Which Gospel? When and Where?
The Romans to whom Paul wrote the Roman letter had a
faith, in something. But they were not established and so Paul was eager to
preach THE GOSPEL to them that are at Rome also. We know that they did have
faith, in something, because Paul thanks God for it:
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ
for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
So we saw that they had a faith, but it was not a
mutual faith. In other words the faith of the Romans must not have been the same
as that of Paul, because of what he said.
Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart
unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
Romans 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together
with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
The Romans obviously believe THE GOSPEL OF GOD but
they have never heard Paul's gospel, THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Paul identifies the
gospel of God in the first four verses as the testimony of God pertaining to His
Son, Jesus Christ, that can be found in old testament scriptures. Paul, never
having preached to the Romans before, and they never having heard Paul?s gospel
could not have had faith in it. Therefore their faith must undoubtedly have been
in what could have been known before the revelations given to Paul. Keep in mind
that the GOSPEL OF CHRIST is Paul?s gospel. Nobody else in the bible refers to
or claims to preach the gospel of Christ.
Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to
preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
So by way of the Roman letter, Paul puts things in
their minds which will establih them in the gospel of Christ, which is Paul's
gospel.
Romans 1:16 For I am
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
So, it's clear then, that the gospel of God is not
the same thing as the gospel of Christ. Well, if the gospel of God is not the
same thing as the gospel of Christ, then what is it? And just HOW MANY gospels
are there in the bible anyway? It's commonly taught that there is only one
gospel in the bible. That is to say, one message. The books of Matthew, Mark,
Luke and John are sometimes called the FOUR gospels but we all know that they
are basically four different accounts of the same thing, the earthly ministry of
Jesus Christ.
But contrary to
popular opinion, and contrary to the teaching of the majority of fundamental
Christianity, all news is not the same news. And that's what the word gospel
means, good news. So let's just take the terms as they appear in a King James
Bible, and get a BIBLE definition of each of the terms. We are not going to try
to fit the definitions to somebody's theological system. And if it happens that
the bible is contradictory to the major doctrine books, or the major "schools"
and so on, we will use the bible as the authority.
So, in this study we want to look, and find, what the
bible says specifically, about several different terms. Not that this will be an
alll inclusive list of all the good news you can find in the bible, but that the
terms we are going to look at are all used, not once, but on numerous occasions
in the bible. Here are those terms we want to look at:
1. The gospel of the Kingdom
2. The gospel of God
3. The gospel of Christ
4. The gospel of the grace of God
5. The everlasting gospel
But before we look at those terms, we want to look at
two more terms: The gospel of the uncircumcision and the gospel of the
circumcision. The reason we want to look at these two first is because these two
terms stand for a division in DOCTRINE. In other words, it's all God's church,
but there is more than one church in the bible. The bible shows that there are,
not one, but THREE churches. And the DOCTRINE to each of those three churches is
different. For instance, Moses had a church in the wilderness: Look at what
Stephen said about Moses:
Acts 7:37 This is
that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord
your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye
hear.
Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the
wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our
fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
So we know that there was a church in the wilderness,
as in the book of Exodus, and that Moses was the head of that church. Now look
what Jesus says in Matthew 16:
Matthew 16:15 He
saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I
say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Now when the Lord says "I WILL BUILD my church," I
know that the church he is GOING to build cannot be the SAME church that was
with Moses in the wilderness. Do you see that?
He says I will build my church, and we find that it
also has a name:
Acts 8:1 And Saul
was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution
against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad
throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Now the church which Moses was the leader of, the
church in the wilderness, is no longer in existence, and the Lord said I will
build my church, and the only church in existence since Matthew sixteen up until
the time Stephen is stoned to death in Acts chapter eight is the CHURCH WHICH
WAS AT JERUSALEM. It began with 12 men, the founding fathers, so to speak, and
it grew by 3,000 in Acts chapter two and by five thousand in Acts chapter
four.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all
the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be
saved.
