Introduction
Our English word gospel comes from the Old English godspell meaning “good news.” It is a transliteration of the Greek word εὐαγγέλιον which is a combination of “good” (εὐ) and “message” or “news” (ἀγγελία). In the broad view, the “gospel” is what God has revealed to the human race regarding how we can have a relationship with Him. God has proclaimed the gospel throughout history and mankind’s response to this good news has always been the same: faith. We read in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” In this same chapter are many examples of men and women who apprehended God by faith. Faith has always been the means of salvation. Thus the writer to the Hebrews wrote,
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval (Hebrews 11.1-2).
While the means of apprehension (faith) has remained the same throughout history, the content of the gospel has not. It has changed according to what God has revealed.
The Gospel Through the Ages
The clearest definition of the gospel for our day is found in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Paul wrote,
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve (1 Corinthians 15.1-5).
Therefore, the way we have a relationship with God is by believing that Christ died for one’s sins and was raised from the dead. The resurrection of Christ was the proof that He was victorious over sin and death as our substitutionary sacrifice. It’s as simple as that. When one believes the gospel he is, in the words of the Scriptures, “saved.”
The above verses may be diagrammed as below:
| 1) First proposition | Christ died for our sins | ||
| 1a) Scriptural proof | according to the Scriptures | ||
| 1b) Physical proof | and was buried | ||
| 2) Second proposition | He arose from the dead | ||
| 2a) Scriptural proof | according to the Scriptures | ||
| 2b) Physical proof | and was seen |
Paul’s gospel is a gospel of grace (Acts 20.24) and consists of the message that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. The question for every individual is, “Will you believe it?” Salvation is a choice and requires an act of will. Tragically, preachers, “gospel” tracts, and other well-intentioned witnesses often confuse the simple gospel. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead, period. Adding to the simple message of the gospel such statements as “invite Christ into your heart,” “accept Jesus as your personal Savior,” etc., creates confusion. The gospel message should be as simple as the Bible presents it.
John the Baptizer, Jesus, and the Twelve preached the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 3.2; 4.17). This gospel was a gospel of repentance and the message was that Jesus was the Messiah-King who had come to establish His rule on the earth and fulfill the Jewish covenants (Matthew 6.9-10; Romans 15.8). It required both individual and national repentance (Acts 2.36, 38-38, 3.17-23 cf. Romans 11.25-27). Thus, this good news was that the King was present and the nation of Israel was to accept Him as the Messiah and King of Israel. That was the focus of faith.
Paul’s gospel was distinct from the gospel of the kingdom (Galatians 1.6-12; 2.1-9). Paul’s gospel was not a gospel of repentance, that Jesus was the King about to establish His kingdom on earth and fulfill Israel’s covenants. Paul’s gospel was that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. He received his gospel, not from Peter or the Twelve, but by direct revelation from the risen Christ. The language Paul used to refer to his gospel revealed that he regarded it as his own. Thus, we read of “the gospel which I preached to you” (1 Corinthians 15.1-5), “my gospel” (Romans 2.16, 16.25, 2 Timothy 2.8), “our gospel” (2 Corinthians 4.3; 2 Thessalonians 2.14), “that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles” (Galatians 2.2), “the gospel of the uncircumcision” (Galatians 2.7), “the gospel of Christ”(Romans 15.19; 1 Corinthians 9.12; 2 Corinthians 2.12, 9.13, 10.14; Galatians 1.7; Philippians 1.27; 1 Thessalonians 3.2), “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), “the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1.13), “the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6.15), “the gospel of his Son (Romans 1.9), “the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4.4), “the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1.8), “the glorious gospel” (2 Timothy 1.8), and “the gospel of God” (Romans 1.1, 15.16; 2 Corinthians 11.7; 1 Thessalonians 2:2, 8, 9).
Paul wrote the Galatians,
6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” (Galatians 3.6-8).
While faith has always been the means of salvation, the content of faith has changed through the ages. It should be obvious that since Christ had not gone to the cross and been raised from the dead, men and women prior to this event believed something different for salvation than what Paul declared as the gospel–the death and resurrection of Christ for our sins. The Gospels indicate clearly that the Twelve had no clue about the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. In Luke, we read,
31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, 33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” 34 But the disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said (Luke 18:31-34).
Men and women are justified by faith in what God has revealed in their own time frame. Thus, we read regarding Abel,
“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11.4).
