The Gospel - [Romans 1:16-18]

Paul’s Warning Against Tampering With the Gospel

Question over what did the Apostle Paul call upon? Condemnation and eternal damnation upon himself actually over two things. One of which we're going to look at briefly tonight. But one of which I had the privilege of addressing this morning at a church that I preached.

We were in first Peter chapter 1 where Peter addresses his audience as elect exiles. So of course since the Bible was talking about election. I had to preach about election. Dear couple invited us out for dinner for lunch actually rather after and we had a pleasant time very gracious host.

But near the end of the lunch the husband leaned over to me with a smile. He said Do you believe in free will? One-thought came to mind and one feeling came to mind. The thought was he should have taken pastor Cooley's class.

The feeling was my Greek blood was boiling within me, but I was gracious. I Said no, I said Jesus said that in John 8 44 That you have your father the devil and your will is to do the father's your father's desire.

Not only so but the Apostle Paul said in 2nd Timothy 2 26 haven't been enslaved by the devil and Captured to do his will. He said what about John 3 16? I said let's assume that the term world there means everyone in the entire world who ever lived.

The very next verse I said verse 17 if we were to take it in context says Jesus's words that The father did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world. Now if the term world means everybody who ever lived I asked him you do not believe in universalism.

Do you he says absolutely not not everyone will be saved. Well, then if you take that and what Jesus said in verse 17, then Jesus automatically is not sovereign. Because he said he was going to save the world and yet the world is not ultimately all going to be saved.

I said to him, you know, we should do one time is go to a morgue. I Said if we go to a morgue and you touch a carcass, will you get a response from this carcass? He said absolutely not. I said well the Bible describes us in this manner.

We were spiritually dead in our trespasses took him to a couple of other passages John 6. John 6 where Jesus said no one can come to me unless the father draws him and some others. I Said to him near the end as gracious as I was.

I said last night I was listening to a pastor by the name of Steve Lawson. And he happened to say that if you do preach the doctrines of grace the flesh will rise up against it. And I said since you have done that you have just proven to me today that I've preached the truth and here was a clincher.

Paul’s Curse for the Sake of the Gospel

As to what Paul? would invoke Eternal damnation upon himself. He asked me then. Why do we have to even preach? The gospel. Because probably we looked at that morning in Romans 9 where Paul gives a clear explanation and exposition of Election and I said to him right at the beginning of that chapter in Romans 9 Paul says this.

I wish that I was accursed and cut off from Christ. For the sake of Israel. There's that word accursed. It's a Greek word. I'm not the mouth, which literally means to devote to Destruction in eternal hell.

Paul said that of himself for what reason? For the Jews. But there's a second instance where Paul made that exact comment. And it was when he wrote the book of Galatians in chapter 1. He says even if we which would include himself or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel.

Contrary to the one we preach to you. Let him be Accursed. Paul was inviting eternal condemnation and damnation upon himself. Why for the sake of the purity of the gospel? Paul took it very seriously.

Actually, he went on later on in Galatians 1 verse 10. He says for am I now seeking the approval of man or of God or am I trying to please man? If I was still trying to please man, I would not be a slave of Christ.

Because to Paul tampering with the purity of the gospel meant I'm seeking man's approval not God's approval. I'm seeking to please man not seeking to please God. A few years ago when my wife and I lived in New York City, I picked up a book Entitled coming home subtitle why Protestant clergy are becoming Orthodox and Having many Greek Orthodox friends that interested me.

And as I read through the book I realized that none of the reasons these Pastors gave had anything to do with the gospel. It had to do primarily with liturgical forms of worship with what they considered the true church the gospel as we know it is what the Apostles gave their very lives for and We know from Corinthians very clearly as we've been taught that the gospel is of course the death and resurrection of Christ.

But the gospel is also like a prism like a diamond. That you can never look at it from every angle and get enough of it. Turn with me if you would to our text this evening in the book of Romans chapter 1.

