Gospel of Christ The Anointed King and Saviour

Over the past few years I have taken interest in how the term gospel or good news is used in Scripture.  I've posted a six part series on how the term gospel is used in the 4 books we call the Gospels. I've noticed that Jesus and His disciples preached the gospel or good news of the kingdom/reign/rule/authority of God.  I've also noticed a number of passages where Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God.

This week another combination of terms caught my eye.  In many of the books attributed to Paul we see the words "gospel of Christ".

The term 'Christ' means Messiah or anointed one.  The Jews were waiting for a Messiah to be their King and Saviour.

If we substitute the term Christ with its meaning "anointed King and Saviour", it helps clarify that Paul and Jesus were proclaiming the same good news.

Romans 15:19

"in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of the anointed King and Saviour."

1 Corinthians 9:12

"If others receive this right from you, are we not more deserving? But we have not made use of this right. Instead we endure everything so that we may not be a hindrance to the  gospel of the anointed King and Saviour."

2 Corinthians 2:12

"Now when I arrived in Troas to proclaim the gospel of the anointed King and Saviour, even though the Lord had opened a door of opportunity for me,"

2 Corinthians 4:4

 "among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious  gospel of the anointed King and Saviour, who is the image of God."

2 Corinthians 9:13

"Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the  gospel of the anointed King and Saviour and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone."

Galatians 1:7

"not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the  gospel of the anointed King and Saviour."

Philippians 1:27

"Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the  gospel of the anointed King and Saviour so that..."

1 Thessalonians 3:2

 "We sent Timothy, our brother and fellow worker for  gospel of the anointed King and Saviour, ..."

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Related Posts:

• Good News
• Different Gospel Definitions
• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• What is the Gospel? - lists verses related to gospel in 'the gospels'
• Gospel in other NT verses
• Gospel of Kingdom in Romans
• Kingdom of God
• What Gospel does you neighbor need to hear?
• Jesus' Gospel vs Paul's Gospel
• What does evangelical mean?
• Why Did Jesus Come?
• Jesus sends out the 12
• My 95 Thesis point 2 Gospel

Different Gospel Definitions

Trevin Wax over at The Gospel Coalition has organized a great collection of different definitions of "the gospel" by different Christians both present and past. I appreciated reading summaries from some names I recognize like Martin Luther, Pope Benedict XVI, William Tyndale, Tim Keller, and many others.

Click here or here for a pdf version to see full list and where the following quotes came from.

I appreciate Gilbert Beebe's emphasis on "It is finished" or "finished redemption".

I appreciate W.A. Criswell's brief summary:

"The message from our Lord Himself is that Christ suffered and was raised from the dead and that remission of sins should be preached in His name to all people. That is the good news. That is the message. That is the gospel!"

I appreciate Robert A. Guelich's summary:

"The “gospel” then is the message that God acted in and through Jesus Messiah, God’s anointed one, to effect God’s promise of shalom, salvation, God’s reign.’"

I appreciate Martin Luther's summary:

"The gospel is a story about Christ, God’s and David’s son, who died and was raised, and is established as Lord. This is the gospel in a nutshell."

I appreciate how M.F. Sadler sees the term gospel being used in Scripture to announce different good news events, and that he does not see Scripture using the term to support a list of preferred doctrines or teachings, for example to summarize preferred views on things like individual election, calling, justification, and sanctification.

I appreciate Craig Bartholomew's summary:

“Gospel (from the Old English godspel, ‘good tale’) means ‘good news,’ and this is the best news there can be: in Jesus, the kingdom of God has come!”

I appreciate Jim Belcher's summary:

“The ‘gospel’ is the good news that through Jesus, the Messiah, the power of God’s kingdom has entered history to renew the whole world. Through the Savior God has established his reign. When we believe and rely on Jesus’ work and record (rather than ours) for our relationship to God, that kingdom power comes upon us and begins to work through us. We witness this radical new way of living by our renewed lives, beautiful community, social justice, and cultural transformation. The good news brings new life. The gospel motivates, guides, and empowers every aspect of our living and worship.”

I appreciate Pope Benedict XVI's summary:

“The term has recently been translated as ‘good news.’ That sounds attractive, but it falls far short of the order of magnitude of what is actually meant by the word evangelion. This term figures in the vocabulary of the Roman emperors, who understood themselves as lords, saviors, and redeemers of the world…. The idea was that what comes from the emperor is a saving message, that it is not just a piece of news, but a changing of the world for the better.“When the Evangelists adopt this word, and it thereby becomes the generic name for their writings, what they mean to tell us is this: What the emperors, who pretend to be gods, illegitimately claim, really occurs here – a message endowed with plenary authority, a message that is not just talk but reality…. the Gospel is not just informative speech, but performative speech – not just the imparting of information, but action, efficacious power that enters into the world to save and transform. Mark speaks of the ‘Gospel of God,’ the point being that it is not the emperors who can save the world, but God. And it is here that God’s word, which is at once word and deed, appears; it is here that what the emperors merely assert, but cannot actually perform, truly takes place. For here it is the real Lord of the world – the Living God – who goes into action.“The core of the Gospel is this: The Kingdom of God is at hand.”

