuse around
the same gladness that followed it in the times of the New Testament, -
when the host of heaven sang, Glory to God in the highest! on
earth peace, good-will towards men." We do not forget, that the love
of God to the world is a Father's love; and, of course, faithful to
administer punishment as well as joy. It "recompenses every man
according to his works." But we must not forget also, that all the
judgments it inflicts, in time or eternity, are for good and not for evil,
and that they will end in the reformation of the sufferer. "The Lord
will not cast off forever; but though he cause grief, yet will he have
compassion according to the multitude of his mercies."
2. Time would fail us were we to attempt an enumeration of all the
truths that belong to the gospel. Let us mention a very prominent one;
"Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world." This fact stands out on the
face of the New Testament. In the language of St. John, "We have seen,
and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the
world." When Christ came upon earth, he undertook this work; he
labored for this purpose; he "gave himself a ransom for all," not
for a part; "tasted death for every man;" became "the
propitiation for the sins of the whole world." And he declared that he
would accomplish what he undertook. He said that if he were
"lifted up from the earth, he would draw all men unto him." And it is
our duty to believe in the event. If the inspired writers do not often
speak of this glorious consummation, I confess myself unable to understand
the purport of the plainest language. If St. Paul does not mean this, when
he says, It pleased the Father, that in Christ should all fulness
dwell; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself," - if he does not mean a universal
reconciliation, at last, I am bold to say that nobody in the world ever
knew what he did mean, nor ever will know; and commentators will go on,
proposing one explanation after another, and laying them aside, as they
always have done, without being long satisfied with any of their
interpretations. Jesus Christ, "the one mediator between God and men,
who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time;" Jesus
Christ, who will finally gather all things into himself, and reconcile all
things to God; - this is indeed gospel, or, "glad tidings of great joy
which shall be unto all people." And wherever it is proclaimed,
"in the power and demonstration of the spirit," it will work as it did
in those times when "the common people heard it with gladness,"
and there "was great joy" where the apostles preached.
3. We have now endeavored to give an outline of the gospel; to describe
its nature, to state the great truth on which it stands, and to bring into
view its ultimate results; - to point out its beginning, and its end.
Within this general outline, there are, of course, a thousand particular
truths, - such as reward and punishment; human agency and responsibility;
the part we are to perform; and the means of accomplishing the whole, - all
of them important in their place. But they should be kept in their place, -
held in subserviency to the great foundation-principles on which they and
everything else are based.
IV. According to our text, this gospel is to be preached to all men: -
1. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature." Whatever be the character or the circumstances of people,
this is the message that belongs to them. Rich or poor, sinners or saints,
they have a right to it, as much as they have to the free air they breathe.
It is committed to the charge of their ministering servants for their use;
and we cannot, with justice, withhold it from anyone, - no, not even from
the most undeserving. We must say with St. Paul, "We are debtors both
to the Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise; so, as
much as in us is, we are ready to preach the gospel to you also."
"Yea, woe is us, if we preach not the gospel. If we do this willingly, we
have a reward; but, if otherwise, still a dispensation of the gospel is
committed unto us."
2. There is an over-distrustful fear, with many, that it may not be save
to proclaim the glad tidings of free redemption and pardon to all, or
rather to bad men. And no doubt, the message may be delivered in such a way
as to do harm; for there is no truth that we know of, which may not be
perverted to evil purposes. But there certainly is no danger in assuring
all men of the love of God, and in preaching the ultimate accomplishment of
his gracious counsels in the reconciliation of all things. Is it not plain,
that if we would produce love to God, we must do it by enforcing his love
to us? for "we love him, because he first loved us." If we would
bring men to be heavenly-minded, we must do it by the influence of heaven,
and not of hell. Neither good morals nor good religion ever came from the
latter source. Let us have faith in the almighty power of goodness to
overcome evil, and to reform. The everlasting love of our Father in heaven;
his universal grace and salvation, - this is what every sinner in the world
needs. As St. Paul says, "The grace of God that bringeth salvation to
all men, hath appeared, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live righteously, and soberly, and godly, in this present
world."
3. This is the gospel which I would preach to you, my friends; and to
all without distinction. I would always speak to you of God the Father, and
of his boundless goodness, of which we are constant partakers. I would
never withhold the glad tidings of the gospel because men are sinners; so
much the more are they needed; for "this is a saying worthy of all
acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners."
Let the judgments of the righteous Awarder be kept in view; but let them be
such as flow from his love, and are consistent with is gospel. Beyond all
infliction, and beyond all condemnation of unbelief, contemplate that world
of purity and blessedness, which Jesus Christ has revealed. There, the
tears of earth shall be wiped away from all faces; and the whole creation,
delivered from the bondage of corruption, shall rejoice in the liberty of
the children of God! O that men would believe these truths with all their
hearts, and live in the spirit of them! There would be no more
unreconciliation to God, nor hatred of one another; no more indifference to
religion, nor wanton transgression of the divine laws. "The ransomed of
the Lord would return to Zion, with songs and everlasting joy upon their
heads, and sorrow and sighing flee away."
