Most people and ministries today are simply void of a complete and biblical gospel message. This article will attempt to lay out the complete good news gospel and how it applies to the believers life.
1 Corinthians 15
Here the Apostle Paul tells us the truth about the death burial and resurrection.
The New Testament says in Romans 1:16 the gospel is the power of God unto salvation and so it is amazing!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
But what does this all mean and how does the gospel really apply to us who claim Christ? Today we see the gospel twisted, ignored and misrepresented all over so called Christiandom. This misleads millions into thinking they have eternal life all locked up but it is NOT so!
In order to get it correct for God's glory and be on the narrow road to eternal life, we need to consider ALL of God's Word do we not?
Jesus said we live by every word out of the mouth of God
Matthew 4:4
As you study the Holy Word in its completeness you will find these 5 main components of the gospel of Christ that most people and ministries today have only partly correct. (Most stop at 'just believe or have faith'.)
As we strive to go deep in the scriptures we can biblically see these as the 5 key areas of the saving gospel taught in the Holy Word so it matters in a person's walk towards eternal life though Christ:
Faith
Repentance
New life
Obedience / holiness
Endurance
Sadly as we said, the gospel has been perverted, shortened, changed and adapted to meet man's needs vs God's truth. Lets cover the basic 5 aspects of applying the gospel to ones life then lets look deeper at its meaning using root words to better understand this truth in our daily walk.
1) Faith ...
What does it mean to have faith in Christ? So many say they have it but do they per God's Word?
Many verses cover the need for faith/belief in Christ to gain eternal life.
Lets look at one: John 3:16 a very famous verse:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The word believe in the greek is pē-styü'-ō
It means not just to believe in your mind but to commit to/ trust
To believe in or have faith means you're COMMITTED to Christ.
Many have a head belief and we see.....
Even the demons just believe and tremble James 2:19
But we know it must be a deeper belief!
Jesus said if you love me keep my commands John 14:15
Faith in something or someone is not just a head knowledge but.... a trust that leads in to action to follow, do and serve.
Example:
If you believe there is a ladder standing there but do you have the faith that it will hold you up when you climb up high on it? Big difference amen? Will your faith lead you to act on it?
Faith in Christ means action and to commit to Him and His ways.
Moving on....
2) We see God's Word teaches the need for repentance in salvation.
Jesus said in Luke 13:3 repent lest you all likewise perish
repent in the greek is me-tä-no-e'-ō
Many have this wrong. It does not mean to feel bad about your sin but it is to change your mind about sin!
(Many feel bad but they never change their minds on sin.)
It is a work and gift of God as he calls all men to repent. Acts 17:30
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent
You turn from living your own way to serve God and live His way in faith/obedience.
It is your mind that turns to Him yes, but we all know once your mind says to your arm move or eyes blink, the body follows does it not? So with the turning of the mind comes physical action to leave your sinful ways and serve God. Without a turning of the mind and repentance there can be no salvation in Christ as His holy spirit won't leave you in sin will He?
Ask yourself this...
If a righteous judge in court has you stand before him and he is about to sentence you for your crimes. If you can show him you have repented -changed your mind and your ways- he may give you a lesser jail time in mercy. But if you have only said 'well I change my mind' but you will still commit crimes all the time, he will lock you up and toss out the key won't he; if he is righteous?
The body and then actions must follow your mind into repentance if it is real and of God.
God won't be mocked or fooled will He?
3) Next we see the need to be made new or be born again. You are not invited by man or you do not get churched into Gods family. No you're born into it.
John 3:3
you must be born again to see Gods kingdom
The greek word is gen-nä'-ō
This could also be stated born from above as that is what happens via God's spirit and it is not of man's doing.
God does a work in you and makes you a new creation (this goes with leaving sin)
2 Corinthians 5.17...
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Your old life and old ways of thinking and living die to be made new in Christ as you follow Him.
Like a baby born into your family; so you too must be born in God's family or you are not His.
Unless you're born into a family, do you have any inheritence there? No you do not.
