`Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (first am I)'.

This is the gospel of the glory of the blessed God. It is surely a point not to be missed that the word `blessed'

here is strictly speaking `happy'. We do not, as a rule, use the word `happy' of God. Let us bathe in the sunshine of

this truth. God is happy in the great plan of salvation of sinners. He Who told Israel :

`He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing'

(Zeph. 3:17),

is surely the `happy' One. The gospel as proclaimed by Paul glorifies the Lord, establishes righteousness, saves the

chief of sinners and exalts the Saviour. We say, when contemplating our calling in Ephesians, `Blessed be the God

and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ', and we can also assure our hearts that He Who is `blessed' in His plans, is

`happy' in their outworking.

Another title of the gospel preached by Paul that calls for a word, is that given in Acts 20:24 :

`But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course

with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God'.

The context makes it plain that Paul is at the conclusion of one ministry and at the opening of another. He sums

up his earlier ministry in verses 18-21, he told the Ephesian elders that they would see his face no more (38); he told

them what would happen after his departure (29). His future ministry was associated with bonds and afflictions (23)

but also with the completion of a ministry that he had received of the Lord. It is here, when contemplating that

`Prison Ministry' wherein the apostle received the `Dispensation of the GRACE of God' that Paul speaks of the

`gospel of the GRACE of God'. In Acts 26, where the apostle makes his defence before Agrippa, he speaks of a

twofold ministry (16), the second ministry being especially directed towards the Gentiles (17), and summed up in

the words of verse 18, a summary that forcefully reminds us of passages in the prison epistles, Ephesians and

`To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they

may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me' (Acts

This is the `gospel of your salvation' spoken of in Ephesians 1:12,13 and in Colossians 1:5, where the special

aspect of hope that is connected with the Mystery is in view (`trust' in Ephesians 1:12 being `hope').

The Everlasting Gospel.

In conclusion it remains for us to refer to the everlasting or eonian gospel of Revelation 14:6. This gospel differs

from all others since the gospel of the kingdom, in that it makes no reference to Christ and His atoning sacrifice.

This eonian gospel will be good news to those who dare to believe that God is Creator in the days of anti-christian

persecution, for by that time the theory of evolution will have become paramount, and `God' will have been bowed

out of His universe. Those who heed this evangel, and who fear God and give glory to Him, will recognize that He

is both Creator and Judge, as the message declares. The fact that they `worship' Him will mean that they will refuse

the mark of the beast.

`If any man worship the beast and his image, ... the same shall drink ... of the wrath of God' (Rev. 14:9,10).

Elsewhere redemption is spoken of in Revelation, and we read of `the Lamb', the `new song', `redemption'

(14:1-4), and the patience and faith of the saints (12). This shows therefore that the omission of redemption from

the eonian gospel is intentional and takes us back to Romans 1:19-25 where the things that are `made' testify to the

Creator and call for worship; this will be `good news' in the chaotic time of the end.

We however, in this dispensation, can no more preach this gospel of Creation than we can preach the gospel of

the Kingdom (Matt. 4), for the message that we must declare is no good news at all unless it has as its central feature

Jesus Christ, crucified, buried and risen from the dead.