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Can the Gospel Be Defined?

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by KenH, Jun 5, 2024.

  1. KenH

    KenH Well-Known Member

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    Can The Gospel Be Defined?

    "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to MY GOSPEL, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen."(Romans 16:25-27)

    Most people I know think the question asked in the title of this article is an unnecessary question that really doesn't need to be answered. Matter of fact, they THINK they already know the answer. I KNOW I DID! To them the "GOSPEL" is God's invitation for them to "accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior", turn their lives around, get active in religion, and somehow, someway hold out and make it to the end, hoping they might ultimately end up in heaven. If I were to ask you personally, can you tell me what you think the GOSPEL is, how would you answer? The typical answer given is this: "The Gospel tells us that God loved sinners so much that He sent His Son to suffer, bleed, and die for the sins of ALL MEN. The Gospel tells sinners that Christ came, Christ lived, Christ died, and that Christ rose again in order for those who will believe or accept it could be saved." There is NO DOUBT that all these things, i.e. that Christ was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death, and rose again are HISTORICAL FACTS, declared by the Scripture and supported by historical narrative. But these HISTORICAL FACTS in and of themselves are not a declaration of what Paul calls the "Gospel of God". Paul told the Corinthian church - "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the GOSPEL which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; BY WHICH ALSO YE ARE SAVED, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, 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 Corinthians 15:1-4) If a mere presentation of the HISTORICAL FACTS concerning the Lord Jesus Christ IS NOT THE GOSPEL, then what is? Should we DEFINE the Gospel? Is it necessary? Paul shows us that this is a LIFE OR DEATH issue: "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."(Galatians 1:6-9) But BEFORE Paul warns of the eternal consequences if one "pervert" (literally 'to turn around') the Gospel, Paul clearly DEFINES the Gospel - "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."(Galatians 1:3-5) So the Gospel is the DECLARATION of the ONLY MEANS of "grace" and "peace" for His people, accomplished through Christ ALONE, "who gave HIMSELF for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." The Gospel is a SIMPLE MESSAGE that declares "the righteousness of God". Listen to Paul's words to the Roman believers - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein (in the GOSPEL) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."(Romans 1:16-17) If one who claims to speak on God's behalf does not preach out or DECLARE the "righteousness of God", they have not preached the Gospel, merely given a religious dissertation.

    - written by Richard Warmack, pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Ruston, Louisiana, via his Facebook page
     
  2. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

    2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

    3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.


    4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.


    Saved from what?... Ignorance!... They are so busy with their own works of the law, blinded trying to be saved, not knowing that they already are saved!... No one that has a zeal of God, is eternally lost... God Sovereign Grace through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ has already been satisfied and these are heaven bound children of God... Brother Glen:)
     
  3. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    Amen!

    10 but hath now been manifested by the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 2 Tim 1

    The gospel is the message of life and immortality, not the means. It's sheep food.
     
  4. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    That is true but your forgetting the living which is... Brother Glen;)
     
  5. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    ...you lost me brother, what am I forgetting? :)
     
  6. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    One is pen and ink... The other is flesh and blood... Timely/Eternal!... Are you still lost?... That's the way I see it... Brother Glen:)
     
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  7. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    Shhh... It's a secret... Brother Glen;)
     
  8. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    LOL, can the Calvinist posters define the gospel? Nope

    Since God desires all people to be saved, He did not render a significant segment of humanity unable to obtain salvation. Yes He hardened the hearts of a few, as described in scripture, to facilitate the spread of the gospel message to non-Jews, or for a specific purpose (Judas) but the claim all the lost are unable to seek God and trust in Christ is false.
     
  9. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Jesus defined the gospel as the long awaited kingdom coming to man. So I guess the gospel can be defined.

    What we need to know is not only the gospel but its implications and how we enter that kingdom.
     
  10. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    So is the good news the Kingdom or the King?... Don't worry about getting in Jon, the King choses only royalty... Brother Glen:)

    1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

    10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
     
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  11. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    Lol...I'm already in....and saved you a seat :p.

    But yes, the gospel message was the kingdom. That said, it is within a specific context that needs to be explained.
     
  12. tyndale1946

    tyndale1946 Well-Known Member
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    It wasn't the message that saved you but the messenger... It's called Amazing Grace... Is that explanation enough?... Hint... Hint!... Brother Glen:)
     
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  13. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I know. Salvation is not the gospel itself.

    Have you ever concerned that Christ Himself is the Promise the OT saints longed to see, or that the kingdom within us IS Christ in us?

    For behold! The kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21
     
  14. MMDAN

    MMDAN Member

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    The gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16) To "believe" the gospel is to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.
     
  15. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    It's good news. Good news brings joy. Joy of the LORD is our strength. Thus, the gospel is sheep food.

    Feed My lambs...tend My sheep...feed My sheep... Jn 21:15-17

    28 Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. Acts 20

    1 The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
    2 Tend the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
    3 neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock. `1 Pet 5
     
  16. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    It's like a multiple faceted gem. Pick a facet to peer into.

    And Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness among the people. Mt 4:23

    The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mk 1:1

    according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 1 Tim 1:11

    But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

    For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Pet 4:17

    but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been intrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the gospel of the circumcision Gal 2:7

    rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus: 2 Thess 3:8

    If others partake of this right over you, do not we yet more? Nevertheless we did not use this right; but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ. 1 Cor 9:12

    The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it. Lu 16:16

    in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them. 2 Cor 4:4

    in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Eph 1:13

    and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Eph 6:15

    yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man`s foundation; Ro 15:20
     
  17. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
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    It's certainly not confined to 2-3 cherry-picked sentences.

    27 And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
    32 And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures? Lu 24

    39 Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; Jn 5
     
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