The Good News of the Gospel
The Good News of the Gospel
The Gospel
INTRODUCTION
On several occasions in the New Testament, when Jesus is trying to describe to the Jewish mind what hell will be like, He refers to a place called Gehenna or the Valley of Hinnom.
In Israel’s history, Gehenna or the Valley of Hinnom, was not too far outside of the city of Jerusalem -- it was their ash heap -- their dung heap.
It was constantly burning and smoldering -- it was here that they carried the refuse to from the city to be deposited.
So, the stench was nauseating at all times and the Valley of Hinnom was an area you definitely wanted to avoid.
At one time in the history of Israel, when they were at the pinnacle of pagan idolatry, they would take their newborn babies out to the Valley of Hinnom and murder them there in the name of religion as living sacrifices to their pagan no-gods.
Gehenna, to the Jewish mind, was the most terrible place imaginable!
They were being forced to visualize the stench -- the smoldering refuse -- the screams and cries of their newborns.
This is how Jesus was trying to illustrate hell to the people He was addressing. <> Why??
Because all people outside of Christ are destined for this awful, hideous place!
God, seeing the helplessness of man, in His great mercy and compassion has taken the initiative and devised a plan whereby He can remain just in satisfying His justice and at the same time redeem man from this terrible condemnation.
This is why the New Testament refers to this divine plan as “good news” -- for this is what the word “gospel” literally means.
This is what we want to examine from Scripture -- how God can eliminate man’s sin problem.
It should go without saying, but we’ll mention it briefly anyway, that ALL of us stand guilty of sin before God.
The Bible teaches, in many places, that ALL men and ALL women are sinners:
That’s what we want to look at in this lesson -- we want to look at the good news -- the gospel -- the plan that God has devised in order to bring people into a correct and right relationship with Him.
Let’s understand something at the outset -- that what we will look at in Scripture cannot fall into the category of human opinion – or conjecture -- or supposition -- or anything of that nature.
(This is Christianity at its most fundamental level -- if you lie to someone about their soul’s salvation (knowingly or not), you’ve robbed them of the one thing that will last for all eternity!)
Everything that we will look at will be based upon what God says -- “thus saith the Lord” -- Bible passages and not man--made theology.
That will enable us to see that the God of oneness -- the one who is not the author of confusion -- has devised but ONE PLAN in order for man to be right before Him.
There is no room for human opinion -- there is no room for supposition and there is no room for assumption when it comes to establishing a right relationship with God!
If our relationship is not based on a “thus saith the Lord” – we don’t have a relationship!
So, please understand, that since we are looking at God’s gospel – not gospels -- that we are looking at THE ONE and ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED!
THE GOSPEL -- WHAT IS IT??
Many times, we use the simple definition of “good news” (which is what the word literally means).
But what are the facts of the gospel -- what are the elements of this gospel that makes it good news??
This is what we need to see here.
Before we look at the elements of the gospel, we also need to recognize that the gospel is something that must be obeyed.
Jesus, in the book of John chapter 3, verse 36, after His discourse with Nicodemus tells us,
He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. (ASV)
Don’t miss what Jesus said here! <> To believe is to obey and to obey is to believe -- He uses the 2 terms interchangeably.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)
Belief and obedience go hand-in-hand -- you cannot separate belief and obedience.
Jesus asks, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)
Look at 1 Peter 4:17 now in relation to the gospel and notice that there are some very serious consequences to not obeying the gospel of Christ.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 -- God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
What we see from John chapters 3 and 14, Luke 6, 1 Peter 4 and 2 Thessalonians 1 is that to believe is to obey and not obeying the gospel brings about some serious consequences -- eternal consequences in the Valley of Hinnom or Gehenna -- a devil’s hell!
This good news is to be obeyed and when obeyed saves one from hell -- so what is it??
The Biblical Definition of the Gospel
Man says the gospel is: the word of God -- the teachings of Jesus -- things concerning the church -- our relationship in various areas -- etc.
The only definition the New Testament gives for the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
There are some things that go hand-in-hand with this definition.
For example: in order for Jesus to die on the cross, that would necessitate His coming here.
He had to come into this realm in the 1st place.
This is called “the incarnation” -- God becoming flesh.
John 1:1 -- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
We are not told who the Word is -- only that He is eternal and deity.
