1:16-17). For being so crucial, there is much mystery and confusion surrounding it. Matthew 4:4But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. . While gospel is often found alone, it is very often modified by various terms that focus on a particular aspect of the gospel. It is proclaimed in all its fullness in the revelation given in the New Testament. And so, it's not one or the other, it's not a nice sentiment that God loves you and he wants to overcome sin. And just the way that our family really defines who we are and whether we like it or not, we're oftentimes defined by our family, by our father. What is more important, the death of Christ or His resurrection? The same question applies to us today. The story about Jesus life is of great matter. Furthermore, the things that are written in the Bible are events that happened in history. Two Christians can talk about the gospel and yet be talking about two different things. What we know about Paul comes from two extraordinary sources. And the good news, the thing that has that high octane pop in life that can be life-transforming and give people hope. Here, we can therefore conclude that the early church must have a good reason to give him the authorship of the book. The crucifixion of Jesus was a notable event. Other statements of Papius were also used to validate the authorship of the other gospels which we will discuss below. Jeremiah 23:29Is not My word like fire? declares the Lord, and like a hammer which shatters a rock? The Gospels are your most important resource in a study of Christianity. If God has been doing some pruning in your life lately, know that it isnt to tear you down or make your life miserable. The gospel is not only a message of salvation but also the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works (Romans 1:16). We pray that the Lord would refocus our minds and hearts on the truth of the gospel. And what the Gospel does is it redefines us as people and gives us a place to find meaning and find significance. Christ died for your sins, is the theological gospel proclamation message. It is modified by various descriptive phrases, such as, the gospel of God (Mk 1:14, ASV; Rom 15:16), the gospel of Jesus Christ, (Mk 1:1; I Cor 9:12), the gospel of his Son (Rom 1:9), the gospel of the kingdom (Mt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14), the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24), the gospel of the glory of Christ (II Cor 4:4, ASV), the gospel of peace (Eph 6:15), an eternal gospel (Rev 14:6, RSV). Jul 07, 2023. 1:9). As a message, the gospel is a witness to the historical work of God in the person and work of Christ for which the right words are crucial. He compiled the gospel for a man named Theophilus. Actually, the central ingredient of the gospel message is a two-fold confession: (1) Christ died for our sins and (2) He was raised on the third day. 4:13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would inherit the world was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. So, if the early church was not sure about who was the author of this certain book, then why would someone like him be chosen as the best possible candidate? He suffered as a sacrifice for sin, overcame death, and now offers a share in His triumph to all who will accept it. The Great Commission is the foundation for evangelism and cross-cultural missions work in Christian theology. words are to enter men's hearts and bear fruit, they must be the right words shaped cunningly to pass mens defenses and explode silently and effectually within their minds.. Because of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, we all have hope of eternal life. The term is often used to express collectively the gospel doctrines; and 'preaching the gospel' is often used to include not only the proclaiming of the good tidings, but the teaching men how to avail themselves of the offer of salvation, the declaring of all the truths, precepts, promises, and threatenings of Christianity." Check out our list of Bible story videos. The reality of sin needs to be acknowledged by all who approach the throne of God for salvation. 1. 1:5). Rylie Fine is a freelance writer and editor. Note that Paul described this as of first importancea phrase that stresses priority, not time. Words can be very eloquent, persuasive, and entertaining and they may move people emotionally and intellectually, but such can not save them and bring them into the family of God (see 1 Cor. Meanwhile, in the book of Matthew, his name remained as Matthew itself. Here are some reasons why God gave four Gospels instead of just one: 1) To give a more complete picture of Christ. Some Christian scholars state that the authors of the Gospels who we know as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John may not be the ones who wrote these books. These questions include whats written in the Four Gospels. So the Gospel undercuts that and says, "You belong to your father and you belong to a new family." Its a Loving Relationship with One Another. This is why the four Gospels are also known as The Good News. We will be using this gospel bridge over the next several weeks to see where the Big Words of the Bible fit into the picture. (3) The gospel of the kingdom (Matt. The