So the church is AT JERUSALEM. Notice also that it
doesn't say that 8,000 people got saved and JOINED the church. It says the Lord
added to the church daily, such as SHOULD BE saved. And that SHOULD BE is the
operative phrase, because according to Peter, their sins would not be blotted
out until the second coming of Christ, as he says here:
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that
your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the
presence of the Lord.
Acts 3:20 And he
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Now that stands in contrast to what Paul said when
Paul reminded the Corinthians of the gospel he preached, and this is important,
because it's the difference between the gospel of the UNCIRCUMCISION and the
gospel of the CIRCUMCISION. Paul says
1 Corinthians 15:3
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Corinthians 15:4 And that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
People who believe THIS gospel, the gospel Paul
preached, are members of the THIRD church in the bible. The church, which is THE
BODY OF CHRIST.
Ephesians 1:22 And
hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things
to the church,
Ephesians 1:23 Which
is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
So you see, a CERTAIN doctrine was committed to Peter
and a certain DOCTRINE was committed to Paul:
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that
the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the
circumcision was unto Peter;
So by comparing what
Peter said with what Paul said, you can see the difference in the doctrine, and
by Galatians 2:7, you can see that one DOCTRINE was committed to Peter and
another to Paul. Paul calls it the "FORM of sound words." He tells
Timothy:
2 Timothy 1:13 Hold
fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love
which is in Christ Jesus.
Notice that Paul
says, "that thou hast heard of.." Who? Of me. Not the form of sound words that
thou hast heard of Peter, because there is no indication in the bible that
Timothy every heard Peter. So in Galatians 2:7 we see two DIFFERENT DOCTRINES
pertaining to salvation.
Now let's just
totally demolish the idea that there is only one gospel in the bible. I am going
to show you just a few verses here that clearly demonstrate AT LEAST FOUR
gospels. Four different messages that are not the same. Things that are
different, in the bible, are not the same. You should NEVER consider them to be
the same.
Galatians 1:6 I
marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel:
Galatians 1:7 Which
is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel
of Christ.
Galatians 1:8 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.
Now in those three verses alone, there are THREE
gospels. Three totally different messages. Notice that Paul says "the gospel
that we preached unto you." Well what did Paul preach to the Galatians? The
gospel of Christ. He says they are being removed to ANOTHER GOSPEL. What is that
other gospel? Well, it turns out to be the gospel Peter preached, sins blotted
out at the second coming of Christ. That's not the same as "Christ died for our
sins, and was raised again for our justification, believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and thou shalt be saved." But do you see anything else there? What
about ANY OTHER gospel. What about an angel from Heaven, preaching any other
gospel? Look at the book of Revelation:
Revelation 14:6 And
I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people,
Revelation 14:7
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his
judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the fountains of waters.
Well, that's not the
gospel that Paul preached, that Christ was JUDGED in our behalf, that God made
him to be sin for us, and there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus. It's
also not the gospel that Peter preached, "men of Israel repent that your sins
may be blotted out when Christ comes again."
So in Galatians chapter one, alone, you see not one,
but THREE GOSPELS. The gospel Paul preached, the gospel Peter preached, and the
gospel the Angel preached. There is also a FOURTH gospel in the book of
Galatians:
Galatians 3:8 And
the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed.
So, the gospel to
Abraham was that through him, that is, his seed, that all nations would be
blessed. So, once again, just because you see the word GOSPEL in the bible, it
doesn't mean that all gospels are the same gospel. Like we have said before,
that is a TERRIBLE BLUNDER by the religious system, one of the worst mistakes
they ever made.
Now, let's take the
GOSPELS in the order they appear in the bible. We have already looked at the
everlasting gospel in the book of Revelation. It's about the judgment of God and
it's preached by an angel from Heaven. No man even preaches that gospel, but
only the angel in the book of Revelation. So I think it's pretty clear that that
message is not a message for today. But in Matthew, is the first time you see
the phrase, the gospel of the Kingdom.
Matthew 4:23 And
Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the
gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of
disease among the people.
Matthew 9:35 And
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and
preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people.
Matthew 24:14 And
this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto
all nations; and then shall the end come.
