The Basic Principles of the Gospel

I. The Goal of the Gospel Is to Call upon the Name of the Lord
A. The history of calling upon the Name of the Lord
1. The Old Testament examples
a) Enosh - Gen. 4:25-26
b) Abraham - Gen. 12:8
c) Isaac - Gen. 26:25
d) Moses - Deut. 4:7
e) Job - Job 12:4
f) David - 2 Samuel 22:4
g) Jonah - Jonah 1:6
h) Jeremiah - Lam. 3:55-56
2. The prophecies concerning calling upon the Name of the Lord
a) Isaiah 12:3-4
b) Joel 2:32
c) Zephaniah 3:9
d) Zechariah 13:9
3. The New Testament examples
a) Pentecost - Acts 2:21
b) Stephen - Acts 7:59
c) New Testament believers - Acts 9:14, 21
d) The apostle Paul - Acts 22:16
e) The local church believers - 1 Cor. 1:2
f) An expression of praise - Heb. 13:15
g) The way to be with other believers following the Lord - 2 Tim. 2:22
h) The proper destiny of every human being - Phil. 2:9-11
B. The purpose of calling upon the Name of the Lord
1. To be saved and enjoy His riches - Rom. 10:12-13
2. To receive the Spirit - Acts 2:17, 21, 38
3. To be in the Holy Spirit - 1 Cor. 6:11
4. To drink the of the Spirit - 1 Cor. 12:3, 13
5. To participate in the Lord's mercy - Psa. 86:5
6. To be delivered from distress, trouble, sorrow and pain, etc.
- Psa. 18:6; 116:3-4, 12-13
7. To stir ourselves up - Isa. 64:7
8. To seek the Lord - Isa. 55:6
II. The Preaching of the Gospel Is Infusing Faith
A. The Biblical view of preaching - Rom. 10:14-15
B. Understanding the principle of the infusion of faith
1. Faith is a gift that is obtained - Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Pet. 1:1
2. Faith comes from the outside and is infused into us through hearing - Gal. 3:1-2, 5
a) The hearing portrays the Object of faith in Christ!
3. The Gospel preached is the power of God to create faith where there is no faith - Rom. 1:15-17
a) Faith in Christ in reality is the faith of Christ infused into us
- Gal.2:16, 20; Rom. 3:22
C. The meaning of the word of faith (Gk: rhema)
1. The definition of word/rhema - Matt. 4:4
2. The substance of word/rhema
a) Spirit and life - John 6:63
b) Faith itself - Rom. 10:8
c) Christ Himself - Rom. 10:17
D. The results of word/rhema
1. It regenerates - 1 Pet. 1:23, 25
2. It saves - Acts 11:14
3. It brings in the operation of the Holy Spirit - Acts 11:14-15 (cf. Gal. 3:2)
E. The content of word/rhema
1. The Word/Scripture - Acts 2:14ff (note the scripture quotations in Peter's message on the day of Pentecost)
2. The Word focusing on Christ - Rom. 10:17
3. The Word with explanation and testimony - Acts 8:35
F. The response to word/rhema
1. Positive
a) John 8:47
2. Negative
a) John 6:63-64, 66
b) Rom. 10:18-21