What is the Gospel? Revisited...

[npetreley]

In another thread, I questioned whether or not the issue of free will should be dragged into the Gospel. Personally, I do not think it is necessary to add the issue of free will/election to the initial presentation of the Gospel, but as to the truth of the Gospel, I believe the issues are inseparable.

I stumbled on this essay that says basically the same, and I enjoyed it because it is written more to laymen than to scholars. So here's a link (hopefully) for your edification:
Free Will

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by npetreley:
In another thread, I questioned whether or not the issue of free will should be dragged into the Gospel.

My personal opinion is that the whole elect vs freewill topic is a side issue to the core question of what the Gospel is. A good issue indeed, but a side issue nonetheless.

 

[pinoybaptist]

The gospel is not the good news of an offered gift of salvation to be given based on the assent of the person to whom it is being offered.

The gospel is the good news of a given and already possessed gift of salvation planned by God from the foundation of the world for specific sinners whom He foreknew before the world was created.

 

[Johnv]

No, the Gospel is that God loved so much that he gave, so that whoever believes will have eternal life.

 

[pinoybaptist]

Originally posted by Johnv:
No, the Gospel is that God loved so much that he gave, so that whoever believes will have eternal life.

Uhhmmm.

John 3:16.

For God so loved the world....

Question:

Is the Bible speaking about the intensity of God's love for the world ?

Or is the Bible speaking of the manner of God's expressing His love for the world ?

Is this the entire fallen world ?

Or is this the world of those for whom He expressed his love ?

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by pinoybaptist:
Is the Bible speaking about the intensity of God's love for the world ? Or is the Bible speaking of the manner of God's expressing His love for the world ?

In the Greek, it's textually read as "God loved the world so much that..."

It's addressing intensity, not manner.

Is this the entire fallen world ? Or is this the world of those for whom He expressed his love ?

There's nothing contextually here that limits it to only certain people. The Greek is addressing God's love for all people of the whole world, at least, the world as it was known then. But since there are Christian people who today live in parts unknown then, we can presume that it wasn't referring to just the world locally, or to just a certain segment of the population.