Monday: The Gospel Made Flesh
Some have a very hard time finding the gospel in the Gospels! The teachings of Jesus can seem legalistic but only if we fail to hear the rest of the story. Most people in Israel at the time of Jesus considered themselves to be in a good position before God. They supported the temple by paying the required tax and offering the appropriate sacrifices. They abstained from unclean food, circumcised their sons, kept the festival days and the Sabbaths, and generally tried to keep the law as taught by their religious leaders. Then John came and cried Repent,
and be baptized. Furthermore, Jesus said a new birth was needed (John 3:3, 5) and that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven
(Matt. 5:20). In other words, Jesus was saying, You need what you do not have. Your works are not good enough.
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Read Luke 15:11-32, Luke 18:9-17. How do these parables illustrate the gospel?
In the parable of the prodigal son, the son is lost and does not know it. Eventually he begins to see his father’s love in a new way and longs to return. His pride is gone. Hoping for acceptance as a servant, he is astonished to be lavished with honor by his father. The relationship is not just restored. It is transformed. A similar reversal of expectations appears in the second parable. The righteous
Pharisee is ignored by God, while the sinful
tax collector is not only accepted but leaves justified, forgiven, and free from guilt.
Both stories help us to see God more clearly, as a Father and as a Justifier of the ungodly. When He describes the cup of crushed grapes as My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins,
Jesus suffers as the real Passover Lamb, the death that should have been ours (Matt. 26:28, NASB; compare Mark 10:45). Thus, salvation is free to us because He, Jesus, paid the full price for it.
What hope can you take from each of these parables for yourself? In what ways can you relate to some of the people in them, and what should your answer tell you about what you might need to change in your spiritual life?
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Gods love is pure & both forgiving – He forgives & forgets your previous sin.
Amen, Praise God, yes He dose.
"salvation is free to us because He, Jesus, paid the full price for it"
The quote above truly stands out for me as it reminds me that salvation is not free because it requires nothing of us... rather salvation is free because the required price has already been paid... similar to a gift being free because someone else has purchased it, and not because there was no cost to getting the gift. More importantly for us, salvation is precious because of our own selves we could never pay the required price.
We need to go back from our sinfull ways, and understand that we are siners God will forgive our sins and He will call us His sons.
Many of us read the story and are touched by the father's love. Jesus did not just tell the story so that we could understand and appreciate His love. He also intended to show us that we should accept our prodigals wholeheartedly. The act of putting on the white robe on the son was symbolic of the father forgetting the transgression and only seeing a saint. We also need to put on the symbolic white robe on those who have wronged us so that we not only forgive but also forget.
Yolonde thank you for reminding us that God's grace is extended to others as well. In Desire of Ages, Page 25 it says, "Jesus was treated as we deserve, so we may treated as He deserves." As you pointed out we need to extend that beyond ourselves and realize, "Jesus was treated the way my enemy deserves so I may treat my enemy the way Jesus deserves."
So exactly what is the Gospel? Paul said in Ephesians, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9 NKJV). Is that the Gospel?
Tyler, Paul describes the gospel as being the cross in 1 Corinthians 1:17-18
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
Ok, now how does Gal 1:6-7 and Gal 3:1-2 relate to 1 Cor 1:17-18 considering the main theme of Paul's letter to the Galatians?
I appreciate this.
I just thought about the bronze snake incident in the wilderness in light of this text.
Indeed, the cross was foolishness to those who perished and life to those who believed.
I'd also like to suggest from that story that it is looking to the cross that affords us the benefits.
Galatians 1:6-7 talks about perverting the gospel. Some teachings have attempted to pervert the cross by reducing it to a mere pain endurance marathan, and by giving merit to our works the merit of the cross is taken away and thus perverted. And more or less the same thing is going on in Galatians 3:1-2 where people are trying to add to the cross. Paul sums up the cross and the gospel in Galatians 6:14 saying he will glory in nothing but the cross.
Also Bro. Earnhardt,
Sometimes when we say that God died the death we deserved, it can be interpreted to mean that: because of our sins, God had a right to beat or torture us and then hang us up to die (and the rest is implied) but he did it to Jesus instead.
I guess the cross will be interpreted forever, but that doesn't strike me as the meaning.
What I understand so far, is that the thing we deserved was the second death. I continue to try to learn how His death is able to bring me life.
I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts on this.
Andrew I agree with it being the second death. Here is an article I shared a while back on that very thought.
https://ssnet.org/blog/the-god-forsaken-god/
Thank you very much. I'm going to read it now.
Then what is the everlasting gospel?
One of the greatest mystery of all is the mystery of "God became flesh;" (John 1:14). For so long, so many different teachings have been aimed at solving this mystery, but let us see what the Bible teaches us regarding this.
One of the questions that we must ask is; "Why didn't God came to man as God, rather than flesh? To answer this question, only the Holy Spirit of God can reveal to us; "these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:10,11).
To begin, let us take a look at Bible references regarding the nature of God. When speaking of the Divinity of God, the apostle Paul said this; "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see." (1 Timothy 6:15,16). Speaking of the very same subject, the apostle John also said this; "This is the message we have heard from Him (Jesus) and declare to you: God is Light; in Him there is no darkness at all." (1John 1:5). Speaking of this unapproachable Light, the apostle Paul had this to say about it; "for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29). When in the mountain of God, Moses demanded to see the face of God; but in return God warned him saying; “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20). When the children of Israel demanded Moses to show them the face of God, this was what happened;"When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” (Exodus 20:18,19).