Implicit from the Old Testament account is that God had revealed that righteousness was to be obtained through the offering of a blood sacrifice. According to Genesis,
3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell (Genesis 4.3-5).
Why did God not accept Cain’s offering? Because God had revealed that to come to him one had to offer a blood offering (Genesis 3.21). Cain chose to disobey and disbelieve God. He wanted to come to God and be accepted by God his own way. He refused God’s revelation. Abel, on the other hand, believed what God had said. Because he believed, he obtained righteousness.
Abraham is another example of one who was accepted by God and who obtained righteousness. Abraham apprehended God by faith. God justified Abraham because Abraham believed him. What was the content of the “gospel” which Abraham believed? According to Genesis 15, Abraham asked God,
2 Abram said, “O LORD God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and theheir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15.2-6).
The gospel for Abraham was that God would give him an heir from his own body and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham responded to God by believing him (Galatians 3.6-8). This is what faith is, believing what God says.
What about those who lived under the Law of Moses? What was the gospel for them? The Law’s purpose was never to make a person righteous. Rather, its purpose was to reveal a person’s condition before God. In effect, its purpose was to condemn. Paul wrote,
19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin (Romans 3.19-20).
The Law’s purpose was to show a person his sin and his need for God. A large part of the Mosaic Law concerned the Levitical service and sacrifices. A Jew under the Law was to believe and obey God with regard to these sacrifices. Thus, a believer in those days believed in and obeyed God by going to a priest, offering a sacrifice, and believing that God had dealt with his sin by means of the animal sacrifice. That was the “gospel” and the revelation which God had given to that point.
What was the gospel in Jesus’ day? John the Baptizer and Jesus preached the “gospel of the kingdom.” According to Mark,
14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee,preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1.14-15).
How did a person become a believer and obtain righteousness in Jesus’ day? First, it is clear that a person had to repent (cf. Matthew 3.2, 4.17; Mark 1.15; 6.12; Luke 13.3, 5). Believing the gospel meant one had to believe the good news that the Messiah of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth, had come. This gospel included the fact that Jesus was the promised Messiah and that he was about to establish the long prophesied kingdom upon earth. We also note from the ministry of John the Baptizer that one needed to be baptized in water as baptism was a sign of repentance (Matthew 3.5-6, 3.11; Mark 1.4-5; Luke 3.3, 3.12 cf. 7.29-30; John 1.33, 3.23). According to Matthew,
5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; 6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins (Matthew 3.5-6).
This requirement of water baptism continued throughout Jesus’ ministry and into the ministry of the Twelve following Jesus’ resurrection (see Acts 2.38). In John, we read,
1 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), (John 4.1-2).
Salvation under the gospel of the kingdom required that one believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah (Matthew 16.13-17; John 11.27; Acts 8.35-38, 9.18-20). This was a completely different gospel than Paul’s. Paul gospel requires that to be saved we must trust in the death and resurrection of Christ. We simply do not see this in the gospels or afterward with Peter or the Twelve.
Great confusion has resulted in Christianity from the teaching that the Church, i.e., the Body of Christ, began at Pentecost. The Scriptures teach clearly the Church did not begin at Pentecost. The early chapters of Acts reveal nothing about Jew and Gentile being equal in Christ. One will search the Scriptures in vain to find any mention of the Body of Christ by any writer other than Paul.
Only with Paul’s calling and commission did God reveal the “stewardship or dispensation of the grace of God” (Ephesians 3.2) or of the “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20.24). Prior to Paul, no one offered salvation through faith in the shed blood of Christ nor preached that the gospel of salvation had been sent to Gentiles. The early chapters of Acts record that the prophetic program of the King and the kingdom that had been proclaimed in the Gospels was still in effect and the audience remained wholly Jewish. On the day of Pentecost Peter addressed no Gentiles. He addressed Jews, i.e., “men of Judea” (Acts 2.14), “men of Israel” (Acts 2.22), and the “house of Israel” (Acts 2.36). Peter’s message was that Jesus was the Messiah, that they had crucified Him, and that He had risen from the dead. In response to his message, his audience asked, “Brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2.37). Peter did not tell them to believe that Christ died for their sins and was raised from the dead. What did he tell them?
38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself” (Acts 2.38-39).
