A Different View of the Gospel

[james1523]

The classical sin/repentance/belief-centric "get into heaven" gospel is not really God's view of what the gospel is. From our point of view, the gospel is about being forgiven of our sins, escaping hell and judgement, having a home in heaven when we die, and even receiving good gifts such as the Holy Spirit. However in God's view, according to Matthew 22:1-14, the gospel is His invitation to a great feast.


If we observe the life of Christ in Scripture we will find that Jesus seemed to spend a lot of his time eating and drinking with people, so much so that He was accused of being gluttonous (Matt 11:19). If someone were to ask what is Jesus's life was about, some may say it's about doing good and working miracles, others may say it's about living a life of suffering, others may say its about living a perfect life and obeying the commandments to the full, however we could say that Jesus's life was about "eating and drinking".


It is significant that Jesus's first recorded miracle was at a wedding feast (John 2:1-11). At this wedding feast, He turned water into wine, and a very good wine too. Jesus's first recorded miracle, was not about casting out demons or healing the sick or forgiving a person's sins, but about increasing the enjoyment of a feast. It is as if Jesus was saying through this miracle, "your enjoyment of this wedding will eventually run out, but I can give you life more abundantly, I can give you a long-lasting enjoyment and feasting that is even better than the one you have had before". Jesus wants to take the plain-tasting and unsatisfying water of our human life, and turn it into the very best wine. This is essentially the Gospel.


We can see from the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5-7), that Zacchaeus's joyful reception of Christ (verse 6) led to his repentance and salvation. Jesus never told this man "you have broken God's Holy Law, you are a sinner, you have cheated all these people and you must pay them back, repent and believe or you will go to Hell". The principle here, is that our repentance and belief, can be a response to God's invitation to a great feast, and I believe that is how God views our repentance and belief - as a response to His invitation to a great feast, and not merely as a way by which we can have our own needs met.


After converstion, the apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 5:8 that the Christian life is about keeping a feast:
1 Cor 5:8
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


This refers to the Feast of unleavened bread which is a continuation of the passover (Exo 12:15-20). Being a shadow of the New Testament, this signifies our life from our conversion to the day we go to Heaven, and is a long feast kept with sincerity and truth. The unleavened bread signifies our new creation in Christ. In other words, we must live according to our new creation in Christ, not our old creation (2 Cor 5:17), which is walking and living in the Spirit of Christ (Gal 5:25, Rom 8). The Christian life is meant to be a life of feasting, full of contentment, satisfaction, enjoyment, riches and abundant life in the Holy Spirit. The outcome of such a life is sincerity, truth, love, and all the attributes of Christ, and this is the fine linen which makes us ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-9).

At the end of the Bible, is the result of the Gospel, which is the marriage supper of the Lamb:
Rev 19:7-9
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.


This feasting is not only a private matter, the communion we observe is a type of feasting (1 Cor 10:21). We should go to church not because there is a rule that says "go to church", or because of any other reason (e.g. social reasons), but we go to keep the feast and continue the Passover, not merely in a physically outward way, but in a spiritual way. Some denominations have made it a solemn ritual or "sacrifice", others treat it only as a private act of remembrance or observation, some denominations ignore it altogether or only observe communion once in a while. The true Biblical significance of communion is a corporate feasting on the Body and Blood of Christ (spiritual, not physical), a continuation of the Passover feast.

 

[grandmamary1219]

From an article on GotQuestions.org addressing the question "What are the essentials of the gospel message?" this is the concluding paragraph:

These, then, are the essential elements of the gospel: the sin of all men, the death of Christ on the cross to pay for those sins, the resurrection of Christ to provide life everlasting for those who follow Him, and the offer of the free gift of salvation to all.

Read more at GotQuestions.org

This article agrees with what I have always been taught about the gospel message. In this OP, I don't see any of these essentials of the gospel message. Where does this information come from. What is its source?

 

[grandmamary1219]

Do not accept another gospel, Church!

From the Bible

Galatians 1 NIV

1 Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me

TO THE CHURCHES IN GALATIA

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

NO OTHER GOSPEL

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel 7 which is no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 I want you to know brothers and sisters that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

16 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles -- only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me.

