ββ¦the gospelβ¦is come unto you, as it is in all the world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truthβ (Col. 1:5,6).
How wonderful to see the gospel of the grace of God do its work! Paul had never even seen the Colossians. He had only sent missionaries to them from Ephesus with the good news of the grace of God, but this had produced amazing results.
Wherever the gospel of the grace of God is preached in its purity it produces results. No one hearing that message can go away the same. Either he will consider it utter foolishness and be hardened by it, or he will see its vital importance and be softened by it. Ultimately he will either be eternally condemned, or eternally saved and justified by his response to that message.
βThe preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of Godβ (I Cor. 1:18).
βThe power of God unto salvation to everyone that believethβ (Rom. 1:16).
Mark well: it is βthe gospel of the grace of God,β the βpreaching of the cross,β that produces such results. The law of Moses never did, βFor what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,β God sent His Son to accomplish for us (Rom. 8:3,4).
Godβs message to us is a message of love, proclaiming to even the vilest sinner that he may be βjustified freely by [Godβs] grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesusβ (Rom. 3:24). source
[β¦] would please us more than if some reader should thus apply the gospel of Godβs grace to himself and receive eternal [β¦]
[β¦] And what, now, is his parting advice to young Timothy? Does he say: βPerhaps I have been too intense. My methods have made many enemies. I advise you to be more diplomatic and tolerant than I have beenβ. Hardly, for the records show Paul to have been of all men most tactful and considerate. His sufferings were not the result of a contentious spirit, but of his faithfulness in proclaiming that message which so embarrasses and enrages βour adversary, the devilβ, that message which is Godβs gracious response to manβs need and His answer to Satanβs slander β βtheβ¦Β Read more Β»