Whom does this sound like? John the Baptizer! Jesus the Messiah! Baptism was a requirement under the gospel of the kingdom. Again, whom is Peter addressing? Gentiles? No. Jews. Peter quoted from the Scriptures. The Scriptures little to nothing to Gentiles but everything to Jews. He specifically said that the Holy Spirit was the promise for you and your children, etc. This was prophesied by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31.31-34), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 36.22-32, 37.14, and Joel (Joel 2.28-32). Indeed, in his sermon, Peter quoted Joel’s prophecy (Acts 2.17-21) for what was then happening in Israel.
Conclusion
The content of the gospel has changed throughout the ages according to the progressive revelation of God. Salvation is gained by believing and obeying what God has revealed at the time. Today, because of the revelation of the message of grace to the apostle Paul, salvation is as simple as putting your trust in Christ’s work on your behalf–that He died for your sins and rose from the dead for your justification. Salvation today is faith + 0. Faith in Christ is not “inviting Christ into your heart” or “accepting Christ as your personal Savior.” Such “invitations” are false gospels without Scriptural basis. No one in this day is required by God to repent, to be baptized, to offer a blood sacrifice, to join a church, or to do anything else that may have been necessary in an earlier age. The gospel for us is that Christ died and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). Christ’s work is wholly sufficient and has paid for your sins. At the moment you believe the gospel and trust Christ, you can be assured that you are a child of God and that God has given you eternal life.
©1998 Don Samdahl. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold.
Updated August 27, 2010
Would you please address the concept of “being born again” (John 3.7), “born of God” (1 Pet.1.23), and the meaning of John 1:13 “born of God” not of blood, desire, or will of man. Also see 1 Jn. 3.9 and 1 Jn.5.1.
These all appear to be Jewish theology in context and the gospel of the kingdom. Please share any application applicable to the Church today. Is it biblical and accurate to use these verses and preach today that we need to be “born again”?
Are these verses desirable for teaching about the new nature vs the old nature?
TEnglish,
The language “born again” is associated with God’s prophetic program, in particular, the gospel of the kingdom. Paul did not use this language, purposefully, in order to separate his ministry from Jesus’ earthly ministry and the ministry of the Twelve, to separate God’s prophetic program from His Church program. Paul used “faith,” “believe,” “declare righteous,” “new creation,” “new man,” etc. to describe salvation through his gospel, how one became part of the Church, the body of Christ. Jesus, James, Peter, John, Jude never spoke of the Church, the body of Christ. The great problem in Christendom is mixing these two programs and it has led to fragmentation in the body of Christ, churches, denominations all disagreeing. The path of unity is to focus on Paul’s doctrines and God’s Church program. What was written before was for our learning (Romans 15.4), not for our doctrine.
Hi Don :).
Looking at the word “WORLD” in John 3:16… Its so interesting!
World = Kosmos (gk) this word seems to be inclusive of so much more than is taught in churchianity. Plus it is in the accusative case and it is SINGULAR (not plural).
Thinking about this… Its like it includes the very form and layout of “the kosmos” not just MANKIND.
Its almost seems inclusive of the entire creation as a whole!
Interesting too… Eph.1:4 gave more understanding on whats happened to the “kosmos”…
Eph.1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the FOUNDATION of the WORLD, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Foundation is the greek word καταβολή (katebole) …and suggests a “throwing down”… ” overthrow”.
This article will maybe help with this. This is Bullinger’s Appendix 146…
https://levendwater.org/companion/append146.html
We are taught by the Spirit to compare this way. 1 Cor.2:13 and we are sealed by this same Holy Spirit of promise that was given in Acts and was promised in Jer.31 and Ez.36. ! Eph.1:13. This information gives on a fuller picture of what WORLD is in Jn.3:16.
God Bless all!
Bobbi,
The word καταβολή is translated “foundation” in all versions (except mine), but it is better understood as “overthrow” or “ruin.” The word for “foundation” as a house foundation is θεμέλιος, which Paul used, e.g. 1 Corinthians 3.10-12. The “overthrow of world” or “ruin of world,” καταβολῆς κόσμου, is Satan and the angelic host rebellion, if “world” means the entire universe or if just earth, Adam’s fall. The expression seems to mean both in various verses. But the initial overthrow clearly began with Satan’s rebellion.
Totally agree with you on this Don. Both heaven and earth were affected as the scriptures teach. What is very shocking to think about is how the modern West and etc… view the english word “world” in comparing the further information we CAN know by looking into the words. Would maybe dare to say that those who teach that “born again” is doctrine for us today are on milk and not meat that will make one strong in THE FAITH.