So what is the gospel of the Kingdom? It's the good
news that the nation of Israel was promised the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth,
Jesus Christ has come on the scene, and the good news is that the kingdom of
Heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:14 Now after
that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom of God,
Mark 1:15 And
saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and
believe the gospel.
So Jesus Christ
preached, and he sent the 12 Apostles out to preach, the message of the
Kingdom:
Matthew 10:5 These
twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the
Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel.
Matthew 10:7 And as
ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The message of the Kingdom continues through Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John, but the nation of Israel rejects both their King and the
Kingdom, and Christ is crucified, buried and is raised from the dead. And in
Acts chapter two, Peter begins to preach the message that Paul identifies in
Romans chapter one as THE GOSPEL OF GOD. Let's refresh our memory for just a
second:
Romans 1:1 Paul, a
servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of
God,
Romans 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his
prophets in the holy scriptures,)
Romans 1:3
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh;
Romans 1:4 And
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead:
So Paul identifies
this message, or this information shown in these four verses, as the GOSPEL OF
GOD. It is the testimony of God about His son, Jesus Christ. It was testified by
the prophets in the scriptures. It testifies that Jesus IS God's son, and that
according to the flesh, in other words, the virgin birth, he is of the seed of
David, but he is PROVEN to be the son of God by the resurrection from the dead.
The gospel of God.
Now let me show you
where Peter preaches the gospel of God:
Acts 2:22 Ye men of
Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by
miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye
yourselves also know:
Acts 2:23 Him, being
delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken,
and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the
pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of
it.
Acts 2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I
foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I
should not be moved:
Acts 2:26 Therefore
did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest
in hope:
Acts 2:27 Because
thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to
see corruption.
Now if I stop there,
and don't go any further, what do I have? I have the same information Paul has
identifed in Romans chapter one as THE GOSPEL OF GOD. It is the testimony from
scriptures, and here Peter is quoting from the book of Psalms, and referring to
David's prophecy. In other words what God promised before in the holy
scriptures.
But Peter doesn't
stop there:
Acts 2:29 Men and
brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both
dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Acts 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that
God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to
the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
When Peter says those last four words SIT ON HIS
THRONE, what do we have? We are back to KINGDOM information right? In other
words Jesus of Nazareth, is the heir to the throne of David, the King of
Israel.
Acts 2:34 For David
is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, THE LORD SAID UNTO MY
LORD, SIT THOU ON MY RIGHT HAND,
Acts 2:35 UNTIL I
MAKE THY FOES THY FOOTSTOOL.
Acts 2:36 Therefore
let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus,
whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
So as Peter preaches to a town full of devout Jews,
he is telling them that they have murdered their Messiah, but that God has
raised him from the dead. The prophets prophesied of this, and they need to
repent, identify with their Messiah in water baptism, looking for the day when
Christ will come again, sit on the throne of David, and rule over Israel and all
the earth. But he has FIRST preached what? The gospel of God. In other words he
first IDENTIFIED the Son of God and the fact that he was proven to be the Son of
God by resurrection from the dead.
So the KINGDOM
INFORMATION is added to that basic truth. The gospel of God. Now that Peter
preached the gospel of God, look here:
1 Peter 4:17 For the
time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin
at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Now Paul preaches a VERY SIMILAR message to a bunch
of ignorant idolaters in Athens in Acts chapter seventeen:
Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked
at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the
which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath
ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised
him from the dead.
Now let me say this.
You only find the phrase, the gospel of the Kingdom, in the Four Gospels. Peter
is preaching basically the same information as you find in the gospel of the
Kingdom but it's not called that. Peter's message is not called the gospel of
the Kingdom. Instead it's called what? The gospel of the circumcision.
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that
the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the
circumcision was unto Peter;
So basiclly, the
only difference in the gospel of the Kingdom and the gospel of the circumcision
is that there is NO DATE INVOVLED. Peter never says "repent for the Kingdom is
at hand." He says repent, and your sins will be blotted out when Christ comes
again. Remember in Acts chapter one that they had asked the Lord if He was going
to restore the Kingdom to Israel AT THIS TIME. And he told them it is not for
you to know THE TIMES or the seasons. So the gospel of the circumcison is
basically the same as the message of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the gospel of
the Kingdom, without a date.