I appreciate C.C. Broyles summary:

"Gospel, or “good news,” designates Jesus’ message of the appearance of God’s kingdom, a message entailing liberty for those held captive to any form of affliction and demonstrated most dramatically in acts of healing. In some instances the term encompasses the whole story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus…"

I appreciate Robert F. Capon emphasis:

“Christianity is NOT a religion; it is the proclamation of the end of religion. Religion is a human activity dedicated to the job of reconciling God to humanity and humanity to itself. The Gospel, however – the Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the astonishing announcement that God has done the whole work of reconciliation without a scrap of human assistance. It is the bizarre proclamation that religion is over – period.”

I appreciate Andy Crouch's summary:

“The gospel is the proclamation of Jesus, in [two] senses. It is the proclamation announced by Jesus – the arrival of God’s realm of possibility (his “kingdom”) in the midst of human structures of possibility. But it is also the proclamation about Jesus – the good news that in dying and rising, Jesus has made the kingdom he proclaimed available to us.”

I appreciate Tim Keller's summary:

The ‘gospel’ is the good news that through Christ the power of God’s kingdom has entered history to renew the whole world. When we believe and rely on Jesus’ work and record (rather than ours) for our relationship to God, that kingdom power comes upon us and begins to work through us.”
“Through the person and work of Jesus Christ, God fully accomplishes salvation for us, rescuing us from judgment for sin into fellowship with him, and then restores the creation in which we can enjoy our new life together with him forever.”

I appreicate Rick McKinley's point that some may emphasize two different gospels. Some emphasize the gospel of the kingdom that they see Jesus and His disciples preaching, and others emphasize a gospel about how Jesus saves that they see Paul teaching.  I agree that Jesus is both Lord and Saviour, and both aspects should be emphasized.

I appreciate Chris Seay's summary:

The gospel is the good news that God is calling out all people to be redeemed by the power residing in the life, death, and ultimate resurrection of Jesus the Liberating King. These “called-out ones” are rescued from a life of slavery, sin, and failure to become emissaries in a new kingdom set to join the redemption of the entire creation, groaning and longing to be redeemed.

I appreciate Tullian Tchividjian's summary:

”The Gospel is the the good news that in and through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, God makes all things new.”

I appreciate N.T. Wright's summary:

“The gospel is the royal announcement that the crucified and risen Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again according to the Scriptures, has been enthroned as the true Lord of the world. When this gospel is preached, God calls people to salvation, out of sheer grace, leading them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as the risen Lord.”

Personally I feel any definition of the gospel should be broad enough to fit in the majority of passages that reference the term gospel. For example when we look at passages where Jesus and His disciples are seen preaching the gospel, does the way we define the gospel make sense in that context? See Matthew 4:23, Matthew 9:35, Matthew 10:7, Matthew 24:14, Mark 1:14-15, Luke 4:43, Luke 8:1, Luke 9:6 or my Gospel in the Gospels 6 part series. I believe there is value in understanding what Scripture has to say on the importance of the cross, but I don't see Scripture defining the gospel consistently in terms of solving the mystery of what the cross means to us.


Anyways, I appreciated reading through these different gospel definitions. I see many great truths in them. It is interesting that these men have all came away with different ways to emphasize things after studying the same Scriptures. A good reminder to give each other grace as we seek to be faithful to Scripture as we share with others.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. How would you define the gospel?

Related Posts:

• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• Gospel Definitions - some concerns with how we try to define the gospel
• Good News
• Gospel of Kingdom in Romans
• What Gospel does you neighbor need to hear?
• What does evangelical mean?
• My 95 Thesis point 2 Gospel
• Secrets of the Kingdom Summary
• Jesus' Gospel vs Paul's Gospel
• Paul Proclaiming the Kingdom of God
• Importance of The Cross
• Jesus saves from religion

Some Bible Gateway Definitions

I came across some definitions from Bible Gateway that I appreciate (by Dictionary of Bible Themes Scripture index copyright Martin H. Manser, 2009)

2423 gospel, essence of

"The chief characteristic and fundamental doctrine of the gospel is that Jesus Christ is both Lord and Saviour."

2375 kingdom of God

"Or, less frequently, “kingdom of heaven”, the kingly rule of God in the lives of people and nations. It refers to the recognition of the authority of God, rather than a definite geographical area, and begins with the ministry of Jesus Christ."

2376 kingdom of God, coming of

"The kingdom of God comes into being wherever the kingly authority of God is acknowledged. Although God is always sovereign, Scripture looks to a future “realm” or “reign” of salvation. This has come in Christ and yet will come in its fulness only when Jesus Christ returns."

The above links have many subheadings with links to related verses.  For example... 

"The kingdom of God was central in the preaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles"

Mt 24:14; Lk 8:1; Ac 28:31 See also Mt 4:17,23; Mt 9:35; Mt 10:7 Jesus Christ’s instructions to the Twelve; Mk 1:13-14; Lk 4:43; Lk 9:2,11; Lk 10:9; Ac 1:3,6-8; Ac 8:12; Ac 19:8; Ac 20:25; Ac 28:23

"The kingdom of God has come in Christ: it is present"

Mt 11:12 Following the Jewish convention of avoiding the use of the divine name, Matthew usually speaks of “the kingdom of heaven”. See also Mt 3:1-2; Mt 4:17; Mt 13:31-32 pp Mk 4:30-32 pp Lk 13:18-19; Mt 13:33 pp Lk 13:20-21; Mt 16:28 pp Mk 9:1 pp Lk 9:27; Lk 11:20;Lk 16:16; Lk 17:20-21

"The kingdom of God will come in its fulness only when Jesus Christ returns: it is future"

Lk 22:18 pp Mt 26:29 pp Mk 14:25 See also Mt 6:10 pp Lk 11:2; Mt 25:31,34; Lk 22:16; 1Co 15:24; 2Ti 4:18; Rev 11:15; Rev 12:10

I just thought I'd share links to this resource.