4) Holiness and obedience to His Word and truth
1 Peter 1:15 commands
The word holy in greek is hä'-gē-os
It means: to be pure and consecrated to God / set apart for Him
As Israel was set apart for God so must His New Testament people be that for their bridegroom; Christ.
Whatever in our lives is not of the Fathers goodness & purity & truth must be left behind.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1 John 2:15
If you have a spouse do you expect them to be fully faithful to you always or just sometimes? So does God expect and require this if us if we are born of Him. To be faithful to God is to leave sin and be HOLY for Him.
Obedience is also the fruit that God has done a work in us as we conform to be holy to His laws
The greek word for obedience is hüp-ä-kü'-ō
It means: to harken to commit to and to heed to ones authority
We are called to obey all that God has commanded to us if we claim Him.
Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him
Jesus said to love God and your neighbor. Luke 10:27
You cannot truly love God if you do not obey Him, can you?
This also serves in the sanctification process as we become more like Christ.
Consider this:
We fear a speeding ticket so we strive to OBEY the law. In the same way we should fear God and desire to strive and obey His eternal law via the spirit within us.
Of course we also love him for what He has done through Christ, amen?
5) Finally, we see endurance in that saving faith.
Jesus warned us to endure and we will be saved in Matthew 24:13
The greek word for endure is hü-po-me'- nō
It is to remain, not flee, to persevere in the faith
Many false teachers today tell you all you need to do is believe and confess Jesus once and no matter what, even if you turn away into sin; you will be saved, but this does not teach all of God's Word.
Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:2 (the famous gospel verse) says this:
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
It is a encouragement and a warning that you will be saved.... IF.... you cling to the gospel of Christ lest you believed in vain ... or you will be lost!
We want to be very clear in this.
It is NOT works that saves us...no!
It is a "saving faith" that indeed that creates works within us!
If it takes a saving faith to get us into heaven via Christ's work on the cross does it not make sense that a saving faith must remain in us till we die? If we turn back from that saving faith by not living in obedience to God's Word as fruit we are His what then saves us? Where is our faith shown?
James tells us faith without works is dead James 2:14-26 and this is consistent with all the warnings of God's Word in many places. If He is in you for eternal life, He will work in you to produce a holy saint.
Jesus told us the story of the tree with no fruit.....Matthew 7
It is tossed into the fire (hell) and burned.
He also warned in Matthew 7 that those who do not obey God's Word as fruit they are in the saving gospel will be rejected in eternity. (Workers of iniquity means lawless ones) It had nothing to do with faith but with sin or a lack of obedience that made them lawless. All this shows their had not a saving faith.
Now can you see what you will miss if you only say 'I believe in Jesus' and stop there? To do that will ignore the other CLEAR teachings in the Holy Word.
Let us also add the reasons it is so vital that we know, understand, live and grasp the complete gospel which is really 3 fold:
1) It alone glorifies God. Anything less is demeaning to the Risen Savior and His shed blood by which God showed His love to the world.
2) It helps us to examine our lives to truly be in the saving faith 2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
3) If we are ever to love a lost neighbor into the kingdom via Gods truth, it must be via the biblical gospel or they will miss the mark and perish. Unless you have it for your own life you cannot impart it to others by your witness or words can you?
While the gospel means GOOD NEWS there is some terrible wrath of God to be aware of.
Here is a stark warning regarding NOT obeying the gospel
2 Thessalonians 1:8
But the good news is good indeed, to those who OBEY it!!!
If you have the complete biblical gospel in your heart and mind and daily life you can then easily stand to test yourself/others and ministries that will teach various false ways. You will not be led astray with every wind of doctrine but rooted strong in your foundation on Christ / the cornerstone Ephesians 2:20 and His saving gospel good news.
So the next time you hear the gospel is JUST "believing in Jesus" or God is only about grace, or you know someone who "claims Jesus and heaven to come" but lives outside of God's Ways and truth; you can test them to the gospel, warn them and be warned of them.
They are leaven ( sin ) Galatians 5:9 that will infect you if you give them a voice into your life and faith.
Jesus commanded that we be perfect Matthew 5:48. It means to be fully mature.