But you see that the
GOSPEL OF GOD is something that came AFTER the gospel of the Kingdom, because
the gospel of God includes the resurrection of Christ and in the gospel of the
Kingdom, in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John they didn't know anything at all about
the DEATH of Christ. As a matter of fact they were not even sure about the
resurrection until Christ appeared to them. So Peter's message is called the
gospel of the CIRCUMCISON and it's related to the Kingdom and the King ruling
and reigning on the THRONE OF DAVID. But, guess what? Paul NEVER mentions the
THRONE OF DAVID.
2 Timothy 2:7
Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all
things.
2 Timothy 2:8
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead
according to my gospel:
Notice he says
according to MY gospel. He doesn't say according to OUR gospel, or according to
THE gospel. So there is a DISTINCTION in the two messages. There is a DIVISION
to be made. And that distinction is made clear and unmistakable when the Lord
sends Paul, by revelation, TO COMMUNICATE to the men in Jerusalem:
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and
communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but
privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or
had run, in vain.
So Paul says he
COMMUNICATED unto them THAT GOSPEL that I preach. But yet, we see where BOTH
Peter and Paul preach what Paul refers to as the gospel of God. It shows that
scripture is FACTUAL and TRUSTWORTHY, because God PROMISED IT in the scriptures.
It identifies the Saviour, PROVES that prophecy in scripture is correct and can
be trusted, and that there IS such a thing as resurrection from the dead,
because Christ has been PROVEN to be the Son of God BY RESURRECTION.
So it's truth that ANYBODY must clearly understand
BEFORE they can trust in or believe in any further information. In other words,
if you don't know WHO God is, how can you understand WHO Christ is or what it is
he has done, or is going to do? Now here are some ignorant idolaters we need to
look at:
Acts 17:16 Now while
Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the
city wholly given to idolatry.
Acts 17:17 Therefore
disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in
the market daily with them that met with him.
Acts 17:18 Then certain philosophers of the
Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this
babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
Acts 17:19 And they took him, and brought him unto
Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest,
is?
So these idol worshippers have come upon Paul where
he is preaching to some people who MEET WITH HIM. Notice that he doesn't go TO
the idol worshippers, but instead they come to him, they hear him and he is
preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
Now I suggest that
you take the time to read the whole passage in Acts chapter seventeen. It says
that Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection. They think it's about strange
Gods. That should tell you what they might have been in a position to understand
about what Paul said. But Paul takes their devotions, and an alter they have TO
THE UNKNOWN GOD and preaches to them about God that made the world and all
things and that he doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, and that he is also
not worshipped with men's hands.
Now if that tells me
anything it tells me that there is no such thing as fruits of the flesh. It
tells me that you cannot worship God by your physical activities or the things
you build, or the things you bring, or with AIDS to worship. Things that men
build or can do with their hands is not the worship of God.
So he tells them that God made of ONE BLOOD all
nations of men and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of
their habitation. In other words, no man has ascended into Heaven, but Jesus
Christ, and your habitation is limited to the earth you walk on and the air you
breath. And he says that men should seek the Lord:
Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply
they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of
us:
Well, WHAT WAS IT that was not far from these
Athenians? Not far from them was the synagogue of the Jews and in there they
COULD HAVE found out about the God who made heaven and earth and all things. But
they were not in the synagogue, where Paul had just come from, and you DON'T
find Paul preaching a salvation message to these ignorant idolaters. Instead he
preaches a resurrection and a judgment that you never find in the books of
Romans through Philemon.
Acts 17:31 Because
he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men,
in that he hath raised him from the dead.
So basically, what you have in Acts 17 is that these
Athenians are PUT ON NOTICE. What you have basically is what? Not the gospel of
Christ. Paul has preached Jesus and the resurrection, and God the creator. So
this might qualify as the gospel of God. In other words Paul gave them something
to think about and he warned them of a future judgment.
