Heb. 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
A. The SAME Gospel:
The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that the very same gospel preached NOW (after Pentecost) is the gospel preached during the wilderness journeys to Israel (Heb. 3-4:1).
Peter makes it clear that the very same gospel preached after Pentecost at the house of Cornelius is the very same gospel preached by the very first prophet Abel right up to the very last prophet - John the Baptist:
Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;........
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
John the Apostle makes it clear that both Jesus and John the Baptist preached the very same gospel BEFORE Pentecost as preached after Pentecost:
Jn. 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him........36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
The Apostle Paul after condemning any angel or man that preached any other gospel to be "accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9) claimed God preached the gospel to Abraham and Abraham's faith in the gospel is the role model for post-Pentecostal believers in Christ:
Gal. 1:8 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.
9 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.
Gal. 3:6 ¶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
B. The SAME gospel SUMMARIZED
Now, this text brings us to consider that the same gospel preached prior to Pentecost was SUMMARIZED and PROGRESSIVE in revelation.
Just as Paul SUMMARIZED the gospel in his 1 Cor. 15:3-4 statement so the gospel was SUMMARIZED in God's preaching of it to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 in the promise of the "seed" as well as unto Abraham when summarized as "In thee shall all nations be blessed" as the promised "seed" would come through his family tree:
Gal. 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
C. The SAME Gospel Progressive in Revelation:
1. First promised to the human race as the promised "seed" - Gen. 3:15
2. Second promised to one particular family in the human race - Gen. 12:1-3
3. Third promised to one particular Tribe in that family - Judah
4. Fourth promised to one particular family in the tribe of Judah - David's line
5. Gradually more information is revealed about the promised Seed, His person, his work, his birth place, his death, burial until the progressive revelation is fulfilled in the gospel accounts.
CONCLUSION: There has only been ONE gospel of salvation, and thus ONE way of Salvation (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12) before and after Pentecost because there has only been ONE Savior for ONE kind of man with ONE kind of problem - sin.
A. The SAME Gospel:
The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that the very same gospel preached NOW (after Pentecost) is the gospel preached during the wilderness journeys to Israel (Heb. 3-4:1).
Peter makes it clear that the very same gospel preached after Pentecost at the house of Cornelius is the very same gospel preached by the very first prophet Abel right up to the very last prophet - John the Baptist:
Acts 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all
37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;........
43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
John the Apostle makes it clear that both Jesus and John the Baptist preached the very same gospel BEFORE Pentecost as preached after Pentecost:
Jn. 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him........36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
The Apostle Paul after condemning any angel or man that preached any other gospel to be "accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9) claimed God preached the gospel to Abraham and Abraham's faith in the gospel is the role model for post-Pentecostal believers in Christ:
Gal. 1:8 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.
9 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.
Gal. 3:6 ¶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
B. The SAME gospel SUMMARIZED
Now, this text brings us to consider that the same gospel preached prior to Pentecost was SUMMARIZED and PROGRESSIVE in revelation.
Just as Paul SUMMARIZED the gospel in his 1 Cor. 15:3-4 statement so the gospel was SUMMARIZED in God's preaching of it to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15 in the promise of the "seed" as well as unto Abraham when summarized as "In thee shall all nations be blessed" as the promised "seed" would come through his family tree:
Gal. 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
C. The SAME Gospel Progressive in Revelation:
1. First promised to the human race as the promised "seed" - Gen. 3:15
2. Second promised to one particular family in the human race - Gen. 12:1-3
3. Third promised to one particular Tribe in that family - Judah
4. Fourth promised to one particular family in the tribe of Judah - David's line
5. Gradually more information is revealed about the promised Seed, His person, his work, his birth place, his death, burial until the progressive revelation is fulfilled in the gospel accounts.
CONCLUSION: There has only been ONE gospel of salvation, and thus ONE way of Salvation (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12) before and after Pentecost because there has only been ONE Savior for ONE kind of man with ONE kind of problem - sin.