With reference to the above versus, God is the "Unapproachable Light", whose Glory is a Consuming Fire. Because of sin, man's celestial body; "Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked." (2Corinthians 5:2,3); the holy nature of God which covered them, removed and God made them a temporary replacement; the body of flesh; "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." (Genesis 3:21). Because of this body of sinful flesh, the Glory of God became to them a consuming fire. Because of their defiled body, they can no longer live in the Holy Place God gave them, so God had to prepare for them a temporary dwelling, the fallen world to sustain their fallen nature.
Thus for God to reconcile man back to Himself He has to do it through a medium; "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me." (Hebrews 10:5). For God to descend upon mankind, He cannot descend in His Most Holy Form as God, or else the whole fallen human race would be consumed by His most brilliant Glory; He could only descend through a body made in the likeness of man; "Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity."(Hebrews 2: 14).
Through the body of flesh, God the Father was able to walk and live among us, and shared in our every way our lives; "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." (Hebrews 4:15). As one of us, God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ fully understands every nature of our ways and knows exactly how to deal with our every problems.
Most importantly, at the culmination of His work on Earth, "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21). As flesh, God walked the sinful fallen world through the body of His Son Jesus Christ; but at the fullness of His work on earth; "He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2: 17). Through this most Holy work of God; "so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2: 14,15).
Hello World,
im still strugling to understand which gospel was preached in old testament,
im reading all old yestament verses wich had been sugested but i cant identify gospel in them.
please help!
God Bless
My brother Lucas,
The word Gospel in the Bible is interpreted this way;"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you Good News that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." (Luke 2:10,11). Centuries before this came into fulfilments, the prophet Isaiah announced this Good News in this words; "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14). Then confirming this message with Joseph, the Angel of the Lord said; "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus,
because He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”)." (Mathew 1:21-23).
So from these few versus, God conveys to humanity two most important announcements; first, God was coming to dwell among His people; secondly, He is coming to deliver His people or according to the Angel, 'save His people'. This is why it is called the Good News (Gospel).
Right from the moment before God banished man out of Eden, He announced to them this Gospel (Good News); "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.” (Genesis 3:15). This Good News is the work of intervention of God Himself in bringing Freedom to His children; again, God with man to save His people.
Therefore, Gospel really means God dwelling among His people to set them free from their bondage. When Paul wrote; "Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” (Galatians 3:8); God reassured Abraham Deliverance to his descendants and even to all the world.
In the Old Testament, this fulfilment of God dwelling with His people to deliver (save) them, came through Moses; "The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians." (Exodus 3:7,8). Through the burning bush, God told Moses that He was coming down to Egypt and He will deliver His people from bondage.
This announcement came as the greatest news to God's people, for they had been longing to see the God they serve come to them in Power and Glory to punish their enemy and set them free from their 400 years of slavery. Thus, to them, Moses was the prophet of Righteousness, the saviour through whom the Almighty God will work through.
In Egypt, God was with His people and delivered them out from their slavery for 400 years. Then right throughout their sojourn in the wilderness, God dwell among them till He led them into the Promised Land as promised to Abraham. This was the Gospel; as preached and fulfilled in the Old Testament.
In his writings to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul described the Gospel in this words; "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile." (Romans 1: 16). In other words, Paul identified the Gospel as, "THE POWER OF GOD TO SAVE".
So right throughout the whole Bible, God showed His Righteousness in showing His Power by intervening with His chosen believers to deliver them. In Noah's time, the Gospel was preached through Noah, and through Moses. Then 2000 years ago, the Gospel came through the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ the Righteousness of God.
In this last days, we have been preaching the same Gospel, but this time; the Return of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to deliver us from this world and lead us into His Eternal Kingdom; the Kingdom of Righteousness; “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." (Revelation 22: 12-14).
God Bless brother Lucas.
Lucas I may be the only dummy here but I would like to know what you meant by "which gospel?"
Thank brother Vula, you really solved my doubt,
I now know what is a complete Gospel.
May God Bless
To me when John uses "the word" it is code for Messiah. When Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (Jn. 5:39 NKJV) and again scripture says, "And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Lk. 24:27 NKJV) it is saying that the Old Testament was really discussing Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man. So when John uses "word" he is connecting the testimony about God in the Old Testament directly to Jesus who came in the flesh. It is like a picture becoming the actual thing.
It was Christ that followed Israel throughout the Old Testament and ministered to them, "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10:1-4 NKJV). He was the one that gave the law on Mount Sinai who through it became, "Lord even of the Sabbath" (Matt. 12:8 NKJV). It was also Jesus as "Michael the archangel" (Jude 1:9 NKJV; Michael literally means "who is like God") argued over the body of Moses. Nebuchadnezzar also testified to the same when he said, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (Dan. 3:25 NKJV) and Daniel later saw in a vision, "One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven" (Dan. 7:13 NKJV).
So, to me, in a very real sense that which was written, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14 NKJV).
The question was ask what is the Gospel? In Matt 24:14 and Mark 16:15 Jesus was explaining to the disciples what the Gospel was. His admonition was to preach it to the whole world and everyone in it. What was it that Jesus wanted to proclaim? The story of the plan of salvation by a Savior who died and was raised again, and is the assurance of the promise made for everyone willing to believe and except. To find and prove that Jesus was the part of the Godhead mentioned in many old testament accounts, is difficult to establish based on a few texts, nor enough to tip the scales in my view. The text in John 1:3 that says, "without Him nothing was made,that was made", is an example of what I am talking about. Yes God the Father and God the son and God the Holy Spirit, All, had a part in creation. Did Jesus create everything by Himself? I don't think that is what the verse is implying. When Moses was on the mount with God, I believe it was with God the Father. What did God say when Moses wanted to see His face? Exodus 33:20, No one will see the face of God. Moses had one of the closest relationships with God the Father in the entire Old Testament. Who was in the burning bush that Abraham saw? Paul uses God and Christ and Lord almost interchangeably in some texts.