Are you striving to be that today for God's glory as fruit your His or like man made religion do you settle with sin in your life? (Repentance is not a one time act but a process we do to keep cleansing ourselves.)
It should be noted that the bible warns about false teachers many times and those who come into homes and deceive others
2 Timothy 3:6
But we must endure and NOT fall prey to those who preach unbiblical ways all over this so called Christian nation of America.
Paul warned about false gospels in Galatians 1 and a false Jesus in 2 Corinthians 11:4 and we are flush with them on every corner in the USA and beyond.
Here is a great test...
Jesus gave His people the GREAT COMMISSION.
To Go and preach the gospel Matt 28
So ask yourself...do the people who claim Christ today (teachers) lead with, focus on and preach the biblical gospel or are they about many other things or a false gospel altogether? Most ministries today are about entertaining and drawing the carnal world NOT preaching all of God's truth.
Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. John 10:27
Are you one of His and are you following Him or man made false ways?
As a training and encouragement can we suggest this:
Preach the full gospel to yourself daily in your mind and root yourself in the fullness of Gods truth, then your truth foundation will NEVER be washed away in the storms to come!!! Study and understand the depths of the gospel not just a memorized ritual head knowledge but hide it in your heart however you need to do that. Write it down, repeat it, study it over and over. Understand and meditate on all it means in all areas of your life. Do not move or be caught up in to deeper spiritual things /training until your foundation is rooted deep in His saving gospel truth. Test yourself in all areas and strive to be perfect ( fully mature ) for God in your life.
That is the real saving fruit of Gods true people, they rest in and on Christ and His gospel good news and truth as they are changed forever by it; then obeying it at all costs. (See all those who died in service to the truth.) Are you a cultural Christian where your holy on Sunday but worldly Mon-Sat?
The gospel will destroy that kind of life if you heed to it and obey.
True saints will know the gospel and NOT be moved from it no matter the cost or situation.
(To follow another gospel is to sin before God willing / openly and that poor bearing fruit tree per Jesus will be tossed into the lake of fire.)
We hope the 5 key elements of the gospel has helped you and your foundation today.
God be praised....
www.dontperish.com
1 Corinthians 15
Here the Apostle Paul tells us the truth about the death burial and resurrection.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
The New Testament says in Romans 1:16 the gospel is the power of God unto salvation and so it is amazing!
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
But what does this all mean and how does the gospel really apply to us who claim Christ? Today we see the gospel twisted, ignored and misrepresented all over so called Christiandom. This misleads millions into thinking they have eternal life all locked up but it is NOT so!
In order to get it correct for God's glory and be on the narrow road to eternal life, we need to consider ALL of God's Word do we not?
Jesus said we live by every word out of the mouth of God
Matthew 4:4
As you study the Holy Word in its completeness you will find these 5 main components of the gospel of Christ that most people and ministries today have only partly correct. (Most stop at 'just believe or have faith'.)
As we strive to go deep in the scriptures we can biblically see these as the 5 key areas of the saving gospel taught in the Holy Word so it matters in a person's walk towards eternal life though Christ:
Faith
Repentance
New life
Obedience / holiness
Endurance
Sadly as we said, the gospel has been perverted, shortened, changed and adapted to meet man's needs vs God's truth. Lets cover the basic 5 aspects of applying the gospel to ones life then lets look deeper at its meaning using root words to better understand this truth in our daily walk.
1) Faith ...
What does it mean to have faith in Christ? So many say they have it but do they per God's Word?
Many verses cover the need for faith/belief in Christ to gain eternal life.
Lets look at one: John 3:16 a very famous verse:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The word believe in the greek is pē-styü'-ō
It means not just to believe in your mind but to commit to/ trust
To believe in or have faith means you're COMMITTED to Christ.
Many have a head belief and we see.....
Even the demons just believe and tremble James 2:19
But we know it must be a deeper belief!
Jesus said if you love me keep my commands John 14:15
Faith in something or someone is not just a head knowledge but.... a trust that leads in to action to follow, do and serve.
Example:
If you believe there is a ladder standing there but do you have the faith that it will hold you up when you climb up high on it? Big difference amen? Will your faith lead you to act on it?