John 1:14 -- The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
The One who was eternal and deity took on flesh and lived (tabernacled) among men.
verse 17-18 tells us that what Jesus Christ!
The pre-fleshly state of Jesus was in heaven with God the Father. Jesus is eternal – He’s deity -- God!
Jesus had all the fullness of deity but emptied Himself of that in order to take on the likeness and fashion of man.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Jesus is God incarnate!
But why did He come??
Remember that we have a sin problem and everything that Jesus did in His earthly ministry was for the removal of that sin problem.
The Father cannot empathize with our sin problem – He’s never experienced the power of temptation.
Jesus, however, understands our problem!
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus was tempted IN EVERY WAY AS WE ARE -- He just didn’t give in to those temptations.
File away His sympathizing with us for just a moment and we’ll come back to it.
Jesus lived on this earth for some 32-33 years -- He taught many, many people about the nature of God’s kingdom and the type of people who would inhabit it -- but when it was all said and done, it was for jealousy (Matthew tells us - 27:18) that they delivered Him up to be crucified.
They couldn’t deny His miracles -- they couldn’t deny His character -- they couldn’t deny anything that Jesus had done or taught among them -- so out of jealousy/envy they sent Him to the cross.
God used their hard hearts to bring about His purpose.
Ephesians 1 says the cross was in the foreknowledge of God.
Jesus went there from before the foundation of the earth Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1.
It wasn’t a mistake that Jesus went to the cross (as some false doctrines assert)!
He came from the portals of heaven, to tabernacle among men, for the one and sole purpose of going to the cross to redeem mankind from this awful and tragic sin problem!
Why did Jesus come?? <> So that man would not have to go to Gehenna -- the Valley of Hinnom -- the devil’s hell!
1 Corinthians 15:3 -- Christ died for our sins.
Romans 4:25 -- He was delivered up for our trespasses.
He did not deserve to go to that cross -- there was nothing in it for Him -- nothing to His benefit whatsoever -- it was a complete self-sacrifice that put Him on that cross!...now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
For your sins and for my sins – that’s why Jesus went to that cross -- for no other reason but the fact that He loved us and died for us!
Thanks be to God, after they buried Him in that virgin tomb, 3 days later that tomb was empty!
One the greatest things that has ever happened in the history of the world – No! The greatest -- is the empty tomb!
Jesus’ dead body was in that tomb.
None of this swoon theory double-talk -- none of this bunk that says He revived in the coolness of the damp tomb -- No!
When they took His body down from the cross witnesses attested to the fact of His death.
He was then embalmed after the custom of the Jews with nearly 100 lbs. of ointments and spices and spent 3 days in this cocoon in a sealed and guarded tomb!
But on the 3rd day, by the power of Almighty God Jesus arose!
and was that time declared to be the Son of God with power (Romans 1:4)!
And again, His activity was for us -- not for His sake -- but for ours.
and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sake died and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
What’s more -- for over 2,000 years now, man in all his “wisdom” and scientific advancements have not been able to logically explain away the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Jesus was then here for some 40-50 days -- He manifested Himself to certain groups and dealt with His disciples as 1 Corinthians 15:5ff explains.
He showed Himself alive by many proofs and signs and then He ascended back to the Father (Luke 24; Acts 1).
Again, why?? <> Why did He go back?? <> Was He tired of this earth?? <> Was He going back for some selfish purpose??
No! <> He went back for us!
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3)
7:25 of that same book says that he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
(1 John 2:1-2)
Jesus went back to the Father for us! <> To be our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) -- our go-between -- our intercessor -- why?? <> Because of sin.
He came because it -- He died to redeem us from it – He overcame its power in the grave -- and now He goes back to the Father to plead our case against it!
Then, someday (at a time that God has appointed) Jesus will return from heaven to claim those that are His and He’s going to take them home with Him to be eternally in the presence of the Father in glory and bliss -- never to fuss with sin again!
Unfortunately, those who have rejected Him and refused to obey His gospel will have to be eternally damned as 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 explained to us.
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
The 2nd coming’s purpose is to take the redeemed home with Him to glory!
The 2nd coming is a fact! <> It is a historical fact that Jesus lived -- that He died at the hands of the Romans -- that His tomb was empty and on that basis, the 2nd coming is just as sure! <> And we’d better be ready!
