Parent Category (Food for Thought [David Vine])
 


The Gospel of God – Part 5

In part 4 we said we want to think about God, God who revealed Himself.

God has revealed Himself in a number of ways.

He is revealed to all humanity in four main ways.

  1. He is the Creator of everything, and everyone is left without excuse.

    “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful….. Romans 1:20”.
     
  2. He is known in every man’s conscience.

    “When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing them witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them, Romans 2:14,15”.

    These two revelations are what is described as general revelation. The following two are specific revelation, God’s written word and God’s living word.
     
  3. The Bible.

    The Bible is not available to everyone yet, but is very widely available nonetheless, and is God’s written revelation of Himself. The Bible is God’s spoken word to humanity. We have the incredible privilege of reading our Bible and by the inspirational work of the Holy Spirit God will reveal Himself to us. We should make sure we are taking every opportunity to discover Him in this way!

    “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work, 2 Timothy 3:16,17”.
    “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105.
    “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your judgments. Psalm 119:97-102
     
  4. Jesus Christ.

    Jesus is the complete and final revelation of God to humanity. We discover, and can come to God, the Father, through Him. Jesus Christ is God’s living Word to humanity.

    “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name that they. Hebrews 1:1-4”.
     

The Gospel of God – Part 4

I have chosen to entitle this series the gospel of God to firmly place the emphasis on God.

What is the essential message of the gospel?

The word gospel means good news.
Why is the gospel good news? To whom is it good news?
Is it so that we might feel better about ourselves having received good news?
Is the Christian message, portrayed in the gospel, about me being blessed and helped to build up my self-esteem?
Isn’t the gospel helpful in me finding peace and meaning in life?
Isn’t it all about the love of God to man(kind)?
Isn’t it about me finding my true potential, my personal fulfilment?

What does the gospel tell us about mankind in relation to God?

Let’s remind ourselves before going any further that we are thinking about the gospel of God.

The gospel is God’s revelation of Himself. It is about His self-disclosure, and why He chose to do that.

So in the Gospel of God part 5 we will go right back to the beginning and think about God.


The Gospel of God – Part 3

Here Paul calls the true gospel “the gospel of Christ”.

“There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ”. Galatians 1:7.

In other places in the New Testament it is called the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark 1:1”.
“Those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 1:8”.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, Romans 1:16”.

In the gospel writings it is the phrase “the gospel of the kingdom” that we read of.

I believe the greatest title is the gospel of God. This comes seven times in the New Testament. Here are some occurrences:

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, separated to the gospel of God, Romans 1:1”.
“That I might be a minister of Jesus Christ,… ministering the gospel of God…. Romans 15:16”.
“Even after we had suffered … we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God….
1 Thessalonians 2:2”.
“We were well pleased to impart to you, not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us, 1 Thessalonians 2:8”.
“What will be the end be of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17”.


The Gospel of God – Part 2

The “gospels” preached by men, and even angels, carry serious consequences to those preaching them, as they are not received through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul says he was not taught the gospel, even though he advanced in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries. He says it did not originate with man. Galatians 1:11.

Paul’s remarkable claim is that he received the true gospel by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The true gospel came from revelation to Paul resulting in revelation in him. Galatians 1:12,15,16.

“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11,13.


The Gospel of God – Part 1

We are living in days when the “Christian” church is speaking about many gospels. They are all man-centred. Some of them are easier to recognise than others and therein lies the snare to true believers. There is the prosperity gospel, the word of faith gospel, the “name it and claim it” gospel, to name but a few more identifiable ones.

From the earliest days of the church alternative gospels have emerged to draw away the Lord’s people. We are warned in Paul’s letter to the Galatians – probably the earliest New Testament letter to be written – about a “different” gospel, that Paul preached against.

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another: but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Galatians 1:6,7.

At the end of Paul’s life he is still warning the churches of the dangers of false teachers.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers: and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3,4.