The Gospel of God

Romans chapter 1 in The introduction the Apostle Paul in the first 17 verses of his intro he mentions the term gospel that for which he would consider himself to be damned if he Modified or took away its purity.

He mentioned the term gospel and I refers to it no less than seven times in the first 17 verses. That is why why Martin Luther himself said it is a chief book of the New Testament. It deserves to be known by heart by every Christian.

Every time I read that I think to myself I'm gonna start a discipleship group and the goal would be to memorize the book of Romans. Any takers? Let me write those names down. Why didn't Martin Luther feel this way.

Because it is Romans about the gospel. John Chrysostom said it is the Cathedral of the Christian faith. Why did he feel that way about the book of Romans. Because the book of Romans is about the gospel.

J. Sidlow Baxter 20th century pastor who went to Spurgeon's College said about Romans. This is Paul's Magnus opus the most important book in the Bible more than any other. It has determined the course of Christian thought.

Why. Because the book of Romans is about the gospel. Our text is taken from verse 16 through verses 18 the thrust of the Apostle Paul's Reason for writing the book of Romans his authorial intent and he says in beginning in verse 16.

For I am NOT ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God. For salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written.

The righteous shall live by faith for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. You'll notice with me in these verses each of the verses begin with a connective term the term for You can't take each verse separately.

They are taken together as one Single package and as we said the gospel is like a prism. So I want us to examine five facets of the gospel this evening. Number one the gospel is of God. The gospel is of God.

Jump with me to verse 1 at the very beginning. The Apostle Paul is writing here and he says Paul and a Paul a servant of Christ Jesus called as an apostle set apart for the gospel of God. Paul was set apart for the gospel of God.

The gospel is of God. It is not of man. James Montgomery Boyce put it. Well, he said the gospel is God's gospel. It is something God announced and accomplished and what he sent his apostles to proclaim.

It is something God blesses and through which he saves men and women. The grammatical way of stating this is that the genitive of God is a Subjective genitive rather than objective genitive. It simply means that God creates and Announces the gospel rather than that.

He is the object of its proclamation. The gospel therefore being of God means three things to us as Paul outlines here. It means the source of the gospel. The source of the gospel is God. That is why Paul said in Galatians chapter 1 I would have you know brothers that the gospel that was preached by me is not Man's gospel.

For I did not receive it from any man. Nor was I taught it but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. The gospel is God's gospel. It's of God. He is the source of it. Not only is he the source of it.

But God is the start of the gospel meaning he is the one who takes the initiative from beginning to end. Right in the very next verse in our chapter of Romans 1 Set apart for the gospel of God verse 2, which he God promised beforehand through his prophets.

That is why Jesus in his encounter with Zacchaeus At the very end of that he said for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Christ has done the seeking we know from Romans 3. Later on Paul outlines that no one seeks for God not even one the gospel is of God and that he is the initiator the start of the gospel and.

Also, he is the subject of the gospel. Notice in verse 3 of our text Romans 1 3 the gospel which he promised beforehand through his prophets and the Holy Scriptures concerning whom Concerning his son He promised it beforehand through the prophets.

The prophet Micah prophesied about his birthplace. Micah 5 to Bethlehem. Isaiah 7 14 prophesied about being born of a virgin. Psalm 22. Verse 1 talks about one of Christ's sayings on the cross my God my God.

Why have you forsaken me? Later in that very same psalm it talks about his pierced hands and feet talks about his clothes being cast lost being cast for his clothes and of course concerning his resurrection.

Psalm 16 verse 10 you will not let your Holy One see decay. The gospel is of God not of man because it's about him. It is not about man first and foremost. We've heard it it doesn't hurt to hear it again first Corinthians 15.

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 fold fast to the word I preach to you unless you believed in vain.

For I deliver to you as a first importance what I also received that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried and that he Was raised on the third day. It's no wonder that in verse 9 of our text in Romans 1 Paul says for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son.