 

[james1523]

From an article on GotQuestions dot org addressing the question "What are the essentials of the gospel message?" this is the concluding paragraph:



This article agrees with what I have always been taught about the gospel message. In this OP, I don't see any of these essentials of the gospel message. Where does this information come from. What is its source?

The source is the bible particularly Matthew 22:1-14, Rev 19:7-9 and is related to the old testament shadow of the feast of unleavened bread, following passover. Here the gospel is presented as an invitation to a wedding feast, rather than as an escape from hellfire. Those that gotquestions mentions are the essential and necessary elements of the gospel of grace. This view of the gospel is not wrong but it is not complete - the full gospel goes further into why God saves people and what is His destiny for them. So that people are not merely given a ticket to heaven, but also a life filled with destiny and purpose. People need to know that God has invited them to a wedding banquet, and this is an occasion to celebrate and be thankful, and also to live a worthy life (Matt 22:3). Jesus and Paul preached the gospel of the kingdom (not just the gospel of grace). That is, God's will is not only to save people into heaven but also to save them into a kingdom to rule over them as Lord and King, and they must be obedient to the kingdom they were saved into. Why does God save people? From God's point of view, the gospel is also about bringing many sons into glory (Heb 2:10, Rom 8:30), and bringing them to a wedding feast - not just about saving them from hell and getting into heaven. The converts to the gospel of grace of repentance and belief will think that getting into heaven is all they need to do. When in fact God's purpose for them is to prepare them for glorification and to participate in the wedding feast at the end of the age (Revelation 19). This full gospel is the one that was revealed to Paul and the one that he preached concerning man's predestination, calling, justification and glorification (Romans 8:28-30). The "Gotquestions" gospel is only addressing the justification aspect. We also need to know about glorification so that we live a proper life and prepare ourselves for the coming wedding feast, lest we be denied entry (not having a wedding garment, Matt 22:12-13, Rev 19:7-9).

 

[james1523]

Do not accept another gospel, Church!

From the Bible

Galatians 1 NIV

1 Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- 2 and all the brothers and sisters with me

TO THE CHURCHES IN GALATIA

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

NO OTHER GOSPEL

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel 7 which is no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse!

10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 I want you to know brothers and sisters that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

16 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles -- only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.

21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me.

Before we talk about "other gospels" we should be clear about what the gospel is. Those in Churchianity only know the "four spiritual laws" gospel and can preach it in about 1 minute straight. This is the "fast food" gospel designed for quick-conversions and tent crusades. It's not a wrong gospel it's just an incomplete one. However the gospel that Jesus and Paul preached was the gospel of the kingdom (Matt 22:14, Matt 4:23, Acts 28-30-31) and it takes up to 40 days to preach the full gospel in its entirety. This gospel is not just about the salvation of an individual's soul, but also the restoration of all things, including the overthrow of nations and the restored kingdom of David, and God's purpose for the church in all of that. We know this because that's how about much time Jesus spent teaching about it before he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3). I used to think the gospel was that small little "how to be saved" booklet I used to read and pray to receive Jesus into my heart. Then I discovered that the gospel is much more and encompasses the majority of the New Testament. The fast food gospel stops at having sins forgiven and going to heaven when you die. Just like fast food it is not as spiritually nourishing as the full gospel. The full gospel is also about new identity in Christ, consecration, sanctification, conformation, transformation, glorification, heavenly riches, authority, inheritance, participation (ruling and reigning with Christ over cities/nations), and habitation in a heavenly city (the New Jerusalem, literally Heaven on Earth, Gotquestions.org has a good article about that). If we were to cover all of these matters it would take up to 40 days. In summary, the "fast food" gospel is man-centric and individualistic, focussing solely on man's needs. However the full gospel is God-centric and corporate, focussing on God's desire to having many sons like Christ, restore the whole earth, and dwell with mankind on earth in the city of the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:3).