textual evidence also pointed to someone like him. Theology presupposes Christian faith, which is an affective response to Christ, and which requires "confidence and assurance of heart" ( Institutes 3.2.33). Only one thing can be of first importance to each of us. Christian scholars argue that the names or titles of the four gospels are just a recent invention or innovation. This is why the four Gospels are also known as "The Good News". Because of this, there is some doubt about the authorship of the gospels. You have discovered that the Christian life is not a playground, it is a battleground. When we learn how to harmonize the events in the four gospels, we will be able to discover more. Having a very bad day? With the main character, several plots, themes, and settings, the four gospels can also be considered a good narrative in literature. Christians regard the Gospels as the Word of God and often treat them with more awe and reverence than other parts of the Bible. They believe that the early church was known to have established these titles around the mid to late second century. All rights reserved. The stress is on the centrality of these truths to the gospel message. Without it, one can only pity Jesus as a dead martyr whose lofty ideals were sadly misunderstood. Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. What Is the Gospel and Why Is it Good News? ), 6 Reasons Why Im So Excited to Be a Christian in 2023, Movieguide Warns Parents: 'Don't Take Your Daughter to See, A Prayer to Be Happy for Others - Your Daily Prayer - July 15, 10 Things You Should Know about Christian Meditation, 4 Changes to Make if You Struggle with People-Pleasing, A Sabbath Day Prayer for the Weary - Your Daily Prayer - July 16. The other verses which used the name Levi for the tax collector were paralleled in Matthew 9:9. 4 Unless otherwise note, all quotations are from the NET Bible www.bible.org. Consequently, Mark did nothing wrong when he wrote down some individual items just as he (Peter) related them from memory. However, those were not definitive pieces of evidence. Like Jell-O, concepts assume the molds of the words into which they are poured. Having four different records of the gospel shows consistency with His word. According to him, he wrote down the things which he did not saw in person yet were researched to the best of his knowledge. It was because (1) by the faith in the gospel they became Christians. Some people believe that the four gospels somehow contradicted each other. Bu t there is always a reason for everything that God made to be. The Spirit of God, as the third person of the Trinity, is called the Spirit of Truth because of His role in taking the truth of the Word and revealing it to men (see John 14:17; 15;26; 16:8-13; 1 John 4:6; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. To truly be saved, we . The fact that He was buried verified His death, and the fact that He appeared to others verified His resurrection. And because it has been traditionally attributed to four authors, the Christian community has adopted these beliefs. And in them, the traditions and descriptions of the Jewish community during that certain period of time are accurately depicted. There were some scholars who placed Lazarus and Thomas as the probable author of the said book. In Christ you are pure. By telling the . 4:13-16, emphasis mine). All Right Reserved. Furthermore, the gospel does not come simply in words. But he was the one who compiled it according to Peters word. The Bible Says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The OT was Jesus's only Scripture and makes up three-fourths (75.55 percent) of our Bible. This verse has one promise with three parts. See also the apostles comment in 1 Thessalonians 2:13. We are called to repent of our sins and believe in Christ ( Isaiah 30:15; Jeremiah 31:19; Matt. Thats why Paul says in Romans 8:1, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. This is why the gospel message is critical. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. God Created Man to Honor, Serve and Fellowship with Him.. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1. Entertain your kids with our collection of timeless Christian songs. And thats exactly what he did. And that really does change everything. Note that in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the first four verses define the gospel. Colors fade. Hence, God did not just give us a single record. And (2) they could not serve God apart from preaching the gospel to the world. They contain the salvation of the world and how we can partake in it. These four books of the Bible are known to be named after their authors. Despite these, some are still doubtful of the certainty of Johns authorship. Therefore, a lot of people had the chance to witness and write about it. There is a difference between past and present skeptics. For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. 3:5; Heb. 12:9-11). Paul and his associates knew they were indwelt by the Spirit as their helper or enabler for ministry (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7f; Acts 1:8). Satan is a liar, but God is the One who gives us truth. In short, the Gospel is the sum total of the saving truth as God has communicated it to lost humanity as it is revealed in the person of His Son and in the Holy Scriptures, the Bible. From the very early days of the church, it has faced the problem of those who wanted to add some form of works to the message of grace. 