When someone says, “I’ve got good news and bad news”, which do we want to hear first? Perhaps, there is some insight gained by observing a person’s preference in this regard, but there are likely good arguments for either point of view. However, we know that good news becomes better news in the context of bad news.
The gospel is good news. It is the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). Salvation from what? From the power and penalty of sin. In the first few chapters of Romans, Paul builds the case that all have sinned – both Jew and Gentile (Rom. 3:23). Therefore, none are exempt from sin’s penalty. Paul clearly tells us that “the wages of death is sin…” (Rom. 6:23). With this backdrop clearly established, the second half of the verse shines like a beacon of good news. While the wages of sin is death, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Apart from understanding the human condition without Christ (Eph. 2:1-3), the promise of eternal life in Christ would have very little impact.
Everyone prefers to be the bearer of good news. However, in our effort to emphasize the positive, “good news” nature of the gospel, we must not dilute its call for faithful obedience. Citing the example of the unfaithful, disobedient Israelites who fell in the wilderness, the writer of Hebrews reminds us that we, too, “have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard” (4:2). The good news was the promised rest – the land of Canaan. But, the good news did not benefit them because they did not have the faith to go up and take the land as God instructed.
When a sermon hits hard on our need to obey God’s word in a particularly challenging aspect of our life, we must not cast doubt on God’s word by saying, “I thought the gospel was supposed to be good news!” The gospel is good news. It is God’s message of grace. But, it is a message which must be accepted in obedient faith if it is to be of any benefit to the one who hears it (Acts 20:32; Eph. 2:8; Heb. 4:2).
Good news answers the question of what we should do about the bad news. The bad news preached on the day of Pentecost was that they had crucified the Lord and Christ (Acts 2:23, 36). The good news is that God raised up His Son, exalting Him to His own right hand where He reigns as Lord and Christ (Acts 2:24, 32, 36). In answering their “what shall we do?” question, Peter tells them to “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). The bad news is that they had rejected the Messiah. Forgiveness could be theirs if they united the good news with faith – that is, if they repented and were baptized in the name of Jesus.
–Glen Elliott–