Blinded. Satan has blinded precious souls from seeing the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture is clear that Satan has so worked in the minds of unbelievers "that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4). This is why it is essential that we stand firm in faith and preach Christ. Today, even many professing Christians are faltering and asserting that there are many ways to God—that people can come to God however they see fit. But the Truth is "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

With the apostle Paul, we must say, ". . . what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5). We do not preach our ideas nor what makes us popular or acceptable to our prevailing culture. We do not preach the rebranding of Jesus nor surrender to sin. We do not preach pragmatism nor political correctness. But we preach Christ and Christ alone, for He alone has the power to save souls.

Today false preachers tickle ears with the idea that we can create our own identity—that we don't have to submit to God or that He doesn't care about how we live our lives. They minimize sin, saying we can accept Christ without repenting, without believing, without transformation, without conversion—divesting the Gospel of its power to redeem a life from the guttermost to the uttermost. Still others treat God's Word like a buffet—you pick and choose what you like. In my opinion, this is the teaching that has most weakened the church of Jesus Christ, that has nullified the message of the Gospel and muffled the voice of Christ, confusing millions of people to their eternal destruction. Christians must be aware—more alert and more discerning than any other time in modern history. And we must be prepared to pick up our cross and follow Jesus whatever hostilities we may face for holding fast to the "faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people" (Jude 1:3). Eternal souls hang in the balance.

So what must we then preach? We must preach only the Christ of the Bible. We preach Christ, who is the image of the invisible God. We preach Christ, for whom and through whom the whole universe was made and created but who left the splendor of heaven and came to earth to fulfill God the Father's promise back in Genesis. We preach Christ, who was born of a virgin, who healed the sick, raised the dead, made the lame to walk, and set the captives free. We preach Jesus, who was crucified on Mount Golgotha, was buried for three days, and then on the third day, in His omnipotence, rose from the dead never to die again.

The Christ we preach is the only one who can promise eternal life. He is the only one who can forgive sinners like me and you. We preach Christ, who has ascended to heaven and right now sits on the rim of the universe. Even when the world seems to be falling apart, He's not. Even when things look out of control, they're not out of His control. One day He'll return and reign and rule before our very eyes. We preach Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of everyone who believes in Him and who will soon return as the Lion of Judah.

We preach Christ and not ourselves, not pop psychology, not self-help, not spiritual band-aids. No, we preach the only one who can do a total job on the total person. We preach the Christ who clothes imperfect people in His perfect righteousness and who transforms sinners into citizens of heaven for the blessing of the world. God is not looking for perfect people; He is looking for imperfect people so He may perfect them. And that's all that God is expecting from those who love Him—He is looking for people who want to receive His grace and draw near to Him.

Far from being the founder of another religion, as so many preachers in pulpits are saying today, Jesus is the Creator God who became man. He's not a way, a truth, and a life; He is the way, the Truth, and the only giver of eternal life. Jesus said no one—and when He says no one, He means no one: "No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Those are His words, not mine. And that is why from Genesis to Revelation—though these books were written across nearly 2,000 years with writers from various backgrounds and professions—He is yet the central focus of the entire Bible; He is the one divinely inspired message. Jesus Christ is the only true revelation of God, and you can find Him in every book of the Bible if you have the spiritual eyes to see it.

Christian, if you have been timid to share the unparalleled hope of the uncompromised Gospel, remember all that Christ has done for you. As you do, you will be emboldened and overjoyed to speak the Truth of Christ in love. Remember the joy of your salvation and let it so enliven your countenance that others might be drawn to Christ through the witness of your transformed life.

And if you have never bent a knee to Jesus, today is the day you can do that. If you have never come to Him in repentance to receive His gift of forgiveness and peace, of an assurance of abundant, eternal life with Him, you can do that right now. This is the opportunity. This is the moment. How can you doubt that He loves you when He left the splendor of heaven, came to Earth, and died to pay the wages of your sin and mine? Will you respond to Him? Will you respond to His love?