Here is an article I placed on a fundo board..........
While I agree with a lot of jpurssey well thought out comments and no doubt reflects the current theological view of most evangelical christians, this is a huge subject, absolutely so huge that rarely is it given even a one per cent look at in orthodox Christian circles. Let me amplify this.
How can it be good news if people converted under this Gospel still live in bondage to sin? If it all awaits or depends on a coming Kingdom to walk in it, of what possible benefit is it in this world or this life? What sort of "ambassadors for Christ" can we be if we constantly falter and err like those around us, even if on a lower degree? How can we claim to be "sons of God"? And does it not lower our Gospel that we preach is also found to be so similar to others, even those who have homosexual Ministers and favour abortion, if our Gospel be similar in the basics?
Can this be Paul's Gospel that he says he was "separated unto" and calls "my Gospel" "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" "the Gospel of peace" "the Gospel of Christ" "Gospel of God" "Gospel of the uncircumcision" "Christ's Gospel" "Gospel that is hid, hid in those lost" "Light of the glorious Gospel" "Gospel of your salvation" "mystery of the Gospel" "faith of the Gospel" "truth of the Gospel." Then Paul goes onto the activity of this Gospel "Partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel","laboured with me in the Gospel" "the bonds of the Gospel" "subjection unto the Gospel" "I abuse not my power in the Gospel" "I have begotten you through the Gospel". So Paul was the great exponent of the Gospel and declared that" In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL." Rom.2:16
So what is this Gospel of Paul's " hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. {Can you see now the mystery of the Gospel?} It gets better ""But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to Light through the Gospel" 2 Tim.1:9-10
Paul's Gospel takes you beyond death into immortality, you will never understand thsi until your experience the power of Paul's Gospel of glory. For it is all based on the resurrection, if not Paul's Gospel is folly. Here we are laying aside the wisdom of this world, and preaching what man's wisdon calls foolishness......how can you not die? Yet "the folishness of God is WISER THAN MEN" 1 Cor.1:25
"The natural man receives not the things of God" for instance : "made us sit together in the ehavenly places in Christ" "present every man perfect in Christ".......... yes this Gospel makes you perfect, and seats you in the heavenlies and "sets your affections on the things above, not on things of the earth."
Foolishness to the religious mind set, whose feet like lead are set firmly on terra firma. Such Christians have not "mortified their members on earth." And these spiritual "are judged of no man." Call them Christian mystics, call them what you like, but this is some Gospel. I am a very imaginative person, but I cannot conceive of greater news than Paul's Gospel...."filled to all the fullness of God" so God may be all in all. This Gospel makes death the greatest non-event in history.The supreme Divine Joke....on man's wisdom. Yes it is divine to laugh, have you seen your dog laugh? Humour is a divine faculty.
How many truly understand this? What is this "dispensation of the Gospel?"
Those that do will understand the Mystery of Paul's Gospel, of which other Christians living under law, sort "to pervert the Gospel of Christ" "to hinder the Gospel" and so "enemies crept in" to "Especially those of the circumcision...who subvert whole households, teaching what they ought not for filthy lucre's sake[$]. Why does Paul refer to these as of the circumcision?
Who are these legalists living under law Today? Not hard to look for in exclusive fellowships. Many who have made millions in receiving tax free donations. Also reminds you of the Tele-evangelists. Why did Paul say "work with your own hands " neither did we eat any man's bread.... if any man not work, let him not eat." Does not these Preachers accepting money even donations bring their Gospel into disrepute? Early brethren were on track here but quickly fell from the truth. The thin edge of the wedge is always the mighty dollar.
"Paul said we are to "live the Gospel" not live OFF the Gospel as many would twist it for their own personal gain. Yes God told man to earn his keep with the sweat of his own brow, sobering thoughts. Paul's Gospel provided an Evangelist that not only paid for whose own needs but those with him! They would make tents and sell them where ever they could, they were no laid back couch potatoes that only got up to to an audience, whose only activity "was to tickle their ears' as Paul's Gospel put it. Does any follow what Paul is saying here, today? Even most Brethren now have fallen into paid ministry...."for filthy lucre's sake."
The "Kingdom of Heaven" occurs 31 times in Matthew. It is noteworthy that it appears nowhere else in the New Testament. It does appear in the Book of Daniel.
"The Kingdom of God" occurs 63 times in the New Testament, 9 times in Acts and Paul's epistles, only 5 times in Matthew -- the rest in Mark, Luke and John.