Importance of The Cross

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_Carrying_the_Cross_1580.jpg

I want to highlight the importance of Jesus' death and resurrection. I may define the gospel differently than some, and I may prefer different atonement theories, but the work of the cross is still very meaningful to me.

I'll start with what Jesus said about the meaning of his death.

A Promise for Forgiveness

Matthew 26:27-29 (NET)

And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Throughout history some different cultures have had some sort of blood covenant ritual. In our culture we have a handshake covenant ritual. The roots of the handshake includes a form where the people would cut their hands and shake with bloody hands. Other ancient rituals included cutting animals in half and walking through them. I see Jesus saying that His blood would be a new handshake, a new promise, that our sins are forgiven. With His blood He is showing His dedication of His love and commitment to us.

A Different Kind of Victory

John 12: 23-26, 31-32 (NIV)

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.  And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

The religous and political rulers of the world thought they were defeating Jesus by killing him.  But what looked like defeat to some was actually somehow a victory. The powers of this world would be driven out, and Jesus would draw everyone to himself.

An Example For Us To Follow

Matt 16:24-26 (NIV)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

This point is repeated in Matt 10:38-39, Mark 8:34-38 and Luke 9:23-27. There is something to this passage that the gospel writers agreed was important.

So what could Jesus be asking of us here? In what way are we to follow Jesus' example of taking up the cross? It is difficult to fit this passage into some of the atonement theories that explain how God saves us. There is something about Christ's work on the cross that we are to duplicate in our lives to gain the life He wants for us.

These next verses may help..

Our Selfish Self Is Crucified with Christ

Galatians 6:14 (NET)

But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (anointed King), through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Galatians 2:20 (NET)

I have been crucified with Christ (the anointed King), and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Gal 5:24 (NIV)

"Those who belong to Christ (the anointed King) Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."

Rom 6:11 (NIV)

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ (the anointed King) Jesus."

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."

Victory Over Sin and Death

Romans 6:9-11 (NIV)

"For we know that since Christ (the anointed King) was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ (the anointed King) Jesus."

2 Timothy 1:10 (NET)

but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ (the anointed King) Jesus. He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel!

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NET)

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

Colossians 1:13 (NET)

He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves,

Rom 4:25 (NIV)

"He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. "

Rom 6:23 (NIV)

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ (the anointed King) Jesus our Lord."

1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

"For Christ (the anointed King) died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,"

A Ransom Freeing Us From The Power Of Darkness

The ransom analogy paints a picture of something bad holding us captive, and God through Jesus' sacrifice bought us out from captivity. (This is different than the idea that Jesus' death was a payment made to appease God's wrath towards us as some theories suggest.)

1 Timothy 2:6 (NIV)

"who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time."

Titus 2:14 (NIV)

"who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Matthew 20:28 (NIV)

"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mark 10:45 (NET)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Romans 3:23-26 (NET)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ (the anointed King) Jesus. God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus’ faithfulness.

Galatians 3:13(NET)

Christ (the anointed King) redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)

Galatians 4:5 (NET)

to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.

Ephesians 1:7-8 (NET)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.

1 Peter 1:18-19 (NET)

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.

Revelation 5:9 (NET)

They were singing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals
because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

1 Corinthians 7:23 (NET)

You were bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NET)

For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

Last Sacrificial Lamb

The Jewish religious requirements of killing animals to offer as sacrifices to God is completed.


John 1:29 (NET)

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Hebrews 10:12-18 (NET)

But when this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds,” then he says, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer.” Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Revelation 5:12 (NET)

all of whom were singing in a loud voice: “Worthy is the lamb who was killed to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!”

New Birth, New Life

1 Peter 1:3 (NET)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (the anointed King) from the dead,

Ephesians 2:4-6 (NET)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!— and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ (the anointed King) Jesus,

Colossians 2:12-15 (NET)

Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. And even though you were dead in your transgressions and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your transgressions.  He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.  Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Demonstration of Love towards sinners

Romans 5:6-8 (NET)

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Kingship of Jesus and the message of the cross were top priorities of Paul

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NET)

For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ (the anointed king), and him crucified.

(See Paul Proclaiming the Kingdom of God for more on Paul's Kingdom emphasis.)

1 Corinthians 1:18 (NET)

“For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 15 (NET)

Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.  For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ (the anointed King) died for our sins according to the scriptures,  and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures,  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  Then he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.  Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  Last of all, as though to one born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.....

We see in this gospel explanation Paul makes a proclamation of the Kingship of Jesus, His death, and His resurrection.  Paul talks about the significance of the resurrection for this entire chapter ending with this. He describes how the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope in a future resurrection, as well as currently defeating sin and the religious law.

