The first thing that confronts us in the Bible, after the record of Creation, is a guilty man, and the Bible goes on to deal with guilt, which resulted not as an accident or a chance, but as the one great fact on which are based all other facts of the remedial system.
If there is nothing to be saved from, if there are no parties to be reconciled, if without reconciliation, there can be pardon, and peace, and comfort, and heaven, then what is our purposes as ambassadors for Christ and what is the Gospel?
The Gospel is an overture to the “lost” – (then men are lost). The Gospel is good tidings of “salvation”- (then there is a way of salvation). The Gospel is the presentation of a Saviour; (then, without that Saviour, men no matter who they maybe perish). So, the Bible not only represents it, but it says so.
The first main characteristic of the Gospel is that it affirms and everything else questions. Questions of speculation such as superstition questions. The adversaries of the cross of Christ assert nothing, but they question everything. They will not lay down a proposition nor define their opinions. They dare not, for they know that the square, blunt blow of unsophisticated truth will at once demolish their light and fantastic fabrics of falsehood; therefore they skirmish, and grumble, and dodge, and suggest, and propose\”
Apart from the knowledge of Christ there is no salvation. We are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness in enmity and hostility to God. Without the shedding of Blood there is no salvation in any other, remission! Thus, for there is none other name under heaven – given among men, whereby we must be saved. Thus salvation is the revelation of Christ.