LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Proclamation and Confession of the Gospel
In the epistle to the Romans the gospel is spoken of as an announcement or proclamation. As such, we are given the idea of a voice spoken with urgency, to be believed by those who are in danger. It is not a treatise to deliberate, but an announcement to receive now, before it is too late. The law, which appealed to man's doing, could be considered slowly, as if making accounts about how and when to do. However, the gospel is an announcement that must be received promptly, before reason puts the filter of unbelief. That is why it is by faith, not by deep reasoning.
Many times it has happened that people believe, with simplicity of heart, the preaching of the gospel, and their hearts are filled with peace; but then comes the cold reasoning, the accounts that are drawn according to man's natural way of thinking, and then faith is extinguished.
Romans 10 clearly states the difference between the right and wrong way of attaining the righteousness of God. "For of the righteousness which is by the law Moses writes thus: The man that doeth these things shall live by them" (Rom. 10:5). Note the "doeth". There is no doubt about which is the way to attain righteousness through the law. But further down it says: "But the righteousness which is by faith says thus ... The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart ... if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Rom. 10:6, 8-10).
By the law no one has ever been justified (Rom. 3:20). But what is not possible to obtain by the much doing of the flesh, is attained by faith alone, in the very act of believing. Now, when faith reaches the heart, confession arises. The heart believes and the mouth confesses. The faith of the heart produces a confession of the lips. "But having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, wherefore I spake; we also believe, wherefore we also speak" (2 Cor. 4:13).
The gospel, when believed, produces an outpouring of words of faith. Therefore, elsewhere in the New Testament, we are urged to "hold fast our profession" (Heb. 4:14), to "hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering" (Heb. 10:23). This profession is not the profession of "office", but of professing, or speaking with the lips. The gospel does not make Christians mute, but very expressive in their speech. They believe the proclamation and then proclaim with their mouth what they have believed.
The evangelist announces something that came from God to man. For his part, the man who believes confesses something back to God. God announces, and man receives the announcement in faith, making God true. God is thus justified in his words (Rom. 3:4). In this way the manifold wisdom of God is made known through the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Eph. 3:10). The name of Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins and rose again for our justification, resounds in the universe. Thus the proclamation of the gospel closes and God is glorified through Jesus Christ.