CR News

The Address of the Gospel (5)

(Continued from the previous issue)

The reprobate who come under the preaching of the gospel are, as we noticed last time, addressed by the gospel.

We saw that they are not only addressed incidentally; i.e., that they are addressed because they happen to be present when the gospel is preached. They are specifically addressed by God Himself.

One question remains to be answered, however.

That question is this: What does God Himself say to them when He addresses them in the gospel?

That is an important question.

In order to answer that question, we must once again, though briefly, return to the question which we answered earlier: What specifically are the contents of the gospel?

You will recall that we said, when we discussed this question, that, in general, the contents of the gospel were the revelation of God in Jesus Christ as the God of all salvation.

We said that that revelation of God in Jesus Christ as the God of salvation included promises and threats, warnings and admonitions, exhortations and callings.

When we mentioned all these things which are included in the gospel, we did not, at that time, say anything more. Now the time has come to say more about that.

The warnings and threats, the exhortations and admonitions, of the gospel are not separated from the truth of the gospel. They all belong together. The truth must be proclaimed in all its fullness. And the warnings and threats, the admonitions and exhortations, all must be connected with the truth.

God, in revealing the truth, reveals the truth concerning Himself. He speaks always of Who He is, What kind of a God He us, and what He does as the sovereign Lord. And especially He speaks of the fact that He reveals the infinite perfections of His own being by revealing Himself as the God of salvation.

But -- and here we come to the very heart of the gospel -- part of that truth concerning Himself is His own absolute sovereignty in the work of salvation; and that sovereignty is revealed nowhere so much as in the truth of election and reprobation.

If one is to be free from the blood of all men (as Paul tells the Ephesian elders), one must preach the whole counsel of God. And that counsel of God includes sovereign election and reprobation. That is the heart of the gospel.

And so, God reveals Himself in all His truth as the God Who saves His elect only; and He reveals Himself as the God Who damns the reprobate in the way of their sin.

* * * * * * * * * *

But there is more.

He reveals Himself as the sovereign God Who saves the elect in the way of granting them repentance and faith. In fact, so true is this, that God even calls His elect by such names: laboring and heavy laden; those who have no money; repenting ones; people with broken spirits and contrite hearts; those who call upon the name of the Lord; poor in spirit; etc. etc.

And because these spiritual characteristics are the names by which He calls His own, they are also, at the same time, the demands of the gospel. They are the exhortations, the admonitions, the requirements for salvation.

But, the opposite is also true of the reprobate. They are called by their spiritual names: covetous, fornicators, despisers of God and of His Word, those who reject the gospel and crucify the Son of God afresh.

And these spiritual characteristics of the reprobate become the threatenings and warnings of the gospel.

And they become the means in the hands of a sovereign God to accomplish His sovereign purpose in the reprobate.

And so, the address of the gospel is always very particular. It is the promise of salvation to those who flee from sin and repent of their iniquity. The promise of salvation is never to anyone but these.

And the warnings of the gospel are also never to anyone but the rebellious and hard of heart. Promises and threats, commands and warnings, all come together to all that hear. But already in the proclamation of the gospel, both are particular: promises to the believing; warnings to the unbelieving.

And thus God accomplishes His purpose. 

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Additional Info

  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 15
Hanko, Herman

Prof. Herman Hanko (Wife: Wilma)

Ordained: October 1955

Pastorates: Hope, Walker, MI - 1955; Doon, IA - 1963; Professor to the Protestant Reformed Seminary - 1965

Emeritus: 2001

Website: www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?speakeronly=true&currsection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Prof._Herman_Hanko

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  • Country
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  • Telephone
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