When we look in the Book of Acts, chapters 2-28, we find that when they preached to the people they always preached the same gospel – they preached that Jesus has come -- He died on the cross for our sins – they buried Him -- but He was resurrected -- He ascended back to the Father and He’s coming back again.
We see that time after time in the Book of Acts -- some 8-10x we see that message being preached to the people.
That is the gospel -- the good news of what Jesus has done for us.
But those are facts -- they are the elements of the gospel and we have already seen from John chapters 3 and 14, Luke 6, 1 Peter 4 and 2 Thessalonians 1 that not obeying the gospel brings about some serious, eternal consequences!
How do we obey facts?? <> How do we obey that message??
If this is what saves us from our awful sin problem, how do we get in on it??
MAN’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S GOSPEL
First -- quite obviously -- we must believe it.
The word literally means, “to perceive a change” (metaneueo).
A change of mind -- a change of will – we’ve been walking away from God and now we want to walk with God.
Luke 13:3 -- ... But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Acts 2:38 -- Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We must be willing to change those things that are sinful – those things that are displeasing to God -- this is repentance, changing for God.
Thirdly -- baptism
What’s involved in this thing of baptism – we’ve already had it mentioned in Mark 16:15-16 and Acts 2:38.
One thing in particular that I want to impress upon you (since we are studying the gospel) is that baptism is a re-enactment of that gospel.
How do we obey the gospel?? <> In baptism.
We can search the Scriptures from cover to cover and we will not find any other way outlined for us on how to obey the gospel – we obey it only in being baptized.
Romans 6:3-4 clearly states that we re-enact the gospel when we are baptized: "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
The New Testament only knows one baptism.
Man asserts that there are 3 modes of baptism: sprinkling, pouring and immersion.
In our English translations we only have a transliteration of the Greek word baptisma.
In the Greek, sprinkling = rhantizo <> pouring = cheo <> and immerse = baptisma.
In the 100+x that baptism (in all forms) is mentioned, it is always immersion! (baptisma)
Leviticus 14:15-16 (Septuagint) - The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour (cheo) it in the palm of his own left hand, 16 dip (baptidzo) his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle (rhantizo) some of it before the LORD seven times.
Mix the words up and see if it still makes sense!
TO BE BAPTIZED AS GOD COMMANDS IS TO BE IMMERSED IN WATER -- NO OTHER FORM/MODE IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD!
We don’t have to know Greek to recognize that – we can clearly see from Acts 8:34-39 and Colossians 2:12 that baptism is a burial!
Besides, Ephesians 4:5 says point blank that there is only one baptism!
MAN SAYS 3 --- GOD SAYS 1!
Baptism is the point in which a person goes from being lost to being saved: "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also -- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," (1 Peter 3:21)
The only thing that Scripture reveals about the point of salvation is at baptism.
WE DO NOT FIND THE MAN-MADE FALSE DOCTRINE OF BELIEVE AND BE SAVED AT THAT POINT IN THE BIBLE!
The Lord Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved...” (Mark 16:16)
Belief + Baptism = salvation!
What if one is not baptized -- will he be saved?? <> NOT ACCORDING TO THE SAVIOR!
Baptism is the point we are added to God’s church or body or kingdom or the saved.
Acts 2:38-47 -- Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (verse38)
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (verse 41)
3,000 who believed the message were baptized and were added.... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (verse 47)
When we believe the gospel message and are baptized, God adds us to the number of the saved!
How do we get among the saved?? <> God adds us – How do we get added by God?? <> BY BEING BAPTIZED!
Ephesians 1:22-23 -- And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Colossians 1:18 says the same thing, it just reverses the order: "And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy."
Ephesians 5:23 -- "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior."
Jesus is the savior of His body -- the church -- and we’ve seen that the baptized are added by God to the number of the saved.
Is there a passage that says we are baptized into that body that Jesus saves?? <> Yes!
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body ... (1 Corinthians 12:13)
THE ONLY WAY THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE GET INTO THE BODY THAT JESUS SAVES IS BY BEING BAPTIZED INTO IT!
Salvation is only in Christ (2 Timothy 2:10) and again, the ONLY WAY that Scripture reveals to us on how to get into Christ is to be baptized into Him.