 

[grandmamary1219]

The Marriage of the Lamb and the Wedding Supper are our Blessed Hope for those of us who have been saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said he was going to prepare a place for us so that we could be with Him where He is, and that He would return for us to take us there. That is my Blessed Hope, but I have never been taught in terms of that being the gospel message! The gospel message (good news) is forgiveness of our sins through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus reconciling us with the Father so that we become heirs of Christ to the eternal kingdom.

I understand what you are saying.

 

[B-A-C]

The Bible talks about in the last days people will water down the scripture. ( Eph 4:14; 2Tim 4:3; )
Sin will no longer be called sin. Men will be lovers of themselves. 2 Tim 3:2-4; )
John the Baptist and Jesus preached REPENTANCE. ( Matt 3:8; Matt 3:11; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:8; Acts 13:24; Matt 3:2; Matt 4:17; Matt 7:21; Mark 9:47; etc...)
Repentance is required. Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5; Acts 2:38;
To become born again, a new man, a new creation in Christ we have to crucify (kill off) the old flesh and it's desires. ( Gal 5:24; )
Yes, Jesus died for our sins. Yes we are forgiven. But only if we repent and turn away from our old lifestyle.

 

[grandmamary1219]

This article hopefully clears up some points about salvation by faith alone. This is found at gotquestions.org

Question: "Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works?"

Answer: This is perhaps the most important question in all of Christian theology. This question is the cause of the Reformation, the split between the Protestant churches and Catholic Church. This question is a key difference between biblical Christianity and most of the “Christian” cults. Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works? Am I saved just by believing in Jesus, or do I have to believe in Jesus and do certain things?

The question of faith alone or faith plus works is made difficult by some hard-to-reconcile Bible passages. Compare Romans 3:28,5:1 and Galatians 3:24 with James 2:24. Some see a difference between Paul (salvation is by faith alone) and James (salvation is by faith plus works). Paul dogmatically says that justification is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9, while James appears to be saying that justification is by faith plus works. This apparent problem is answered by examining what exactly James is talking about. James is refuting the belief that a person can have faith without producing any good works (James 2:17-18). James is emphasizing the point that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and good works (James 2:20-26). James is not saying that justification is by faith plus works, but rather that a person who is truly justified by faith will have good works in his/her life. If a person claims to be a believer, but has no good works in his/her life, then he/she likely does not have genuine faith in Christ (James 2:14,17,20,26).

Paul says the same thing in his writings. The good fruit believers should have in their lives is listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Immediately after telling us that we are saved by faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9), Paul informs us that we were created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Paul expects just as much of a changed life as James does: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). James and Paul do not disagree in their teaching regarding salvation. They approach the same subject from different perspectives. Paul simply emphasized that justification is by faith alone while James put emphasis on the fact that genuine faith in Christ produces good works.

 

[grandmamary1219]

Question: "What is repentance and is it necessary for salvation?"

Answer: Many understand the term repentance to mean “turning from sin.” This is not the biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8-14; Acts 3:19). Acts 26:20 declares, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of action.

What, then, is the connection between repentance and salvation? The Book of Acts seems to especially focus on repentance in regards to salvation(Acts 2:38;3:19;11:18;17:30;20-21;26:20. To repent, in relation to salvation, is to change your mind in regard to Jesus Christ. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), he concludes with a call for the people to repent (Acts 2:38). Repent from what? Peter is calling the people who rejected Jesus (Acts 2:36) to change their minds about Him, to recognize that He is indeed “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Peter is calling the people to change their minds from rejection of Christ as the Messiah to faith in Him as both Messiah and Savior.

Repentance and faith can be understood as “two sides of the same coin.” It is impossible to place your faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior without first changing your mind about who He is and what He has done. Whether it is repentance from willful rejection or repentance from ignorance or disinterest, it is a change of mind. Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ.

It is crucially important that we understand repentance is not a work we do to earn salvation. No one can repent and come to God unless God pulls that person to Himself (John 6:44). Acts 5:32 and Acts 11:18 indicate that repentance is something God gives—it is only possible because of His grace. No one can repent unless God grants repentance. All of salvation, including repentance and faith, is a result of God drawing us, opening our eyes, and changing our hearts. God's longsuffering leads us to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), as does His kindness Romans 2:4.

