What IS the Gospel

[Gibs]

The call of the True Gospel preached does not lead to a do nothing to be saved for anyone.

Mr 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Joh 14:15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Only true love can keep them. Your love if true love is as His love and those commandments are now the transcript of your hearts desire to do. "they are in your heart". How many times have you heard it said, we can't keep those commandments. Not unless you have true love!

The way to salvation is not a do nothing, overcome nothing path to take.

Faith must be exercised that He in you and you can walk as He walked and you can go through that "strait" gate and stay on that narrow upward way. The old man has to be killed, the spirit broken, that He now is Master and your will is His will and your love His love, then He lifts you along that path.

We sure are saved by faith but by faith that works, He doesn't make you sinless that He may take you into the Kingdom, you must die of that. The old man must be killed, dead to sining.

Let's keep the Gospel message a saving Gospel, saved from past sin and saved from committing sin, "christ in you the hope of Glory" and you have the power needed.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Yes, only by the "faith that works by love" can we overcome. Gal.5:6. The love of God must be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Rom.5:5) That love is the same love that dwelt in the heart of the man Jesus of Nazareth through faith. That love is the gold tried in the fire of trial and temptation.

"The gold tried in the fire is faith that works by love. Only this can bring us into harmony with God. We may be active, we may do much work, but without love, such love as dwelt in the heart of Christ, we can never be numbered with the family of Heaven." C.O.L.158.

How do we obtain this most precious gift?

"God will accept everyone that comes to Him trusting wholly in the MERITS of a crucified Saviour. Love springs up in the heart. There may may no ecstasy of feeling, but there is an abiding, peaceful trust." 1 S.M.354.

Is it any wonder, then, that we read, "When we seek to gain Heaven through the MERITS of Christ, the soul makes progress." 1 S.M.364.

Thus "Living faith enables its possessor to lay hold on the merits of Christ, enables him to derive great comfort and satisfaction from the plan of salvation." Ibid.

This is the faith, then, that brings the Comforter that Jesus promised to send.

sky

[skyblue888]

All the religions of the world seek to gain Heaven through the merits of the creature. But the true people of God seek to Gain God's approval and blessing only through the merits of Jesus Christ.

"There is salvation for you but ONLY through the MERITS of Jesus Christ. The grace of the Holy Spirit has been offered to you again and again." T.M.97.

The grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted to enable us to do the works of God, works of obedience.

sky

[Woody]

Yes, a 10 year old can understand that:

he/she is a sinner

he/she deserves to be punished

Jesus took away his/her punishment

In a sentence:

Christ alone can save me, and Christ has saved me.

ThoroughlyFurnished.blogspot.com

Excellent

[born_again1]

When Jesus spoke to the rich young ruler about being born again, I think this is something that is not spoken about very much in the SDA church. When we live by the Spirit, the Spirit indwelling in us, we are new creatures. For me, being born again was not in an instant. Perhaps it is for some people. I don't know how God chooses to work in everyone's life, so I am inclined to believe that it is a different timeline for each of us. Some births take longer than others, even in the natural birthing process.

Living by the Spirit will produce the good works that God desires. We can do nothing of ourselves. I'm thinking of the song (while I'm typing) that goes...He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it.

The Gospel is simple, yet deep and wonderful at the same time.

[Ron Amnsn]

The definitions of the Gospel presented in this thread seem to be primarily dealing with only the initial personal aspect of "How do I get saved?". Many Christians treat the Bible as if this "How do I get saved?" topic were the central theme of the whole of Scriptures.

Isn't that a somewhat self-centered and unbalanced view of the Bible's message? Is the Bible about us, or is it about God? Certainly, one aspect of the Gospel is about how God provides personal salvation salvation for each one who accepts it. But is that the major thrust of Scripture?

I think what LynnDel said about it being the "Gospel of the Kingdom" is important. Only part of the Gospel is about how individuals become citizens of the Kingdom. What about the rest of the Gospel of the Kingdom? Who is the King? What is he like? On what is his throne established? What are the "Constitution" and laws of the Kingdom? How does a loyal citizen of the Kingdom behave? How is justice carried out? How is righteousness defined? How is authority delegated? By what calendar does the Kingdom function? When are the holidays of the Kingdom celebrated? What battles is the Kingdom engaged in? Who are the enemies of the Kingdom and what is the battle plan? What will victory look like? How can we recognize the soldiers in the Kingdom's host? What do they wear? What banner do they gather around? What do they avoid?

