Friday, February 21, 2025

Two Gospels? How about FOUR?

Paul said, The ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the Grace of God. Acts 20:24 

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you THE Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved; 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. 1 Cor. 15:1-4
Believe... and nothing else!

But certain men came down from Judea (Judaizers) and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. Acts 15:1-2



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







These twelve disciples Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “
Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matt. 10:5-6
Because they were preaching the Kingdom Gospel for Israel only!

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Matt. 9:35 

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Matt. 16:13-16 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:25-27 

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.” Acts 8:35-37
Kingdom Gospel... Repent, be baptized, be saved.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the remission of sins.” Acts 2:38 

And when they (Paul and Barnabas) had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees (Judaizers) who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” Acts 15:4-5. (This is the Gospel under Kingdom Law) 

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved in the same manner as they. Acts 15:11 (Peter ultimately got it) 

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Gal. 1:6-8 

When they (Apostles in Jerusalem) saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised (Gentiles) had been committed to me (Paul), as the gospel for the circumcised (Kingdom Jew) was to Peter, and when James, Peter, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Gal. 2:7-9

So... a gentlemen’s agreement, as it were... a CONTRACT. The 12 Apostles would stay in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1, at that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, EXCEPT THE APOSTLES) because they were expecting the imminent return of their King... and Paul would go to the Gentiles as commanded by Jesus Himself. 

2 Peter 3:15-16 says, Consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

Peter finally “got it” and in fact, equated Paul’s writing with “the rest of scripture.”

Look to whom the Epistles of James, Peter, and John were addressed to... Jews... the dispersed, those scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Paul wrote, And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That you may approve things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offence until the day of Christ” Philippians 1:9-10. Vine’s Dictionary renders the phrase "approve things that are excellent"' as simply "distinguish between the things which differ, that are better." Distinctions are very important. 

The meaning of the word "gospel" is simply "good news." From the Greek euangelion, it means “good message.” From the Old English godspell, it means “good story.” From Luke 4:18 it means, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the GOOD NEWS to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” 

The Old Testament record reveals that Israel had rejected Jehovah as their King. Then Jehovah (God the Son) was manifest in the flesh in the person of the Son Jesus, and again they refused Him. By the way, their rejection was complete as indicated by the words of Stephen just before he died. "You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do you" Acts 7:51. So then, the promise of the Kingdom for Israel was withdrawn and God backed away from Israel and went to the Gentiles. 

Gospel #3... There is also “False Gospels” and false Christs.

The apostle said this to the churches in Galatia, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” Gal. 1:6-7.

As Paul says, “This is not another gospel” but a perverted gospel. 

#4... Then there is the “Everlasting Gospel.”

“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” Revelation 14:6-7.

This comes just after the Rapture of the saints but before the end of the Tribulation. God’s two witnesses on Earth will be killed at the end of the first 3½ years. The everlasting gospel is precisely this: "fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come" Rev. 14:7. Those of us who are saved by Paul’s Gospel of Grace are spared all these judgements against the Earth. 

You really should study this for yourself... unless you think you already know everything? But if any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 1 Cor. 8:2





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