Romans 6:3 -- Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Galatians 3:27 -- for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
We must be baptized to be a disciple of Jesus.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We know from Acts 11:26 that a disciple is equivalent to being a Christian -- thus, one must be baptized in order to be a Christian!
A person can claim to be a Christian all he wants -- but if he hasn’t been baptized, he’s not a Christian!
We are given the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized.
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(Acts 2:38)
You’ll remember that we read passages that told us that the gospel must be obeyed.
This gift of the Holy Spirit is only given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32).
The gift of the Holy Spirit is proof of our obedience and our salvation.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession -- to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Romans 8:9 says, ... if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
THE ONLY WAY TO BELONG TO CHRIST IS TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE ONLY WAY TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO BE BAPTIZED!
There is one last thing we need to see in connection with baptism -- the forgiveness of sins!
Sin is what separates us from God -- thus causing us to be lost and in need of salvation.
Please recall that everything Jesus came to do was to pay for and remove our sin problem.
Now, in our response to His gospel, that goal is realized!
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. (Acts 22:16)
THE ONLY WAY THE BIBLE SAYS WE CAN HAVE OUR SINS FORGIVEN IS BY BEING BAPTIZED!
Those not baptized have never had their sins forgiven and, therefore, they have never been saved and are destined for a devil’s hell!
CONCLUSION
The gospel message is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Our commanded response to that message is to believe it and repent and be baptized ... in order that we:
When Jesus is the Lord of our life, we have no trouble in doing what He asks of us!
On several occasions in the New Testament, when Jesus is trying to describe to the Jewish mind what hell will be like, He refers to a place called Gehenna or the Valley of Hinnom.
In Israel’s history, Gehenna or the Valley of Hinnom, was not too far outside of the city of Jerusalem -- it was their ash heap -- their dung heap.
It was constantly burning and smoldering -- it was here that they carried the refuse to from the city to be deposited.
So, the stench was nauseating at all times and the Valley of Hinnom was an area you definitely wanted to avoid.
At one time in the history of Israel, when they were at the pinnacle of pagan idolatry, they would take their newborn babies out to the Valley of Hinnom and murder them there in the name of religion as living sacrifices to their pagan no-gods.
Gehenna, to the Jewish mind, was the most terrible place imaginable!
They were being forced to visualize the stench -- the smoldering refuse -- the screams and cries of their newborns.
This is how Jesus was trying to illustrate hell to the people He was addressing. <> Why??
Because all people outside of Christ are destined for this awful, hideous place!
God, seeing the helplessness of man, in His great mercy and compassion has taken the initiative and devised a plan whereby He can remain just in satisfying His justice and at the same time redeem man from this terrible condemnation.
This is why the New Testament refers to this divine plan as “good news” -- for this is what the word “gospel” literally means.
This is what we want to examine from Scripture -- how God can eliminate man’s sin problem.
It should go without saying, but we’ll mention it briefly anyway, that ALL of us stand guilty of sin before God.
The Bible teaches, in many places, that ALL men and ALL women are sinners:
- Romans 3:10 -- There is no one righteous, not even one
- Romans 3:23 -- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
- Romans 6:23 -- For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- James tells us that to know what is right and not to do it is sin (4:17).
- John says in 1 John 3:4 that a violation of the law -- or lawlessness – is sin.
- Scripture lists everything from murder to lying to disobedience to parents!
- Isaiah tells us that sin separates us from our God (59:1-2).
- Thus, God says, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.” (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
That’s what we want to look at in this lesson -- we want to look at the good news -- the gospel -- the plan that God has devised in order to bring people into a correct and right relationship with Him.
Let’s understand something at the outset -- that what we will look at in Scripture cannot fall into the category of human opinion – or conjecture -- or supposition -- or anything of that nature.
(This is Christianity at its most fundamental level -- if you lie to someone about their soul’s salvation (knowingly or not), you’ve robbed them of the one thing that will last for all eternity!)
Everything that we will look at will be based upon what God says -- “thus saith the Lord” -- Bible passages and not man--made theology.
That will enable us to see that the God of oneness -- the one who is not the author of confusion -- has devised but ONE PLAN in order for man to be right before Him.
There is no room for human opinion -- there is no room for supposition and there is no room for assumption when it comes to establishing a right relationship with God!
If our relationship is not based on a “thus saith the Lord” – we don’t have a relationship!