The Power of God for Salvation

The gospel is not of man. It is of God. It's the gospel of his son Jesus Christ. The second facet of our dynamic gospel is not only that it is of God. But number two, the gospel is the power of God the power of God.

Venamis where we get the English word dynamite verse 16 for I'm not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God the power of God for what Paul says it here the power of God for salvation. Salvation from what.

For my messed-up life my financial situation my terrible marriage salvation from sin. That is man's greatest need salvation from Sin, that is why of course at the incarnation the angel told Joseph you shall give him the name Jesus because what he will save his people from their sins.

Show me what a pastor preaches about week in and week out and I will show you what that pastor believes is. Our greatest need. That is our greatest need. Why do we need though the power of God for salvation from sin?

Because we cannot save ourselves. We can't make the first step. We cannot take the first initiative. We can't make a choice. We do not have free will. Total depravity total inability. Turn with me in Romans to Romans chapter 8 for a moment.

Of course the classic passage We tend to turn for this is Romans 3, but I like Romans 8. Also, it really puts it pretty directly Romans 8 verses 7 to 8 on total depravity. Of course this is a section of Romans 6 chapter 6 rate talking about sanctification and Paul says here for the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God number one.

Number two, it does not submit to God's law and did indeed it cannot. Verse 8 number three those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Not that they have a choice and they decide not to they can't. They cannot submit to his law.

They cannot please God. Jump back with me to three chapters to Romans chapter 5. Paul is highlighting here in our text Romans 1 16 that the gospel is the power of God. Notice in Romans chapter 5 verses 6 through 10 watch with me.

There's a repeated phrase that's repeated three times while we were Verse 6 for while we were still weak at the right time Christ died for the ungodly Verse 8, but God chose his love for us in that while we were still sinners.

Christ died for us Verse 10 for if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. We were weak sinners enemies of God. It's interesting that first one the Greek word. For weak has to do with a lack of strength a lack of power.

Because we are powerless as some translation puts it. We need the power of God for salvation. We do not have the power within ourselves. I like the way Paul Washer put it quote the power of God manifested in the salvation of one man.

Far exceeds the power of God manifested in the very creation of the universe. But not only do I want to show you the power of God to save a person who is totally depraved. Who cannot take the first step who is powerless to move towards God?

But I want you to see the power of God in another way. You've probably heard this verse quoted quite a bit usually in this fashion for I'm not ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes first for the Jew them for the Greek.

Kind of tapers off there at the end. We kind of forget the first for the Jew and then to the Greek and sometimes we even leave it out. But it is germane to Paul's thrust here in Romans. Because I'm Greek.

It's first for the Jew then for the Greek. That's where the power comes in the term Greek. Unlike when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he was writing to the church in Corinth who were Greek. The term here is he uses it in Romans.

Embraces all nations who were not Jews who had made the language customs and learning of the Greeks their own so it was Jews and Greeks those who had followed the culture the language the customs the language of the Greeks including their religion and worship.

That is why in our texts earlier in verse 14 Paul says in chapter 1 I'm under obligation both to Greeks to barbarians both to the wise and to the foolish. Let me just walk you briefly through this. To show you through the book of Romans Paul's emphasis on this in the power of the gospel.

Romans chapter 2 Verses 9 and 10. He says this there will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil the Jew first and also the Greek. But glory honor and peace for everyone who does good the Jew first and also the Greek.

Romans chapter 3 verse 9. For we have already charged that all watch this both Jews and Greeks are under sin. And of course, we love quoting verse 23 of this chapter, which is true for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

But the way Paul uses the term all is a reference to highlight all both Jews and Greeks. Both religious and non-religious both the cultured and uncultured. Jump to chapter 11 with me where Paul spends a lot of time in chapters 9 through 11 discussing the Jews and you'll see he highlights this again first for the Jew then for the Greek in chapter 11 verses 28 and on as regards the gospel they are enemies for your sake.

