What is the Gospel? An Overview.

                                                         

                                                                         

                An Overview of the Gospel

                                    by Danny C. Wash

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes...” Romans 1:16 

This is an overview of the good news of God to man from the beginning to the end of what has been revealed to us by God. The term “man” is used in its generic sense and includes both male and female. This overview does not contain every detail but covers the essential points. The meaning of the word “Gospel” is good news.

 

God is eternal having always been and will forever be.  The Bible does not clearly reveal certain matters about creation, as to what was occurring before Genesis 1:1. But, we do know that God is love and the existence of God’s love meant that love must and will be expressed. This is at the heart of the creation of man and the Earth. Out of this love God created the world and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden as described in Genesis in the Bible. God’s original purpose in creating man was for man, in the image of and in union with the Triune God, to eventually be the exhibitor of God’s love, power, and glory on the Earth.

However, Adam and Eve  sinned by disobeying God in eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, when God had forbidden them to do so and wanted them to eat of the tree of life.  God gave them the choice because true love does not force and cannot be forced. God wanted them to choose  Him by their obedience to His command and that they would choose to eat of the tree of life and receive God’s eternal life, since at this point they only possessed human life. Because of their rebellion, influenced by the devil, in choosing to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree, sin and death entered into the world. The creation  fell under a curse.  Man’s spirit was darkened. Man was alienated from God because of sin and could not now eat of the tree of life to receive God’s eternal life, at this time.  Man not only committed sins against God, but by nature, became a sinner in his inner being, a slave to sin and the devil. Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden.1  But, because of God’s great love for man, God began His plan to rescue him by providing man with a way to receive His eternal life, and eventually restore His entire creation.

  

Although  God worked in the lives of earlier men after Adam, God began with Abraham to become a father of a nation. Abraham’s children eventually became Israel, when God took them out of Egypt with Moses, and made them a nation to exhibit God’s glory to the world.  This all happened to show, in a veiled and almost secret way, His method to restore man to His original plan through a “savior.” 

In Old Testament times, God's plan, as revealed in His dealings throughout history with Israel, was to show this savior in types and symbols.  But in the interim, God instituted the Law to show man his sins and sinful nature. Then God created the Temple worship and sacrifices so that in types and shadows, He revealed a Savior and His plan for the salvation of man. God was demonstrating to man that only by the shedding of blood by a sacrifice could sin be forgiven.2 The Law was intended as a “tutor” to show man the futility of ever attaining righteousness by his works and ultimately to bring us to this Savior.3 

Eventually, His plan to restore man resulted in God, in the form of a man, breaking into human history in the birth of Jesus. Jesus was the Savior and was a perfect man living the one and only perfect life, fulfilling all law and requirements of God for man.  This plan culminated in the death of Jesus on the cross, His resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.

God’s righteousness demands that all sin be punished and that the wages of sin  is death.4  At the same time, God is loving and wants to extend mercy and grace to sinners who can’t be justified by keeping the law perfectly. This appears to be a dilemma in how would God not judge and punish the sinner with death but remain true to being a righteous God. The cross is God's method for judging and punishing sin, but not causing the eternal death of the sinner.  The cross is also God’s method for the restoration of man to God's plan for him.5  Jesus shed His blood when He became a sacrifice on the cross.  The shedding of His innocent blood on the cross is what caused our individual sins to be covered and to be forgiven by God in the past, present, and future.6  However, the shed blood of Jesus dealt with the “sins” but not the “sinner” (the sin principle in us causing the individual sins). The sin nature problem was dealt with by the death of the cross and Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

When Jesus died on the cross, the Bible says that, we (as the Bible calls our "old  man") were placed "in Christ" by God,7 so that, in God’s eyes and reckoning, we died with Jesus,8 and when He was raised by God (demonstrating that God accepted His sacrifice for our sins and our redemption) we were "in Christ" and were raised with and in Him.9  Because of this death and resurrection with Him in God’s sight, we were forgiven, freed from our "old  man” (the sin principle/ the sinner),were given His resurrection life, and were united in spirit with Christ in His resurrection and forever (but not in the Godhead).10 These are objective facts that have occurred in history because the Bible tells us this.

