The Gospel is the proclamation of God's free love in Christ—the revelation of the boundless charity of God. Nothing less than this will suit our depraved world. Nothing else is so likely to touch the heart, to go down to the lowest depths of depraved humanity, as the assurance that the elect sinner has been loved—loved by God, loved with a righteous love in Christ, loved with a free love that makes no bargain as to merit or fitness or goodness.

Have I then no work to work in this great matter of my pardon? None! What work can you work? What work of yours can buy Divine forgiveness—or make you fit for the Divine favor? What work has God bidden you work in order to obtain salvation? None. His Word is very plain and easy to be understood: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.“ (Romans 4:5) There is but one work by which a man can be saved. That work is not yours—but the work of the Son of God. That work is finished, Romans 5:9-11.