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What is the Gospel?
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 What is the Gospel?First up is John MacArthur: youtu.be Video is 8:14 |
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youtu.be Video is 11:35 |
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“No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:16-17) The Gospel of John separates the Law from the Gospel: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) The Apostle Paul chastises the Galatians for trying to earn their salvation by works when they already had it through belief Jesus Christ is the Messiah and faith in Him. “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3) “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21) “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26) IMO, Christians look to live lives that are pleasing to God, not because they might lose their salvation, but out of gratitude, respect and love for Christ and what He did for them. A married couple does the same, imo. They don’t behave in ways that please their spouse because they’re worried about a divorce - they do so out of respect and love for their spouse. IMO, in the rare instances when the Apostle Paul linked behavior with salvation, he was talking to people who either weren’t saved or who had no understanding of what Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross and consequently had no respect or love for Him. If they were Christians, they likely were very young in the faith - Paul, who was not young in the faith, in Romans 7 talked about his struggles to do what’s right and not do what’s wrong, and, in Galatians, talked about the struggle between the Spirit and flesh. Does any Christian think Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, lost his salvation? |
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youtu.be Good interview! |
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“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.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) youtu.be Video is 8:58 (This video was the first place I heard of the Catholic church’s practice of “indulgences” in the Middle Ages, which Martin Luther rightfully condemned as exploitative and corrupt. Not the only non-Biblical practice of the Catholic church, some of which still persist today. Link below is to an article entitled “Are Catholic beliefs and practices Biblical?”) www.gotquestions.org |
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<<Thanks to the support of our Gospel Partner subscribers, we were able to make this 8-hour audio recording of powerful healing scriptures available for free on YouTube. In just 3 weeks, this video has reached over 700k views, and we've received so many testimonies of people experiencing their healing breakthroughs as they played Healing Scriptures on repeat 🔁💥 Here are some of the testimonies we love: I played this last night while I slept, and felt God is protecting my sleep. No more nightmares at 3 a.m. Feeling so happy and rejuvenated with God's love now. I have bought this audio before but now this can be played 8-hr non-stop. This is great! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord. Thank you Pastor Prince. God bless your ministry forever! 😇😇 —Shannon Hallelujah! The Word of God is powerful. When I woke up from my sleep, I found for the first time that my breathing disorder had disappeared and my stiff tongue was soft. This was a symptom that I could not improve with all my efforts and gave up and forgotten. It was actually dissolved in God’s words. Thank you and praise the Lord Jesus Christ, all glory to the Lord! God's Word—there is no language barrier. Keep listening, keep listening! —A T I have had knee pain for more than a week from a previous injury that occurred years ago. My knees swelled up and I haven’t been able to walk well for the last week and a half. It also hurts when I lay down. I started listening to this video and declared that I am healed. I have prayed plenty of times for this healing but tonight I felt that if I let this video of God’s Word play throughout the night that I will be healed by the morning. It’s 4 a.m. and my knee does not hurt. The swelling went down. And I declare that I am healed in Jesus' name. Thank you Jesus for your finished work. And thank you, Pastor Prince, for being obedient to God. —Valerie J. Aren’t these stories beautiful? There is truly so much power in hearing the Word of God! Beloved, if you're trusting God for a healing breakthrough today, we really want to encourage you to listen to Healing Scriptures on YouTube. May you be refreshed as you let the Word of God wash over you ❤️ We can’t wait for you to receive your breakthrough and share your testimony with us! Love, Serena The Gospel Partner Team>> youtu.be BTW, I purchased the “Healing Scriptures” audio CD a couple of years ago (it’s not eight hours) and it’s been an invaluable resource for me in overcoming illness. Here are a few of my favorite verses from it: <<I am the Lord that healeth thee. I will restore health unto thee and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord. You have rescued me from death. You have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence O God in your life-giving light. I will be your God throughout your lifetime until your hair is white with age. I made you and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. Thou art my hiding place. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble. Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust and the chewing locust. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings. And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health. Call on me when you are in trouble and I will rescue you and you will give me glory. Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.>> Not sure of the book, chapter and verse of those scriptures ‘cause they weren’t given on the cd and I didn’t look them up. But they are great healing verses and here are eight healing verses I recite aloud when I need healing. The *spoken* Word of God has power! “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.” (Jeremiah 17:14) “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11) “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) “Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” (Matthew 8:17b) “O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.” (Psalm 30:2) “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.” (Psalm 103:1-5) |