Faith in Christ means action and to commit to Him and His ways.
Moving on....
2) We see God's Word teaches the need for repentance in salvation.
Jesus said in Luke 13:3 repent lest you all likewise perish
repent in the greek is me-tä-no-e'-ō
Many have this wrong. It does not mean to feel bad about your sin but it is to change your mind about sin!
(Many feel bad but they never change their minds on sin.)
It is a work and gift of God as he calls all men to repent. Acts 17:30
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent
You turn from living your own way to serve God and live His way in faith/obedience.
It is your mind that turns to Him yes, but we all know once your mind says to your arm move or eyes blink, the body follows does it not? So with the turning of the mind comes physical action to leave your sinful ways and serve God. Without a turning of the mind and repentance there can be no salvation in Christ as His holy spirit won't leave you in sin will He?
Ask yourself this...
If a righteous judge in court has you stand before him and he is about to sentence you for your crimes. If you can show him you have repented -changed your mind and your ways- he may give you a lesser jail time in mercy. But if you have only said 'well I change my mind' but you will still commit crimes all the time, he will lock you up and toss out the key won't he; if he is righteous?
The body and then actions must follow your mind into repentance if it is real and of God.
God won't be mocked or fooled will He?
3) Next we see the need to be made new or be born again. You are not invited by man or you do not get churched into Gods family. No you're born into it.
John 3:3
you must be born again to see Gods kingdom
The greek word is gen-nä'-ō
This could also be stated born from above as that is what happens via God's spirit and it is not of man's doing.
God does a work in you and makes you a new creation (this goes with leaving sin)
2 Corinthians 5.17...
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Your old life and old ways of thinking and living die to be made new in Christ as you follow Him.
Like a baby born into your family; so you too must be born in God's family or you are not His.
Unless you're born into a family, do you have any inheritence there? No you do not.
4) Holiness and obedience to His Word and truth
1 Peter 1:15 commands
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The word holy in greek is hä'-gē-os
It means: to be pure and consecrated to God / set apart for Him
As Israel was set apart for God so must His New Testament people be that for their bridegroom; Christ.
Whatever in our lives is not of the Fathers goodness & purity & truth must be left behind.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
If you have a spouse do you expect them to be fully faithful to you always or just sometimes? So does God expect and require this if us if we are born of Him. To be faithful to God is to leave sin and be HOLY for Him.
Obedience is also the fruit that God has done a work in us as we conform to be holy to His laws
The greek word for obedience is hüp-ä-kü'-ō
It means: to harken to commit to and to heed to ones authority
We are called to obey all that God has commanded to us if we claim Him.
Hebrews 5:9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him
Jesus said to love God and your neighbor. Luke 10:27
You cannot truly love God if you do not obey Him, can you?
This also serves in the sanctification process as we become more like Christ.
Consider this:
We fear a speeding ticket so we strive to OBEY the law. In the same way we should fear God and desire to strive and obey His eternal law via the spirit within us.
Of course we also love him for what He has done through Christ, amen?
5) Finally, we see endurance in that saving faith.
Jesus warned us to endure and we will be saved in Matthew 24:13
The greek word for endure is hü-po-me'- nō
It is to remain, not flee, to persevere in the faith
Many false teachers today tell you all you need to do is believe and confess Jesus once and no matter what, even if you turn away into sin; you will be saved, but this does not teach all of God's Word.
Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:2 (the famous gospel verse) says this:
By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
It is a encouragement and a warning that you will be saved.... IF.... you cling to the gospel of Christ lest you believed in vain ... or you will be lost!
We want to be very clear in this.
It is NOT works that saves us...no!
It is a "saving faith" that indeed that creates works within us!
If it takes a saving faith to get us into heaven via Christ's work on the cross does it not make sense that a saving faith must remain in us till we die? If we turn back from that saving faith by not living in obedience to God's Word as fruit we are His what then saves us? Where is our faith shown?
James tells us faith without works is dead James 2:14-26 and this is consistent with all the warnings of God's Word in many places. If He is in you for eternal life, He will work in you to produce a holy saint.
