What is the Gospel?

[Nihilo]

Probably because they replace the proper terms with made up one like Good Friday and Easter.

Once you start changing what is written, you lose the meaning of what was written.

I maintain that nobody confuses Good Friday and Easter, and everybody knows what these days are. There's no confusion here unless we make up some. And further, we know with relative certainty that both events took place within yards of each other. Calvary and the tomb were near enough to each other, that the one Church of the Holy Sepulchre is built over both sites.

 

[Nihilo]

I saw the word "crucified" in there. Don't try to hide it. :chuckle:

It is rather unavoidable, inherently, to preach Easter, without mentioning Good Friday.

 

[Sonnet]

The gospel of the grace of God is found here:

"But now apart from law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus...redeemed with the precious blood of Christ" (Ro.3:21-24; 1 Pet.1:19).​

It just seems to remain a problem for Christians to clearly and unambiguously articulate the Gospel. That even Paul's emphatic declaration of what was preached is contested seems astonishing.

1 Corinthians 15:11,1-5:
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.​

 

[Sonnet]

Easter

noun
the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and held (in the Western Church) between 21 March and 25 April, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.
the weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

 

[glorydaz]

I maintain that nobody confuses Good Friday and Easter, and everybody knows what these days are.

Well, if you want to try and preach the Gospel saying Easter is the answer to everything, then that's certainly your prerogative. :carryon:

 

[glorydaz]

Easter

noun
the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and held (in the Western Church) between 21 March and 25 April, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.
the weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

And here I thought the Jewish Festivals predated the Catholic Church. Perhaps we should all observe Lent, too, and do the stations of the Cross.

"The oldest festival..." Try preaching the Gospel with that.

 

[glorydaz]

It is rather unavoidable, inherently, to preach Easter, without mentioning Good Friday.

That's the whole point. Preach the death, burial, and resurrection and you can't go wrong.

 

[patrick jane]

It just seems to remain a problem for Christians to clearly and unambiguously articulate the Gospel. That even Paul's emphatic declaration of what was preached is contested seems astonishing.

1 Corinthians 15:11,1-5:
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.​

Do you still not believe?

 

[Nihilo]

That's the whole point. Preach the death, burial, and resurrection and you can't go wrong.

Why stop there? 1st Corinthians chapter 15 is a long chapter.

 

[glorydaz]

Why stop there? 1st Corinthians chapter 15 is a long chapter.

You won't need the whole chapter to find the point.

I'm showing you that the work of the cross is not just the resurrection.

You claim to know that, but that isn't what you're preaching.

 

[Sonnet]

Do you still not believe?

I don't see how it possible to believe - I'd just be guessing.

That sounds like Calvinism.

 

[glorydaz]

It just seems to remain a problem for Christians to clearly and unambiguously articulate the Gospel. That even Paul's emphatic declaration of what was preached is contested seems astonishing.

1 Corinthians 15:11,1-5:
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.​

Here's the charge....this truth is "being contested".

Where is that truth being contested? You say it is....let's see the proof.

 

[glorydaz]

I don't see how it possible to believe - I'd just be guessing.

That sounds like Calvinism.

That makes no sense. What are you trying to say?

 

[Nihilo]

You won't need the whole chapter to find the point.

Well that's been my point all along.

I'm showing you that the work of the cross is not just the resurrection.

Something I already know.

You claim to know that, but that isn't what you're preaching.

People died witnessing to Easter, not to Good Friday. That's historical fact. And, Paul confirms explicitly, both that believing Easter alone is the one Christian faith (Ro10:9KJV), and that if Easter alone is fictional, the one Christian faith is vain (1Co15:14KJV).

 

[intojoy]

Do you still not believe?

The question is “understand?” The Gospel is understood by Sonnet but believing it takes effectual calling.


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[Nihilo]

The question is “understand?” The Gospel is understood by Sonnet but believing it takes effectual calling.

What does Sonnet have to believe to become an individual member of the Body of Christ? I say, Easter alone.

 

[patrick jane]

Why stop there? 1st Corinthians chapter 15 is a long chapter.

In preaching the gospel there is more than "He Is Risen" - eventually we hear that the Risen Christ Jesus also ascended into heaven and is at the right hand of God. He chose Paul to reveal a mystery and go to the Gentiles, to provoke Israel to jealousy until the fullness of the Gentiles be brought in. Romans 11:11 KJV - Romans 11:25 KJV -


Ephesians 1:19-21 KJV - 19 [FONT=&quot]And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,[/FONT][FONT=&quot]20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:


Romans 8:34 KJV - 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.[/FONT]

 

[intojoy]

What does Sonnet have to believe to become an individual member of the Body of Christ? I say, Easter alone.