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“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” (1 Peter 1:24-25) |
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"What Is the Gospel?" - A Clue From Romans 8:7 Romans 8:7 The Gospel does not present what natural man wants, but what he needs, and the Gospel awakens an intense resentment as well as an intense craving. Why should the thing which upsets my peace be preached? I am living a simple, healthy, pagan life. My life does not spit through my creed and ridecule me, why should I be faced with an ideal which makes me know how tantalizingly short I come of it? At first the Gospel instead of being attractive is the opposite. The natural heart does not want the Gospel. We will take God's blessings and lovingkindnesses, but when it comes to the need of having the desposition of my soul altered, we find there is opposition at once. When we come down to close quarters and God's Spirit tells us we must give up the right to ourselves to Jesus Christ and let him rule, then we understand what Paul meant when he said the carnal mind, which resides in the heart, "is 'ENMITY AGAINST GOD'. From "Still Higher For His Highest" - May 17 |
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That sounds suspiciously like a works-based salvation, and verses pertaining to salvation that I’m aware of speak only of belief in Jesus Christ (that He is the Messiah or Saviour of the World) and in His Resurrection as necessary for salvation. Yes, a sincere belief in Jesus Christ leads to someone’s past, present and future sins being forgiven and the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit within him or her. And God’s Holy Spirit will change a believer’s heart (his attitude and desires) over time. But even the Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament, struggled to do what’s right and not do what’s wrong long after he became a Christian and spoke of his struggles in Romans 7. I only bring all this up because it sounds like your post is suggesting a works-based salvation or a salvation that is contingent on a believer’s actions, and I disagree with both. I think people resist the Gospel due to pride - they think they’re good people and worthy of Heaven based on their own efforts, works and lifestyle, not realizing no one (except Jesus Christ) comes close to meeting God’s standard of sinless perfection. That’s why human beings will never be able to earn their way into Heaven. Where “works” fit into salvation, imo, is as evidence of salvation (not a requirement for it.) Someone who believes in Jesus Christ and receives God’s Holy Spirit as a permanent possession will be changed - and all for the better. In the beginning of Romans 8, we see what may be the greatest verse in the Bible: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) (ESV) I’m quoting the English Standard Version here instead of the King James Version because most Bible scholars agree the clause attached at the end of Romans 8:1 in the KJV was not in the Apostle Paul’s original writing but was added by a scribe. Nevertheless, here’s an explanation of Romans 8:1 - not only is our salvation based entirely on our belief in Jesus Christ, our salvation is forever secure. <<What does Romans 8:1 mean? Romans 8 is one of the most powerful and popular chapters in all the Bible. In it, Paul describes with great detail what it means to live as Christian, both now and for eternity. The chapter begins, as well, with one of the most comforting statements in all the Bible. The previous chapter ended with Paul crying out in frustration about his wretchedness and asking who would deliver him from his "body of death." He answered by giving thanks "to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:25). Now he states absolutely why the gospel is such good news for all who believe. The Greek words translated as "there is therefore now no," as in the ESV, are very emphatic. The literal phrasing is Ouden ara nyn katakrima, which accomplishes two things. First, it ties this statement to the claim made in Romans 7:25, according to the word "therefore." Second, it definitively states a permanent, present, and complete lack of "condemnation," from a Greek word meaning "a sentence" or "penalty." In crystal-clear language, the Bible indicates there is absolutely no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. None. Zero. Paul's statement leaves no room for even a tiny bit of condemnation to sneak in. In short, if you are "in Christ Jesus," God will never, ever condemn you for any sin whatsoever. The condition of this statement, however, is crucial: salvation is for those who place their faith in Christ (Romans 3:23–26). There is no other way (Acts 4:12), and those who reject this salvation will not be rescued from condemnation (John 3:18). How can this be? Paul has already built the case in chapters 3—5 of this letter to the Romans. When we place our faith in Christ, God so closely identifies us with His Son that He gives us credit for Jesus' sinless, righteous life, and He accepts Jesus' death as payment for our death-deserving sin. Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21: "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." So if God is judging us on the basis of Jesus' righteousness, how could we ever be condemned? God would never condemn Jesus, so He will never condemn those who are seen by God as being in Christ. And how do we come to be "in Christ"? Only by faith (Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:8–9).>> www.bibleref.com |
