The True Gospel, part 1

Membership Question #1: Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His love and mercy?

Summary: The Wrath of God is revealed against all who suppress the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18).

Point 1: God has clearly revealed himself to every person on earth as a wise, powerful, glorious deity (1:19-20, Acts 14:17, 17:24-28).

Point 2, We do not glorify him nor are we thankful (1:21-23,25).

Point 3, Therefore God gave us up to all ungodliness, unrighteousness, and uncleanness (1:24-32).

Point 4, We proudly condemn other people, and thus boast in our own virtue, even though we do the very same things ourselves (2:1-3, 2:14-16).

Point 5, We therefore await the judgment of Christ (2:2-16, Acts 17:31, Acts 10:42).

• A judgment based on truth (v. 2)
• A just or righteous judgment (v. 5)
• A judgment according to deeds (v. 6)
• An impartial judgment (v. 11-12)
• A judgment exectued by God's own anointed King (v. 16).

Application
Is this the gospel you heard and believed? Richard Niebuhr back in the 1920s characterized the new gospel taking over in the church. Here is part of his description. Here is the message of the new gospel, so-called, “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment.” That can hardly be called a gospel at all. It has nothing to do with 'the righteousness of God' (Rom 1:16-18). It makes Christ no savior at all.