Paul is writing to The Gentiles and they he's referring to the Jews, but as regards election. They the Jews are beloved for the sake of their forefathers for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

For just as you Greeks Gentiles were at one time disobedient to God. But now have received mercy because of their the Jews disobedience. So they the Jews to have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you.

They also may now receive mercy for God has consigned all to disobedience then he may have mercy on all. This is not the all of the world that my dear friend was telling me about this morning referring to every human being God may have mercy and all meaning both the Jew and the Greek.

That's the power of the gospel. Do you recall Jesus when he sent out the twelve? Do not go amongst the Gentiles. And be great if we have a mission conference here and we had a banner that said don't go to the Gentiles.

Jesus said don't go to the Gentiles. But before his ascension, he said in the Great Commission go therefore make disciples of all nations of all nations. We see this not only in the Gospels, but in the book of Acts.

When Peter raised the lame beggar in Acts chapter 3, he said to the Jewish crowd God having raised up his servant sent him to you first. To you whom to the Jew first to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.

But Ben of course later in Acts 13 in Antioch Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly saying quote. It was necessary that the Word of God be spoken first to you to Jews. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life behold We are now turning to the Gentiles.

Why is this the power of God first for the Jew and then for the Greek or the Gentile? Because you have to understand the deep-seated hatred between the two. Do you not recall with me in Acts 10 when Peter saw the vision?

He buckled against it. What did he tell the Lord? No way. I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean. God said what God has made clean did not call common and then when he was at the house of Cornelius Peter said you yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation.

But God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So he goes back to the Circumcision party and they said what? You're with an uncircumcised man. And he says to them the Apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea Heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God as Luke records in Acts 11.

So when Peter went up to Jerusalem the circumcision party criticized him saying you went to uncircumcised men and ate with them. But after he told him the story and how God had opened his eyes. It says when they the circumcised party heard these things they fell silent power of God and They glorify God saying then to the Gentiles.

Also. God has granted repentance. That leads to life. You see when a Jew was returning after traveling in the Gentile area. They would dust off their feet so they wouldn't get Gentile dirt. In Jewish territory a Jew would not even enter the house of a Gentile.

He would not eat meat cooked by a Gentile and they would not even buy meat from a Gentile butcher. The hatred was deep. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 2 for a moment as before we get back to our text in Romans 1 as I bring to highlight here this aspect of the power of God first for the Jew and then for the Gentile and For those of you who have been in Sunday school, we've been enjoying the importance as pastor Cooley has been walking us through the church.

Well Ephesians is full about the church. No, is it not Ephesians 5? Christ loved the church and gave himself for her and so it is here in Ephesians 2 beginning in verse 11. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision By what is called the circumcision which is made in the flesh by hands.

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel and Strangers to the covenants of promise having no hope without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he Christ himself is our peace who has made us both both who Jew and Gentile one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of Commandments expressed in ordinances that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two.

So make him peace and my reconcile is both to God in one. Here it is body Through the cross. Thereby killing the hostility. He came and preached peace to you who are far off meaning Gentiles and peace to those who were near Jews and That is why Paul finishes his great section in Ephesians 2.

Talking about we are all members of the household of God. Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Jesus Christ himself being the chief Cornerstone so you see the power of God relates not only to the fact that man cannot save himself because of total depravity but relates to the fact of Paul's argument in Romans, which is germane first to the Jew and Then to the Greek the Gentile.

The Righteousness of God

The third aspect of the gospel not only is the gospel of God Not only it is the power of God number three. It is the righteousness of God. Verse 17 for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. We sang about it in the last hymn clothed in his righteousness alone.

Martin Luther, of course. This is the verse that God used to open his heart and his eyes and he said at one point quote I had no love for that. Holy and just God who punishes sinners. I was filled with secret anger against him.