So, please understand, that since we are looking at God’s gospel – not gospels -- that we are looking at THE ONE and ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED!
THE GOSPEL -- WHAT IS IT??
Many times, we use the simple definition of “good news” (which is what the word literally means).
But what are the facts of the gospel -- what are the elements of this gospel that makes it good news??
This is what we need to see here.
Before we look at the elements of the gospel, we also need to recognize that the gospel is something that must be obeyed.
Jesus, in the book of John chapter 3, verse 36, after His discourse with Nicodemus tells us,
He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. (ASV)
Don’t miss what Jesus said here! <> To believe is to obey and to obey is to believe -- He uses the 2 terms interchangeably.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)
Belief and obedience go hand-in-hand -- you cannot separate belief and obedience.
Jesus asks, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)
Look at 1 Peter 4:17 now in relation to the gospel and notice that there are some very serious consequences to not obeying the gospel of Christ.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 -- God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
What we see from John chapters 3 and 14, Luke 6, 1 Peter 4 and 2 Thessalonians 1 is that to believe is to obey and not obeying the gospel brings about some serious consequences -- eternal consequences in the Valley of Hinnom or Gehenna -- a devil’s hell!
This good news is to be obeyed and when obeyed saves one from hell -- so what is it??
The Biblical Definition of the Gospel
Man says the gospel is: the word of God -- the teachings of Jesus -- things concerning the church -- our relationship in various areas -- etc.
The only definition the New Testament gives for the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
There are some things that go hand-in-hand with this definition.
For example: in order for Jesus to die on the cross, that would necessitate His coming here.
He had to come into this realm in the 1st place.
This is called “the incarnation” -- God becoming flesh.
John 1:1 -- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
We are not told who the Word is -- only that He is eternal and deity.
John 1:14 -- The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
The One who was eternal and deity took on flesh and lived (tabernacled) among men.
verse 17-18 tells us that what Jesus Christ!
The pre-fleshly state of Jesus was in heaven with God the Father. Jesus is eternal – He’s deity -- God!
Jesus had all the fullness of deity but emptied Himself of that in order to take on the likeness and fashion of man.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form. (Colossians 2:9)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Jesus is God incarnate!
But why did He come??
Remember that we have a sin problem and everything that Jesus did in His earthly ministry was for the removal of that sin problem.
The Father cannot empathize with our sin problem – He’s never experienced the power of temptation.
Jesus, however, understands our problem!
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus was tempted IN EVERY WAY AS WE ARE -- He just didn’t give in to those temptations.
File away His sympathizing with us for just a moment and we’ll come back to it.
Jesus lived on this earth for some 32-33 years -- He taught many, many people about the nature of God’s kingdom and the type of people who would inhabit it -- but when it was all said and done, it was for jealousy (Matthew tells us - 27:18) that they delivered Him up to be crucified.
They couldn’t deny His miracles -- they couldn’t deny His character -- they couldn’t deny anything that Jesus had done or taught among them -- so out of jealousy/envy they sent Him to the cross.
God used their hard hearts to bring about His purpose.
Ephesians 1 says the cross was in the foreknowledge of God.
Jesus went there from before the foundation of the earth Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1.
It wasn’t a mistake that Jesus went to the cross (as some false doctrines assert)!
He came from the portals of heaven, to tabernacle among men, for the one and sole purpose of going to the cross to redeem mankind from this awful and tragic sin problem!
Why did Jesus come?? <> So that man would not have to go to Gehenna -- the Valley of Hinnom -- the devil’s hell!
1 Corinthians 15:3 -- Christ died for our sins.
Romans 4:25 -- He was delivered up for our trespasses.
He did not deserve to go to that cross -- there was nothing in it for Him -- nothing to His benefit whatsoever -- it was a complete self-sacrifice that put Him on that cross!...now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
For your sins and for my sins – that’s why Jesus went to that cross -- for no other reason but the fact that He loved us and died for us!
Thanks be to God, after they buried Him in that virgin tomb, 3 days later that tomb was empty!
One the greatest things that has ever happened in the history of the world – No! The greatest -- is the empty tomb!
Jesus’ dead body was in that tomb.
None of this swoon theory double-talk -- none of this bunk that says He revived in the coolness of the damp tomb -- No!
When they took His body down from the cross witnesses attested to the fact of His death.
