How deceived the religious world is, which thinks "the gospel" is something we are to DO! But the Bible declares that "the gospel" is what Christ has already DONE! "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (satisfaction) through faith in His blood" (Romans 3:25). We are not told to "make" propitiation ourselves to God, but the gospel "sets forth" Christ alone as having done this "for us."
The way to heaven is not our works or obedience, our prayers or Bible reading, our giving or self-sacrifices, but the only way is through the "propitiation" of Christ on Calvary's cross. He Himself is our "mercy seat," and His "sacrifice" alone has appeased God's wrath and justice -- and not anything we do or sacrifice or give.
And the only way we can know for sure that we are among the "justified" and the "redeemed" is by being "created in Christ Jesus" by the "workmanship" of God Himself in His grace and mercy (Ephesians 2:10). It is never by our obedient works or actions (including our repentance or faith), though this "creation" in Christ is "unto good works." Not "by" but "unto." Grace alone puts us in Christ, therefore all the boastings of men in their works are "excluded" (Romans 3:27). Grace crowns all the work of God, so God alone gets all the glory in declaring "His righteousness" through the blood of our Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This message by W.F. Bell is exactly what we "Old Path" preachers endeavor to preach. He did very well with it. I want to invite you to use the link to Sermon Audio in the upper right panel and log on to W. F. Bell's message on Propitiation for a further look at this theme. I believe it is the oldest message that we have on the site (1977), but it will bless you. Check it out.
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