While repentance is not a work that earns salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in works. It is impossible to truly and fully change your mind without that causing a change in action. In the Bible, repentance results in a change in behavior. That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). A person who has truly repented from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19-23; James 2:14-26). Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about Jesus Christ and turning to God in faith for salvation (Acts 3:19). Turning from sin is not the definition of repentance, but it is one of the results of genuine, faith-based repentance towards the Lord Jesus Christ.

This article is from Bible Questions Answered

 

[B-A-C]

Paul dogmatically says that justification is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9, while James appears to be saying that justification is by faith plus works.

One is how you get saved. The other is how you live after you are saved.
You can't do enough good works or deeds to save yourself. Period. All Protestants and some Catholics believe this.
However, some Protestants believe in faith alone after salvation However they believe you can still sin.
Some churches believe Jesus plus anything is wrong and that good works are unnecessary
Not even all protestants agree on how to live after you are saved. Some say no repentance or conversion is necessary.
Other say good works (James 2) good fruit (Matt 7:17-19 repentance and conversion are required.
Some churches everyone is everyone is going to heaven no matter what you believe. The Bible says most people won't make it. (Matt 7:13-14;
Not even everyone who thinks they are a Christian will be saved. (Matt 7:21; )
Hard core Calvinists will say if you are living a sinful lifestyle after you received Christ, you never were really saved in the first place. (What determines this sinful life if it isn't works?)
Still other say while works won't get you into heaven, sinful living can keep you out. (Matt 19:17

Even Paul says doing some things will keep you out of heaven. (1 Cor 6:9; Gal 5:21; etc.. )

 

[james1523]

We are all guests invited by God to the wedding of His Son Jesus Christ. This is how God views the gospel - as an invitation. God is calling many to attend this wedding feast but few will be chosen because they do not have the proper wedding garments (Matt 22:14). I believe that repentance and faith are necessary for salvation and are both a response to an invitation to the marriage of the lamb and the wedding feast. In this sense, repentance and faith are the wedding garments we must put on so that we can attend the wedding feast. Actually I'm not being precise here - the wedding garment is the righteousness of Christ, but we "put His righteousness on" by repentance and faith (strictly speaking, we don't put on His righteousness, we have Christ live in our heart who is our righteousness 1 Cor 1:30-31).Those without the wedding garments are thrown out (see Matthew 22:12-13). That is, those without Christ in their heart. So neither repentance or faith can be considered works. Repentance and faith are the way we receive Christ into our heart as a response to His knocking on the door of our heart, and because He is in our heart, He is our righteousness and He is the righteous wedding garment that makes us "properly dressed" to attend the wedding.

Contrary to what a number of people may think, you don't have to know God's law or the 10 commandments, to be saved, and you don't have to be told how much of a sinner you are, and you don't have to "try to repent" or "try to believe" because that is self-effort and works...you don't even have to know about heaven or hell to be saved..you don't even have to be clear about who Jesus is to be saved (e.g. Paul's conversion ), because we can't save ourselves by our own knowledge and our salvation does not depend upon how much mental knowledge and doctrine we have. Christ never preached to sinners in this way. In the case of Zaccheus, Christ's presence was enough. You only need Jesus Christ to come to you and live in your heart that's all you need. All we need is a heavenly encounter of Christ, as the apostle Paul had, and to receive the Holy Spirit.. the doctrine and head knowledge comes later (it came to Paul later by way of revelation)...but that is not what saves us - it's for saving others. People with all the right doctrine and knowledge, yet don't have Christ in their heart - are the ones without the wedding garment and are thrown out.

 

[Hekuran]

From God's point of view, the gospel is also about bringing many sons into glory (Heb 2:10, Rom 8:30), and bringing them to a wedding feast - not just about saving them from hell and getting into heaven. The converts to the gospel of grace of repentance and belief will think that getting into heaven is all they need to do. When in fact God's purpose for them is to prepare them for glorification and to participate in the wedding feast at the end of the age (Revelation 19). This full gospel is the one that was revealed to Paul and the one that he preached concerning man's predestination, calling, justification and glorification (Romans 8:28-30). The "Gotquestions" gospel is only addressing the justification aspect. We also need to know about glorification so that we live a proper life and prepare ourselves for the coming wedding feast, lest we be denied entry (not having a wedding garment, Matt 22:12-13, Rev 19:7-9).

