The taste was just awful!! At least that was one boy’s opinion of his weekly dinner menu of liver. He had to eat it because his mother said so and she also said, “It is good for you!!” Can you imagine it? He had to eat cow liver, moose liver, and even the occasional caribou liver, depending on how the hunting season went.
I hope by now you’re feeling at least some pity in your heart for this little boy, because for the first 18 years of his life this was what his taste buds were subjected to, all because liver was supposedly good for you. This was what my wonderful and loving mother thought – I don’t hold it against her! Not long after my leaving home, I discovered while reading through a medical journal that liver is one of the worst types of meat to eat, because of its high cholesterol content. Was I ever happy to have a reason for never eating liver again! The reality is that she had wrong information. The initial understanding that liver was good for you was based on a personal idea and not on medical facts.
The reason I tell you this little bit of personal history is to relate the importance of getting spiritual information correct from the start. The taste of 18 years of eating liver is long gone, since I haven’t touched the stuff since leaving home. That’s not overly significant, but when it comes to spiritual matters, you need something that is totally trustworthy. These five words – “This is a faithful saying” – remind us that the good news of God’s gospel is one hundred percent dependable. It will be true in life. It will be true in death; and it will be true in eternity. The reason that the gospel news is so reliable is because it originated with God; therefore His character is on the line. The Bible states that He is the God of Truth (Ps 33:4) and that it is impossible for Him to lie (Heb 6:18).
Maybe you are asking, “What is the content of this ‘good news’ message?” The remainder of the verse states that, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” The message clearly deals with two individuals: the first being Christ Jesus and His divine mission in going to the cross, and the second is the sinner and his lost condition before God. Such is the value of the death of Christ that it, alone, is the work that saves sinners from their sin.
To “accept” this message is to believe it – to say, “Yes, God is right. I am the sinner for whom Christ came.” Trust Him as your personal Savior. He will deliver you from the penalty of your sin.