I believe the Gospel is the whole counsel of God. Is there any part of the scriptures that does not have a connection to what transpired
as a result of the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ? The Gospel is THE GOOD NEWS. Even the bad news has a connection to the good news. For instance, the bad news is that satan is a liar. But because of the good news Satan is both exposed for the liar he is and we have overcome him...
“They defeated him because of the Lamb’s blood
and because of the message of their witness.
Even when facing death
they did not cling to life."
~ Revelation 12:11 (CJB)
From the day that Jesus rose from the dead until the day the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost was a time of ministry by Jesus in preparation for the birth of the church. The miracle of Peter's words starting at Acts 2:14 show that those in the upper room received the power Jesus had promised to send. That power, the Holy Spirit himself empowered Peter to preach the GOOD NEWS of salvation and grace to the Jewish people from that point on. And Peter did preach a powerful message recorded in Acts chapter 2. Good news of the Lord Yeshua their Messiah, their annointed King. To the Jews only you ask?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel [GOOD NEWS]: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)
Note that the GOOD NEWS is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." The miracle of the Resurrection was overshadowing the Pharisees and their traditions. When Peter and John went up to the temple at the hour of prayer (Acts 3) a tremendous miracle happened to a lame man. Eventually a crowd came together marveling at it and provided Peter another opportunity to preach the gospel of God in Christ in the power of the Spirit . All this caused the priests and the Sadducees to throw Peter and John in jail! The next day they brought the apostles out to inquire of them regarding their activities. This gave Peter yet a another opportunity to preach the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. What was the message he preached if not the GOOD NEWS? What was that same message if not an expression of the whole counsel of God?
The people were enjoying a time of peace. Peter traveled about and attendant many miracles. Later the Lord Jesus led him to the house of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit came to the gentiles saving and empowering them by the same gospel of grace. It's generally believed that Peter opened the door of salvation to the gentiles. But there's a question in my mind. Was the Ethiopian eunuch a gentile or a Jew?
I could go on. But a final note or two. I think you will have to agree that this scripture passage is important in the consideration of Paul's ministry.
After this and after dealing with a sorcerer they arrived at Antioch. Here Paul had occasion to preach a powerful message. His audience? Jews.
Acts 13 (ASV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹⁴ But they, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia; and they went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
¹⁵ And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
¹⁶ And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the hand said, "Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken:"
After the message we see
…
⁴² ... as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath.
⁴³ Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
⁴⁴ And the next sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
⁴⁶ And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
⁴⁷ For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth.
⁴⁸ And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region.
⁵⁰ But the Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their borders.
⁵¹ But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit.
It's very interesting to read versus 46 and 47. It is at this point that Paul's ministry to the gentiles really begins. Did Paul ever speak to a Jewish assembly after this? I'll be looking to answer that question.
The gospel is revealed in different ways to different people at different times. This does not mean that is more than one gospel. The gospel must be revealed to us if we are to be born again. If God did not reveal himself to us we could not know him. We are all human but we are each of us unique individuals. God did not make us as robots on an assembly line. We are very finite beings and small. We have also been affected to a greater or lesser degree by sin, both our sins and others sins. Our capacity to perceive the whole counsel of God and the whole gospel is also small at the beginning.
As we go on with Christ our capacity to know the word, to know him, Father and the Holy Spirit will grow. Tragically too many of us stumble because of offenses. I don't think there is anyone who has not stumbled, who has not been offended. But this is part of our journey. Along the way God teaches us how to forgive those who offend us and how to avoid the traps set for us by others.
In theological pursuits of truth we should avoid competition like the plague. Each of us should be pursuing the whole counsel of God. There are dangers in not doing so. One is that we may find a way to preach part of the Gospel in order to gain a following. Paul did say follow me as I follow Christ. And if we arrive with Paul at the feet of Christ would we not hear Jesus say "no man cometh to the Father except by me." Paul would have us follow him so that we would be in company with Jesus. Jesus wants us to follow him so that we will arrive in the presence of His and our Father. This is another facet of the Gospel. It is the goal of the Gospel. The discipline of our journey through this life into the next will be made easier if we are free in the truth, liberty, grace and mercy of the Gospel.
It's highly unlikely that the Pharisees brought a false accusation against the woman caught in adultery. Would the Pharisees have been so stupid to bring a false accusation against her? And it was a sin punishable by death. John chapter 8. Were not the Jews subject to the law? Was the mercy and grace giving this woman something reserved only for those who are saved by Paul's gospel?