I hated him. Because not content with frightening by the law and the miseries of life us wretched sinners already ruined by original sin. He still further increased our torches by the gospel. But when by the Spirit of God, I understood the words when I learned how the justification of the sinner proceeds from the free mercy of our Lord through faith.

Then I felt born again Again Like a new man in very truth. This language of st. Paul was to me the true great of paradise. The expression Martin continues Righteousness of God was like a thunderbolt in my heart.

I hated Paul with all my heart when I read the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel. Only after when I saw the words that follow namely that it's written that the righteous shall live through faith.

And I consulted Augustine. I was cheered When I learned that the righteousness of God is his mercy and that he makes us righteous through it a remedy was offered to me in my affliction. Martin Luther hated God himself and the book of Romans for that fact because the gospel is the righteousness of God.

It's mentioned no less than 35 times in one form or another in the book of Romans. And when he's talking about the Jews later on in the book of Romans He says in chapter 3 chapter 10 rather for being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own.

They did not submit to God's righteousness. Why is it that Paul in his own testimony in the book of Philippians chapter 3 says not having a righteousness of my own. That comes from the law but that which comes through faith in Christ the righteousness from God that depends on Faith if as you preach the gospel to others, I tell people many times There's only one way to heaven you have to be as perfectly righteous as Jesus Christ.

Good luck. This is what Paul's thrust is about the gospel it has to meet the requirement the standard of the righteousness of God. And Why is it the righteousness of God. Paul's writing of Romans is before the courtroom of God not before the courtroom of man as James wrote.

That's why in Romans 2 13 Paul says for it is not the heroes of the law who are righteous before God Romans 3 20 for by works of the law. No human being will be justified in his sight Romans 4 2 for if Abraham was justified by words, he has something to boast about but not before God.

We're in the courtroom of God he is judge jury and executioner. That is why the blessed hope of the gospel of Paul puts it in secondary 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 for our sake. He God the Father made him God the Son to be sin who knew no sin.

So that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God. I don't know if you've ever caught any of pastor John MacArthur's Telecasts on Larry King. It's kind of fun. One of them was from 2004. He was surrounded by a Catholic priest a Jewish Orthodox Jew a Liberal Methodist and Deepak Chopra to his right and of course, Larry King across from him and the issue on December 24th Christmas Eve was who was Jesus and John said this quote that perfect life.

Which Christ lived is credited to the account of every person who puts their trust in him. Here is the heart of the Christian gospel on the cross. Jesus dies for my sin. In other words God treats him as if he lived my life.

He turns right around and by my faith in Christ God treats me as if I lived Christ's life. He credits his life to my account. That's the doctrine of justification and the heart of Christianity. The gospel is the righteousness of God number four.

The Wrath of God

The gospel is the wrath of God. The gospel is the wrath of God. Remember that these verses are connected by the term for it connects one to the other. For verse 18 the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven.

Boy, this flies in the face of one of the most well-known tracks. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Is the love of God not part of the gospel for sure? But it doesn't take place in the book of Romans till Romans chapter 5.

You see you cannot understand the implications of the love of God if you first Don't understand the implications of his wrath. First you have to grasp his wrath because then the love of God will have special meaning.

For the wrath of God. He says in verse 18 is revealed from heaven. Against what. Against all ungodliness and what? Unrighteousness of men. The gospel is the righteousness of God, but because man is unrighteous.

Therefore you need the wrath of a holy and just God. Verse 29 of chapter 1 there it says of man they were filled with all manner of unrighteousness. The wrath of God flows naturally from the righteousness of God.

I Love later on though in Romans chapter 2 Paul gives a little buffer and he says in verse 4 do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to Repentance but because of your hard and impenitent heart.

You are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment Will be revealed. He says your hearts are hard. The Greek term used there is that of having a callous. When you have a callous the skin is dead.

There is no more feeling and Paul is saying because of your heart and callous hearts. You are storing up for yourselves for the wrath of God. And last but not least The gospel is the truth. Not about man, but about God.