Acts 17:34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and
believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named
Damaris, and others with them.
So Paul got some
peoples attention in Acts 17. What happened AFTER verse 34 we are not told.
Anything OTHER THAN what you can read in the passage you will have to READ INTO
it. So the point is, WHAT DID Paul preach, and when? You could say that Paul
preached the gospel of God here, but there is no way you could say he preached
the gospel of Christ. Now let's go back to Acts chapter 14.
Acts 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra,
impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had
walked:
Acts 14:9 The same
heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith
to be healed,
Acts 14:10 Said with
a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Now Paul has found a crippled man at Lystra. Paul
perceived that he had faith to be healed. What does that mean? It means that the
man had faith in the God of Abraham, and Paul healed him.
Acts 14:11 And when the people saw what Paul had
done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods
are come down to us in the likeness of men.
Acts 14:12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and
Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
Acts 14:13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was
before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done
sacrifice with the people.
And Paul and
Barnabas tear their clothes and run in among the people and they cry out, we are
men just like you and so on. They say, we preach that you should turn from these
vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth and the sea and all
things, and so on.
Acts 14:18 And with
these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done
sacrifice unto them.
In Acts chapter
fourteen, in this passage, you CAN'T EVEN find the gospel of God. These people
are in no position to be told ANYTHING about Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
raised from the dead. They are just not in a position to hear it. They don't
even know WHO God is, much less WHO the promised seed of David is. These people
don't even hear the gospel of God. If anything at all, it would be what Paul
called the "knowledge of God in their heart."
Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Romans 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools,
Romans 1:23 And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping
things.
So those idolaters
in Acts 14 didn't even know enough about God to be told anything. And the next
thing that happens is the Jews show up and stone Paul and drag him out of the
city for dead.
So back to the
Gentiles at Rome, to whom the Roman letter was written, Paul says they have a
faith. He recognizes it and thanks God for it, but he says he is ready to PREACH
the gospel to them also. The point is, they have a faith, but it is not a mutual
faith, they are not established and it is Paul's gospel, the GOSPEL OF CHRIST
that will establish them.
Romans 1:15 So, as
much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome
also.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
So that's what Paul delivers to them, THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST, in the form of the Roman letter. Now let's go back to Acts chapter 17
because I want to show you a parallel situation. In other words some people who
have believed the GOSPEL OF GOD, but who are not established until they can be
taught the GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Acts 17:1 Now when
they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,
where was a synagogue of the Jews:
Acts 17:2 And Paul,
as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them
out of the scriptures,
Now let's remember
WHERE it is that the GOSPEL OF GOD can be found:
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to
be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Romans 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his
prophets in the holy scriptures,)
So Paul goes to
Thessalonica, he goes into the synagogue of the Jews, and he reasons with them
OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES for three Sabbath days. The Jews, and the God-fearing
Gentiles would meet, on Saturday, on the Sabbath, in the Synagogue. So Paul,
using the Hebrew scriptures, the old testament, reasoned with them:
Acts 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must
needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I
preach unto you, is Christ.
So there you see THE
GOSPEL OF GOD, the identity of the Son of God, that it IS Jesus, and that God
has raised Him from the dead. Now let's read on:
Acts 17:4 And some of them believed, and consorted
with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the
chief women not a few.
Acts 17:5 But the
Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of
the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and
assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the
people.
So the unbelieving
Jews started an assault, they set the whole city into an uproar, and Paul has to
flee for his life. They send Paul to Berea, and he preaches in the synagogue,
but the Jews follow him:
Acts 17:13 But when
the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul
at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
Acts 17:14 And then immediately the brethren sent
away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there
still.
So this is where we were at earlier, with Paul in
Athens. But notice that he left Silas and Timotheus there. Now from Athens Paul
goes on down to Corinth, which is in Greece, and Silas and Timothy join him. And
from Corinth he writes the Thessalonian letters.
1 Thessalonians 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know
our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
1 Thessalonians 2:2 But even after that we had
suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were
bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much
contention.