After the initial "How do I get saved?" question has been answered, what then?

In Jesus' prayer of John 17 he prays for unity among his followers, but instead Christians have created denominations to shut each other out. What other traditions of men have we rallied around instead of the Gospel?

[Windsor]

The definitions of the Gospel presented in this thread seem to be primarily dealing with only the initial personal aspect of "How do I get saved?". Many Christians treat the Bible as if this "How do I get saved?" topic were the central theme of the whole of Scriptures.

Isn't that a somewhat self-centered and unbalanced view of the Bible's message? Is the Bible about us, or is it about God? Certainly, one aspect of the Gospel is about how God provides personal salvation salvation for each one who accepts it. But is that the major thrust of Scripture?

I think what LynnDel said about it being the "Gospel of the Kingdom" is important. Only part of the Gospel is about how individuals become citizens of the Kingdom. What about the rest of the Gospel of the Kingdom? Who is the King? What is he like? On what is his throne established? What are the "Constitution" and laws of the Kingdom? How does a loyal citizen of the Kingdom behave? How is justice carried out? How is righteousness defined? How is authority delegated? By what calendar does the Kingdom function? When are the holidays of the Kingdom celebrated? What battles is the Kingdom engaged in? Who are the enemies of the Kingdom and what is the battle plan? What will victory look like? How can we recognize the soldiers in the Kingdom's host? What do they wear? What banner do they gather around? What do they avoid?

After the initial "How do I get saved?" question has been answered, what then?

In Jesus' prayer of John 17 he prays for unity among his followers, but instead Christians have created denominations to shut each other out. What other traditions of men have we rallied around instead of the Gospel?

What you are scratching on the surface of is what the true gospel is - God's character.

[skyblue888]

I wholeheartedly agree. It is a very important aspect of the Gospel. It is very important that we understand the character of God, the nature of His government and the principles of His dealing with sin for "In order to endure the trial that is before us... we can honor Him only as we have a right conception of His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them." The Great Controversy,593.

This could prove to be a difficult task for most of us simply because "... tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the teaching of the bible concerning the character of God, the nature of His government, and the principles of His dealing with sin." G.C.492.

It will prove a difficult task even for Seventh-day Adventists who profess to believe present truth as the following statement shows:

"The understanding of the people of God has been blinded, for Satan has misrepresented the character of God. Our good and gracious Lord has been presented before the people clothed in the attributes of Satan, and men and women who have been seeking the truth, have so long regarded God in a false light that it is difficult to dispel the cloud that obscures His glory from their view." 1 S.M.355.

Because tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the teaching of the Bible concerning the character of God, the nature of His government, and the principles of His dealing with men, it is next to impossible for us Seventh-day Adventists to accept the following statement:

"God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown... The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan." G.C.36.

This is the first principle of God's dealing with men, that He does not stand toward the sinner as the executioner of the sentence against transgression. If accepted it will help us understand what the Scriptures mean when we read that God did this or that He did that when speaking of the work of punishing or destroying. Only as we accept this revealed principle will be able to receive and appreciate the following words:

"I was shown that Satan would entangle and destroy, if he could, the souls he had tempted. God will bear long, but there is a limit to His mercy, a line which marks His mercy and His justice. I was shown that the judgments of God would not come directly out from the Lord upon them, but in this way: they place themselves beyond His protection. He warns, corrects, reproves, and points out the only path of safety; then, if these who have been the objects of His special care follow their own course, independent of the Spirit of God, after repeated warnings, if they chose their own way, then He does not commission His angels to prevent Satan's decided attacks upon them." EGW, Manuscript Releases, Vol.14,3.1.

One example that stands out in the Bible is the case of the death of Saul, the first king of Israel. He died in battle by falling upon his sword. He chose this way of death rather than being defiled by the Philistines. His armor bearer refused to kill him, so He killed Himself. 1 Chronicles 10:4. However in verse 14 we read these words, "God slew Saul and turned the kingdom over to David."