The difference between our faith and every other belief system is the difference between "advice" and "news". Yeshua didn't just come to give advice. He came to bear our debt, to pay for the penalty of our sins (the wages of sin is death), so that we could be free to forgive one another as he forgave us. Its not advice that is the message of the bible, but it is news, good news. The news that God has intervened on our behalf, and has provided forgiveness for our sins.
We are beings that need unconditional all accepting love. Our problem is that none of us know how to give this kind of love because all of our love is conditional in some way and is self serving. But God who is the embodiment of love, and who does not need love, became a willing sacrifice and gave his life as a ransom for sin. Why? Because we needed love. And so that we could receive the kind of love we as human beings so desperately needed - unconditional, accepting love and so that we could become the kind of people He created us to be.

It's not what we can do for God but what He has done for us. He entered "our world," He took on
"our humanity," He bore "our sins," He died "our death, "He was resurrected for "our life," He's coming again for "our glorification."
Paul in his letter to the Romans is urging us on the basis of all that he taught on, on the basis of all that has been done, he urges us to become living sacrifices:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". (Romans 12:1, 2 KJV)
"therefore" meaning all Paul taught concerning grace and mercy, we have become thru Christ the objects of God's omnipotent, eternal love.

If we have not understood all that the mercies of God has done, if we have not understood doctrinally and theologically deep enough, all that Messiah has accomplished for us, then we have become useless to him. God is calling us to live our lives as living sacrifices unto him. Our problem is, we are so prideful that we are not willing to give up anything for others. When a sacrifice was laid upon the altar there was a great deal of suffering involved, the animal experienced pain and suffering. What are we willing to give up? What are we willing to place upon the altar? So that we can become a blessing to others, and become servants of the Most High God?






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[Nihilo]

In preaching the gospel there is more than "He Is Risen" - eventually we hear that

That's right, we do .. it's ALL in there, it's all contained in the Good News of Easter. Nothing exists in the faith apart from Easter, the Bible even says that if He died for our sins, but He didn't rise again, then the Christian faith is vain, which means, that He did not die for our sins, if Easter is fictional.

And that's just verbatim quoting Paul, 1st Corinthians 15:17 (KJV).

 

[Nihilo]

The difference between our faith and every other belief system is the difference between "advice" and "news". Yeshua didn't just come to give advice. He came to bear our debt, to pay for the penalty of our sins (the wages of sin is death), so that we could be free to forgive one another as he forgave us. Its not advice that is the message of the bible, but it is news, good news. The news that God has intervened on our behalf, and has provided forgiveness for our sins.
We are beings that need unconditional all accepting love. Our problem is that none of us know how to give this kind of love because all of our love is conditional in some way and is self serving. But God who is the embodiment of love, and who does not need love, became a willing sacrifice and gave his life as a ransom for sin. Why? Because we needed love. And so that we could receive the kind of love we as human beings so desperately needed - unconditional, accepting love and so that we could become the kind of people He created us to be.

It's not what we can do for God but what He has done for us. He entered "our world," He took on
"our humanity," He bore "our sins," He died "our death, "He was resurrected for "our life," He's coming again for "our glorification."
Paul in his letter to the Romans is urging us on the basis of all that he taught on, on the basis of all that has been done, he urges us to become living sacrifices:
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". (Romans 12:1, 2 KJV)
"therefore" meaning all Paul taught concerning grace and mercy, we have become thru Christ the objects of God's omnipotent, eternal love.

If we have not understood all that the mercies of God has done, if we have not understood doctrinally and theologically deep enough, all that Messiah has accomplished for us, then we have become useless to him. God is calling us to live our lives as living sacrifices unto him. Our problem is, we are so prideful that we are not willing to give up anything for others. When a sacrifice was laid upon the altar there was a great deal of suffering involved, the animal experienced pain and suffering. What are we willing to give up? What are we willing to place upon the altar? So that we can become a blessing to others, and become servants of the Most High God?

This is a quality post, but the bottom line is that, if I don't believe Easter, then I don't care about any of this. This is just what someone who believes in a fairy tale thinks, or someone who takes their comic books too seriously, if I don't believe Easter. Easter is the worm on the hook, the hook itself, the net---Easter catches men. Theology does not.