A gentile woman came to Jesus wanting her daughter healed. Jesus didn't even speak to her. When they asked him why he told he had not been sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. But when she boldly came before him and asked for him to heal her daughter he told her it was not right to give the children's bread to the dogs. She then pointed out that even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. Jesus declared that she had great faith and he healed her daughter. Is this gift of healing for a gentile girl out of place? After all Jesus primary assignment was the Lost of the House of Israel.
The gospel is the good news. The good news is evident from the beginning to the end of the Bible. God would have been just in killing Adam and Eve and sending them to hell. He would have been just in killing Cain. King David committed to capital offenses. Adultery and murder. One of the children of Israel was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath. He was put to death for working on the sabbath! For speaking against God and against Moses the Lord sent fiery serpents against the children of Israel killing many of them.
How do we deal with a God who will kill some lawbreakers and give other lawbreakers a pass? There are difficult questions. Even after Jesus resurrection and the birth of the church we see Ananias and Sapphira falling down dead after lying to the Holy Spirit.
It is important is that we fear God and reverence Him. But not in such a way that we run from him. In fact our reverence should have the result that we enjoy deep peace in intimacy with God. There is a way that we can have more reverence for doctrine than for God himself. Someone wind up demanding we fear their doctrine. I don't think it's wrong to preach the punishment of hell and cause people to be uncomfortable. But some teach and preach in a way that imprisons people in shame and tortures them with guilt. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that only saints approved by its leadership go to heaven immediately and all others go to purgatory. Many other groups are not so specific as this. But by their doctrines they separate themselves from others. Is there more than one gospel? Is the King James Version of the Bible the only Bible approved by God? Once saved are we always saved or can we actually lose our salvation?
Paul writes that whatever is not of faith is sin. In order for anyone to determine what is sin they must have faith. Without faith either everything is sin or nothing is sin. I think many Christians need the kind of faith that enables them to just say no!
“But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil [one].”
— Matthew 5:37 (ASV)
Colossians 3 (ASV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹ If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
² Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
³ For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
⁴ When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.
⁵ Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;
⁶ for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience:
⁷ wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things;
⁸ but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:
⁹ lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,
¹⁰ and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:
¹¹ where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
¹² Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;
¹³ forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
¹⁴ and above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness.
¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.
¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.
¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.In Acts chapter 5 it seems as if God himself preached a sermon about lying to the Holy Spirit.
Steven had a short ministry of preaching that gospel which ended in his death. Paul, who was then known as Saul, witnessed the death of Stephen. An angel spoke to the Evangelist Jewish Philip. Following the word of the angel Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah. When he confessed his ignorance Peter taught and preached the gospel of grace salvation to this Ethiopian eunuch who believed and was baptized.
And after that God sent not only the Holy Spirit but Jesus to Saul/Paul. He was knocked off his horse and blinded by the power of God. Three days later the Lord sent Ananias to him. He regained his sight and immediately went about declaring Jesus to be the Son of God.
The people were enjoying a time of peace. Peter traveled about and attendant many miracles. Later the Lord Jesus led him to the house of Cornelius and the Holy Spirit came to the gentiles saving and empowering them by the same gospel of grace. It's generally believed that Peter opened the door of salvation to the gentiles. But there's a question in my mind. Was the Ethiopian eunuch a gentile or a Jew?
I could go on. But a final note or two. I think you will have to agree that this scripture passage is important in the consideration of Paul's ministry.
Acts 13 (ASV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹ Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was [there], prophets and teachers, Barnabas, and Symeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen the foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
² And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
³ Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
⁴ So they, being sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
After this and after dealing with a sorcerer they arrived at Antioch. Here Paul had occasion to preach a powerful message. His audience? Jews.
Acts 13 (ASV)
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
¹⁴ But they, passing through from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia; and they went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
¹⁵ And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
¹⁶ And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the hand said, "Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken:"
After the message we see
…
⁴² ... as they went out, they besought that these words might be spoken to them the next sabbath.
⁴³ Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Jews and of the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
⁴⁴ And the next sabbath almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.
⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Paul, and blasphemed.
⁴⁶ And Paul and Barnabas spake out boldly, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
⁴⁷ For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles, That thou shouldest be for salvation unto the uttermost part of the earth.
⁴⁸ And as the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was spread abroad throughout all the region.
⁵⁰ But the Jews urged on the devout women of honorable estate, and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and cast them out of their borders.