God was not the executioner in the death of Saul. Saul forfeited God's protection and he was left to reap that which he had sown. He was left with no power to control the evil passions of the soul and with no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan.

This is how God slew him.

Unless we get familiar with this language and understand the principles of interpretation as revealed in His word and in the SoP, we shall never be able to come to a true understanding of the character of God, the nature of His government and the principles of His dealing with men which are ever the same. (G.C.343)

How is that for a start?

sky

[skyblue888]

I was going to write, first, that we become citizens of the Kingdom by appropriating to ourselves the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.

"Through the virtue of His merits, He gives us power to become members of the Royal Family, children of the Heavenly King." Our Father Cares,120.

But I was not able to cause the time to edit was expired.

sky

[Gibs]

For one thing the Gospel is the truth of salvation or it isn't the gospel. The most that can be said of it if it isn't the true, it is a lying gospel that takes it's adherents to the pit.

Of course salvation and the gospel of the kingdom is not the full topic of the Bible but if it has never come to fruitition in one what good is the rest to him. The poor soul has lost all as all else to be realized in this world is nothing. The only thing we can reap out of it is His Salvation for us.

For sure we don't want to waste our time or His. When we vie for His Salvation for us, He works with us that we may reach the standard of which He says few will.

But to hear the new modern theology will there be any lost in any denominational church? Well see if there is anything much difference in any of them. Oh Yes it is said "we are one". Sure one in what? The false gospel of course that will save no one unless they find for themselves the truth of it.

You hear stuff like the law don't matter no more. If it is not in your heart and your love the same as His, one will never be one of His. Love is the fulfilling of the law, don't even have to know it or have read it if you have TRUE LOVE.

SDA's have no excuse as the best councilor on this subject wrote reams of the truth of it but is being made of non effect anymore as she predicted her testimonies would be.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Gibs, someone correctly stated that besides understanding the condition of entrance into the kingdom of God, it is also important that we understand God's character. I posted something which I believe is very pertinent to the topic. I was expecting you to comment. Are you going to?

sky

[Gibs]

The character of God is revealed in the 10 commandments, God is Love and those 10 are the transcript of Love and God. The first 4 is our due to Him as the Great Creator, Redeemer and more. That's why he stated, Joh 14:15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And, 1Jo 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

And then we know to know Him is to Love Him, and then John states, 1Jo 2:3 ¶ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1Jo 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

To know Him is to also have those 10 commandments our own transcript. Many say "I love Him" and prove they do not. TRUE LOVE is the fulfilling of those 4 to God and 6 to our fellow man. It is merely a law of Love who is God.

Man's definition of love is far from God's definition of love. Ro 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. To read that law is just a pretty good definition from God of love.

Joh 3:16 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.

Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

His Great Love is revealed thoughout the whole Bible, also defines what is His Love.

His Love is endless as He is but He cannot save any in sin. Love must destroy sin or it wouldn't be Love.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Yes the law is a transcript of His character and love is the fulfillment of the law. Rom.13:10.

But that is not what I was hoping you would comment upon. I meant for you to weigh in on the statements I have quoted in post #555617

sky

[Gibs]

I guess Sky I missed catching what you would like me to comment on. I see you look to the merits of Christ. Yes that I see too and they are imparted to us when our hearts are readied. We must be in earnest to please Him and to do His Will.

Becoming partakers of His divine nature, we are to learn to discern the temptations of Satan, and, in the strength of His grace, overcome the corruptions that are in the world through lust. He who was once a sinful human being may be refined and purified through the imparted merits of Christ, and stand before his fellow men as a laborer together with God. To the earnest seeker after God, the divine nature will surely be imparted, the compassion of Christ will certainly be vouchsafed. . . . {TDG 151.4}

(vouchsafed is to grant or give in a condescending manner.)

