"I was reading the paper this morning . . ."

It is Wednesday morning. I’ve showered, carried the kids to school and have my morning paper and coffee before me. As always, I am reading the front page and the front section. I am become more keenly aware of Paul’s statement in Romans 10:16, one of the saddest in all the pages of holy writ, "But they have not all obeyed the gospel."

It is one thing to observe the television and the movies industry spew forth its sex-crazed, anti-authority, do-your-own-thing sewage. One need only listen to the radio (rock, country, or pop) for a few minutes before hearing some millionaire glamorize sexual immorality of all kinds, drug addiction (and that includes ALCOHOL), and every other form of licentiousness known to man. Unfortunately, this kind of garbage sells in today’s society.

However, the newspaper is full of reports of those whose lives are a wreck, out-of-control, and forever scarred--not because they do so to make the headlines and reap the "big bucks," but simply because of what Paul said in Romans 10:16, "they have not obeyed the gospel." Headline on page 1A --"Pair plotted to kill for insurance." It is a disgusting tale of two Bessemer men who took out life insurance policies on more than 40 people in order to reap over a half-million dollars in insurance. Sidebar- page 1A --"Justices question Nebraska abortion law." In this story, the US Supreme Court is afraid that Nebraska has gone too far in protecting the rights of the unborn in banning the butchery known as partial birth abortion. In partial birth abortion, a baby is completely delivered through the birth canal except for the head. At that point, scissors are jammed into the baby’s skull to make room for a suction tube to suck the baby’s brains out and deliver it dead. Yes, we wouldn’t want to stop anything like that! But what do frauds and baby murderers really need? The Gospel! Page two -There’s the lottery numbers for Georgia and Florida. (Continued on page 4)

I wonder how many kids went hungry because Daddy & Momma wasted their grocery money on gambling? But what does the gambler need? The Gospel! Page 4--a 16 year old is arrested in connection with a shooting at the DC zoo. What does this young man need? The Gospel! Also on page 4--A federal appeals court has declared Ohio’s state motto unconstitutional. It reads, "With God, all things are possible." No telling how many people have been permanently scarred through the years for reading that. In addition, we mustn’t offend our Jewish and Muslim neighbors. Page 8--"Vermont Approves Gay Civil Unions." What do sodomites and other sexual deviants need? The Gospel! Also on page 8— the Catholic church is going to apologize for the atrocities they committed against American Indians and blacks over 500 years ago! This, from an organization that claims to have all authority in matters of doctrine and biblical interpretation, and claims that the Pope reigns as Christ on earth (incidentally, the Popes ordered these and thousands of other atrocities for over a thousand years). How can we know if they even mean it? The Catholic Church sanctions a doctrine known as "mental reservation." This doctrine affirms the right of Catholics to lie when it is in the best interest of the church! But what does the Pope and every other Catholic need? The Gospel! Page 10--a political cartoon showing our President defending the government raid to capture a 6 year old illegal alien because the President believes "in the rule of law." He is later shown smoking a cigar in private and laughing hysterically at what he has just said. How could such a moral degenerate be elected twice to lead "one nation under God?" Because what America needs more than anything else--more than a cure for cancer, heart disease, AIDS, and all other diseases combined--is the GOSPEL!

But the question for the church is this; "Why haven’t they obeyed the gospel?" In Paul’s day, he could state with all confidence and accuracy that every one on the planet had heard the good news of Jesus Christ. For only two verses away from his lament he wrote, "Have they not all heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Similar statements regarding the extent to which the Gospel was preached can be found in Colossians 1:6, 23. But such is not the case in the world today. Most of the 6 billion people on the planet have never heard the name of Jesus, much less the Gospel. Why not? Because the church is not dedicated to preaching the gospel like it once was! Brother Mid McKnight said the church could win the world for Christ whenever we got ready to do it. Brethren, let’s be ready and live and teach the Gospel!!!