Woe Be unto Me

Gospel?

We read here about the gospel. The word gospel literally means “good news” and occurs ninety-three times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Christ and the way of salvation. The gospel is that we are hell-worthy sinners who can be restored by God and to God by repenting from our sins and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14&15).

The gospel preached

The Lord did not only call Saul of Tarsus from darkness to His marvelous light but also called him to the ministry of the gospel. Paul, in verse 15, would rather die than hinder that gospel, and in verse 16 Paul warns and threatens himself, “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

Laid upon me

Why does Paul use such strong language? Well, God laid it on Paul’s heart. He carried the responsibility of preaching the word, and he could not leave it. It was a holy must, a necessity laid on him. He was like Jeremiah who said: “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9).

Urgent

Not only Paul but all preachers need to feel the urgency of preaching the gospel. They should have the conviction to die rather than to not preach. “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22b). Note the repeated word “all.” Paul cannot possibly be quiet; he cannot preach just casually as if he would have been called to simply entertain his hearers. He is also not just providing counseling; he is not lecturing but is moved with compassion and trembles within, knowing what is at stake and proclaims the Word. His hearers have a soul for eternity; he is a herald and must preach well and woe!

The wrath of God

What is at stake? Salvation is salvation from God’s wrath. Do you realize that? A holy and good-doing God is angry with sin and must punish sinners. You need to know that. Without knowing the wrath of a holy God, you will not and cannot value the gospel. You will actually hate it. Not understanding the anger of God makes us shallow, and without understanding the state of death, preachers cannot really love their people either. I need more insight, more life, more love, more urgency, and you dear reader, whether you belong to God’s people or not, you need more insight into God’s anger. All our righteousnesses are filthy rags, and our daily needs—loneliness, pain, mourning, sickness—you name it; all pale compared to the just anger of a holy God who has made us in His image. Read this: “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Romans 5:9). From WRATH—are you still under the wrath of God? Does the offer of the gospel that saves from God’s wrath sound like good news to you?

Love

Ministers need to have a deep love for God’s glory, love for souls, love for God’s people, and love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, pray that the love of Christ would constrain your pastor. The Lord will ask the blood from the hands of ministers if they deceive sinners or do not preach the full gospel, thus keeping sinners away from Christ. The Lord Jesus was willing to absorb that wrath in order to save His people. He was crucified to merit and apply salvation to the elect. We must preach Jesus Christ and hold Him up high like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Woe unto me if I do not do that. “For the love of Christ constraineth us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14a).

Preaching

Preachers are not called to only inform and explain the Bible and describe the experiences of God’s people. They must be a herald announcing the anger and judgment of God, calling sinners to repent and believe, persuading and commanding them. We need to preach Christ. Not only how a rich Jesus and a poor sinner meet—that is also essential—but we also need to proclaim the Son. The Heidelberg Catechism clearly writes: “It is declared and publicly testified to all and every believer, that, whenever they receive the promise of the gospel by a true faith, all their sins are really forgiven them of God for the sake of Christ merits; and on the contrary, when it is declared and testified to all unbelievers, and such as do not sincerely repent, that they stand exposed to the wrath of God and eternal condemnation, so long as they are unconverted” (Heidelberg Catechism. L.D. 31, Q. 84).

Pray

Paul asked for prayer, prayer that utterance may be given unto him, that he may open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19). You also should pray for ministers and elders to do the same. “Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12).

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