What is it to Preach the Gospel?

If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. (Jeremiah 15:19b)

If God’s preachers are called by Christ to preach the gospel then we must be faithful to our work.  We must be vigilant and bold witnesses of God no matter the generation in which we live.  Paul charged Timothy as well as everyone that God calls to this vocation:  Preach the Word!  Be instant in season and out of season; reprove rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering (2 Timothy 4:2).  This matter of preaching the word of God is no light thing, for all who preach the gospel of Jesus Christ are as the mouth of God to all that hear us.  And as such our gospel is always successful, because it always accomplishes the purpose of God, either to save sinners or to further harden the wicked hearts of men (2 Corinthians 2:14-16; Isaiah 55:11; Romans 9:17).

Therefore, we who are called to preach, being the mouth of God to this generation, must execute our work correctly and follow God’s ordained method: Preach the Word! Not debate it, not suggest the word but to simply declare it!   When God spoke to Jeremiah in that pit of despair He said “If thou separate the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth.”  This is what it is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is to separate the precious from the vile.  Those things that are precious are rare and valuable.  While those things vile are common and filthy. So then, we must in our preaching separate the precious gospel from the vile gospel.  We must proclaim that precious gospel of God’s Sovereign election (Ephesians 1:3-5).  We must preach the total depravity of man.  That no man can by work or will every merit God’s salvation (Romans 3:10-20; Galatians 2:16; John 6:44).  We must declare that the precious blood of Christ has obtained eternal redemption for all those the Father had given to Him (John 6:37-40; Hebrews 9:12; 10:14).  We must preach that precious gospel of
regeneration by which the Holy Spirit quickens the dead sinner to life.  We must separate that precious doctrine of the Holy Spirit that keeps us in the faith until the end (John 3:7-8; John 17:2; Galatians 4:6; 1 Peter 1:5).

So then, when we declare the precious gospel of God, we are then calling all other gospels that oppose it to be vile and worthless to the souls of men.  Paul says that there is one gospel and all others are accursed (Galatians 1:6-9).
Therefore, we oppose that vile doctrine of conditional election, in which the false god of this generation chooses men based on what he saw that they would do (Ezekiel 36:22-23; Deuteronomy 7:7-8; Romans 9:11-16; 11; 5-6).  We condemn any doctrine that says man is capable by his free will to choose or reject the Salvation of God (John 6:44; Romans 8:7; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Colossians 2:13).   We cast off that vile doctrine of universal atonement because his blood actually redeemed no one except men allow it (Matthew 1:21; Daniel 9:24).  We must oppose that vile doctrine of the resistible call of the Holy Spirit.  That vile message that says the Holy Spirit is trying to save men but must submit to their will (John 1:12-13; Romans 9:18-21).

So then all who preach the Total Depravity of man, The Sovereign Free Grace of God in Election, The successful Redemption of Jesus Christ to Save His people from their Sins; the irresistible Calling of the Holy Spirit in quickening dead sinners to life, then we are separating the precious from the vile.  And all who oppose us and our message oppose the Mouth of God!  This precious gospel is what sinners greatly need and will freely believe.

– Fred Evans