Thanks for this James1523. It's caused me to go back and look at the four spiritual laws again. To be honest I was surprised at how little it resembles the way Jesus and the apostles talk about the gospel in the new testament. Neither Jesus, Paul, nor anybody else preaches the gospel beginning "God loves you and has a divine plan for your life".

In Acts 17 we get two outlines of Paul's gospel messages - one to a Jewish audience in Thessalonica, and to a non-Jewish audience in Athens. You would think that both were perfect opportunities to outline the four spiritual laws. Instead, to the Jews, Paul preached Jesus the Messiah who had suffer before rising from the dead. To the Athenians, his message is that God will judge the world by the man he has appointed - the one he has raised from the dead.

Nothing about a personal relationship with God, nothing about God's plan for our lives, nothing about getting into heaven. From a quick skim through Acts, the two themes that come up again and again when the gospel is preached are: Jesus is lord, exalted to the right hand of God. God raised Jesus from the dead in accordance with the scriptures. I am wondering why so little evangelism begins with "Jesus is Lord".

I looks to me like the four spiritual laws approach is a sugar lump in place of a good diet. It would be great if we could spent more time thinking through what the gospel really is.

 

[B-A-C]

Acts 17:22; So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects.
Acts 17:23; "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.
Acts 17:24; "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
Acts 17:25; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
Acts 17:26; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
Acts 17:27; that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;
Acts 17:28; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.'
Acts 17:29; "Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.
Acts 17:30; "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
Acts 17:31; because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."

It is about knowing God, it is about what WE do and how WE live.

Php 2:12; So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

1 Cor 9:27; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Php 3:11; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Php 3:12; Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13; Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

Jesus doesn't live in us to force us to act or believe certain things. When we sin, it's US sinning. Not Jesus living through us who is causing us to sin.

 

[TC4JC]

The bride isn't an invited guest to her wedding. She IS the wedding. Those that are invited are 'friends of the Bridegroom'.
I've never seen a wedding where the bride or the groom get invited to their own wedding. They are the one who invite.

 

[james1523]

The bride isn't an invited guest to her wedding. She IS the wedding. Those that are invited are 'friends of the Bridegroom'.
I've never seen a wedding where the bride or the groom get invited to their own wedding. They are the one who invite.

You are right but you have not recognized that we are not one or the other, we are "all of the above". We are both the guest and the bride (Rev 19:7-8, 21:2). We are also the children of the bridegroom (Matt 9:15). We are also the virgins going to meet the bridegroom (Matt 25:1-13). Going from guests to virgins to bride describes the successive stages of our spiritual growth in Christ. It describes the increasing degrees of love, unity, intimacy and fellowship we enjoy with Christ as our "husband". We are the bride of Christ only in a "to be in future" sense. Right now, we are either wise or foolish virgins.

 

[james1523]

Thanks for this James1523. It's caused me to go back and look at the four spiritual laws again. To be honest I was surprised at how little it resembles the way Jesus and the apostles talk about the gospel in the new testament. Neither Jesus, Paul, nor anybody else preaches the gospel beginning "God loves you and has a divine plan for your life".

In Acts 17 we get two outlines of Paul's gospel messages - one to a Jewish audience in Thessalonica, and to a non-Jewish audience in Athens. You would think that both were perfect opportunities to outline the four spiritual laws. Instead, to the Jews, Paul preached Jesus the Messiah who had suffer before rising from the dead. To the Athenians, his message is that God will judge the world by the man he has appointed - the one he has raised from the dead.

Nothing about a personal relationship with God, nothing about God's plan for our lives, nothing about getting into heaven. From a quick skim through Acts, the two themes that come up again and again when the gospel is preached are: Jesus is lord, exalted to the right hand of God. God raised Jesus from the dead in accordance with the scriptures. I am wondering why so little evangelism begins with "Jesus is Lord".

