What is the meaning of the word gospel?
According to the Strong’s concordance, its meaning is this…
1) a reward for good tidings
So in essence, its a reward for receiving good information.
So what’s the information? Is it as simple as what we hear from the pulpits today?
“Accept Christ as your Savior, heed His commands, and you are saved” or, even better…”Christ died, was buried, and rose again the 3rd day.”
So is this really it? Is this all someone needs to know? If so, then why did the Apostle Paul write 14 letters trying to describe this message? Or what about Peter? or John? or James? etc…all of them seem to have gone into great detail in trying to teach this information. So if it is so easy to understand, as the definition of the pastors and preachers today, then why the need for all the letters for the Apostles? And these are not brief letters mind you, almost all of their letters closer resemble short novels rather than letters. So again I ask you, why did the Apostles go to such great lengths to explain what the teachers of today can do in a few simple sentences? With all of the information that the Apostles left behind, one that seeks should begin to ask themselves, what if it isn’t that simple? What if this gospel carries with it far more information than what we hear today? Even the Apostle Paul himself said this information is something you have to wait on, and not something you receive immediately…
7 So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord
1 Corinthians 1
Peter said that this information is so important, that the Creator Himself will try you, just to see if you are worthy to hear it. To see if you will hang on to it in troublesome times and not turn tail and run…
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of the Messiah, 1 Peter 1
Here Peter mentioned the same thing as Paul, the revelation, the awakening. But Peter says here that we are to be tried for it, to see if we’re found worthy. Peter was so adamant about this fact, that he said it a second time in the very same letter…
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4
Again he mentions the revelation, and again he mentions the trial that will take place. Seems to me these men are speaking of something that carries with it much more detail than what we hear on the pulpits of today, don’t you? And to be honest with you, Ive never once heard a pastor tell someone at an alter call, what Peter has said right here in these few verses.
Why wont they [i.e. the pastors] mention anything the Apostles are saying right here? They [i.e. the Apostles] obviously felt it was necessary to speak about the trial and the revelation to all those who contend to believe. So much so, that just about all of them mention it…
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1
James goes as far as to mention this trial in the very first part of his letter. So it was obviously very important to him, being one of the first things he had written. It was obviously one of the first things on his mind.
So why don’t we hear this at the alter calls? How about quoting the writer of Hebrews at the alter calls instead of the "sinner prayer," just so this person that wants to understand the Messiah knows what they’re getting themselves into?
“ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12
From what we just read form these men, what the writer of Hebrews say’s here is a more accurate thing to say to those who endeavor to believe, than the things they are told at the alters today…don’t you? Its not all peaches and cream if you are to be tried to see if you are found worthy, and in the meantime, you are supposed to continue to endeavor to believe, while all the while eagerly waiting for the revelation of the Messiah.
That would take all the peaches, and all the cream right out of the alter call…now wouldn’t it?
Which brings me back to my original question, what if its not as simple as the preachers of today say it is? What if the message is much bigger than you originally thought, and requires much more from you?
Walk with me for a moment, and let me show the things these men [i.e. foolish teachers] wont discuss. Let me take you from the garden of Eden and Adam, all the way through to the Messiah, and then the conclusion with the teaching of the Apostles. Because you cant understand why the Messiah came here, unless you hear what happened in the garden, and you cant listen to anything the Apostles have to say, unless the Messiah has finished His work…
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1 Corinthians 15
So, you got a minute? Or two? This study is broken down into 3 parts, each part being relatively short, so it wont take up too much of your precious time. The study is simple, it covers the truth of what happened in the garden, the change that took place in us, and the full accomplishments of the Messiah. Ill tell you all of it, and I wont sugar coat a thing…promise. Ill give it to you the way it should be heard, the whole story, start to finish. Ill even tell you of the parts you wont want to hear, because I’m not in the business of religion, I just want you to hear the truth.
Maybe when and if you finish this, maybe then you’ll get a chance to see why He tests us so greatly to find out if we’re worthy to hear this message. Maybe then you’ll understand the revelation all the Apostles told us to wait for…
…but most important, maybe then you’ll realize why the gospel, a message that carries with it a great reward, is so damn important.