Subjectively, these facts in history cannot benefit us though, unless we believe them and enter into this benefit by faith. Man enters into this relationship with God as a result of the gift from God of grace & repentance that results in a new heart (the spiritual new birth), so that we can believe that Christ died and was resurrected for our salvation.11  This results in our faith in Him to justify and save us and the immediate entry into our spirit of the Holy Spirit, just as being physically born results in an immediate breathing in of air into us for life.12  This saving faith is our belief plus an abandonment of ourselves into Christ for our salvation.  It is the old example of not just believing there is a chair there, but then by our faith that the chair is there and will bear us up, actually sitting down in the chair.  This is a good example of repentance toward God and faith in Christ by actually “sitting down” in Christ in trust for our salvation. 

Similar to God having three distinct, but not separate entities in the Godhead- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; people have three parts to them- body, soul, and spirit.13 Our soul is our mind, will, and emotions.  Our spirit is the innermost part of us comprising our conscience and our intuition, but most importantly it is the part of us where the Holy Spirit resides when we are “born again.” The experience of being born again is a result of our faith in Christ as our Savior when the Holy Spirit enters into our spirit and makes us alive to God.14 Christ communicates with us by the Holy Spirt communicating from our spirit to our soul. God designed our spirit to rule over and control our soul and this is accomplished by the discipline of the Holy Spirit working this out in us by faith and obedience. The Holy Spirit remains forever in our spirit in order to communicate to us Christ and allow us to communicate with Him.  The Holy Spirit places a seal over our spirit, as a pledge, that we belong to God and that Jesus will raise us up on the last day to receive the final redemption of our body in the form of our resurrection body.15 

     Although, the cross dealt with our “old man” immediately, it deals with the “flesh” differently. The flesh referred to here is not our actual physical flesh, but it is the natural instincts of our physical flesh, corrupted by the fall of man and the devil, creating the lusts and sinful desires of our flesh, along with our independent (from God) selfish and self-centered lives. It can also be referred to as our “soulish-life,”which resists our spirit-life.  The Holy Spirit deals with the flesh by forming the image of Christ in us through the Holy Spirit imparted to us when we believe into Christ. The Holy Spirit battles against the flesh in us and, in cooperation with our will by faith, daily applies to our flesh the death of the Cross, which occurred in our co-death with Christ on His Cross outside Jerusalem on that day in history. This “independent self-centered soulish life” is what Jesus was referencing when He said that, “if anyone wishes to come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”16 The death principle of the Cross to our soulish-life works as we allow it by faith to do so in our inner person (our soul and body). (“...always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifest in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” II Cor. 4:10-12.)  The mystery of our crucifixion and resurrection with Christ works by the Holy Spirit to produce Christ's resurrection life in our souls to replace the flesh and its rule over our bodies. ("I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20).

Living and walking in the Holy Spirit means that we trust the Holy Spirit to do in us what we cannot do ourselves in our walk with Christ.17 This type of life is completely different from the life we would naturally live in ourselves. Each time we are faced with a new demand or issue from the Lord, we should look to Him to do in us what He requires of us.  It is not a case of trying but of trusting; not of struggling but of resting in faith in Him. Our victory lies in hiding in Christ and in counting in simple trust in the Holy Spirit to overcome in us our flesh, the world, and the devil.18 The cross has been given to procure our salvation for us and the Holy Spirit has been given to produce salvation in us.19 20 

Our union with Christ described above was accomplished through the great “spiritual baptism” of us by God into Christ to become united with Him in His death and resurrection. (see Romans 6:3-7 “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through [spiritual] baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also [be united] in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin, might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin for he who has died is freed from sin.”).  Our physical water baptism, after our salvation, is our assent and testimony before God, the angels, men, and the devil, of our acceptance of our spiritual baptism by God and our union with Christ by our death with Christ and resurrection in Him in His history two thousand years ago.21