He was then embalmed after the custom of the Jews with nearly 100 lbs. of ointments and spices and spent 3 days in this cocoon in a sealed and guarded tomb!
But on the 3rd day, by the power of Almighty God Jesus arose!
and was that time declared to be the Son of God with power (Romans 1:4)!
And again, His activity was for us -- not for His sake -- but for ours.
and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sake died and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
What’s more -- for over 2,000 years now, man in all his “wisdom” and scientific advancements have not been able to logically explain away the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Jesus was then here for some 40-50 days -- He manifested Himself to certain groups and dealt with His disciples as 1 Corinthians 15:5ff explains.
He showed Himself alive by many proofs and signs and then He ascended back to the Father (Luke 24; Acts 1).
Again, why?? <> Why did He go back?? <> Was He tired of this earth?? <> Was He going back for some selfish purpose??
No! <> He went back for us!
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1:3)
7:25 of that same book says that he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
(1 John 2:1-2)
Jesus went back to the Father for us! <> To be our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) -- our go-between -- our intercessor -- why?? <> Because of sin.
He came because it -- He died to redeem us from it – He overcame its power in the grave -- and now He goes back to the Father to plead our case against it!
Then, someday (at a time that God has appointed) Jesus will return from heaven to claim those that are His and He’s going to take them home with Him to be eternally in the presence of the Father in glory and bliss -- never to fuss with sin again!
Unfortunately, those who have rejected Him and refused to obey His gospel will have to be eternally damned as 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 explained to us.
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)
The 2nd coming’s purpose is to take the redeemed home with Him to glory!
The 2nd coming is a fact! <> It is a historical fact that Jesus lived -- that He died at the hands of the Romans -- that His tomb was empty and on that basis, the 2nd coming is just as sure! <> And we’d better be ready!
When we look in the Book of Acts, chapters 2-28, we find that when they preached to the people they always preached the same gospel – they preached that Jesus has come -- He died on the cross for our sins – they buried Him -- but He was resurrected -- He ascended back to the Father and He’s coming back again.
We see that time after time in the Book of Acts -- some 8-10x we see that message being preached to the people.
That is the gospel -- the good news of what Jesus has done for us.
But those are facts -- they are the elements of the gospel and we have already seen from John chapters 3 and 14, Luke 6, 1 Peter 4 and 2 Thessalonians 1 that not obeying the gospel brings about some serious, eternal consequences!
How do we obey facts?? <> How do we obey that message??
If this is what saves us from our awful sin problem, how do we get in on it??
- How do we appropriate God’s saving grace??
- How do we utilize God’s power -- for that’s what the gospel is.
MAN’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S GOSPEL
First -- quite obviously -- we must believe it.
- Prior to Jesus’ ascension, right after He was resurrected from the dead, as He was addressing His disciples in Mark 16:15-16, He told them: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
- He said go and preach the gospel -- preach those things we’ve just studied about -- His death, burial and resurrection.
- He said go and preach it -- whoever believes that gospel and is baptized shall be saved.
- He also said that he who does not believe will be condemned -- obviously, the one who does not believe will not submit to the Lordship of Jesus.
- Jesus said in John 6:29, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
- In John 8:24 Jesus said, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”
- Again, what is belief?? <> It is obedience -- they are interchangeable.
- So, when Jesus talks about belief, He is talking about a trust that is willing to act -- to obey His commands.
The word literally means, “to perceive a change” (metaneueo).
A change of mind -- a change of will – we’ve been walking away from God and now we want to walk with God.
Luke 13:3 -- ... But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Acts 2:38 -- Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We must be willing to change those things that are sinful – those things that are displeasing to God -- this is repentance, changing for God.
Thirdly -- baptism
What’s involved in this thing of baptism – we’ve already had it mentioned in Mark 16:15-16 and Acts 2:38.
One thing in particular that I want to impress upon you (since we are studying the gospel) is that baptism is a re-enactment of that gospel.
How do we obey the gospel?? <> In baptism.
We can search the Scriptures from cover to cover and we will not find any other way outlined for us on how to obey the gospel – we obey it only in being baptized.
Romans 6:3-4 clearly states that we re-enact the gospel when we are baptized: "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
The New Testament only knows one baptism.