Who is there a pattern here. Been doing patterns with my daughter my oldest for math and she loves patterns. I think there's a pattern here not a mathematical pattern. But the gospel is of God. The gospel is the power of God.

The gospel is the righteousness of God. The gospel is the wrath of God. The gospel of the truth about God. How is it the truth about God. Notice in verse 18. Against all the godlessness and unrighteous of men who suppress the truth.

What truth the truth about God. Verse 25 of chapter 1 says because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen.

It's the truth about God that's why in Romans chapter 1 Paul highlights is I'll just walk you briefly over. This is an overview that the gospel is really about God. Notice the attributes that Paul highlights here in chapter 1 beginning in verse 20 for his invisible attributes.

So God is invisible namely his eternal power. God is eternal. He's omnipotent and divine nature. Jumped in verse 23. They exchanged the glory of the immortal. God. God is immortal verse 25. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.

He is the Creator. Verse 32 though. They know God's righteous decree. God is righteous that those who practice such things deserve to die. He is the judge. The truth the gospel is about the truth about God because of who he is.

Eternal invisible immortal immortal omnipotent Creator righteous judge. But how did they suppress this truth? Verse 18 tells us clearly who suppressed their truth by what by their unrighteousness and.

There's a lot of unrighteousness listed in Romans chapter 1 here through the rest of the chapter. But I want to highlight for you the unrighteousness that is displayed by man in reference to God because the gospel is the truth about God.

Notice in verse 25 they worshiped and served the creature. Rather than the Creator verse 28 since they did not see fit to acknowledge God verse 30 says Paul they were haters of God. It's all about God.

But what's amazing? Paul says here though. The gospel is the truth about God. He says in verse 21 that they knew God. How did they know him? Well from verse 19, what can be known about God is Plain to them.

God has shown it to them for his invisible attributes. Namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the creation of the world and the things that have been made so they are without excuse and Despite all that.

Here's the clincher for although they knew God Although they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him in verse 31 32 rather though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die.

They not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. If the gospel lives of man. This Romans 1 doesn't fly. But the gospel is not of man the gospel is of God. The gospel is the power of God.

The gospel is the righteousness of God. The gospel is the wrath of God and it is the truth about God. Paul did not take it lightly. He was willing to invoke condemnation to say I'm willing to be eternally damned if I mess up the purity of the gospel.

The gospel is something that we have been entrusted with. We are stewards of it. It's not ours. It's his. So what's the implication for us? Note in verse 16. He begins with a term for I mentioned. It's a connective which forces us to verses 14 and 15 Paul said I am under obligation.

Both to Greeks and to barbarians both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you. Also who are in Rome that term obligations is a very strong word in the Greek. It means to be indebted.

Do you have that sense that Paul had? That sense of obligation to preach the gospel. But it didn't stop there. Notice. He says at the same time in verse 15. He was eager to Preach the gospel the gospel with all its facets like a prism.

Like a diamond ought to permeate every aspect of your life your church life your work life your school life. Your life in your neighborhood. May the Lord grant us the same Passion and desire and obligation that the Apostle had Paul had himself.

Because we are not ashamed of the gospel because only the gospel is the power of God for salvation. First for the Jew and then for the Gentile if you're not sure tonight as you're listening to this. That you have the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.

There is no other way to heaven. Only through the perfect righteousness of Christ. Can heaven be achieved? Let's pray father. Thank you so much for the clear Teaching of your word. Thank you for the way you use the Apostle Paul man who was bent on destroying your church and destroying your name.

Before you saved him by your grace and called him and we see here father that he was willing to pronounce judgment eternal damnation even upon himself if he Tankered and tampered with the purity of the gospel and may we not do that father.

We see it happening all over the place. Father may we be stewards of this precious gospel that you've given us. That we would be eager and under obligation to preach the gospel not because it's the gospel of man.