Could we apply maybe apply the Hebrews verse to this ? (Even tho it is written to the Hebrews the concept may apply )
Hebrews 5:12 KJV — For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Learning how the scriptures divide (2 Tim.2:15) the callings can only help one to find how God could save YOU and grow you up. So thankful we get to receive the Spirit of the Lord to teach us and directions! He wants us to grow up to maturity. Eph.4:11-16.
Very fun that we,get to grow as God gives the increase.🤗
God Bless dear brother!
Bobbi,
Yes, so much confusion. God bless you.
I hear many Christians use the phrase “Born Again” and at the same time they will also mention 1 Corinthian’s Chapter 15 Verses 1 through 4. Are they really saved?
Mike,
Likely. The expression “born again” pervades salvation language with no distinction between those saved by the gospel of the kingdom and Paul’s gospel.
Mike Pine,
I had to face this very dilemma. When I got “saved” (age 19 and straight “off the street”) “born again” is what the people I associated with (the “church”) used. At that time I didn’t care too much the “term” given to what I had experienced. I just knew that it was real. Fast forward 45-50 years later (“Christian” schooling, multiple public ministries and exposure to thousands of people) and I finally sat down for myself and settled “the” gospel issue. For all of those years I had trusted “pastors”, “teachers”, “evangelists”, “worship leaders”, that I was associated with, for sound doctrine. In that vast amount of time there was never presented to me, as “Post author” stated, a “distinction between those ‘saved’ by the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4.23, 9.35, 24.14; Mark 1.14; Luke 4.43, 8.1, 9.2 & 60, 16.16) and Paul’s gospel (Acts 20.24; Rom. 10.9; 1 Cor. 15.1-4; Rom. 2.16)”. Everything from Matthew to Revelation was twisted and forced together in one confusing doctrinal mess. I needed to know “the way of God more perfectly”:
“And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla (close acquaintances to Paul) had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped much which had believed through grace:” (Acts 18.24-27).
Apollos impressed me. He was “eloquent and mighty in the scriptures”. He could “speak boldly”. He was “instructed in the way of the Lord” and “fervent in the spirit”. What any “Christian” would want to be. Yet, he lacked knowing “the way of God more perfectly”. What was that? Apollos apparently did not have the information yet that The Christ had come and fulfilled (“it is finished”) His earthly mission (the Cross). It now was no longer “the baptism of John”, that is “be baptized (water) with the baptism of repentance” and believing “on Christ Jesus” (Acts 2.38). It was now “believe”: “how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Cor.15.1-4). Time (20-25 yrs.) had made quite a difference to the message that Apollos was preaching. He had been preaching pre-Cross qualifications over a post-Cross people. A very current common Sunday morning exercise. There is every indication that Apollos in humility received the “expounding” that he needed (via Aquila and Priscilla) to know “the way of God more perfectly” and “help much which had believed through grace” (cf. Acts 19.1; 1 Cor. 1.12, 3.4-6, 3.22, 4.6, 16.12; Titus 3.13). Aquila and Priscilla’s relationship with the apostle Paul most strikingly had something to do with that (cf. Acts 18; Rom. 16.3; 1 Cor. 16.19; 2 Tim. 4.19).
Maybe my point is that as soon as I realized, like Apollos, that I needed to know “the way of God more perfectly”, I acknowledged “the” gospel that Paul preached (1 Cor. 15.1-4). There is no scriptural indication that Apollos had any difficulty making the update. Likewise, we have Romans to Philemon in our possession with the “expounding” that is needed to speak “the way of God more perfectly”. This is the doctrine that the RISEN Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the apostle Paul for the “church of God” (1 Cor. 10.32), the “body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12.27), the “new creature/creation” (Gal. 6.15; 2 Cor. 5.17).
If I might add from my personal experience and study, I have concluded that:
If the reference to “Born Again” as it is used in our Bible by Jesus himself instructing Nicodemus and using the term “ye” (plural) as in all of Israel (kingdom people, Jews) and considering that He was referring to Exodus 4:22 as God’s “first-born” and considering Romans 15: 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. (Jews only…destined for the earthly part of God’s purpose it tends to blur the lines of distinction between rightly dividing kingdom people (earthly beings) from the celestial beings (new creatures) Body of Christ people) who according to Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
It seems better to keep the terms separate for the sake of our task of ministering the Gospel of the Grace of God.