1 Corinthians 15:50 - 57

“Now this is what I am saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  Now when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will happen, “Death has been swallowed up in victory. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

What I don't see:

1. I don't see the gospel being defined consistently in terms of the cross. I believe a more balanced view of the gospel takes into account the 23 verses in the gospels that reference the gospel or good news. It would acknowledge that Jesus and His disciples are recorded as preaching the gospel and explore what that may have sounded like. It would recognize a reason given by Jesus for why He came: "Jesus, however, said to them: “I must take the good news (gospel) of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, for that was why I was sent.” Luke 4:43. Here is a link to my study on the gospels according to the gospels.
2. I don't see the penal substitutionary atonement theory. I don't see Jesus' death as a payment made to God for the debt of sin. I see the ransom verses making a case that Jesus bought us out from the powers of darkness. I see more evidence of Jesus bringing us to God, and less that Jesus saved us from God. For more on this see: Overview of Different Atonement Theories and 10 Reasons Why I'm Not a Fan of Penal Substitution...
3. I don't see anything like “you must believe the following about the cross to be saved”. I see the New Testament consistently addressing the questions “What must I do to be saved?” with “Place your trust in the person of Jesus”. I do not see lists of essential beliefs attached to passages that address this question. Placing our faith or trust in the person of Jesus is more than believing specific information about him, no matter how correct or important the information is (James 2:19). For more on this see: What Must I Believe Part 1

Summary of what the cross does mean to me:

1. Jesus said that His blood would be a new handshake, a new promise, that our sins are forgiven. With His blood He is showing His dedication of His love and commitment to us.
2. It was an act of death to the things of the world, and this brought true life
3. We are to follow His example of putting our selfish ways to death. We are to count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God
4. A place of victory over sin and death that we can participate in. Jesus broke for us the power of death and brought for us life and immortality.
5. A source of healing
6. A source of freedom from slavery
7. A ransom freeing us from the power of darkness
8. A ransom that justifies freely by his grace
9. A ransom that frees us from bondage to old religious laws
10. A place of adoption as children with full rights.
11. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to His kingdom
12. The last sacrificial Lamb
13. A new birth for us into a living hope through His resurrection
14. A demonstration and example for us of extreme love for sinners
15. A hope for a future resurrection. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is old religious laws.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus the anointed King!
16. The message about the cross is a message of the power of God.

I find a lot of meaning in these verses. Some of these meanings hold a bit of mystery that is hard to comprehend.  It has been good for me to put these thoughts together. I recognize many will see things differently, and I am OK with that too.

I welcome any feedback.

Another Look At The Gospel According To The Gospels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Four_Evangelists_Jordaens_Louvre_Inv1404.jpg

Three years ago I decided to do a study on what these books have to say about the gospel.  I wondered: "Do we see the gospel clearly presented in each of the gospels?"  Or did the gospel writers omit declaring the gospel with hopes we would find it elsewhere?

Consider the following:

• Suppose there were eyewitnesses to the life, teachings, and death of Jesus.
• Suppose they decided to write a books to share with others.
• They would not assume their audience had access to other books about Jesus, so they would try to include all the important details.
• They would hope that those who read their books would gain enough details to believe, trust, and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.
• Suppose they used the term gospel throughout their books.
• Suppose they described Jesus and His disciples preaching the gospel. 
• Suppose they ended some of the books with a call encouraging others to share the gospel with the whole world.

I believe we have a few books of this nature.

Here are links to six posts I put together as I went through these 4 books that frequently refer to the gospel. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

1. Gospel in the Gospels - introduction and some thoughts to consider
2. Gospel in Matthew - verses related to the term gospel in Matthew
3. Gospel in Mark - verses related to the term gospel in Mark
4. Gospel in Luke - verses related to the term gospel in Luke
5. Gospel in John - verses in John that that make similar points
6. Gospel in the Gospels - Summary

Paul Proclaiming the Kingdom of God

In Acts and into the epistles we see Paul proclaiming the message of the kingdom (reign/rule/authority) of God from town to town.

Paul:

"So Paul entered the synagogue and spoke out fearlessly for three months, addressing and convincing them about the kingdom of God." Acts 19:8 NET

“And now I know that none of you among whom I went around proclaiming the kingdom will see me again." Acts 20:25 NET

"They set a day to meet with him, and they came to him where he was staying in even greater numbers. From morning until evening he explained things to them, testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets."  Acts 28:23 NET

"proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction." Acts 28:31 NET

"For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans 14:17 NET

"For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power." 1 Corinthians 4:20 NET

... and more

The above verses show that Paul was committed to proclaiming the kingdom of God wherever he went. We see similar passages relating to the disciples in the gospels.

12 Disciples:

"Jesus sends out His 12 disciples: On your way proclaim (preach) that the kingdom (reign, rule, authority) of heaven (or God) is at hand." Matt 10:7

"Then they (the 12 disciples) set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the gospel (good news) and curing people everywhere." Luke 9:6

The disciples were obviously following the example of Jesus, as he was known to go from town to town proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom/reign/rule/authority of God.