Satan is working with all his ingenuity to sidetrack souls. What shall we do? Let us believe that the Lord is willing to raise up and strengthen the weak. {TDG 151.5}

Compromise must not be allowed on the issue of the truth of salvation or the true gospel message. Many years ago Joe Crews a stalwart SDA Minister saw "creeping compromise" coming in on these and wrote a book on it. It stemed the tide of it some and now it is no longer a creeping compromise but is what rules in what is preached.

It is plain and clear to the truth seeker that we have no excuse to continue in sin. We are deciding our own destiny to destruction. It is clear He must destroy sin. And it is also clear He made it easy for all to overcome it that He need not do the strange act of Love, destroy you in sin.

Eze 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

It is clear the non overcomer will be in the second resurrection. To tell any, any different would be a lie.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Gibs, your emphasis is on overcoming. This is to be commended. But I find that you put little emphasis on the how. Of course it is "Christ in you the hope of glory" but Christ will not be in us the hope of overcoming and reflecting His character unless we make it our life business to look to Him and to accept His merits which it is our privilege to claim. (T.M.93) The SoP clearly makes that crystal clear, that unless we daily apply to the merits of Christ we cannot be saved, we cannot stand unscathed amid the fire of temptation and trial. (F.W.86,87)

So the emphasis should be on the "how" we can attain to righteousness more than on what is expected of us.

sky :)

[Gibs]

Sky,

Really I've made it very plain but most will not do it. The merits of Christ are imparted of course, but not unless we do something after His drawing us to Him. That something is falling on Jesus the Rock and being broken, humbled of self pride and our will. We must become malleable clay in our potters hands or He will not come in and take up abode in us and be the overcoming master and power we need to be overcomers. The old man must die that He can make of us a new man in Him. We then become His building with our cooperation.

Attaining to righteousness is what is expected of us, we can't come close to that unless we have died and come up a new man strengthened by Him. Everyone these days wants to compromise on what our part is and it just can't be done.. Any compromise is completely out of the question. Salvation only is His way and FEW He has let us know will find it. The mule in a man must be broken to not be rebellious all the time but willing all the time to do and heed the masters voice and will.

This "new age theology and false gospel saved in sin has very deep roots and hard to get pulled and in most cases will not, because of not willing to be broken. Coo, cco, coo is all you hear but no following our great exemplar.

Sow nothing, do nothing, reap nothing!

Sin is a destroying weed that must be dug out in this time as when we are resurrected it will still be in the heart and soul and the second resurrection will be the prize.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[skyblue888]

Gibs, it is the righteousness of Christ that is to be imputed and imparted to us. The merits of Christ are the means by which this is to be accomplished. We must daily apply to the merits of Christ if there is any hope for His righteousness to be imputed and imparted to us. (F.W.86)

Mrs. White has made this quite clear. She speaks of "the faith that lays right hold upon the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour to bring Christ's righteousness into your life. Clothed with the righteousness of Christ and not your own righteousness, you will not depend upon what you can do or what you will do," (F.W.65,66) for "Christ's righteousness accomplishes everything," (F.W.27) as it is "made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God." T.M.92.

"Righteousness is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness. This the sinner owes to the law, but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way he can ATTAIN to RIGHTEOUSNESS--obedience to the law--is through FAITH. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ." F.W.101.

There is no condition except that we present our case--helpless case-before God pleading the merits of the blood shed for us upon Calvary's cross. (F.W.105)

This is the faith that opens before us all the treasures of God's grace.

sky

[Woody]

It's a sad day in Christianity - when the question is posed - What is the Gospel? ANd we have to have a long list of EGW quotes soley in answer to it. Surely it should not be that complicated of a question.

<Partial credit to CoA for his determined effort to bring us back to scriptures.>

[cheddar]

It's a sad day in Christianity - when the question is posed - What is the Gospel? ANd we have to have a long list of EGW quotes soley in answer to it. Surely it should not be that complicated of a question.

Really! Gibs keeps derailing every thread with his works regimen gospel.

He would be a good spokesman for Nike – ‘just do it’

I could see him wearing LeBron’s new t-shirt – ‘Earned not given’ which is the perfect catch-phrase for his false gospel.

The good news of the gospel is that all mankind has been saved and it is offered to all as a FREE gift. It’s a shame that so few believe it.