Salvation by Paul’s Gospel of faith alone by God’s grace alone by Christ’s cross work alone is our goal when we do our part of God’s purpose and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Which is: the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revolution of mystery.)
Of course God will bring all things together at His Restitution of all things.
As a side note, some of us believe that Paul’s Gospel brings present salvation, whereas Israel’s salvation is an ongoing process, thought delayed, to be continued after the Body of Christ is removed from the earth.
Hebrews 11:40 (Jews only) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Definately am like minded sister! 🤗 So YAY!! 🙌🙏🌅. Loved your thinking on “born again”! Ex.4:22
Gosh, so much of this is misconstrued by the world’s church system.
Was thinking on the “born again” thing this morning and its interesting to se the way Peter considered this. He is speaking to all the Jews who were scattered especially since Acts.8:1, as far as i can tell. One can follow these “scattered” in the NT..Acts 8:1, 1 Pet.1:1, James1:1.
1 Pet.1:18-25… Specifically in context vs 23…
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever.
So he sees the believers with him.of the Nation…as,being “born again”! Yet he also says in the same
passage that their grace cometh at the ” end of their faith”. (Not so for us today in the dispensation of the grace of God…Eph.3:7)
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 ¶Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope TO THE END FOR THE GRACE THAT IS TO BE BROUGHT UNTO YOU AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST; (See book of Revelation!)
Now..they are waiting for the Lord’s return!
Acts 3:19Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 AND HE SHALL SEND JESUS CHRIST, WHICH BEFORE WAS PREACHED UNTO YOU:
21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken
by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Then also there THE Nation who is BORN IN ONE DAY!
Isaiah 66:8 KJV — Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made
to bring forth in one day? or SHALL A NATION BE BORN AT ONCE? for as soon as Zion travailed, she
brought forth her children.
I think this NATIONAL calling is missed by many who are want to make it individual salvation.
Not realizing God had to come to them FIRST because He is faithful.
Interesting too in Acts 15 Peter does not say that they ARE SAVED , but that they SHALL BE(future tense).
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ WE SHALL BE SAVED, even as they.
Much different doctrine than us who look back to the cross for our complete redemption and in HIS WORK alone and what God wrought for Christ’s sake. 🤔.
Very fun conversation brethren… God BLESS.
Don,
Here’s something from C. R. Stam’s book, “Things that Differ” that stood out to me. I had considered the gospel of the Kingdom and the gospel of the uncircumcised the same. What do you think?
From page 190
“The gospel of the kingdom takes us back to David, with whom the covenant of the Kingdom was made.
The gospel of the circumcision takes us back before David to Abraham with whom the covenant of circumcision was made.
The gospel of the uncircumcision takes us back before David, before Abraham to Abram who, as an uncircumcised heathen, was justified by faith.
The message of reconciliation takes us back before David, before Abraham and Abram to Adam, the one man by whom the world was alienated from God.
to finally…
The Mystery which takes us back before David, before Abraham, before Abram, before Adam to God Himself and ‘the good pleasure of His will.”
Joe,
I think they are the same.
As the 250th celebration winds down, here are a few comments from the signers of the Declaration of Independence for the propogandists who declare the signers were simply ‘deists’.
From–Grace Ambassadors
250 years ago, 56 men signed the Declaration of American Independence.
That declaration appealed to “Nature’s God”, our “Creator”, “the Supreme Judge”, and “divine Providence” for support.
Here are more declarations of freedom that were less celebrated over the next 250 years than they will be in eternity.
Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration, also declared:
“My only hope of salvation is in the infinite transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the Cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins.”
Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration and Father of the American Revolution, declared:
“I [am] relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.”
Charles Thomson was the secretary of the Continental Congress. He signed the first printings of the Declaration and authorized the first printing of the KJV in America. He declared:
“I am a Christian. I believe only in the Scriptures, and in Jesus Christ my Saviour.”
The last surviving signer of the Declaration, Charles Carroll, also declared:
“On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits, not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts.”
John Witherspoon was the only signer of the Declaration who was a minister. When he preached on Galatians 6:14 he said:
“I will venture to say, in the spirit of the apostle Paul’s writings in general, and of this passage in particular, Accursed be all that learning which sets itself in opposition to the cross of Christ!”
It can be forgot that John Wesley was alive at the time. He did not sign the Declaration but spent his days in doing nothing “but to save souls” (according to his 11th rule). He preached:
“None can trust in the merits of Christ, till he has utterly renounced his own.”