3) Because We Are God's Spokespeople. First, we should never guess the intention of God for we know that He will do good for those who love him (Romans 8:28). The resurrection culminates the passion narrative in all four Gospels because it is at the center of redemption itself. If a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer has to learn a technical vocabulary to do his job, how much more important it is for us who have an eternity in view! The resurrection of Jesus is important for several reasons. For instance, Paul says in Romans 1:16-17, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is Gods power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. He did it for a man named Theophilus. 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and following a different gospel 1:7 not that there is another gospel; but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. When you understand Bible Doctrine; what it means to be justified, what it means to be sanctified, what propitiation means and then appropriate these truths into your own life, then you grow and mature in life in the Christian life. It begins with the prophecy concerning the `seed of the woman' (Genesis 3:15), and the promise concerning Abraham, in whom all the nations should be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 15:5) and also indicated in Acts 10:43 and in the argument in Romans 4. If it was spoken would you be able to understand it? For Paul, his gospel included such matters as justification by faith (3-5), sanctification through the Spirit (6-8), and Gods future for Israel (9-11). It made sense to everyone in the room except for the patient. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.. And so what we find there is it's not just the beginning of the Christian life, it's not just the come down front and make a decision about somebody or something. This will often involve us in opposition (1 Thess. But what does saturation mean? History Of The Bible's Four Gospels. 2:1ff). The Good News of the New Testament, Pruning Season - Greg Laurie Devotion - July 17, 2023. Others hail Him as a great prophet who . Gods wrath is great, but so is his love. 1:10 Am I now trying to gain the approval of people or of God? In fact, the gospel gathers together all the truths that are found in Romans. Also, the details that have been presented have been verified by historical records. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. We must tell people the whole truth. When we understand the key words of the Christian life, then we know that the Christian life is, and what God has done for us, and what God wants to do for us. Interestingly, as an apostle, Matthew was mentioned lesser than the others. 13:54; 14:2; 1 Cor. Hence, it is important that we consider its context based on the current society at that time. In the New Testament, the various modifiers bring out some aspect of the gospel that is being stressed in the context and is a part of the good news of what God offers us in Christ. (Romans 4:25) Justification means to "be put right with." Because of our sin, humanity is cut off from a right relationship with God (Romans 6:28, Isaiah 59:2). But in this gospel, the author claimed that he was an eyewitness. The Word of God is light, it enables us to see. The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon term god-spell, meaning "good story," a . 4:23; 9:35; 24:14) is the good news that God will establish His kingdom on earth through the two advents of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Is it Important to Remember That Jesus Was Jewish? But if we will consider the religious context and the different perspectives of the authors, we can see that there are no contradictions in the four gospels. It contains the exciting history of the first thirty years of the Church. Yet scholastic philosophy, with its "endless labyrinths" and "obscure definitions", has "drawn a veil over Christ to hide him" ( Institutes 3.2.2). The gospel never loses its relevance in our lives. in social ethics from the University of . In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the apostle Paul summarizes the most basic ingredients of the gospel message, namely, the death, burial, resurrection, and appearances of the resurrected Christ. 