1 Thessalonians 2:8
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto
you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear
unto us.
1 Thessalonians 2:9
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day,
because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the
gospel of God.
So Paul says that he
preached THE GOSPEL OF GOD to the Thessalonians, and we saw that clearly in the
verses in Acts 17. But Paul is worried about them. Remember he preached to them
for three Sabbath days, but then he had to flee for his life and he had not had
time to ESTABLISH THEM. What is it that will establish them? The GOSPEL OF
CHRIST.
1 Thessalonians 3:1
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at
Athens alone;
1 Thessalonians 3:2
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in
the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your
faith:
So Paul sent Timothy back to establish them in THE
GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Now let's go back to the book of Romans:
Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart
unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
Romans 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together
with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
So the Romans have a faith, but it is not a MUTUAL
faith, that is they are not established in THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
Romans 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to
preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
So we have seen that the angel in the book of
Revelation will preach the EVERLASTING GOSPEL. We saw that the gospel preached
in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John was a Jewish message, it was for Israel, and it
was called THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM. We saw that Peter preached basically the
same message in the book of Acts that had been preached in Matthew, Mark, Luke
and John. Peter has new information. Christ has been crucified, buried and
raised from the dead and Peter says it was TO SIT ON DAVID'S THRONE.
So Peter's message and doctrine pertains to a
specific group of people. It is called the GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION. When Paul
was saved and given a different DOCTRINE, there had to be a distinction made.
Peter's message had to be identified as ANOTHER GOSPEL, and Paul's gospel then
was referred to, in a private meeting in Jerusalem with Peter, James and John,
as the GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION.
Galatians 2:7 But
contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed
unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
But before ANY salvation message can be preached,
FIRST the identity of the Saviour has to be made clear, hence THE GOSPEL OF GOD,
which as we saw was preached by both Peter and Paul. Then after it is clear that
Jesus is the one spoken of in prophecy, he is the Lord, he is the Son of God,
proven to be by resurrection from the dead. Once those facts are understood,
then a salvation message BASED ON those facts can be preached.
So, the Romans believed the gospel of God, that Jesus
is the Christ, the Son of God and that God raised him from the dead. (The
Gentiles to whom Romans was written have probably also previously believed in
some type of Messianic message, as they are said to be ?graffed in? to the Olive
Tree in Romans 11) The Thessalonians had not heard ANY message before Paul
arrived. But neither the Romans nor the Thessalonians are ESTABLISHED in their
faith with just that information. So with that information Paul preached to the
Romans and established them in THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Silas and Timotheous
ESTABLISHED the Thessalonians in the GOSPEL OF CHRIST.
1 Thessalonians 3:6 But now when Timotheus came
from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and
that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we
also to see you:
1 Thessalonians 3:7
Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and
distress by your faith:
So Paul's gospel,
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, is preached, all the way through the book of Acts. It is
the power of God unto salvation, to TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Two groups of people, to the Jew first, and also to
the Greek. All the way through the book of Acts you see Paul preaching and he is
preaching the gospel of Christ TO THEM THAT ARE CALLED, he says.
1 Corinthians 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and
the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1 Corinthians 1:23
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the
Greeks foolishness;
1 Corinthians 1:24
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God,
and the wisdom of God.
All the way through
the book of Acts you see both Jews and Gentiles being saved and becoming members
of the body of Christ by the preaching of Paul. The Gentiles who are being saved
turn out to be God-fearing Gentiles who have associated themselves with Israel
in the past. The whole book of Acts is the record of the blinding and the
casting away of the nation of Israel. The whole thing culminates in Acts 28 and
it says THE JEWS DEPARTED.
So there are Jews
and Gentiles being saved during the book of Acts. The Gentles turn out to be
Greeks. They are called Greeks in a King James Bible. Paul preached to the Jew
first and also to the Greek, and his message is called THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. But
then there is a TURN of events. After spending three years in Ephesus, Paul
leaves.