⁵¹ But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy with the Holy Spirit.
It's very interesting to read versus 46 and 47. It is at this point that Paul's ministry to the gentiles really begins. Did Paul ever speak to a Jewish assembly after this? I'll be looking to answer that question.
The gospel is revealed in different ways to different people at different times. This does not mean that is more than one gospel. The gospel must be revealed to us if we are to be born again. If God did not reveal himself to us we could not know him. We are all human but we are each of us unique individuals. God did not make us as robots on an assembly line. We are very finite beings and small. We have also been affected to a greater or lesser degree by sin, both our sins and others sins. Our capacity to perceive the whole counsel of God and the whole gospel is also small at the beginning.
As we go on with Christ our capacity to know the word, to know him, Father and the Holy Spirit will grow. Tragically too many of us stumble because of offenses. I don't think there is anyone who has not stumbled, who has not been offended. But this is part of our journey. Along the way God teaches us how to forgive those who offend us and how to avoid the traps set for us by others.
In theological pursuits of truth we should avoid competition like the plague. Each of us should be pursuing the whole counsel of God. There are dangers in not doing so. One is that we may find a way to preach part of the Gospel in order to gain a following. Paul did say follow me as I follow Christ. And if we arrive with Paul at the feet of Christ would we not hear Jesus say "no man cometh to the Father except by me." Paul would have us follow him so that we would be in company with Jesus. Jesus wants us to follow him so that we will arrive in the presence of His and our Father. This is another facet of the Gospel. It is the goal of the Gospel. The discipline of our journey through this life into the next will be made easier if we are free in the truth, liberty, grace and mercy of the Gospel.
It's highly unlikely that the Pharisees brought a false accusation against the woman caught in adultery. Would the Pharisees have been so stupid to bring a false accusation against her? And it was a sin punishable by death. John chapter 8. Were not the Jews subject to the law? Was the mercy and grace giving this woman something reserved only for those who are saved by Paul's gospel?
A gentile woman came to Jesus wanting her daughter healed. Jesus didn't even speak to her. When they asked him why he told he had not been sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. But when she boldly came before him and asked for him to heal her daughter he told her it was not right to give the children's bread to the dogs. She then pointed out that even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters table. Jesus declared that she had great faith and he healed her daughter. Is this gift of healing for a gentile girl out of place? After all Jesus primary assignment was the Lost of the House of Israel.
The gospel is the good news. The good news is evident from the beginning to the end of the Bible. God would have been just in killing Adam and Eve and sending them to hell. He would have been just in killing Cain. King David committed to capital offenses. Adultery and murder. One of the children of Israel was found gathering sticks on the Sabbath. He was put to death for working on the sabbath! For speaking against God and against Moses the Lord sent fiery serpents against the children of Israel killing many of them.
How do we deal with a God who will kill some lawbreakers and give other lawbreakers a pass? There are difficult questions. Even after Jesus resurrection and the birth of the church we see Ananias and Sapphira falling down dead after lying to the Holy Spirit.
It is important is that we fear God and reverence Him. But not in such a way that we run from him. In fact our reverence should have the result that we enjoy deep peace in intimacy with God. There is a way that we can have more reverence for doctrine than for God himself. Someone wind up demanding we fear their doctrine. I don't think it's wrong to preach the punishment of hell and cause people to be uncomfortable. But some teach and preach in a way that imprisons people in shame and tortures them with guilt. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that only saints approved by its leadership go to heaven immediately and all others go to purgatory. Many other groups are not so specific as this. But by their doctrines they separate themselves from others. Is there more than one gospel? Is the King James Version of the Bible the only Bible approved by God? Once saved are we always saved or can we actually lose our salvation?
Paul writes that whatever is not of faith is sin. In order for anyone to determine what is sin they must have faith. Without faith either everything is sin or nothing is sin. I think many Christians need the kind of faith that enables them to just say no!
“But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil [one].” Matthew 5:37 (ASV)
Colossians 3 (ASV)
¹ If then ye were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
² Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth.
³ For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
⁴ When Christ, [who is] our life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory.
⁵ Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;
⁶ for which things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience:
⁷ wherein ye also once walked, when ye lived in these things;
⁸ but now do ye also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, railing, shameful speaking out of your mouth:
⁹ lie not one to another; seeing that ye have put off the old man with his doings,
¹⁰ and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him:
¹¹ where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
¹² Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering;
¹³ forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye:
¹⁴ and above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness.
¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful.
¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.
¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