2:13). The life-changing message of Jesus. He is known to have allegedly written one of the four gospels, the Book of Matthew. If we tell people just to accept a few facts about Jesus, or to choose a relationship with him without getting to the deeper issue of repentance and trust in his finished work, then we have not done them any good. 53:8-10) and by such awesome historical evidence as the empty tomb and the eye witnesses. According to the Scriptures, the disciple whom Jesus loved had a close tie with Peter. To say the least, it is impossible for one person to remember all of these clearly and be able to write them down. 21:6; 22:17; Rom. (2) The gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24) emphasizes that salvation in all of its aspects is on the basis of grace rather than on some meritorious system of works. The more we think about the grace of God, how costly our atonement was, and how loving and kind Jesus is, the more God will shape us into the likeness of Jesus. The Bible is the foundation of Christianity. But there are some matters that need to be cleared. The gospel is good news because it is a gift of God, not something that must be earned by penance or by self-improvement (Jn 3:16; Rom 5:811; II Cor 5:1419; Tit 2:1114).3. J. Who has not been stabbed awake by the use of a particular word or combination of words? It was known that this gospel is written by the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:24). Rom. Pauls use of the term gospel is very broad, including all the truths about Christ in the Old Testament and the New Testament. "Proverbs 14:12, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us,"Titus3:5a, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. If there is no atonement, there is no salvation. Read a transcript of this video by Justin Holcomb about the Gospel below: The gospel isn't just nice, vacuous words that are sentimental. Just as one man sinned and brought judgment upon all who came after him, one man would pay the sin debt and offer salvation to anyone who would turn away from their sin. Why does it matter that Jesus rose from the dead? The preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly. It was more organized a trait that can be noticed to be possessed by a tax collector. And it's not just going back to the historical, that happened historically but tying those together. In Acts 1:8, Jesus had prescribed that the apostles would be His "witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Note four lessons: A. When man chose to disobey God, the result was death. Over the next 5 weeks we will be looking at several Big Words of the Bible: that will clarify the gospel. The words of the gospel, strong enough for the most hard hearted, satisfying for the intelligent, soft enough for those bruised by this world, perfectly crafted to cunningly pass mens defense and explode silently and effectually with their minds. Another Greek bishop named Ireneus mentioned something about how Matthew wrote a version of the gospel in their own language (Hebrew). When you are going through a period of despondency and discouragement , you will be able to reach into your armory of weapons and fight the Devil. What do we pray for? God the Son, the second person of the Trinity, left his place in heaven and took on human flesh. Learning about the four Gospels means learning about Jesus Christ. Some may wonder why God allowed 4 accounts of Jesus life to be recorded. We must receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. What Are The Four Gospels and Why Are They Important? Although there are claims that disputed him as the author, there was no other probable writer that fits the evidence stated in ancient texts. All these preachings have the same way of transitioning and end with a marker phrase When Jesus had finished saying these things "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. 4 Beautiful Things That Can Happen When Life Doesn't Go How We Planned, Biblical Truths about Sexual Orientation and Gender, 20 Reasons Marriages Fail (Christian Marriages, Too), This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. First, we need to remember the power of the gospel. Anything that elicits a spiritual feeling? As Christians, we should be able to defend our faith by knowing the doctrines of Christianity thoroughly. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. Job 23:12I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Again, this is a good news of deliverance from sins penalty, power and presence through the two advents of Christ. Thus, may we with the apostle be under divine compulsion to proclaim it (1 Cor. One of the beautiful and joyful aspects of the message of salvation in Christ that makes it such good news is the element of grace (Acts 20:24). We begin this process by understanding what the gospel is. It is also found, although obscurely, in the Old Testament. And only by that gospel will we be changed. But that did not happen because the Spirit of God guided them. Hence, the way they interpret some details might differ. Now, let's return again to more choice words from the pen of Solomon. The word sometimes stands for the record of the life of our Lord (Mark 1:1), embracing all His teachings, as in Acts 20:24. In the Greek New Testament, gospel is the translation of the Greek noun euangelion (occurring 76 times) good news, and the verb euangelizo (occurring 54 times), meaning to bring or announce good news. Both words are derived from the noun angelos, messenger. In classical Greek, an euangelos was one who brought a message of victory or other political or personal news that caused joy. Like modeling clay, people often create Christ to be the way they desire while leaving out parts they do not specifically want. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas. It is the message of the good news of salvation, the word of truth offered to mankind by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus Himself said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John14:6, In order to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you must repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ alone as the only hope of eternal life. But "a word fitly spoken" endures. We're putting those two things together. We can choose to listen to worship music instead of other music that is not necessarily bad but is not spiritually engaging. That's very important to make we're not just giving people sentiment, but we're also not just turning them into historians. There is little information about him, as hes only mentioned a total of 7 times in the Bible. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. It has a constituency of more than two billion believers. It is important that you and I understand the words in the Word of God as weapons to fight battles. Theres so much trouble happening in the world right now. But the word "gospel" now has a peculiar use and describes primarily the message which Christianity announces. Its possible to grow in knowledge and not grow in grace. It is, this changes everything in the history of the world or we look like fools. Christ died as the historical announcement. We must make sure that we are learning the things that God wants us to know. Live Now | Online Holy Mass/ "the Pilgrim's Mass" - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 09, 2023 - 9:30am. The author of the four books never introduced themselves. If the salvation offered to us were dependent on our merit or our ability to keep the law, it would not be good news because of our sinfulness and complete inability to keep the law or any kind of righteous principles as a means of our justification or right standing with God. Man has always had a problem with grace and this is easily seen in the book of Acts. Those 4 books namely; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, capture the life and teachings of Jesus, t. Knowing that God has a "perfect plan" not only provides certainty . Fitly spoken words are right words . 153 was neither significant nor symbolic yet the writer of this gospel choose to specify it. Many believed that the gospel of Mark was the primary source of the other gospels due to his close relationship with apostle Peter who was assumed to be aware of Jesuss works. Can Loved Ones in Heaven Look Down on You? These books can stand alone to reveal the important part of Jesus life that is crucial to our salvation. Although the Bible is a compilation of different books from different authors, it has been compiled for one reason. And even to those who do not believe in God, a plausible explanation can still be given. Scott Rae. Acts 20:32And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. If theres anything in life that we should be passionate about, its the gospel. Why should I believe in Christs resurrection? Some punch like a jab to the jaw, others comfort like a down pillow, still others threaten like the cold steel barrel of a .38 Smith and Wesson. When I worked in the hospital as a cardiac cath-lab technician we had a certain lingo, a jargon, a vernacular that was familiar to all the techs, nurses and docs in the lab. But this difference could also be circumstantial. How much more important it is for us who are trying to win lost souls to know these Bible words and use them the way God wants us to use them. The word sometimes stands for the record of the life of our Lord ( Mark 1:1 ), embracing all His teachings, as in Acts 20:24. In faith, we believe that everything written inside the bible was guided by the Holy Spirit. Romans 16:25 demonstrates that sanctification truth (Romans 6-8) was part of Pauls gospel; Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel (italics added). This is because the meaning of each story and verse deeply relies on how the culture and norms of the said society. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus" (. Another circumstantial evidence that we can relate to this is the statement that was made by Papias of Hierapolis. The mission of Faith Baptist Church is to glorify God by winning people to Jesus Christ and equipping them to be more faithful disciples. If He does not have such power, He is not worthy . And we need to know, and this is what the Apostle Paul said, that if he didn't rise from the dead we're the most pitied. We can be confident that God will be faithful to help us when we ask him. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. The fact that God offers us salvation from sins penalty and power with the glorious promise that this will one day result in the glorious reign of Christ on earth with sin, death, and Satan as vanquished foes is glorious news to be sure. In Christ you are loved. Thinking clearly about conversion will result in clear thinking on the Gospel. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." That both the noun and the verb are used so extensively in the New Testament demonstrate how it developed a distinctly Christian use and emphasis because of the glorious news announced to mankind of salvation and victory over sin and death that God offers to all people through the person and accomplished work of Jesus Christ on the cross as proven by His resurrection, ascension, and session at Gods right hand.
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