[Gibs]

cheddar,

You seem to lay aside the truth of the matter for a it is just handed to me and I can continue in sin.

No to continue in sin will reap you what you have sown. Death.

Eze 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

You are refusing to take what He gives you to obtain eternal life.

You will not surrender and be broken. Self, your will, pride and your spirit broken falling on Jesus the Rock. The old man must be killed daily and you are a new creature with Him now as your master, you are not your own, you are His and His Will is now your will and your love has become as His Love. Those commandments are now your love to do as is His.

Ro 6:1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Ro 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Ro 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Ro 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Ro 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Ro 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

All, not just Cheddar, Hear ye the word of God, it is not just believe and you are saved continuing in sin. Sin must be killed in you, He will help you to do it but if he was going to do it all He would have done that and wouldn't have needed to come and die.

You are playing for keeps here so wake up and live, it is His Way and not man's way in sin! His way is your victory over sining.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

[Samie]

Good points, Robert, in your post #553050. Sadly, it is laced with a potent poison, making the whole lot poisoned and therefore anti-Gospel (I highlighted the poison part in red):

...

Because God created man with a free will, Christ’s identity with us has to be reciprocal to make the legal justification He obtained for all men effective individually. This is what justification by faith is all about. Faith is the channel or instrument by which the believer accepts his or her united with Christ and Him crucified (Galatians 2:19, 20). This two-sided union — You in Christ and Christ in you — is what constitutes true Christianity and man’s only hope of salvation: standing legally just before God’s holy law [Romans 10:4].

The poison part tells us, UNLESS MAN RECIPROCATES the legal justification Christ obtained for all men, that justification cannot become effective individually.

Scriptures say we had been JUSTIFIED FREELY by Faith OF Christ (Rom 3:24; Gal 2:16). A person, by Faith IN Christ, needs to believe he has been and is being justified, instead of he must first believe so that he can be justified.

How can justification be FREE when "reciprocating" is needed and required before it can be yours?

[Robert]

It's a sad day in Christianity - when the question is posed - What is the Gospel? ANd we have to have a long list of EGW quotes soley in answer to it. Surely it should not be that complicated of a question.

Again, the gospel is what Christ did in our humanity, 2000 years ago. If any of you think you can add to Christ's perfect work then you belong to the antichrist.

[Robert]

How can justification be FREE when "reciprocating" is needed and required before it can be yours?

God justified all men by Christ's doing & dying....That happened 2000 years ago. But since agape can't force, we need to accept that truth in whatever light that comes to us....

[cheddar]

cheddar,

You seem to lay aside the truth of the matter for a it is just handed to me and I can continue in sin.

No to continue in sin will reap you what you have sown. Death.

You’re the one continuing in sin – with your unbelief of truth.

The good news is that Jesus has saved all men (i.e. every man, woman and child who has ever lived) and even if you don’t believe that and it’ still a fact.

You have no good news to offer the unwashed masses – what’s your good news? If we maintain some level of legalistic performance then somehow we’re saved. That sounds like crappy news to me.

Your old covenant logic is so easy to beat. I can do it with one question.

Gibs, are you saved today? That’s a yes or no question so no EGW quotes required.

Someone who actually has a relationship with Jesus Christ can answer that question easily. Someone who trusts in the ten commandments will have a hard time answering yes to that.

So what is it, are you saved or not?

[Samie]

Originally Posted By: Samie

How can justification be FREE when "reciprocating" is needed and required before it can be yours?

God justified all men by Christ's doing & dying....That happened 2000 years ago. But since agape can't force, we need to accept that truth in whatever light that comes to us....

So, if one does not accept God justified him 2000 years ago, the justification God did for him becomes ineffective that's why "reciprocating" is required? If your answer is Yes, then your teaching is anti-gospel.

What God had done can NOT, by any human, be undone.

We have all been justified and are being justified: there remains no reason why we cannot become overcomers. If anyone does not overcome and ends up being rewarded with God's wrath and ultimately the lake of fire, he has no one else to blame, but his own self. Not that the justification done for him became ineffective, rather, it is because despite his being justified and is always being justified, he still REFUSED to become an overcomer.