What Does the Pure Gospel Produce?

Phillip Owens

In the parable of the sower, Jesus explains that “the seed is the word of God” (Lk. 8:11).  Different soils on which the seed fell represent different reactions to the gospel.

When the apostles preached the pure gospel (the word or “seed”) as recorded in the book of Acts, “honest and good” hearted people (Lk. 8:15) who responded by believing, repenting and being baptized (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:36-38) became Christians (Acts 11:26).  Groups of these Christians working and worshiping together in various places were known as local churches of Christ (see Romans 16:16; Acts 18:8; I Cor. 1:2).  Therefore, the pure gospel produces genuine Christians and local churches.

Just as practically everything genuine has its counterfeit, the same is true with the gospel.  Counterfeits confuse people.  Paul warned even during the first century of counterfeit gospels (Gal. 1:1-9).  Genuine Christians do not blow up abortion clinics, lead military “crusades” against “heretics,” live immoral lives or continue in drunkenness (Rom. 12:17-21; Jno. 18:36; Gal. 5:19-21).  People may call themselves Christians and do the above, but the true gospel does not produce such.

Genuine Christians understand they are not perfect (I Jno. 1:8-9), but they strive for the ideal and noble life the pure gospel sets as the standard, respecting the authority of the Scripture in all matters of faith and practice.  We strive to do this, and our hope and prayer is that you will strive for the same.