Jesus:

"Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming (preaching) the gospel (good news) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority, realm, dominion), and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people;" Mat 4:23

"Jesus went around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming (preaching) the gospel (good news) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority, dominion, realm), and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness." Matthew 9:35

"Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming (preaching) the gospel (good news) of God —“The time has come, and the kingdom (rule, reign, authority) of God is at hand; repent (change your way of thinking), and believe the good news.” Mar 1:14-15

"Jesus, however, said to them: “I must take the good news (gospel) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority, dominion) of God to the other town also, for that was why I was sent.” Luke 4:43

"Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming (preaching) the good news (gospel) of the kingdom (rule, reign, authority, dominion) of God." Luke 8:1

My point here is that it would be wrong to assume the gospel message Paul preached was any different than the good news of the kingdom of God that Jesus and His disciples proclaimed.  Verses like the following should be read keeping in mind what message we know was proclaimed by Paul, Jesus, and the other disciples.  It would be wrong to assume Paul was proclaiming a new or different gospel message.

"not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ." Galatians 1:7

"in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ (the anointed King)." Romans 15:19 NET

"Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ (the anointed King), according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages," Romans 16:25

"Remember Jesus Christ (the anointed King), raised from the dead, a descendant of David; such is my gospel," 2 Timothy 2:8

"Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel that I preached to you, that you received and on which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received—that Christ (the anointed King) died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures," 1 Corinthians 15:1 -4

When Paul proclaimed the gospel, he was proclaiming that Jesus was Christ, the anointed King, the messiah.  He was proclaiming Jesus as both Lord and Savior.  Paul was an example of someone who followed the commands in the following verses. 

For Us All:

Then he said to them: “Go into all the world, and proclaim the gospel (good news) to all creation. Mark 16:15

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14

My desire is to also proclaim the gospel of God's kingdom (reign/rule/authority).  To proclaim that it is good news that Jesus is Lord and Savior.


Related Posts:

• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• Gospel Definitions - some concerns with how we try to define the gospel
• Gospel of Kingdom in Romans
• What Gospel does you neighbor need to hear?
• What does evangelical mean?
• My 95 Thesis point 2 Gospel 
• Secrets of the Kingdom Summary 
• Jesus' Gospel vs Paul's Gospel

Taking a Break

My spiritual journey is going off the public airwaves for awhile.  I need to take a break from speaking out on topics, and simply live my faith for awhile.  But I want to summarize some of the topics that have come together for me lately.

Jesus' Gospel vs Paul's Gospel: I believe both Jesus and Paul preached a Jesus centered gospel.  Jesus preached Jesus, and Paul preached Jesus.  Both proclaimed that Jesus was Christ, messiah, king, savior, and Lord. 

What Must I Believe (a 6 part series): Looking at Scripture passages related to what we must do or believe to be saved, it seems we must place our trust in the person of Jesus.

Unity is Essential : This has been my starting point on this journey.  I recognize a value for theological discussions when it leads people to mature in their relationship with Christ. Unfortunately if we focus too much on correct theology and take our focus off our relationships with the person of Christ, we often recognize we are not united in our different sets of essential beliefs.   I suggest a solution is placing Christ central, and elevating Him above our different understandings about Him.

My Role with Church: Church is people, followers of Christ and whenever they get together. Period (see Church Etymology).  Scripture teaches that we are to meet together with the purpose of building each other up to become more like Christ. It makes sense that we practice the One Anothers (another 6 part series) when we get together. 

Love is Essential: It is the greatest commandment.  The greatest of these is love. If I don't have love, I have nothing, all of this is pointless. God's love working though us helps others recognize we are disciples of Christ. If there is one command of Jesus I want to get right, it is this one.

Jesus' Gospel vs Paul's Gospel

"Many biblical scholars and lay Christians have noted that Jesus preached almost exclusively about the kingdom of heaven, while Paul highlighted justification by faith—and not vice versa. Some conclude that they preached two different gospels. Others argue that really they both preached justification; still others say it's all about the kingdom. What gives?"  - Scot McKnight

Many Christians have been brought up understanding the gospel in terms defined by Paul.  The main idea is our justification by faith in Christ's work on the cross.

However many Christians today are recognizing that Jesus also preached a message he referred to as the gospel. For those of you who are not familiar with the idea that Jesus preached the gospel here are some key questions and some verses to consider.

Jesus' Gospel

1) Did Jesus preach a gospel (good news) message?
2) Did His disciples proclaim a gospel message?
3) When the gospel writers instruct us to proclaim the gospel, using how the term was used by that author, what was the good news message they were referencing?

Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming (preaching) the gospel (good news) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority, realm, dominion), and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people; Mat 4:23

Jesus went around all the towns and the villages, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming (preaching) the gospel (good news) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority, dominion, realm), and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Matthew 9:35

Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming (preaching) the gospel (good news) of God —“The time has come, and the kingdom (rule, reign, authority) of God is at hand; repent (change your way of thinking), and believe the good news.” Mar 1:14-15

Jesus, however, said to them: “I must take the good news (gospel) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority, dominion) of God to the other town also, for that was why I was sent.” Luke 4:43

Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming (preaching) the good news (gospel) of the kingdom (rule, reign, authority, dominion) of God. Luke 8:1

Jesus sends out His 12 disciples: On your way proclaim (preach) that the kingdom (reign, rule, authority) of heaven (or God) is at hand. Matt 10:7

Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming the gospel (good news) of the kingdom (reign, rule, authority) of God. Luke 8:1

Then they (the 12 disciples) set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the gospel (good news) and curing people everywhere. Luke 9:6

Then he said to them: “Go into all the world, and proclaim the gospel (good news) to all creation. Mark 16:15

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:14

So we may ask the questions?

