Preserving the Gospel: A Sacred Mission

Introduction  

or generations, one consistent factor has been the way history is kept and preserved. There are many iconic places al over the world that stand as evidence of significant events. Some of these events are documented or even recorded; even those that were not documented have been recounted by people who witnessed them so that future generations might be aware of what happened. A simple example is the collection of pictures saved on our phones, which keeps a record of past events. 

The Legacy of Preservation  

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 shows the earliest method by which the law of God was kept and taught. Moses knew the significance of God's commandments for their lives, especially in the land they were about to enter, so that they could be a symbol of the Living God. They needed to keep these laws and become vessels that preserved the commandments of God for generations to come. They put these laws on their doorposts, taught them to their children, and even made them into songs. These were the early days of keeping and preserving the Word of God. Glory be to God that we have access to the Bible today because God-fearing people diligently made it their life mission to preserve these words for His glory.

The Shift from Law to Heart 

While these old methods were effective, they eventually faded because they lacked a spiritual connection between what was read and the heart.

"For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved." (Romans 10:10) 

This differentiates the religious worship of Christ from the spiritual worship of Christ.

"But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)

The old ways required simply folowing the letter of the law, which often had no positive impact on the heart. God saw that for our earthly vessels to be conveyors of His words, there needed to be a deeper connection that goes beyond physical admiration to the nature of God, which is filed with Grace.

"But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Jeremiah 31:33)

Living the New Covenant

The New Covenant is the representation of the Gospel of Christ; it is a message that represents the fu lness of God's own image. 

"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the new wine would burst the wineskins, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine must be stored in new wineskins. But no one who drinks the old wine seems to want the new wine. ‘The old is better,’ they say." (Luke 5:37-39)

This new wine requires more than just our earthly vessels; it requires our whole lives, our work, family, and career and every area of our existence. This requires a life where the words of God are directly inscribed. These kinds of people don't just act like Christ; they live Christ both in secret and in the open.

Vessels of the Holy Spirit

Since the dispensation of Jesus Christ, there has been a change in how the Gospel of Jesus is preserved. We reap the benefits today, even many years after the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, as His words are alive through us by the Holy Spirit. 

"But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." (John 14:26) 

The Holy Spirit carries the fu l nature of God, and the moment we carry His Spirit, we become partakers of the New Covenant that carries His life in us. 

Shining as Lights  

The sole importance of this wonderful grace is for us to become vessels that feed our generation, a lights that shine in the darkness so that people who see this light can find Christ through us. This kind of life cannot be hidden; these are lives that represent Christ everywhere they appear, refusing to support or partake in evil.

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:14-16)

We are God's vessels for the sole purpose of preserving the Gospel. Our heritage is to carry out God's wil, and His wil for us is to carry His life into this world of darkness and lies. Nothing should be more important than this sacred mission given to us by God. If writing the law of God on a doorpost was glorious, how much more glory wil there be when our lives become the vessels of His Gospel?

We hope to continue this series in the coming weeks; please read and share. God bless you.