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“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:7-9) If anything, Romans 8:7-9 speaks of the futility of relying on self-effort and good works to get into Heaven. People who have not believed in Christ are in the flesh and cannot please God. People who have believed in Christ have received God’s Holy Spirit and are His. The rejoinder often given by critics of a Grace-based salvation (which is Biblical) is that it gives people license to sin, but that’s not the reality. After I became a Christian, the degree to which I sinned plummeted. I just had no interest in sinful activities I used to be involved in - it’s not that I was struggling not to do them, I just had no interest in them. And my attitude and how I responded to problems changed too. But I’ve been pretty heavily into The Word (handwriting the Bible) for around the last four years and I try to pray daily. I only mention this because I think the Holy Spirit’s influence in a believer’s life is strengthened by regular fellowship with God through reading the Bible and prayer. |
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Gospel Is Not Encapsulated To A Single Bible Verse Also, Andrew, if you would please look at the devotional above again, I think we could AGREE with the writer that we are looking at the issues involved with SANCTIFICATION. Oh, definitely, God will honor and bless any sincere heart who calls out to Him (c/f; Jeremiah 29:13). As I understand what God asks of anyone desiring a relationship with him, is above all singleness of the heart and humility; c/f Micah 6:8). |
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Another Portrait of What God is Looking For One is definitely a good example of what NOT to do |
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I agree in that many Bible verses regarding salvation say essentially the same thing. And I believe the Apostle Paul gave a sermon (the only full sermon of his in the Bible, if I’m not mistaken) in Acts 13 in which he says essentially the same thing. <<But if such a verse exists, I have to believe it is Romans 10:10.>> Romans 10:9 and 10:10 go together, I think. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) <<Also, Andrew, if you would please look at the devotional above again, I think we could AGREE with the writer that we are looking at the issues involved with SANCTIFICATION.>> If you look at the verses immediately following Romans 8:7, I think it’s clear Paul is referring in verse 7 to unbelievers: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:7-9) If verse 7 is referring to believers, I think that would require verse 8 to refer to believers. And, based on what Paul wrote in verse 9, I think that would require one to believe God’s Holy Spirit either does not indwell believers or leaves believers at certain times only to return later, neither of which is consistent with the New Testament (though it is consistent with the Old Testament - what comes to mind is after King David commits adultery with Bathsheba and then has Bathsheba’s husband killed, he tells God not to take His Holy Spirit from him.) “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (Psalm 51:11) I think in the Old Testament, God’s Holy Spirit was not a permanent possession of believers, but in the New Testament, God’s Holy Spirit is a permanent possession of believers. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17) <<Oh, definitely, God will honor and bless any sincere heart who calls out to Him (c/f; Jeremiah 29:13). As I understand what God asks of anyone desiring a relationship with him, is above all singleness of the heart and humility; c/f Micah 6:8).>> I think what God desires is someone to believe in His Son. “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40) |
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Luke 18:13 is a parable about two attitudes which people may exhibit when they worship. One is definitely a good example of what NOT to do>> Absolutely! I quoted that parable in a thread on what Jesus Christ said about prayer: “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14) |
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I thought I read years ago that Islam says a Muslim has to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his life as a requirement for salvation, but the Muslim man didn’t say that. I oughta look up what’s required for salvation in Islam to see if my memory’s off on that. youtu.be Video is 5:23 |
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But apparently, the Muslim man in the video was right in saying that no Muslim knows before physical death if he’s going to Heaven (the sources I saw said the only way a Muslim knows for sure that he’s going to Heaven is if he dies in jihad, which the first dictionary definition I saw online described as “a struggle or fight against the enemies of Islam.”) www.google.com Christians, on the other hand, know they are going to Heaven. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:11-13) |
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Check out these verses… “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) (NKJV) (I think the NKJV is clearer than the KJV on this verse.) “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10) (This is a Messianic prophecy written around 700 B.C. that was fulfilled in the New Covenant.) By telling Christians they’re not Christians if they think they’re good people, Ray Comfort is (imo) contradicting the Bible and blaspheming because God’s Holy Spirit indwells every believer. That said, I have no idea if the guy in this video whom Ray Comfort interviewed is a believer because he didn’t seem to be aware of the New Covenant. But Ray Comfort has told Christians they’re not good people in prior videos, and, in this video, he openly says around 8:14 that someone is not a Christian if he thinks he’s a good person. A Christian’s sins aren’t forgiven at the point of physical death; they’re forgiven at the point of salvation. Ray says that himself. So if a Christian’s past, present and future sins are all forgiven at the point of salvation (when he or she believes in Jesus Christ and receives God’s Holy Spirit) why does Ray Comfort tell them they’re not good people? I agree they’re not good people based on themselves and their actions, that they’re only good because of Christ. But all Christians have Christ (Romans 8:9) so they’re good people. youtu.be But I admire Ray’s chutzpah in telling a guy with a dragon tattoo on his head that he’s not a good person lol. |