Did Jesus preach Paul's gospel?

or

Did Paul preach Jesus' gospel?

I recently came across some articles that do a decent job addressing the tension in these questions:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2010/12/14/jesus-vs-paul-an-interview-with-scot-mcknight-about-the-gospel/

which was an interview related to this article:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/december/9.25.html

The articles are worth the read.  It may be an important topic to get your head around. After all, most Christians agree we should be proclaiming the gospel.   So how we define the gospel should matter.  Who gets to define it? Which scripture passages are used to summarize this essential question?

I agree with the idea in this article. When Jesus proclaimed the good news of the kingdom or reign of God, he was announcing that He was the Christ, the anointed King.  He was the Messiah that the Jews were waiting for. He was inviting all people to enter under the reign and authority of His kingdom.  He was their saviour and Lord.

When Paul defines the gospel he preached in 1 Corinthians 15 he uses very similar language.

"Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.  By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,  and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. " (NIV)

Of first importance: that Christ (the anointed King) died for our sins...

Do you see the kingdom connection?  The term Christ means the anointed one.

Jesus and Paul both preached that Jesus was king, Lord, Christ, Messiah.

Jesus and Paul both preached that Jesus died for our sins.

Jesus and Paul both preached victory that comes from our risen Lord.

Jesus and Paul both preach about requiring faith in Jesus.

I do see a different emphasis, but I don't see a different gospel message.  


Scot McKnight writes:

"... when some evangelicals recently rediscovered Jesus' kingdom vision, they were frequently warned that they were on the verge of falling for a social gospel. "

This describes my experience over and over again.  I admit I have been surprised and confused by this.

I'm sorry if my journey to understand and apply the teachings of Jesus has given you concern.  As a follower of Jesus my desire is to become more like Jesus.  I am enjoying studying the life and teachings of Jesus.  It seems clear that Jesus had a favorite topic as he preached from town to town, and His disciples caught on as well.  I believe the words of Jesus have meaning and power for people today as well, without taking away from the messages of Paul and other writers of Scripture.

Is it safe to say "Jesus Christ is the gospel"?

Related Posts:

• Good News
• Gospel Definitions - some concerns with how we try to define the gospel
• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• Secrets of the Kingdom Summary

Gospel Definitions

What is the deal with defining the gospel?  I am sensing there are different camps of Christians pushing their gospel definitions. I confess I have done some of this myself.

Trevin Wax has put together a collection of over 70 gospel definitions he has found here: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/category/gospel/gospel-definitions/

There are some that I like more than others.  But if I was asked to give a definition of the gospel I would likely write something slightly different.

So I am wondering if we should back off on pushing our different gospel definitions.

Should we take an honest look and recognize that the terms for gospel and good new get used in many different ways in Scripture.  We don't find one gospel definition in Scripture that gets used over and over again.


Is the problem that we have made the word gospel to mean something more than it meant in Scripture? When we try to define the gospel, are we trying to create a summary of the main points of the Christian faith?

Have we changed the meaning of "good news" into "most important beliefs"?

Consider the example of gospel or good news in Luke 2:10. The angles pronounce good news (gospel) that a savior was born.  Does the use of the term for gospel here give a main summary of the beliefs of the Christian faith?  When we share the gospel with others are we to simply repeat what the angels said here?


I do sense some Christians are hesitant to accept that Jesus preached a good news message about the kingdom of God - and that He sent His disciples out preaching in a similar way. There are at least 8 passages where the terms good news or gospel are linked to a kingdom message in the gospels. To be honest I am not sure what concerns they have over this message. I am trying to sort it out.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus and His disciples preached. I am also not ashamed of any of the gospel accounts of Jesus. Nor am I ashamed of the good news message of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Whenever Jesus and the writers of scripture say "this is good news", I want to agree and share the good news with others.


But I am recognizing there is no record in our Scriptures of a gospel presentation that includes a summary of all the main beliefs of the Christian faith.  If we simply look at all the times the words gospel, and good news show up, we do not see a pattern to piece together such a gospel presentation.  The same goes when we look at different passages where people share the message of Jesus to others.  Even Jesus gives different explanations to different people on how to be saved.

I have some concerns over how much proof-texting is required for most gospel presentations.  If you have to piece together a summary by cutting and pasting sentences from different places... don't you think it is odd that at least one, if not all the NT books had a complete summary like the one you have made? 


It is good to study the Bible and try to piece it together to understand what God is asking of you.  But we should notice that Jesus didn't really put together any creeds, doctrinal statements, or even a systematic gospel presentation that we should memorize, repeat, and spread. 

So as I strive to simply follow Jesus, I think I may be free from needing to have the best definition of "good news".  May Jesus be good news for those around me.

