III. How Paul describes he Gospel.
Again he gives us a two-fold description in verses 2 and 3.
1. It is the eternal gospel.
The good news of the gospel is the offer of eternal life, and verse 2 tells us that God promised this before the world began. God’s gracious and merciful plan of saving men and woman was no afterthought ; in other words it was part of His eternal purpose – look up John 17:24 ; 2 Tim.1:9. It is important that the gospel we love, by which we have been saved and which we preach, is an eternal gospel – look up Rev.14:6.
2. It is a declared gospel.
The apostle tells us that this great and glorious message of God has been manifested by preaching ; in other words, the gospel is committed to us,but we must preach it. Paul tells us that he had been faithful in this respect. The gospel has been committed to us as a solemn trust and our responsibility is to declare it so that others may be saved – look up 1 Thess.2:4.
Notice what Paul is saying about the gospel has its application to us as well as to those in Crete to whom Paul first wrote.