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“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5-6) |
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What is the Gospel? |
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“Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:1-12) |
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When Jesus Christ begins His ministry, Jews are beholden to the Mosaic Law - the Ten Commandments and the 600+ other laws in Leviticus (and also the Pharisees’ man-made rules and traditions.) Beginning with the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5 through 7 in the Gospel of Matthew,) Jesus begins to shift the Jews’ focus and attention away from obedience to the Mosaic Law and onto the condition of their hearts and spiritual condition - and to introduce them to the idea of connecting with God and viewing Him as a loving Father. Further in the Gospels, Jesus sums up the Law and prophets in two commandments and demonstrates the impossibility of man keeping the Law (imo this should have been at least partially evident to the Jews because of all the sacrifices to atone for sins they had to do.) Anyway, those two commandments were: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40) Earlier, Jesus had redefined adultery as including looking on a woman with lust (because that was committing adultery in the heart) and murder as hating another man (because that was committing murder in the heart.) Jesus (imo) was teaching that righteousness (right standing before God) could not come by keeping the Law. And beginning 700 years earlier, God, speaking through the prophets, said He had grown weary of the Jews’ insincere sacrifices and observances of holy days and festivals… “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” (Isaiah 1:11-15) …and would institute a New Covenant: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33) “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27) The idea that Jesus Christ would take away sins by a sacrificial death and justify those who could never be justified by the Mosaic Law was in the book of Isaiah, written around 700 B.C.: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6) “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:10-11) And I think John the Baptist was the first to recognize (and announce) Jesus’ ultimate purpose in his earthly ministry: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) Further into the Gospels, Jesus begins to directly speak the Gospel and how men and women under the New Covenant would be saved: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25) “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47) “And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:23-24) The Apostle Paul, who received the Gospel by revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12) amplified what was written in Isaiah and in Jesus’ statements, and I believe Paul preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not (as some claim) a different gospel. Because if men and women become righteous before God by keeping the Law, how is that different from the Old Covenant? And I think Jesus (and later Paul) were clear in saying the Old Covenant and New Covenant (that is, the Law and Grace) cannot be mixed: “No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:16-17) And the Apostle John separates the Law and Grace in the first chapter of his Gospel - and truth is on the side of Grace: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) And the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke says the birth of Jesus Christ is a cause for joy and celebration: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:8-11) If after Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, crucifixion and Resurrection, man still had to obey the Mosaic Law - only with ramped-up definitions of adultery and murder - how does that represent good tidings of great joy? How could He be a Saviour? |
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youtu.be Video is 4:31 |
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“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) (NKJV) “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10) <<Joseph Prince - The Root Cause Of Your Problem Is Condemnation>> youtu.be |
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Gotta love the open hearts and minds he encounters in this video youtu.be |
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But Ray Comfort is (in this video) leading others to a saving knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ. I believe salvation comes as a result of planting and watering. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9) I believe God works with us to accomplish His purposes. Does He have to? Of course not. But I believe He does - and I believe when we (Christians) come to the Judgment Seat of Christ we might well be surprised by how how many souls we have saved. Truth is, I would be honored (with God, of course) to have saved one. |
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Great conversation. youtu.be Video is 7:58 |
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<<Diana Had Planned To End His Life. God Intervened>> youtu.be Video is 9:24 |
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youtu.be This may be the best evidence-based and Bible-based synopsis of Christianity that I’ve seen (not that I’ve seen that many.) Video is 23:31 but well worth watching, imo. Unfortunately (for me) the man speaks in Arabic, but the subtitles stay on the screen long enough to be read. From the video description: <<ANSWERING THE MUSLIM CLERICS - How can Jesus be the Son of God? Muslims may find it strange when they hear the term "Son of God" because it seems as if God somehow has a mistress or a wife! Carlos explains how God Himself appeared in the flesh as an expression of the invisible God who was made visible to all by Christ, “the Son of God.” The Messiah has a divine nature, but became man for one reason: the redemption of our souls for our salvation.>> |
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“God Miraculously Saved Her. She Came Back To Say This” youtu.be Video is 8:17 |
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