As to why Matthew preferred "Kingdom of Heaven" to "Kingdom of God," the explanation has long been as jpurssey has mentioned that Matthew, writing to specifically Jewish readers, inserted "heaven" for "God" so as not to offend the sensibilities of the Jews regarding pronouncing the name of God. This is probably correct for some suggest the synoptic Gospel of Matthew was first written in Hebrew. But this still gives no explanation why 5 times Matthew failed to make the switch, and why he uses "God" in over 50 other instances.
Let one state there is enormous confusion about the Gospel Today. The Churches have composed and compounded the problem by spreading a Gospel which carries bad news as much as good news. If you do not accept this Gospel you go to hell. It is like having a gun pointed at you....what an heretical thought to have, how dare I suggest such a thing but is there not some truth in it? Yet if God who has "shut up ALL mankind in stubbornness and unbelief" it would appear then, that it would be God's Will that releases one from unbelief and not our will....for how can man's will resist that of God's?
Yet is is "God's Will that all men should be saved", yet somehow man can overide God's will, OR have we got the Gospel wrong?
Have we accepted a lesser Gospel, an inferior and less powerful one, that on the whole fails to save mankind even though "God is Saviour of all men"?[1Tim.4:10] And is it rascist inasmuch as "All Israel shall be saved?"Rom.11:26
No doubt because of the incredible lack of understanding of the Gospel, even a conceited arrogance, having really a Gospel what Paul calls an admixture, a compound of Gospels or Commissions that have not been as Paul said "rightly dividing the Truth." Paul calls this Gospel in the strongest terms an abomination.
Let one mention the 5 different Gospels in the New Testament:
1.The Gospel of the Circumcision/Jews [where Christ told them not to go to the gentiles/samaritans Math.10:5-7]
2.The Gospel to the Gentiles/Uncircumcised Galatians 2:7
3.The Mystery of the Gospel Eph.6:19
4.Gospel of admixture "A different Gospel, which is not another" Gal.1:7-8
5.The Everlasting Gospel Rev.14:6
It seems to me that something vital has been left our of this Gospel, that popular Theology unfortunately focuses on sin and forgiveness of sin but gives nothing of the true nature of the Gospel of the Kingdom which is about Dominion. Why has man lost Dominion and become a slave to sin, constantly needing forgiveness? Where is the power of this gospel?
This Gospel of the Kingdom [or as Strong's Concordance puts it Dominion], is about man again exercising his dominion.Stephen Rodgers
Deacon
While I agree with a lot of jpurssey well thought out comments and no doubt reflects the current theological view of most evangelical christians, this is a huge subject, absolutely so huge that rarely is it given even a one per cent look at in orthodox Christian circles. Let me amplify this.
How can it be good news if people converted under this Gospel still live in bondage to sin? If it all awaits or depends on a coming Kingdom to walk in it, of what possible benefit is it in this world or this life? What sort of "ambassadors for Christ" can we be if we constantly falter and err like those around us, even if on a lower degree? How can we claim to be "sons of God"? And does it not lower our Gospel that we preach is also found to be so similar to others, even those who have homosexual Ministers and favour abortion, if our Gospel be similar in the basics?
Can this be Paul's Gospel that he says he was "separated unto" and calls "my Gospel" "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" "the Gospel of peace" "the Gospel of Christ" "Gospel of God" "Gospel of the uncircumcision" "Christ's Gospel" "Gospel that is hid, hid in those lost" "Light of the glorious Gospel" "Gospel of your salvation" "mystery of the Gospel" "faith of the Gospel" "truth of the Gospel." Then Paul goes onto the activity of this Gospel "Partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel","laboured with me in the Gospel" "the bonds of the Gospel" "subjection unto the Gospel" "I abuse not my power in the Gospel" "I have begotten you through the Gospel". So Paul was the great exponent of the Gospel and declared that" In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ ACCORDING TO MY GOSPEL." Rom.2:16
So what is this Gospel of Paul's " hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. {Can you see now the mystery of the Gospel?} It gets better ""But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to Light through the Gospel" 2 Tim.1:9-10
Paul's Gospel takes you beyond death into immortality, you will never understand thsi until your experience the power of Paul's Gospel of glory. For it is all based on the resurrection, if not Paul's Gospel is folly. Here we are laying aside the wisdom of this world, and preaching what man's wisdon calls foolishness......how can you not die? Yet "the folishness of God is WISER THAN MEN" 1 Cor.1:25
"The natural man receives not the things of God" for instance : "made us sit together in the ehavenly places in Christ" "present every man perfect in Christ".......... yes this Gospel makes you perfect, and seats you in the heavenlies and "sets your affections on the things above, not on things of the earth."
