The Gospel is Free

Such was the charge of Christ to his disciples, when he sent them out to preach the gospel. "Yes," says one, "I believe in a free gospel, a religion that costs nothing; I have been a member of the church for twenty-five years, and it has not cost me more than twenty-five cents."

Well, my friend, you have a very cheap religion. The only question is whether it is genuine, whether it is worth anything. It seems you consider the gospel free till it reaches you; but there it stops; it goes freely no further. You have received it freely, but you have not heeded the injunction, "Freely give."

We sing, "I am glad salvation is free;" but it has cost something notwithstanding. A sacrifice has been made. The Father gave his Son; the Son "gave himself;" and apostles and martyrs gave their lives; and by such means the gospel has come freely to us. Is there no sacrifice for us to make? Are we under no obligation to freely give? Come with me to Calvary; view the Son of God upon the cross; witness the apostles, to whom he said, "Freely ye have received, freely give." See them, after their arduous toils and intense sufferings, sealing their testimony for the truth with their blood; and you will say with me, Away with your cheap religion; it will not fit one for the society of those who have gone before and left us an example that we should follow in their steps.

The church is a missionary society. It is their duty to send the gospel freely to those who have not received it. Instead of hiring a minister to preach to them, and soliciting the aid of the outside world for this object, they should sustain him to go out to preach the gospel freely to those who sit in darkness. This is to be done out of pure benevolence. But when the good news has been freely proclaimed, the receiver is laid under renewed obligation to God, the fountain of salvation, to those who have been his willing instruments of good to them, and to their fellow-men for whom Christ died. So that while they thank God for a free gospel of salvation, they should manifest their gratitude by ministering of their worldly store to those from whom they received it according to their need; for "their debtors they are;" for having "been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things" (Rom. 15:25-27); and also by uniting with them to send the gospel freely to others. So while the gospel is free, it lays a debt of gratitude upon the receiver which it is impossible for him to every pay.

The apostle Paul understood it so; for having received mercy of the Lord Jesus, he acknowledged himself a debtor to mankind at large; and the only way he could see in which he could discharge the debt was to preach the gospel to others, that they too might receive the benefit of this great salvation. He felt that "necessity was laid upon him." Said he, "Woe is me, if I preach not the gospel." Again, "I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." 1 Cor. 9:16; Rom. 1:14, 15.

Our conclusion is this: Having received the gospel freely, we are under obligation to send it freely to others. The mercy of God to us has brought upon us a debt of gratitude and love, which it is impossible for us to overpay. Our time, our talents, our wealth, all belong to God, and are to be used only for his glory, and the good of those for whom Christ died. "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price." "Freely ye have received, freely give." And when we lay all upon the altar of the Lord, we give no more than is due; and if we withhold, we rob God and our fellow-men. The religion that costs nothing is worth nothing.