“We must daily choose to receive the gospel as good news.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 5, 2026
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16, NKJV
We have many images of hell and condemnation that likely float around in our heads. Firey pits, devils with horns, and souls anguishing in torment all likely come to mind. These images are, frankly, hard to square with the love and mercy we see in the person of Jesus Christ. It is therefore essential that we have clarity on the nature of Jesus Christ and his disposition toward us and the world.
In Mark 16, Jesus tells his disciples to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Why? Because Jesus loves every creature. He commands them to do this as their immediate response to the reality of his resurrection. The gospel is the good news that death has been defeated by the cross and resurrection of Christ. The love of God wins, and Jesus is Lord of all! This is news that every creature in every corner of the earth has the right to hear, for it means that they, too, no longer have to be bound by the enslavement of sin and death.
Our response to the reign of Jesus doesn’t make him more or less of a king. If I say the King of England isn’t the king, it doesn’t make it true. I’ve just chosen to reject his reign and live in a different reality. The condemnation spoken of in verse 16 is a bit like that. Those who hear the news of the victory of Jesus and receive it with joy choose to enter into the safety and security of his kingdom. For those who remain outside the city walls, and this is key, it isn’t because the king hasn’t welcomed them, it’s that they choose to live in isolation and reject his merciful reign. Here I’m reminded of the words of C.S. Lewis, who in The Problem of Pain said, “I willingly believe that the damned are, in one sense, successful rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside.”
Though these words have eternal consequences, there is also a practical impact on our daily lives in the here and now. We must daily choose to receive the gospel as good news. Every morning when we wake up, there is an invitation before us: will we live as though the rule of Christ is the greatest news the world has ever heard, or will we accept an isolated and hellish life that shuts us off from all that is good and right and true?
The journey of belief has a beginning, but is renewed daily through repentance and faith, as we seek to live as faithful citizens in the kingdom of our Lord.
Prayer
Father, remind us afresh of the good news of Christ’s victory over sin and death, and teach us to live every day in light of this glorious truth through the power of your Spirit at work in our midst. Amen.
Application
Meditate today on Mark 16, inviting the Lord to continue to speak to you through these words from our Lord.
Related Reading
Deuteronomy 30:19; John 3:17-19; Philippians 2:9-11
Worship Resource
Elevation Worship: O Come To The Altar
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