I guess I may need to re-word some of my old posts on this topic.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Related Posts:

• Good News
• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• What is the Gospel? - lists verses related to gospel in 'the gospels'
• Gospel in other NT verses
• Gospel of Kingdom in Romans
• Kingdom of God
• What Gospel does you neighbor need to hear?
• Why Did Jesus Come?
• Jesus sends out the 12
• My 95 Thesis point 2 Gospel

Kingdom Good News

I am continuing my series on the secrets of the kingdom and am now moving into the gospel according to Mark.

Early into this good news account by Mark we have this passage that relates the good news to the kingdom of God.

Mark 1:14-15 (NIV)

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” 

Or... Young's Literal Translation 

And after the delivering up of John, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of the reign of God,and saying -- `Fulfilled hath been the time, and the reign of God hath come nigh, reform ye, and believe in the good news.'

I am sure many theologians wish there were more details here. 

What is the gospel that Jesus preached?

Or maybe the good news that Jesus preached was simply that the King was here.  Jesus is Lord. Repent, believe, change your way of thinking, submit to the King and submit to the reign of God.

Do you think this passage is missing some of the details of the gospel? Or could the secrets of the kingdom be simple enough for a child or simpleton like me to understand. :)

May God's kingdom come, Gods will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven.

That is good news!

Playdough Scripture Matt 24:14

"And this gospel of the kingdom penal substitutionary atonement will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Matt 24:14 (Playdough Version)

This passage was next in my series on the secrets of the kingdom, but it seemed to fit well as a Playdough Scripture example.

When we think of the gospel being preached and spread throughout the world, what good news message are we thinking about?

Many equate the penal substitutionary atonement theory as the gospel.  This theory was formulated by the reformers in the 16th century.  It is the thought process that Christ died on the cross as a substitute for sinners. That God imputed the guilt of our sins to Christ, and he, in our place, bore the punishment that we deserve. This was a full payment for sins, which satisfied both the wrath and the righteousness of God, so that He could forgive sinners without compromising His own holy standard.

However when I read the 'gospels' I don't see Jesus or His disciples preaching the good news of penal subsitutionary atonement.  But I do see them frequently proclaiming the gospel.


Related Posts:

• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• What is the Gospel? - lists verses related to gospel in 'the gospels'
• Secrets of the Kingdom Summary
• Which Tent Post Is The Cross? 

The New Conversion

A friend passed along a Christianity Today article they thought I'd find interesting, and was curious what my thoughts were on it.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/aprilweb-only/new-conversion.html 


How is it that a respectable magazine like Christianity Today can publish some of the same crazy thought's that I've been having.  Does this mean I am not as crazy as I thought? Or does it mean there are lots of crazy folks out there?  Likely the latter.  :)

"Conversion was viewed to be a punctiliar experience: persons could specify with confidence and assurance the time and place of their conversion, by reference, as often as not, to the moment when they prayed what was typically called "the sinner's prayer."

I agree.  I used to think the sinners prayer was the way to become a Christian.
However I realize now that when people asked Jesus `What must I do to be saved`, I don`t see him responding `repeat this prayer after me`. For example Mark 10:18-25 and Matthew 25:34-45 don't mention a specific prayer as moment of conversion.

"The focus of conversion was the afterlife: one sought salvation so that one could "go to heaven" after death, and the assumption was that "salvation" would lead to disengagement from the world. Once converted, the central focus of one's life would be church or religious activities, particularly those that helped others come to this understanding of salvation that assured them of "eternal life" after death."

 I have also converted and repented (changed my way of thinking) on this as well.  :)

The gospel message that Jesus and His disciples preached from town to town was that of the Kingdom of God. This reign or rule of God is one that started in those days and can be a present reality for us today. God's power is available to us each and every day. He wants to defeat sin and death in our present lives.  He wants to heal and restore our lives to what He intended them to be. We can choose to live in the kingdom of darkness, or in the kingdom of light.  I believe there will be a future form of the reign of God as well, but that does not need to be our main focus today.

Further, the church was often defined as in the business of making conversions happen; its life and mission were oriented toward getting more people converted through whatever means possible. Successful congregations were characterized by numerical "conversion growth." 

I am discovering that Jesus was in the disciple-making business, and that should be my focus as well.  The focus shifts away from an agreement of some doctrine, statement of faith, and a prayer. To become a disciple means to follow the ways of Jesus, and that should also involve finding other followers to journey together with.

The article lists different scholars, theologians, historians, philosophers, and others that are contributing to movement on these topics. I found it interesting to see all the different sources of change within the evangelical community. Change is in the wind. 

This begs the question of what it means to be the church. The evangelical tradition is at a fork in the road and, given this sea change in the understanding of conversion and redemption, the most crucial issue at stake is what it means to be a congregation. Evangelicals will only be able to navigate these waters if they can formulate a dynamic theology of the church that reflects the Triune character of God, the means of grace—Spirit and Word—and a radical orientation in mission toward the kingdom of God.

Rethinking what the term 'church' meant to the early church is also changing my role with church. 

Yikes, yes this article sums up a lot of the process I've been going through. 

Related Posts:

• Good News
• Essentials For a New Disciple
• Disciple Making 101
• This is Discipling
• Church Etymology 

Not a Wimpy Gospel

Please don't read this as an attack on another side. I want to simply clarify my position.

