Devotional #84

Question 84. How is the kingdom of heaven opened and shut by the preaching of the holy gospel?

Answer: By proclaiming and openly witnessing according to the command of Christ, to believers, one and all, 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’s merits; and on the contrary, by declaring and witnessing 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 (a).  According to this witness of the gospel, God will judge them, both in this life and that which is to come.

(a) Matthew 16:18-19: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:15-19: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
John 20:21-23: Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

For your personal reflection:
God has created.  God has spoken.  God has acted.  John Stott is his wonderful little book, Basic Christianity, states that the gospel of Jesus Christ “is not primarily an invitation to mand ot do anyting; it si supremely a declaration of what God has done in Christ for human beings like ourselves” (p.12).   It seems as if the gospel itself has an inherent power – what is this power?
How does the proclamation of the gospel open the kingdom to some while closing it to others?
How have you responded to the gospel?