Foolishness to the religious mind set, whose feet like lead are set firmly on terra firma. Such Christians have not "mortified their members on earth." And these spiritual "are judged of no man." Call them Christian mystics, call them what you like, but this is some Gospel. I am a very imaginative person, but I cannot conceive of greater news than Paul's Gospel...."filled to all the fullness of God" so God may be all in all. This Gospel makes death the greatest non-event in history.The supreme Divine Joke....on man's wisdom. Yes it is divine to laugh, have you seen your dog laugh? Humour is a divine faculty.
How many truly understand this? What is this "dispensation of the Gospel?"
Those that do will understand the Mystery of Paul's Gospel, of which other Christians living under law, sort "to pervert the Gospel of Christ" "to hinder the Gospel" and so "enemies crept in" to "Especially those of the circumcision...who subvert whole households, teaching what they ought not for filthy lucre's sake[$]. Why does Paul refer to these as of the circumcision?
Who are these legalists living under law Today? Not hard to look for in exclusive fellowships. Many who have made millions in receiving tax free donations. Also reminds you of the Tele-evangelists. Why did Paul say "work with your own hands " neither did we eat any man's bread.... if any man not work, let him not eat." Does not these Preachers accepting money even donations bring their Gospel into disrepute? Early brethren were on track here but quickly fell from the truth. The thin edge of the wedge is always the mighty dollar.
"Paul said we are to "live the Gospel" not live OFF the Gospel as many would twist it for their own personal gain. Yes God told man to earn his keep with the sweat of his own brow, sobering thoughts. Paul's Gospel provided an Evangelist that not only paid for whose own needs but those with him! They would make tents and sell them where ever they could, they were no laid back couch potatoes that only got up to to an audience, whose only activity "was to tickle their ears' as Paul's Gospel put it. Does any follow what Paul is saying here, today? Even most Brethren now have fallen into paid ministry...."for filthy lucre's sake."
The "Kingdom of Heaven" occurs 31 times in Matthew. It is noteworthy that it appears nowhere else in the New Testament. It does appear in the Book of Daniel.
"The Kingdom of God" occurs 63 times in the New Testament, 9 times in Acts and Paul's epistles, only 5 times in Matthew -- the rest in Mark, Luke and John.
As to why Matthew preferred "Kingdom of Heaven" to "Kingdom of God," the explanation has long been as jpurssey has mentioned that Matthew, writing to specifically Jewish readers, inserted "heaven" for "God" so as not to offend the sensibilities of the Jews regarding pronouncing the name of God. This is probably correct for some suggest the synoptic Gospel of Matthew was first written in Hebrew. But this still gives no explanation why 5 times Matthew failed to make the switch, and why he uses "God" in over 50 other instances.
Let one state there is enormous confusion about the Gospel Today. The Churches have composed and compounded the problem by spreading a Gospel which carries bad news as much as good news. If you do not accept this Gospel you go to hell. It is like having a gun pointed at you....what an heretical thought to have, how dare I suggest such a thing but is there not some truth in it? Yet if God who has "shut up ALL mankind in stubbornness and unbelief" it would appear then, that it would be God's Will that releases one from unbelief and not our will....for how can man's will resist that of God's?
Yet is is "God's Will that all men should be saved", yet somehow man can overide God's will, OR have we got the Gospel wrong?
Have we accepted a lesser Gospel, an inferior and less powerful one, that on the whole fails to save mankind even though "God is Saviour of all men"?[1Tim.4:10] And is it rascist inasmuch as "All Israel shall be saved?"Rom.11:26
No doubt because of the incredible lack of understanding of the Gospel, even a conceited arrogance, having really a Gospel what Paul calls an admixture, a compound of Gospels or Commissions that have not been as Paul said "rightly dividing the Truth." Paul calls this Gospel in the strongest terms an abomination.
Let one mention the 5 different Gospels in the New Testament:
1.The Gospel of the Circumcision/Jews [where Christ told them not to go to the gentiles/samaritans Math.10:5-7]
2.The Gospel to the Gentiles/Uncircumcised Galatians 2:7
3.The Mystery of the Gospel Eph.6:19
4.Gospel of admixture "A different Gospel, which is not another" Gal.1:7-8
5.The Everlasting Gospel Rev.14:6
It seems to me that something vital has been left our of this Gospel, that popular Theology unfortunately focuses on sin and forgiveness of sin but gives nothing of the true nature of the Gospel of the Kingdom which is about Dominion. Why has man lost Dominion and become a slave to sin, constantly needing forgiveness? Where is the power of this gospel?
This Gospel of the Kingdom [or as Strong's Concordance puts it Dominion], is about man again exercising his dominion.Stephen Rodgers
Deacon