It is hard for civil liberty to last 250 years. The liberty we receive in Christ is eternal. To maintain liberty in our country, Christ must be preached.
In a sermon preached a few weeks before the Declaration, John Witherspoon taught: “He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion…”
Hi Don I was just reading Gal 1:6 “so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ” when the thought came to me, was the “him” not Christ but Paul? Just like 2Cor 12:2 where “the man” was referring to himself. Not to sharp on Greek but after reading this verse many times never seen this possibility. Thanks David
David,
“Calling” is usually used of God. I think this is the case in Galatians 1.6, based on Galatians 1.15, 5.8.
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Eph 3 above speaks of ‘his holy apostles’. Who were these ‘other apostles’ besides Paul. Paul says the gospel of grace is ‘my’ gospel. What is Paul talking about here?
Joe,
These “holy apostles” likely meant those who ministered with Paul. If the Twelve are included, that works too, for they learned about the Church, the body of Christ, from Paul. They knew nothing of the Church before Paul. The idea of Jew and Gentile indwelt by the Spirit, equal in Christ, was a completely new idea of which they knew nothing until Paul revealed it.
Don, are you saying the twelve embraced the gospel Paul presented?
Daniel,
Peter declared at the Council of Jerusalem that only Paul’s gospel was the valid message of salvation (Acts 15.11). This is why Paul wrote that anyone who proclaimed a different gospel was cursed. The gospel of the kingdom will return as the valid message of salvation after the Lord removes His Church and when the Beast is revealed (Matthew 24.14).
Don, you did not answer my question, according to Scripture did any of the twelve-embrace Christianity, or did all of them remain Law keeping Jews?
Daniel,
The Twelve embraced Paul’s gospel as the only message of salvation after Peter’s pronouncement at the Council but continued to live under the Mosaic Law. Those saved under the gospel of the kingdom continued to live under the Mosaic Law. They did not embrace Paul’s declaration of Romans 6.14. Those saved under Paul’s gospel lived free from the Law. The problem came when false teachers came and told those saved under Paul’s gospel that they had to keep the Law. This is what Galatians is about.
Don, why then, when years after the Jerusalem Council, Paul was forced to rebuke Peter for fearing the Jews and committing perversion of the gospel Paul delivered by actually reverting back to the Mosaic Law, after he cozied up to them? Do you see in the statements you have made; a person can actually follow the Mosaic Law and not pervert Paul’s gospel, how is this possible, knowing Paul’s reaction to Peter’s hypocrisy?
Daniel,
During the apostolic era, two salvation systems were in place. The gospel of the kingdom continued as a message of salvation until Peter’s pronouncement (Acts 15.11). While Peter’s statement ended the salvation aspect of the gospel of the kingdom, those saved under that system continued to live under the Law while Paul’s converts, saved by his gospel, lived by under grace. The problem with Peter was that his actions were serving to confuse those saved under Paul’s gospel. For this threat, Paul sternly rebuked Peter. Even Barnabas, who had been with Paul was guilty. Today, only one gospel, one system, is present, Paul’s gospel, living the Christian life under grace.
Don, Peter followed the order of Aaron (circumcision), not the order of Melchizedek (uncircumcision). Under the Law (circumcision), under grace (uncircumcision), it really is this simple. Paul did not allow the two gospels to mix, and we should follow the example he showed us in Gal. 2:11-21. I know we disagree, but is this concept even a possibility in your understanding? Please give us your understanding of what Paul was talking about concerning the order of Aaron, and the order of Melchizedek in Hebrews?
Daniel,
Paul’s dissertation on Melchizedek, who is Jesus Christ, was to show the Jews the superiority of Jesus’ priesthood over Aaron’s. The general argument of Hebrews is that Jesus is superior to angels, His priesthood is superior to Aaron, the new covenant is superior to the old, that faith is way to have a relationship with God. For all these reasons, Jews should embrace Christ. Hebrews was written about 53-54 A.D. with the expectation that the Jews would repent. This is why Paul wrote in Hebrew 12 for the Jews to endure to the end (of the Tribulation), cf. Matthew 24.13; Revelation 2-3, to be saved. Cf. also Hebrews 6.4-6.
Don,
You wrote :
“For all these reasons, Jews should embrace Christ. Hebrews was written about 53-54 A.D. with the expectation that the Jews would repent. This is why Paul wrote in Hebrew 12 for the Jews to endure to the end (of the Tribulation), cf. Matthew 24.13; Revelation 2-3, to be saved. Cf. also Hebrews 6.4-6.”
