Having had the opportunity to study this subject through the writings of many Christian scholars over a period of 20 years, I am more than qualified to tell you what the Gospel is and what the Gospel is not.
The Gospel is not about us (Christians). We are simply the benefactors of the Gospel. The Gospel is not Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as some Catholics would have you believe. The Gospel is a past historical event. It took place over 2000 years ago before we were ever born. There is nothing that we can experience that can be called the Gospel.
The Gospel calls all religions and all religious thought into question.
It is because of this that the Gospel causes controversy and descension. We must always remember that all of the apostles except for John died violent deaths because of their faith in Christ and his Gospel.
Paul received the Gospel directly from Jesus Christ, Galatians 1:11, 12. The Gospel that Paul received from Christ was the same Gospel that Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:14, but was with much greater detail. Paul taught the Gospel that he had received from Christ to the other apostles. Some of the apostles along with many others, could not believe that the law of Moses had been abolished and that now... "The just shall live by faith" Romans 1:17, and not according to the law and the Jewish religion.
The Gospel is that work that Jesus Christ did in our name and on our behalf that justifies the ungodly, Romans 4:5 and reconciles the whole world unto God, 2 Corinthians 5:19. Who is Jesus Christ? Jesus is the second person of the Godhead and the eternal Son of God. He was in heaven with God before the creation of the world, Colossians 1:14-19.
It was God's plan that his Son Jesus Christ was to come into the human race through the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ was God's new Adam and our new representative. His purpose was to save and to perfect our humanity and to take it back to heaven. This he has done and he did it perfectly, Hebrews 1:3.
"And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" Colossians 2:5.
The Gospel is a declartion from God that his Son Jesus Christ has victoriously defeated sin, death and the devil and in doing so has made it possible for all who do nothing more than calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved, Romans 10:13. If Jesus had not defeated sin, death and the devil no one could be saved.
God now sees ALL THINGS in his Son Jesus Christ, Colossians 1:20. As far as God is concerned Jesus has reconciled us and the whole world unto God, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. We are "In Christ" and Christ is in heaven, Colossians 3:3. Its over, Its finished. We have been MADE complete in Christ, Colossians 2:10. We do not become complete in Christ. We are MADE complete in Christ.
What does this mean? It means that the Gospel and faith in Christ is the entrance into eternal life, plus nothing. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me" John 14:6.
Religion, whether it be Calvinism, Catholicism or any other religon is a diversion away from the truth and the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and does NOT lead to eternal life.
The Gospel is not about us (Christians). We are simply the benefactors of the Gospel. The Gospel is not Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as some Catholics would have you believe. The Gospel is a past historical event. It took place over 2000 years ago before we were ever born. There is nothing that we can experience that can be called the Gospel.
The Gospel calls all religions and all religious thought into question.
It is because of this that the Gospel causes controversy and descension. We must always remember that all of the apostles except for John died violent deaths because of their faith in Christ and his Gospel.
Paul received the Gospel directly from Jesus Christ, Galatians 1:11, 12. The Gospel that Paul received from Christ was the same Gospel that Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:14, but was with much greater detail. Paul taught the Gospel that he had received from Christ to the other apostles. Some of the apostles along with many others, could not believe that the law of Moses had been abolished and that now... "The just shall live by faith" Romans 1:17, and not according to the law and the Jewish religion.
The Gospel is that work that Jesus Christ did in our name and on our behalf that justifies the ungodly, Romans 4:5 and reconciles the whole world unto God, 2 Corinthians 5:19. Who is Jesus Christ? Jesus is the second person of the Godhead and the eternal Son of God. He was in heaven with God before the creation of the world, Colossians 1:14-19.
It was God's plan that his Son Jesus Christ was to come into the human race through the virgin Mary. Jesus Christ was God's new Adam and our new representative. His purpose was to save and to perfect our humanity and to take it back to heaven. This he has done and he did it perfectly, Hebrews 1:3.
"And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" Colossians 2:5.
The Gospel is a declartion from God that his Son Jesus Christ has victoriously defeated sin, death and the devil and in doing so has made it possible for all who do nothing more than calling upon the name of the Lord to be saved, Romans 10:13. If Jesus had not defeated sin, death and the devil no one could be saved.
God now sees ALL THINGS in his Son Jesus Christ, Colossians 1:20. As far as God is concerned Jesus has reconciled us and the whole world unto God, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. We are "In Christ" and Christ is in heaven, Colossians 3:3. Its over, Its finished. We have been MADE complete in Christ, Colossians 2:10. We do not become complete in Christ. We are MADE complete in Christ.
What does this mean? It means that the Gospel and faith in Christ is the entrance into eternal life, plus nothing. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life: no man comes to the Father but by me" John 14:6.
Religion, whether it be Calvinism, Catholicism or any other religon is a diversion away from the truth and the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and does NOT lead to eternal life.