I looks to me like the four spiritual laws approach is a sugar lump in place of a good diet. It would be great if we could spent more time thinking through what the gospel really is.

Thankyou for sharing your thoughts. There are certainly aspects of the gospel that are even better good news than having sins forgiven and going to a place called heaven after we die. They include transformation and glorification to have the same kind of body that Christ has, our future inheritance and all of the heavenly riches (Eph 1:11-17), the ability to rule over nations and judge angels, and an eternal home with God on or floating above the earth (the New Jerusalem), the final defeat of Satan and the restoration of the entire earth (including God's solution to the problems of global warming, poverty, disease etc). The four spiritual laws has its purpose but we must be careful to say "that is the gospel", to the exclusion of the rest of the New Testament. The gospel is too magnificent to be constrained to a single verse as it so often is today (John 3:16), and does not even have to involve words. It would take up to 40 days to preach the gospel in its entirety (to attain the same level that the apostles had of it). In the new testament I believe the gospel was tailored to the audience to which it is spoken, and it does not have to involve words. For example Jesus knew that as the chief tax collector who cheated people, Zacchaeus had few friends (Luke 19:7). So Jesus's gospel message to him was "I must come to your house today" (verse 5). This gave Zacchaeus such joy ( verse 6), that led to his repentance and salvation (verse 8). Probably the other "gospel methods" would not have worked in the case of Zacchaeus. Jesus knew Zacchaeus's need, and Jesus met his need. The gospel is essential God wanting to meet mankind's needs. But not just to meet their needs (for friendship, salvation, healing etc), but to meet their needs with a defined plan and purpose (for God to have a Kingdom, defeat Satan and restore Heaven and Earth).

Many may disagree with me but I believe one doesn't have to know who Christ is to be saved. They only need to meet Christ. Plenty of people know who Christ is, but have never met him and are not saved. I don't think the apostle Paul knew who Christ was before his conversion, but he was saved after a miraculous encounter where he only knew (from a voice) that Jesus was the one he had been persecuting, and Paul must have thought that he was persecuting people, Christians, not Jesus. The understanding of who Christ was, came to Paul later, after his conversion. I read stories sometimes of how people came to Christ simply through a vision or dream - they did not know who He was, but somehow they were attracted and drawn to Him. Sometimes, the gospel was not even preached or spoken at all, Christ's visitation/presence is enough (e.g. the conversion of Paul, the conversion of Zacchaeus).

I believe the spoken/preached gospel was Christ-centric and framed around the kingdom gospel (e.g. that Jesus is Lord, he is exalted, Jesus is coming back and there will be a judgement day etc etc). This is different to the man-centric gospel spoken today e.g. "do you want to go to heaven when you die". The new testament gospel is about what God wants (God wants a kingdom, and to restore all things lost via the fall, not just man's salvation but salvation for the environment, animals, plants, atmosphere etc as well), the modern day gospel is mostly about what man wants (man wants to go to heaven because they are scared what may happen to them after death, they want to see passed family or friends, or they hate their life on earth).

 

[Hekuran]

I believe the spoken/preached gospel was Christ-centric and framed around the kingdom gospel (e.g. that Jesus is Lord, he is exalted, Jesus is coming back and there will be a judgement day etc etc). This is different to the man-centric gospel spoken today e.g. "do you want to go to heaven when you die". The new testament gospel is about what God wants (God wants a kingdom, and to restore all things lost via the fall, not just man's salvation but salvation for the environment, animals, plants, atmosphere etc as well), the modern day gospel is mostly about what man wants (man wants to go to heaven because they are scared what may happen to them after death, they want to see passed family or friends, or they hate their life on earth).

A Christ-centred gospel? Yes please!

In Romans 8 Paul mentions three groans which, I think, encapsulate true Christian hope.

We groan as we wait for our adoption to sonship - the redemption of our bodies
Creation groans in expectation of its release from decay
The Spirit wordlessly groans alongside us.

I understand that as the resurrection of our bodies and the new creation.