2 Corinthians 2:12
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was
opened unto me of the Lord,
2 Corinthians 2:13 I
had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my
leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
So Paul left Asia and went over into Europe, into
Macedonia. There is little record written by Luke in the book of Acts of what
Paul did. Luke merely says:
Acts 20:1 And after
the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them,
and departed for to go into Macedonia.
Acts 20:2 And when
he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into
Greece,
So Paul went over
those parts, gave them much exhortation and came into Greece. it was from Greece
that Paul wrote the Roman letter.
Acts 20:3 And there
abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail
into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.
So the Jews are hounding Paul again. He was going to
sail into Syria, but instead he goes back north through Macedonia.
Acts 20:6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the
days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we
abode seven days.
And then he
continues on his way until he comes to Miletus, a seaport not far from Ephesus.
He send for the elders of the church at Ephesus, and talks to them there by the
seashore.
Acts 20:18 And when
they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I
came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
Acts 20:19 Serving the Lord with all humility of
mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait
of the Jews:
Acts 20:20 And how I
kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have
taught you publickly, and from house to house,
Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to
the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Acts 20:22 And now,
behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that
shall befall me there:
Acts 20:23 Save that
the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide
me.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither
count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and
the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of
the grace of God.
So Paul tells them
that he has received a ministry of the Lord Jesus and he tells them what it is,
to testify the GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
So Paul goes on to Jerusalem, the Jews from Asia
catch him in the temple and try to kill him. He is rescued by the Romans, and he
asks to speak to the people. He speaks to them in the Hebrew tongue and tells
them of a vision he had from the Lord:
Acts 22:17 And it
came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in
the temple, I was in a trance;
Acts 22:18 And saw
him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they
will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
Acts 22:21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will
send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
So Paul becomes a
prisoner in Rome FOR YOU GENTILES:
Ephesians 3:1 For
this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of
the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
So we have the GOSPEL OF GOD, THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,
AND THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD. The gospel of the grace of God pertains to
the dispensation of the grace of God, and Paul says it was a mystery that you
couldn't prove by the Old Testament scriptures. There was no way. He said that
it was unsearchable.
Ephesians 3:8 Unto
me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should
preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the
fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid
in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
So these Gentlles to whom Paul wrote the Ephesian
letter didn't come to Christ through the Law, and they didn't come to Christ by
blessing Israel. They didn't hear Paul preach in all those synagogues of the
Jews. These people were ALIENS from the commonwealth of Israel, STRANGERS from
the covenants of promise, and without God and without hope in the world. So the
gospel of the GRACE OF GOD in the dispensation of the grace of God had a
beginning:
Philippians 4:15 Now
ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed
from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and
receiving, but ye only.
Nobody was helping
Paul or supporting Paul, only these Phillipians did. All that were in Asia,
those people Paul had met with on the seashore in Acts 20, all those people Paul
had preached to for three years in Ephesus and Asia had left Paul, they had
turned away:
2 Timothy 1:15 This
thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom
are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
Paul said that only
Luke is with me. Everyone had deserted Paul. But he had said that none of these
things move me. I don't even count my life dear to myself, so that I might
finish my course with joy. And he did:
2 Timothy 4:7 I have
fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
So all gospels are not the same gospel. We have
looked at several gospels. And we have went into some detail about the GOSPEL OF
THE KINGDOM, THE GOSPEL OF GOD, THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, AND THE GOSPEL OF THE
GRACE OF GOD. I hope this helps you to see WHAT gospel was preached WHEN.
Now we will close the study with this next verse. but I want you to think about
WHICH appearing Paul MIGHT be talking about here:
2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing.
We know that those
who are saved by grace through faith are looking for that BLESSED HOPE, and the
glorious APPEARING of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. But could Paul
also have had in mind the appearing of the Lord in Acts chapter nine, on the
road to Damascus? Could he have had in mind the ?abundance of visions and
revelations? he received from the Lord? Could he have in mind what the Lord had
said to him, that he would be a witness of THESE THINGS (Acts chapter nine) and
of THOSE THINGS ?in the which WILL APPEAR unto thee?? I am thinking that he
probably did.