Jesus told us the story of the tree with no fruit.....Matthew 7
It is tossed into the fire (hell) and burned.
He also warned in Matthew 7 that those who do not obey God's Word as fruit they are in the saving gospel will be rejected in eternity. (Workers of iniquity means lawless ones) It had nothing to do with faith but with sin or a lack of obedience that made them lawless. All this shows their had not a saving faith.
Now can you see what you will miss if you only say 'I believe in Jesus' and stop there? To do that will ignore the other CLEAR teachings in the Holy Word.
Let us also add the reasons it is so vital that we know, understand, live and grasp the complete gospel which is really 3 fold:
1) It alone glorifies God. Anything less is demeaning to the Risen Savior and His shed blood by which God showed His love to the world.
2) It helps us to examine our lives to truly be in the saving faith 2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
3) If we are ever to love a lost neighbor into the kingdom via Gods truth, it must be via the biblical gospel or they will miss the mark and perish. Unless you have it for your own life you cannot impart it to others by your witness or words can you?
While the gospel means GOOD NEWS there is some terrible wrath of God to be aware of.
Here is a stark warning regarding NOT obeying the gospel
2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
But the good news is good indeed, to those who OBEY it!!!
If you have the complete biblical gospel in your heart and mind and daily life you can then easily stand to test yourself/others and ministries that will teach various false ways. You will not be led astray with every wind of doctrine but rooted strong in your foundation on Christ / the cornerstone Ephesians 2:20 and His saving gospel good news.
So the next time you hear the gospel is JUST "believing in Jesus" or God is only about grace, or you know someone who "claims Jesus and heaven to come" but lives outside of God's Ways and truth; you can test them to the gospel, warn them and be warned of them.
They are leaven ( sin ) Galatians 5:9 that will infect you if you give them a voice into your life and faith.
Jesus commanded that we be perfect Matthew 5:48. It means to be fully mature.
Are you striving to be that today for God's glory as fruit your His or like man made religion do you settle with sin in your life? (Repentance is not a one time act but a process we do to keep cleansing ourselves.)
It should be noted that the bible warns about false teachers many times and those who come into homes and deceive others
2 Timothy 3:6
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
So be on guard for such things.
So be on guard for such things.
Now if we do fail and sin, he will forgive us if we confess it.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
But we must endure and NOT fall prey to those who preach unbiblical ways all over this so called Christian nation of America.
Paul warned about false gospels in Galatians 1 and a false Jesus in 2 Corinthians 11:4 and we are flush with them on every corner in the USA and beyond.
Here is a great test...
Jesus gave His people the GREAT COMMISSION.
To Go and preach the gospel Matt 28
So ask yourself...do the people who claim Christ today (teachers) lead with, focus on and preach the biblical gospel or are they about many other things or a false gospel altogether? Most ministries today are about entertaining and drawing the carnal world NOT preaching all of God's truth.
Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. John 10:27
Are you one of His and are you following Him or man made false ways?
As a training and encouragement can we suggest this:
Preach the full gospel to yourself daily in your mind and root yourself in the fullness of Gods truth, then your truth foundation will NEVER be washed away in the storms to come!!! Study and understand the depths of the gospel not just a memorized ritual head knowledge but hide it in your heart however you need to do that. Write it down, repeat it, study it over and over. Understand and meditate on all it means in all areas of your life. Do not move or be caught up in to deeper spiritual things /training until your foundation is rooted deep in His saving gospel truth. Test yourself in all areas and strive to be perfect ( fully mature ) for God in your life.
That is the real saving fruit of Gods true people, they rest in and on Christ and His gospel good news and truth as they are changed forever by it; then obeying it at all costs. (See all those who died in service to the truth.) Are you a cultural Christian where your holy on Sunday but worldly Mon-Sat?
The gospel will destroy that kind of life if you heed to it and obey.
True saints will know the gospel and NOT be moved from it no matter the cost or situation.
(To follow another gospel is to sin before God willing / openly and that poor bearing fruit tree per Jesus will be tossed into the lake of fire.)
We hope the 5 key elements of the gospel has helped you and your foundation today.
God be praised....
www.dontperish.com