According to the Strong’s concordance, its meaning is this…
1) a reward for good tidings
So in essence, its a reward for receiving good information.
So what’s the information? Is it as simple as what we hear from the pulpits today?
“Accept Christ as your Savior, heed His commands, and you are saved” or, even better…”Christ died, was buried, and rose again the 3rd day.”
So is this really it? Is this all someone needs to know? If so, then why did the Apostle Paul write 14 letters trying to describe this message? Or what about Peter? or John? or James? etc…all of them seem to have gone into great detail in trying to teach this information. So if it is so easy to understand, as the definition of the pastors and preachers today, then why the need for all the letters for the Apostles? And these are not brief letters mind you, almost all of their letters closer resemble short novels rather than letters. So again I ask you, why did the Apostles go to such great lengths to explain what the teachers of today can do in a few simple sentences? With all of the information that the Apostles left behind, one that seeks should begin to ask themselves, what if it isn’t that simple? What if this gospel carries with it far more information than what we hear today? Even the Apostle Paul himself said this information is something you have to wait on, and not something you receive immediately…
7 So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord
1 Corinthians 1
Peter said that this information is so important, that the Creator Himself will try you, just to see if you are worthy to hear it. To see if you will hang on to it in troublesome times and not turn tail and run…
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of the Messiah, 1 Peter 1
Here Peter mentioned the same thing as Paul, the revelation, the awakening. But Peter says here that we are to be tried for it, to see if we’re found worthy. Peter was so adamant about this fact, that he said it a second time in the very same letter…
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4
Again he mentions the revelation, and again he mentions the trial that will take place. Seems to me these men are speaking of something that carries with it much more detail than what we hear on the pulpits of today, don’t you? And to be honest with you, Ive never once heard a pastor tell someone at an alter call, what Peter has said right here in these few verses.
Why wont they [i.e. the pastors] mention anything the Apostles are saying right here? They [i.e. the Apostles] obviously felt it was necessary to speak about the trial and the revelation to all those who contend to believe. So much so, that just about all of them mention it…
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 1
James goes as far as to mention this trial in the very first part of his letter. So it was obviously very important to him, being one of the first things he had written. It was obviously one of the first things on his mind.
So why don’t we hear this at the alter calls? How about quoting the writer of Hebrews at the alter calls instead of the "sinner prayer," just so this person that wants to understand the Messiah knows what they’re getting themselves into?
“ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12
From what we just read form these men, what the writer of Hebrews say’s here is a more accurate thing to say to those who endeavor to believe, than the things they are told at the alters today…don’t you? Its not all peaches and cream if you are to be tried to see if you are found worthy, and in the meantime, you are supposed to continue to endeavor to believe, while all the while eagerly waiting for the revelation of the Messiah.
That would take all the peaches, and all the cream right out of the alter call…now wouldn’t it?
Which brings me back to my original question, what if its not as simple as the preachers of today say it is? What if the message is much bigger than you originally thought, and requires much more from you?
Walk with me for a moment, and let me show the things these men [i.e. foolish teachers] wont discuss. Let me take you from the garden of Eden and Adam, all the way through to the Messiah, and then the conclusion with the teaching of the Apostles. Because you cant understand why the Messiah came here, unless you hear what happened in the garden, and you cant listen to anything the Apostles have to say, unless the Messiah has finished His work…
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1 Corinthians 15
So, you got a minute? Or two? This study is broken down into 3 parts, each part being relatively short, so it wont take up too much of your precious time. The study is simple, it covers the truth of what happened in the garden, the change that took place in us, and the full accomplishments of the Messiah. Ill tell you all of it, and I wont sugar coat a thing…promise. Ill give it to you the way it should be heard, the whole story, start to finish. Ill even tell you of the parts you wont want to hear, because I’m not in the business of religion, I just want you to hear the truth.
Maybe when and if you finish this, maybe then you’ll get a chance to see why He tests us so greatly to find out if we’re worthy to hear this message. Maybe then you’ll understand the revelation all the Apostles told us to wait for…
…but most important, maybe then you’ll realize why the gospel, a message that carries with it a great reward, is so damn important.