If I may add to your sentence … “Hebrews was written about 53-54 A.D. with the expectation that the Jews would repent,” … and by faith believe the gospel of the grace of God, which was (and still is) the only valid gospel in 53 A.D.
Thus no need to endure to the end, for these Jews saved in 53 A.D., same as Jews saved today, will be taken up in the rapture prior to Tribulation.
Please clarify my understanding. And, as I’ve replied before, your website is a treasure!
David,
Yes, this is true. Those saved under the gospel of the kingdom would have to endure to the end to be saved. Jews saved under Paul’s gospel would experience the Rapture. The endurance passages in Hebrews are for Jews saved under the gospel of the kingdom.
Don, you believe Peter’s statement was new news, I believe his statement was also true in the days of Moses. The proof is what happened in the rebellion of Korah. Grace through faith was the result for those that did not get swallowed by the earth. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was imparted only to Jews for approximately two thousand years through the covenant God made with Abraham, even for Jews faith was necessary. Some Jews will be raised to everlasting life; others will be raised to everlasting contempt as recorded in Daniel 12:1-2. You cancel the circumcision gospel on the statement of a man that continued to follow the circumcision gospel, how is this a logical conclusion, when even you have agreed Peter was keeping the Mosaic Law? The 2 and 2 equal 4 that I present simply makes no sense in your understanding of this matter, as does your 2 and 2 equal 4 presentation simply makes no sense to me. The problem with Peter was he was perverting the gospel Paul presented, not simply confusing the issue, this is made obvious in the statement Paul made in Gal. 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Seriously, does this language describe confusion, or perversion? I can clearly state Peter was perverting Paul’s gospel, and that is why Paul confronted Peter before them all. I have to ask why you classify Peter’s actions as merely confusing and not outright perversion? I feel somewhat privileged to be allowed to speak my mind on your website, and I would be remiss to not thank you for this opportunity again, sincerely, I thank you for your willingness to hear opposing views along with the ones that agree with you.
Daniel,
I wrote that Peter did not continue to follow the circumcision gospel. He declared at the Council that the gospel of the kingdom was over as a message of salvation–that Jews had to be saved like Gentiles. Peter did not tell Gentiles they had to be saved by circumcision and keeping the Law. Salvation in the Old Testament is not as clear cut as with Paul. Faith and works are entwined, which is what James wrote. We do not find people being declared saved by faith alone until Paul.
Don, what are your thoughts about the latest news concerning President Trump commenting that a nuclear deal with Suadi Arabia will be tied to the Abraham Accords?
Daniel,
Makes sense. Saudi Arabia has said they would pursue nuclear weapons to counter Iran. This way, we would control it rather than China or others.
Don, after a deal was made, President Trump added the stipulation Saudi Arabia must sign on to the Abraham Accords, they have now refused this offer to join the Accords, and the deal is now off the table. In my opinion, the decision to begin another endless war was an error on our President’s part, and America will have to pay for a war he specifically told us he would never begin. I love our President, and I pray this war actually leads to a decent outcome, but my opinion concerning this particular war is it was a bad idea. I would truly like to know how the decision came down to begin this war. It is clear there was no exit plan, and it seems to me the planners believed this would be much easier than reality has shown it to be. My opinion has no weight behind it, and I would like to be less critical, but this is how I understand these current events. Poor planning has put us in the pickle we currently are experiencing. Happy I’m not in charge, because I also know if those decisions were mine to make, I would fail America. Please tell us what your thoughts are concerning this new war.
Daniel,
The Iran war will not be endless. Iran, like Ukraine, is a client of the deep state. The Iranian regime has a large effect on the price of oil. Trump wants the price of oil to drop. The deep state wants it high. This is why Ukraine is now aid Iran, attacking Russia’s oil refineries. Trump wants to free international waters. What Trump is doing is reshaping the whole world order which is controlled by central banks. In the US, the center of gravity of the deep state is the Federal Reserve. Trump’s end game is to destroy it and go back to sound currency, no borrowing of money created out of nothing, a currency backed by gold, stable coin, oil, etc.
Don, if President Trump is intending on ending the Federal Reserve, do you believe he will succeed?
Daniel,
If he cannot, the nation is doomed. It is the primary funding source for evil.