Man asserts that there are 3 modes of baptism: sprinkling, pouring and immersion.
In our English translations we only have a transliteration of the Greek word baptisma.
In the Greek, sprinkling = rhantizo <> pouring = cheo <> and immerse = baptisma.
In the 100+x that baptism (in all forms) is mentioned, it is always immersion! (baptisma)
Leviticus 14:15-16 (Septuagint) - The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour (cheo) it in the palm of his own left hand, 16 dip (baptidzo) his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle (rhantizo) some of it before the LORD seven times.
Mix the words up and see if it still makes sense!
TO BE BAPTIZED AS GOD COMMANDS IS TO BE IMMERSED IN WATER -- NO OTHER FORM/MODE IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD!
We don’t have to know Greek to recognize that – we can clearly see from Acts 8:34-39 and Colossians 2:12 that baptism is a burial!
Besides, Ephesians 4:5 says point blank that there is only one baptism!
MAN SAYS 3 --- GOD SAYS 1!
Baptism is the point in which a person goes from being lost to being saved: "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also -- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," (1 Peter 3:21)
The only thing that Scripture reveals about the point of salvation is at baptism.
WE DO NOT FIND THE MAN-MADE FALSE DOCTRINE OF BELIEVE AND BE SAVED AT THAT POINT IN THE BIBLE!
The Lord Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved...” (Mark 16:16)
Belief + Baptism = salvation!
What if one is not baptized -- will he be saved?? <> NOT ACCORDING TO THE SAVIOR!
Baptism is the point we are added to God’s church or body or kingdom or the saved.
Acts 2:38-47 -- Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (verse38)
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (verse 41)
3,000 who believed the message were baptized and were added.... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (verse 47)
When we believe the gospel message and are baptized, God adds us to the number of the saved!
How do we get among the saved?? <> God adds us – How do we get added by God?? <> BY BEING BAPTIZED!
Ephesians 1:22-23 -- And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Colossians 1:18 says the same thing, it just reverses the order: "And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy."
Ephesians 5:23 -- "For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior."
Jesus is the savior of His body -- the church -- and we’ve seen that the baptized are added by God to the number of the saved.
Is there a passage that says we are baptized into that body that Jesus saves?? <> Yes!
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body ... (1 Corinthians 12:13)
THE ONLY WAY THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE GET INTO THE BODY THAT JESUS SAVES IS BY BEING BAPTIZED INTO IT!
Salvation is only in Christ (2 Timothy 2:10) and again, the ONLY WAY that Scripture reveals to us on how to get into Christ is to be baptized into Him.
Romans 6:3 -- Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Galatians 3:27 -- for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
We must be baptized to be a disciple of Jesus.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We know from Acts 11:26 that a disciple is equivalent to being a Christian -- thus, one must be baptized in order to be a Christian!
A person can claim to be a Christian all he wants -- but if he hasn’t been baptized, he’s not a Christian!
We are given the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized.
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(Acts 2:38)
You’ll remember that we read passages that told us that the gospel must be obeyed.
This gift of the Holy Spirit is only given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32).
The gift of the Holy Spirit is proof of our obedience and our salvation.
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession -- to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
Romans 8:9 says, ... if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
THE ONLY WAY TO BELONG TO CHRIST IS TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE ONLY WAY TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO BE BAPTIZED!
There is one last thing we need to see in connection with baptism -- the forgiveness of sins!
Sin is what separates us from God -- thus causing us to be lost and in need of salvation.
Please recall that everything Jesus came to do was to pay for and remove our sin problem.
Now, in our response to His gospel, that goal is realized!
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. (Acts 22:16)
THE ONLY WAY THE BIBLE SAYS WE CAN HAVE OUR SINS FORGIVEN IS BY BEING BAPTIZED!
Those not baptized have never had their sins forgiven and, therefore, they have never been saved and are destined for a devil’s hell!
CONCLUSION
The gospel message is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Our commanded response to that message is to believe it and repent and be baptized ... in order that we:
- Obey the Lord and His gospel
- Be added to the body of Christ or the church that He saves
- May go from being lost to being saved
- May get into Christ (where salvation is)
- May receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
- May re-enact the gospel
- May become disciples or Christians
- May receive the forgiveness of our sins
- May be saved
When Jesus is the Lord of our life, we have no trouble in doing what He asks of us!
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