I had the opportunity last weekend to speak in a lectureship on Daniel. My lesson was on Daniel 3, which deals with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three friends of Daniel took a stand against idolatry and refused to worship the image that Nebuchadnezzar had built. They stood when others were bowing down to this image. There are some great lessons in that for us today. We must stand up for what is right and what is true according to the word of God. They did it at the risk of losing their lives. Do we have that kind of conviction today?
I also had the opportunity to hear a great lesson Daniel 5 presented by Clayton Winters, one of my favorite preachers. Clayton has always been known as a great scholar of the word of God, especially the Old Testament. He pointed out some things concerning Daniel that I had not thought about. Daniel had been taken away into Babylonian captivity. He was taken from the land and the city that was so important to the Jew. Jerusalem and the temple were extremely important to them. Some considered it the center of the world. This land was their land, God had given it to them. Now they had lost it as a result of rebellion against God, but it was still very important to the Jewish person. Daniel would never be able to return to that land that meant so much to him. He would never be able to return to the temple. Bondage would prevent his going back, but also another reason would keep him out of the temple. A person who was a eunuch was not allowed to enter the temple (Deuteronomy 23:1; Leviticus 21:20). Daniel 1 indicates that such was the case now with Daniel. He could look in to the temple, but he would never be allowed to enter again. This adds significance to the fact that he continued to pray toward Jerusalem every day as recorded in Daniel 6. I thought about how much we take for granted today. We have opportunity to come together to worship God, yet we ignore that opportunity. It seems that it is not that important to us. It should be as important to us as it was to Daniel.
THE SIMPLE GOSPEL
No book written by man has so many simple words as the New Testament. There is an air of simplicity about the biographies of Jesus which, like the breezes from the Galilean hills, blows upon our sophisticated minds. The gospel has not been recorded in philosophical phraseology, scientific terms, complicated sentences, or the dialects of angels; but it has been expressed in the simplest terms so that children can understand.
Man has muddied the stream of divine thought by theological and ecclesiastical terms and phrases until it is much more difficult to understand the doctrines of men than the simple teachings of the New Testament. The gospel of Jesus contains the truths of God's will so plain and clear that the untrained minds of innocent children can catch and follow them.
Teachers often confuse by their explanation, when, if they would just let the New Testament speak, the simplicity of thought would be gained. While on earth, Jesus replaced the traditions of men with respect to the law by his simple teachings. The instructions given to Christians as to how to live the Christian life can be understood. No one has a just complaint to make against the requirements of the New Testament toward a simple life.
The Gospel Was Understood When It Was First Heard
The proof of the simplicity of the gospel is seen in the record of the conversions. When the multitude came together on the day of Pentecost and heard the miraculous manifestations of the apostles speaking in tongues, they were astonished and accused the apostles of being drunken. Peter stood up with the eleven and gave a simple explanation of what had occurred.
He calmly pointed to the prophecy of Joel and recited that prophecy to the people. He then called attention to what they had observed. In a simple way, he pointed out the facts and showed that what they were observing was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. With that out of the way, he then proceeded to unfold to them the claims of Jesus of Nazareth, and by the quotation from David showed that should have expected just what had transpired. Since the prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus, he must be what he claimed to beÑthe Son of God, the promised Messiah. Step by step, argument and conclusion closely following each other, Peter convinced many that Jesus was the Saviour of the world.
These astonished and confused Jews soon became believers in the Christ. About 3,000 heard this profound, yet simple, sermon that Peter preached, and were convinced. This was the first time that a gospel sermon had been preached in its fullness. Of course, Peter spoke as the Spirit gave him utterance; hence, he spoke in such simple terms as the people could hear and understand the first gospel sermon that they had ever heard. Surely Peter must have spoken simply for so many of the common people to understand and accept what he presented.
Those who did not accept the gospel on Pentecost refused it not because they did not understand it, but because they refused to believe it. Their unconverted state was a result, not of a misunderstanding, neither of their inability to understand, but a failure on their part to believe what they did understand. Prejudice and other things may have had a bearing upon them, but the chief thing was that they refused to believe what they heard.
The Ethiopian eunuch had been to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8). He was returning and riding in his chariot. He had presumably worshipped according to the law of Moses at Jerusalem. He had never heard of the Christ or, if he had heard of him, it was an unfavorable report. Philip joined the chariot and, as he rode along, preached to him Jesus. (Acts 8:35).
This was the first gospel sermon the eunuch ever heard, and probably the first time he had ever heard of the Christ. But Philip preached the simple gospel in simple terms so that the eunuch understood him. He believed the gospel and was baptized and went on his way rejoicing in the new-found salvation. Many others like the eunuch heard and understood the terms of salvation, and obeyed the gospel the same hour of the night. In fact, the people in the long list of conversions recorded in the Acts of the Apostles obeyed the gospel the first time they heard it. There was no delay, but prompt obedience to all the commands of the gospel marked their belief in the simple gospel.
Its Simplicity Brings Heavier
Condemnation
Since the gospel is simple enough for all to understand the terms of salvation and the requirements of Christian living, all are condemned who do not accept the terms of salvation and live as the simple gospel of Christ requires them to live. The condemnation of the ignorant and illiterate would not be just if the gospel was not presented in such a simple way that they could understand it.
Every Spirit-guided speaker and writer in New Testament times expected the hearer to understand, and passed condemnation on him if he did not believe. In giving the commission, Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," but he also added, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16). The condemnation of the disbeliever is just because he can understand the simple requirements of the gospel.
The gospel was given to be understood. It was preached in simple language and the Holy Spirit has recorded it in simple terms. Hence, our condemnation is just if we do not believe it.
The Christian life is a simple life and all of its requirements are simple. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; For I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30). [Article by H. Leo Boles, taken from gospelpreceptor.com]