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How many gospels are there?

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by npetreley, Jul 20, 2007.

  1. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

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    It's a pretty simple question. The kingdom salvation believers would have us believe there are two gospels. Are there two or more, or just one?

    For anyone who believes there are two or more, can you define them in as simple terms (and as few words) as possible?
     
  2. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    1. I see one gospel in Scripture, but in different phases.

    2. For example, Paul says that ὁ θεὸς προευηγγελίσατο τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, "God preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham (Gal.3:8).

    3. The Gospel was preached to Abraham. What then is the Gospel? Dr. Piper wrote a book God Is Gospel.

    4. Quoting from an early creed Paul says that the Gospel refers to the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ ( 1 Cor.15:1-4).

    5. Then we read in 2 Cor 4:4, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

    6. Jesus died for us to bring us to God (1 Pet.3:18).

    7. There's one Gospel.
     
    #2 TCGreek, Jul 20, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 20, 2007
  3. J. Jump

    J. Jump New Member

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    We all know that gospel simply means good news. There is good news to the spiritually dead and that is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God died and shed His blood on your behalf a sinner and if you believe that you are made alive spiritually and given everlasting life that can never be lost and/or taken away.

    Then there is good news to the spiritually alive and that is Christ rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures and He is our Advocate before the Father when we mess up if we will confess up we will be forgiven based on His shed blood that still sits on the mercy seat in heaven. And if we will sow to the Spirit during this life we will reap age-lasting life in the coming age, which means we will rule and reign with the King of kings and the Lord of lords and we will become a part of His bride.
     
  4. skypair

    skypair Active Member

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    Depends on how you look at it. There is one Gospel -- God saves. However, there are 3 ways He saves -- He saves the soul by justification. The OT saints were justified by believing that God would come to earth as King and forgive their sins. We call that the "gospel of the kingdom."

    But the "good news" changed, didn't it? God came but He died for sin. Now the gospel is that Christ/God came and died for us already and is coming again. But this gospel of grace" not only justifies but, because it imparts the Holy Spirit indwelling to believers, it also sanctifies during this life.

    Course the ultimate gospel, the "everlasting gospel," is that we spend eternity with God in the New Earth in the kingdom, not of Christ, but of God Himself!

    skypair
     
  5. skypair

    skypair Active Member

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    JJ -- I lost track of our convo on whether you are seeing Israel's inheritance of the earthly kingdom as belonging to the church. Can you PM me on that?

    skypair
     
  6. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

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    If there are multiple gospels, why do I keep seeing references to THE GOSPEL (yes, the article is in the Greek)? Which "the gospel" is Paul talking about in so many places? I'm not talking about any reference with a description like "the gospel of Christ", but simply "the gospel". (IMO, they're the same, but we can avoid that argument simply by addressing the occurrances of "the gospel".)

    The only references to "other" gospels I can find are fake ones, which are not gospels at all.

     
  7. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    1. Apart from 2 Cor 11:4 and Gal.1:6-9, whenever Paul referred to the Gospel, whether it has the article or not, he is referring to the same thing.

    2. In fact, he says that he received the gospel directly from Jesus Christ through a revelation (Gal. 1:11, 12).

    3. There is only one Gospel. It was preached to Abraham, it was fleshed out by Christ in his life, death, burial and resurrection.

    4. It is referred by different designations, but it is the same dunamis of God unto salvation. At one place it is referred to as the word of the cross, and the preaching of it, is foolishness to those who are perishing.

    5. There's but one Gospel.

    6. What we call the four canonical gospels are really four historical narratives on the one gospel, from four different perspectives, serving four different themes.
     
  8. J. Jump

    J. Jump New Member

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    Skypair no the church is not entitled to the promise a physical kingdom in which Israel is. However Israel spurned the offer of the spiritual aspect of the kingdom and that is in fact an offer that "saved" folks can entertain.
     