The goal of God is not just our salvation but that Christ will have a presence on Earth known as “the Body of Christ” and also known as the Church. The Body of Christ is a composite of Christ, as the Head in Heaven, and the parts of His Body on Earth comprising every believer. The Holy Spirit is constantly attempting to form the image of Christ in the soul of each of us through countless means in order to perfect that composite representation of the glorious Christ to the world.22 As the Body of Christ on Earth, the Holy Spirit communicates Christ to us in our spirits and out into our souls. We then communicate Christ out through our physical body to the world. By this, the Church (and each of us as its members), express the love of God and His glory on the Earth. Also, the Church is the expression of the Kingdom of God on the Earth with its authority and power to destroy the works of the devil and accomplish God’s will on the Earth.( “...for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” I John 3:8).This can be done as a large group, or even a small group, as a representative of Christ and His Church, by “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”(Matthew 18:20).

As we discussed earlier, from our position of sitting down in Christ in faith, we can then move about in works created by Him for us;23 otherwise, our works are only “dead works” and are of no eternal value.24 (John 15:5- "...unless you abide in Me you can do nothing").  The only works of value for the Lord in this world and for eternal purposes are those effectively done by Jesus Himself through us, as we cooperate with Him by doing our part of providing a willing vessel for Him through the Holy Spirit to produce these works in and through our cooperation with Him. Our work must be “in the Lord.”25

Our relationship with God is not affected by our daily sins (confessed or unconfessed) because of God’s acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice and death, which assured us of our continual relationship but our fellowship can be interfered with by unconfessed sin.26 The filling of us by the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit in us are accomplished wholly by the Holy Spirit but the “fruits” are exhibited in our lives as they are produced into the world.27

The goal of the believer should be sanctification (becoming more Christ-like in our walk & being filled with the knowledge & image of Christ in our souls, or as some may call, the Lordship of Christ). Sanctification is the continuing process of “salvation,” after we have been justified by our believing in Christ. Believing in Christ and being justified is instantaneous, but the process of salvation/sanctification is a process throughout our life. It begins by confessing “Jesus as Lord”28 and we should present ourselves to God “as those alive from the dead” and the “members of our [physical] body” to Christ as “instruments of righteousness” as one alive from the dead.29

This brings us to the ultimate purpose of God in subjecting us to the sufferings and sanctification process. The purpose is so that we may finally arrive at our place of adoption as mature “sons” (a generic term including male and female) to receive the inheritance as co-heirs with Christ. “Having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace" (Eph. 1:5-6). Even though we are “foreordained” to be sons, we must go through the process of suffering/sanctification, just as Jesus did. “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans30 and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8: 16-23.

 

We should also become an “Overcomer,” so that we may be acceptable to rule and reign with Christ in His coming Millennial portion of the Kingdom.31  This is a further stage than the first stage of being a believer who has received eternal life. This further stage of becoming an Overcomer will be a reward to those believers who have allowed the Holy Spirit to form the image of Jesus in their inner man. As discussed earlier, this process involves a dying to our soulish life through allowing the Holy Spirit to bring death to our self life through application of the Cross to our life and the allowing of the resurrection life of Christ to be produced in us.32 This involves abiding in Christ, who produces His image in us by the work of the Holy Spirit and through suffering.33 

Without abiding faith it is impossible to please God.34 Our entire relationship with God and everything we do with Him begins with faith. A basic issue in our relationship with God is our faith that God is always a loving God, that He loves us, and that His love is demonstrated in every action of His toward us or that He allows to happen in our lives. “...We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God...”35. “God is love and the one who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him...we love because He first loved us.”36   This basic faith in God's love toward us will always help and keep us in times when it does not appear from all circumstances that this is true.37 This pleases God greatly, when we have this faith in His love in those hard times. We are always invited to “...draw near with confidence to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