I suspect some Evangelicals view the kingdom gospel as some kind of soft, fluffy, feel good gospel. Jesus loves the world, lets all do good deeds and all will be good. I sense some hesitation to explore it.

The gospel message they want to emphasize is the tough gospel with a greater emphasis on sin, hell, God's holiness and wrath. If you want a serious gospel, you don't want to stray too far from there.

But please consider another way to look at it.

The gospel of the kingdom, as I see it, is a get your hands dirty kind of Gospel.

It is not an academic gospel where you accept a certain set of truths and the rest is up to God. Is is not about believing in God, saying a prayer, and waiting for better days in heaven.

There is a battle going on!

There are two kingdoms at war!

Pick your side!

Put on your armor!

Get out of the grand-stands and join the front lines with your Lord!

This is how I see the gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus and His disciples preached.

I am not saying that Evangelicals do not get their hands dirty, or join in the battle.

My point here is that I'm not ashamed of the gospel Jesus preached. It is not a wimpy gospel.


Related Posts:

• Did Jesus preach the gospel?
• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
  
• What is the Gospel? - lists verses related to gospel in 'the gospels'
  
• Gospel in other NT verses
• Which Tent Post Is The Cross?

Gospel in Christmas Narrative

In the timeline of Jesus, the first occurrence of the gospel shows up in Luke with an Angel speaking to some shepherds:

Luke 2:10 - 11 (HCSB)

"But the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David."

The Greek that gets translated "I proclaim to you good news" here is euangelizomai, which is related to euaggelizó: to announce good news. Euaggelizó gets translated as preaching the gospel in other New Testament verses.

So shouldn't we start with this first occurrence to determine what the gospel is?

The angels are declaring that Jesus has come. That the Messiah, a Savior, the Lord had arrived. This is good news for all people.

But wait, I just found an earlier occurrence of the term for gospel in the New Testament. Gabriel speaking to Zechariah in Luke 1:19 has the term euangelisasthai which also gets translated as gospel elsewhere. Here the good news is about the birth of John the baptist. It was good news, but should we conclude this is the gospel that we are to share with the world as followers of Christ?

Do you see where I am going with this? There are many verses in the Bible that have the term gospel, or good news. 1 Cor 15:1 is one verse that often gets used as a proof text for a certain emphasis on the good news message.

I recognize that there are many good news messages in Scripture. However will you consider exploring with me the good news message that Jesus and His disciples preached?

Yes Jesus did preach the gospel.

And He taught His disciples to do the same.

The first 4 books of our New Testament are known as the gospels, and have a lot to say on the topic. They are a great place to start. What do you think the gospel is according to the gospels?

By the way... I think the Angels did a great job introducing us to the gospel that Jesus came to share.

(And by the way #2: the whole of 1 Cor 15 fits well within the gospel Jesus preached, likely a future post. I don't see it as two different gospel messages.)


Related Posts:

• Did Jesus preach the gospel?
• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
  
• What is the Gospel? - lists verses related to gospel in 'the gospels'
  
• Gospel in other NT verses

Which Tent Post Is The Cross?

I see the cross in a different light than many Evangelicals.
But is the cross important to me? Absolutely, Yes!
I've previously posted 10 reasons why I'm not a fan of Penal Subtitutionary Attonment (actually 11 reasons). I also don't see the cross as the central part of the gospel message that Jesus or His disciples preached (see Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series).


But picture for a moment a tent. What kind of tent would I have if I only used one pole and one peg to support it? There may be one, two or four central posts - depending on the type of tent. But most stable tents have more than one post.

For me the cross may not be the central post, but it is certainly an essential post.

I admit the cross has some mystery to me, but I find a good place to start is understanding what Jesus had to say about the cross.

Matt 16:24-26 (NIV)

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew records Jesus saying something similar in Matt 10:38-39, and Mark 8:34-38, and Luke 9:23-27. There is something to this passage that the gospel writers agreed was important.

So what could Jesus be asking of us here? In what way are we to follow Jesus' example of taking up the cross? By taking up our cross is Jesus asking us to pay the price for our sins like he did on the cross... no, I don't think so.

Christ's example for us on the cross is how he defeated sin for us. I think he is asking us to follow His example of defeating sin, putting sin to death. By rejecting the rule of selfishness, and accepting the reign of God, we can find life in Christ. We must denying our own selfish ways and allow God to rule in our hearts and lives.

This tent post gives good support to the good news of the reign of God that Jesus and His disciples preached.

Another verse that speaks to our selfish ways being put to death:

Gal 5:24 (NIV)

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."

Jesus took our sins to the cross, so we can also put our selfish ways to death and live for Him.

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed."

All of Romans 6 has helped me understand the cross better. Here are two snippets:

Rom 6:11 (NIV)

"In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

Romans 6:9-11 (NIV)

"For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."

Related Posts:

• Importance of the cross - a look at many verses talking about meanings of the cross
• Whodunnit - Who Killed Jesus?
• slaves to sin or God - my attempt to internalize Romans 6
• 10 reasons why I'm not a fan of Penal Subtitutionary Attonment
• Difference between ransom and paying a debt
• Did Jesus pay our debts?
• Good News
• Gospel in the Gospels - Summary - 6 part series
• What is the Gospel? - lists verses related to gospel in 'the gospels'