How do you respond to good news? You can disbelieve, perhaps thinking, “This is too good to be true.” Or you can believe and receive the full benefit of the gift.
In the same way, the Good News benefits those who accept it. As 1 John 5:13 says, this message is “to you who believe.” Recall how Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, summed up the Good News as Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Now notice how those Corinthians responded.
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain… so we preach and so you believed (1 Corinthians 15:1-2,11).
They received it and believed it. They took their stand on it. It saved them while they held firmly to its message.
Remember God’s total perfection. If we do not accept His perfect love, there is no alternative but to receive His perfect judgment. To keep ignoring God’s gift is to throw away its benefit, ensuring for oneself the full penalty for sin and rebellion.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries (Hebrews 10:26-27).
… when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Do you get the idea that God takes all this seriously? He was very serious about sin when He placed on His Son the penalty for all sins. He also calls for serious response—faith that follows! Notice that curious expression in 2 Thessalonians 1:8, “He will punish those who… do not obey the Gospel.” Peter said something similar.
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the Gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
There is “the household” or family of God. Then, there are “those who do not obey the Gospel.” Which group do you choose for your destiny? God loves you and wants you in His family. However, His just judgment must rule against those who fail to obey the Gospel.
But how does one obey Good News? By trusting the Person of the Good News enough to do what He requires. Many times Jesus spoke of this obedience. He said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). He warned that the Judgment Day would surprise many who call Him “Lord.”
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.”…. Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:21-24).
“Many” who seem to have faith will be disappointed. Why? They claimed His name—evidently considering themselves Christians—but they did not obey Him.