Featured What is the Gospel?

Thou dost protest too much. There was a reason for my question. Those on this board who do not believe the gospel is more than just "how to get to heaven" are going to hit you with adding to the gospel; as though you are making the way for a person to become a Christian complicated and neigh impossible. I know that is not your intention but that is how it is going to be perceived. Perhaps you consider soteriology just one component of the gospel? In another thread, I pointed out that Spurgeon had an "expanded view of the gospel". He certainly understood the gospel's soteriological component but he considered the gospel to be nothing less than the entirety of God's written revelation. As you can imagine, that does not sit well with some folks. That is why I think it is helpful to assure people that the way to heaven is not being hidden behind man-made barricades.

 

Reynolds will offer his own answer. My answer to your question is to proclaim what Paul did to the Phillipian jailer. "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). At that point in a sinner's life that is all the gospel they need to know.

 

Revmitchell,

No, it is quite needful and there is much to discover.

Those are the historic facts of the gospel. When you leave out "according to the scriptures" you limit the meaning.
Many on here offer this, which Agedman pointed out is important but not complete as is.

If someone is not familiar with biblical language and you say-
Jesus died on a cross....is that good news?

then you say He was buried...is that good news?

Then you say he rose from the dead....that is good news for Jesus, but how is that good news to the sinner you are speaking with?

The historic facts divorced from what Paul described as "according to the scriptures...does not get it done.

Where is that taught?

 

This is correct Reformed, if indeed the person knows some of the claims of who Jesus is, man's fall into sin and death, God's remedy.

 

Agedman,

You said;

This is what the now closed thread intended to do also.
Some tried to limit the discussion to only 1cor!5;1-4...without considering the teaching of"according to the scriptures.
Others despite saying this;
[QUOTE]As a member of this board you are welcome to express your beliefs, but you should do so intentionally, with kindness and purpose.[/QUOTE]
This was followed quickly with this kind response;

and this nice, kind, and necessary post;

Yes Agedman what was missing was an actual
discussion of the OP.

Rm and others say we should only consider ! cor15;!-4, but lets see what Peter did on Pentecost.
He quotes from Joel first; in language that we later find in gospel portions of Romans 10
acts2;21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

In biblical language that Calvinists embrace he mentions this;
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

He quotes psalm16 as david also alludes to the Covenant promises God made with him, The Covenant promise;2 sam23
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

This looks like good news drawn according to the scriptures which at that time were the OT. scriptures.
Spurgeon believed and taught this. Although he had to endure what is known as the downgrade debacle, no one called him or his ideas, asinine, or told him to grow up, or any other such ind, and necessary words.

 

One must be perfect to reach heaven of his own works.

No one is or can be perfect.

Imperfect man requires a perfect Savior.

Jesus Christ is the only perfect savior thus the only way to heaven.

Romans 10:9&10

(Of course there are usually questions the person asks about the points)

 

Nice, simple and clear. Sometimes it comes to this. We would like to say more but there are times that a tight presentation has to suffice.

 

The gospel is as old as Eden but is more developed under the New Covenant. The born again hear the gospel no matter how detailed. Abraham heard it in the promise. And Paul details the promise. Jesus says whoever believes has eternal life. If you believe it without conjuring up a decision to accept it, you have eternal life.

 

But then one has to summarize the Good News, and that was done long ago with The Apostle's Creed.

 

The religious and lost believe somethings of gospel, but do not believe or understand correctly in that gospel, trusting in their own works, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Matthew 7:21-23.

Mark 16:16, Romans 10:9 & Romans 10:13.

 

Correct. All works based beliefs are based on self righteousness, rather than Jesus alone.

 

What can possibly be better than salvation-

In salvation, man is no longer alienated from God

 

Matthew 5:20 —-> “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

 

Jesus is not speaking of a righteousness that we can attain through our works but rather an alien righteousness that comes from outside ourselves. Paul describes this perfectly in Romans 3:

Romans 3:21-26 "21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." (emphasis mine)

See then that true righteousness is the righteousness of God and comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

 

And ". . . There is none righteous, no, not one: . . ." -- Romans 3:10. ". . .For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. " -- James 2:10.

 

The word gospel appears 104 times in the Bible. That’s 13 x 8, so we must be careful.
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 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.
It wasn’t the gospel of Jesus Christ that was preached to the Jews in the wilderness. They had another gospel.


The good/glad tidings [news] will be different according to the situation. Good news are not always the same.
The good news during Noah’s day was that the rain would cease.
The good news during Elijah’s day was that the rain would come.
These opposing news were both good tidings [gospel] but they were specific to their day.
Likewise, the word gospel means different things in different ages because good news are defined differently depending on the situation. Let’s take for example:

 

What Jesus said: ---> “For I tell you, unless YOUR righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 5:20

What Jesus DID NOT SAY: ---> “For I tell you, unless the righteousness I WILL IMPUTE TO YOU exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”