The plan of God for the Church (the Body of Christ), after the return of Christ, the “catching up in the air” of the living believers, and the resurrection of the dead believers is that they will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ for examination as to rewards and temporary discipline of some.38 After this judgment, the believers, who have become Overcomers, will rule and reign with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom of God over the nations for one thousand years.39 Thereafter, the unbelievers will be resurrected to appear before the Great White Throne Judgment of God, which will occur for the devil and the unbelievers (but not for the believers).40 After this judgment, all of the believers (including those who did not participate in the Millennial reign with Christ), in union together with the Triune God, will become the “New Jerusalem,” which will come down upon a new Earth,41 where we will live with Him for eternity.42 Hallelujah! Maranatha (Come Lord Jesus).43

End Notes

1 (Romans 5:12-21; 6:17)(When man fell, he destroyed the image that God created for him and lost the position of receiving God as life...In addition, God had barred the way to the tree of life by the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way of the tree of life (Gen. 3:24) . We were unable to be reconciled again to God and to enjoy salvation in life until Christ [the Savior] died for us and redeemed us. Lee, Salvation in Life in the Book of Romans)

 2 (Hebrews 9: 11-14; 18-22)

3 (Galatians 3:24)

4 (Romans 6:23)

5 (Galatians 3:13-14)

6 (Hebrews 9: 11-28)

7 (I Corinthians1:30)

8 (Romans 6:6)

9 (Ephesians 2:5-6; Colossians 2:9-14; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6: 3-10)

10 (Galatians 2:20; 1Corinthians 15:22;Romans 6: 3-10)

11 (Romans 2:4; II Corinthians 7:10; Ephesians 2:8)

12 (1 John 4: 9 & 13)

13 (I Thessalonians 5:23)

14 (John 3:3-8)

15 (I Corinthians 1:22;15:42-44; Ephesians 1:13-14)

16 (Luke 9:23-25; Galatians 5: 16-17; Romans 8:2,13; 1Peter 2: 11) 

17 (Romans 8:11-12; Galatians 5:16-17)

18 (Colossians 3: 1-5)

19 (Titus 3: 4-7)

20  This preceding paragraph (except for Scripture references) is taken from "The Normal Christian Life" by W. Nee

21  (John 17:20-23)

22  (Ephesians 2:19-22; Colossians 1:18-28)

23  (I John 1:7-9)

24 (Ephesians 2:10)

25 (Hebrews 9:14; I Corinthians 15:58)

26 (John 15:4; 1Corinthians 15:10 & 58)

27 (I John 1:2-3;7-9)

28 (Romans 10:9-10; 6:19)

29 (Romans 6:13)

30 “The planet emanates a constant rumble far below the limits of human hearing, even when the ground isn't shaking from an earthquake...this sound, first discovered a decade ago, is one that only scientific instruments —  seismometers — can detect. Researchers call it Earth's hum.” (from Live Science Magazine, April, 2008)

31 (Revelations 3:5,12; 3:20-21;21:7)

32 (II Corinthians 4:10-14;Jude1:24; Revelations 3:19)

33 (Luke 9:23-24; John 15: 4-10;16)

34 (Hebrews 11:6)

35 (Romans 8:26-28)

36 (I John 4:16, 19)

37 (John 16:33)

38 (1Thessalonians 4:16-17;Romans14:10,12;  II Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 12:5-29; Matthew 5:7, 7:1-2, 18:21-35)

39 (Revelations 20:6) (Zechariah 14)

40 (Revelations 20:11-15)

41 (II Peter 3:10-13; Revelations 3:12)

42 (Revelations 21:1-5)

43 “Dear Dan, I have reviewed your ‘Overview of the Gospel,’ and consider it an accurate summary of the Gospel as presented in the the Epistles of Paul and Peter, and of course in the life and teachings of The Lord Jesus Christ himself. It is why The Lord prayed: ‘Let them be one in us...’ and Paul echoed ‘God was, in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.’ Your writing is a succinct summary of the foundational elements of Biblical Epistemology and presents the Gospel through the Father/Son dyad. Many Blessings, Sam Soleyn” Bible Teacher, Sam Soleyn Ministries-http://soleyn.com/about-sam-soleyn