  9. Hope of Glory

    Hope of Glory New Member

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    Skypair seems to be right on the mark here. "Gospel" is "good news". There's the gospel of salvation, the gospel of the Kingdom, Paul's gospel, etc. They are not exclusive of one another.

    In reference to the gospel, what is the reference? Is the "the gospel of me" (Paul's gospel), the gospel of getting born into the family? Is so, it should be easy to prove with Scripture.
     
  10. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    Two gospels!

    "The Gospel", which is true, and "another gospel", which is false.

    "The gospel" has one basis. (I Cor. 15:1-8).
    However, it has many "faces".
    (I would have said facets, but that did not rhyme, as well.) :)

    Among the 'facets' are "the gospel of the kingdom"; "the gospel of the grace of God" which Paul elsewhere calls "my gospel" and "the gospel of your salvation"; "the everlasting gospel", and others I cannot recall at this exact time, and don't have time to look up, at this minute.

    Hope that helps.

    Ed
     
    #10 EdSutton, Jul 20, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 20, 2007
  11. Hope of Glory

    Hope of Glory New Member

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    Yet they are all gospels contained within a gospel.
     
  12. skypair

    skypair Active Member

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    Here's what the 3 true gospels mean:

    1) "Gospel of the kingdom" brought JUSTIFICATION with God. Remember, during this period, there was no Suffering Savior --- God would come and, in setting up His kingdom, would forgive (JUSTIFY) believers to Himself.

    2) "Gospel of grace"/"my gospel" brought JUSTIFICATION + SANCTIFICATION (the indwelling Holy Spirit). This means that both soul and spirit of the believer are prepared for eternal glory.

    3) "Everlasting gospel" will bring eternal GLORIFICATION of the just and sanctified --- God's Kingdom on earth. In it, the last aspect of man, his body, will be changed to a glorified state (not "flesh and blood") that can live in heaven or earth.

    skypair
     
  13. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    There is one Gospel, the redemption of and the promise of forgiveness of sin and eternal life to elected humankind by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, His death burrial and resurrection.

    This One Gospel has been progressively revealed down through the ages from

    NIV Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

    KJV Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

    In this age Paul and the Apostles were given the final details...

    KJV 1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
    2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
    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;
    4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
    5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

    HankD​
     
  14. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    There is one gospel -- the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Messiah. The Redeemer. God in the flesh.

    Many authors talked about this Gospel, and they sometimes emphasized different points about it, but there is only one true Gospel.
     
  15. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    1. Amen, sister!

    2. Even in the last days our young women shall prophesy.:thumbs:
     
  16. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

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    If there is one gospel, then why do the multiple-gospel people not take heed of the following?

     
  17. J. Jump

    J. Jump New Member

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    If you are going to lump every mention of the gospel into one thing then you are left with a works-based plan of eternal salvation. There is simply no getting around that. And that's what happens when you mix messages . . . both doctrines end up perverted.

    That's why you have people that can't even agree on what the simple message of salvation by grace through faith apart from works mean. That alone should tell you that Christendom doesn't fully understand what "gospel" means.
     
  18. TCGreek

    TCGreek New Member

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    1. What do you mean by lumping "every mention of the gospel into one"?

    2. Are you a dispensationist?
     
  19. J. Jump

    J. Jump New Member

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    I'm talking about folks that say everytime the word gospel is mentioned in Scripture the context is life for the endless ages (eternal salvation).

    Yes.
     
  20. npetreley

    npetreley New Member

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    Gospel means good news, right? So here's the gospel of the kingdom according to kingdom salvationists:

    I have good news! The good news is that you must work your way into the kingdom of heaven. What amount of good works must you do to get there? That's good news, too! We don't know! Here's even better news! If you fall short, you'll end up in hell for 1,000 years! What amount of falling short will land you in hell for 1,000 years? Well, that's the best news of all! We don't know!!

    Wow, somebody break out the champagne.
     
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