“For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1: 17 – 18
What is the most important message in the bible? It is without question the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God detailed this gospel thru the Apostle Paul, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 4 This is the message of the gospel, nothing more or nothing less, Paul said “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received…” Paul said this gospel is the same gospel that he believed and was saved by, nothing added and nothing less. God said of the gospel thru Paul, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 The gospel is the only power we as churches, ministers, pastors, has to bring the lost soul to salvation. However, without the power of the Holy Spirit our preaching the gospel is powerless. “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15:19 Only God’s Holy Spirit can give increase to the gospel or any message to flourish.
Paul said, “lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” What could make the gospel message “of none effect.”, to add to it or take away from it. God gave us the gospel and it is all about Jesus Christ and His glorious sacrifice of how He died to suffer our hell penalty, a debt we could never pay on our own. Adding to it in any form will only destroy the power of the gospel message. Paul said, “but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words…” but why would Paul say this? Paul was very educated, a very intelligent man, he said this because the gospel it pure in its original form. The Holy Spirit is its power, it is He that makes it accomplish anything that is accomplished. God gave us the gospel as He wanted it preached, adding to it cannot advance it because God gave us the complete message to preach. Therefore, the Apostle Paul refused to do anything but to preach the simplicity of the gospel as God wrote it. Nothing we do will advance the gospel, we cannot make the gospel more fancy, more attractive, or more believable by changing it with enticing words. Our preaching of fear will not make a sinner repent and come to Jesus Christ seeking salvation. Only the Holy Spirit can bring a lost and condemned sinner to Jesus Christ for salvation. “Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:43 - 44 No choice, no decision, no change of heart, no work, no anything on our part will cause us to believe the gospel and be saved, only God’s drawing us. Jesus said to lost people, “Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.” John 8:43 If they would not hear Jesus, they will not hear us.
However, it is by the gospel message and the power of the Holy Spirit that the lost sinner will repent and come to Christ for salvation. This makes the gospel message the most important message in the entire bible. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 because without salvation the dead and lost sinner gets no value from other doctrine. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
