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DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
The gospel is the message preached by Christ and by
His Church about God's coming Kingdom, the restoration of His government
on earth, and how mankind can enter that Kingdom and government. It
includes the message of what Jesus has done, is doing. and shall do-and
ultimately is the message of the entire Old and New Testaments. The
primary purpose and commission of the Church is to proclaim this gospel
in all the world as a witness to all nations, and to baptize and teach
those who respond.
DOCTRINAL OVERVIEW
The word "gospel" means simply "good news." The
gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that He is coming again
to establish His Kingdom on this earth in place of man's governments,
and the good news of how we can become part of that government as
sons of God. Hence, the gospel is called "the gospel of the Kingdom of
God" (Mk. 1:14), and it is this gospel which Christ came preaching (same
verse). As Jesus went on to say, repentance and belief in the gospel go
hand in hand (Mk. 1:15).
In its broadest sense, the gospel includes the whole
story of the Bible-the whole panorama of what God is doing with mankind,
especially God's plan of salvation and forgiveness of sins.
The true gospel is a message of hope given to a world
in danger of destroying itself. Christ's return is the essential
component of the biblical message. The reason for His return is the
establishment of His Father's Kingdom on earth, putting an end to man's
unhappy and unsuccessful rule. Hence, Christ's return and coming Kingdom
is the subject of the message that He commissioned His disciples and
Church to preach to all nations until His return.
In John 18:33 Pilate asked Christ, "Are you the King
of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "For this I was born, and for this I have
come into the world, to bear witness to the truth." That is the true
gospel. Christ, destined to rule this earth as the King of God's
Kingdom, was to preach this message the good news to the world. He came
to bear witness to the truth-to tell the world that God's Kingdom is
going to rule this earth whether mankind believes it or not.
The disciples of Christ had no doubts about the
message Christ was preaching. They understood He was coming again to put
an end to this present evil age and to replace it with the glorious
Kingdom of God that Daniel described (Dan. 2:7). The fact that the
apostles asked Christ when His Kingdom would be set up proves
that they knew about that coming Kingdom and had great expectation of
it. Christ's answer to their question was that His Kingdom would not be
set up until the gospel of that Kingdom should be preached to all the
world as a witness (Mt. 24:14).
The message of the coming Kingdom of God includes, as
an integral part, the preaching of spiritual salvation for all through
Jesus Christ-that He died for our sins (I Cor. 15:1-3) and that He was
resurrected (v. 14). The only person who has already been saved is Jesus
Christ, who was resurrected from the dead and now sits at the right hand
of God the Father. He is the pioneer of our salvation, the one who has
gone on ahead and shown the way (Heb. 2:10). When He returns, at the end
of this age, those who have died in Christ in previous years shall be
raised from the dead and given eternal life to rule with Him. Previous
to His return, salvation shall have been offered only to a minority; at
His return, it shall be made available to all.
Thus, the true gospel is God's message to man through
Christ about His coming Kingdom and how humans may enter it. It includes
the ultimate purpose of human life and the plan devised by God to bring
it about. This is the true destiny of man-to become members of God's
family. This potential of being born of God as His children
in His family is universally applicable to all mankind-It is the
potential of men and women, Jews and Gentiles, all races and peoples,
for we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28).
This gospel was understood in part by the Old
Testament patriarchs and the prophets. It has been preached "since the
world began" (Lk. 1:70). Hebrews 11 states that these men died in
faith-not yet having received the "promises" (i.e., of the Kingdom of
God and eternal life, v. 13)-"but having seen them afar off, and were
persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth" waiting for God's Kingdom. Those
who acknowledge the temporary physical existence of this life "declare
plainly that they seek a country" (i.e., the goal of God's Kingdom, v.
14).
Likewise, many Old Testament verses show plainly that
those with whom God was dealing then knew of His coming Kingdom.
"For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is
given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: ... of the
increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the
throne of David and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it
with judgment and justice from henceforth and even forever" (Isa.
9:6-7).
Only God's government and Kingdom could be
eternal-the Kingdom referred to in these verses (see also Dan. 2; Mic.
4; Zech. 14; etc.).
The gospel of the Kingdom of God can be traced from
the patriarchs of Old Testament prophets, through the ministry of John
the Baptist, and finally to Jesus Christ who greatly expanded our
understanding of His coming Kingdom and showed how men might enter it as
members of the God family. Christ commissioned the disciples to preach
it in all its important aspects. "Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you"
(Mt. 28:19-20). "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come"
(Mt. 24:14).
The early disciples followed Christ's command to
preach this gospel of the kingdom as a witness to all nations. The
Church of God also follows this command and views as the primary reason
for its existence the commission to preach the gospel of the kingdom to
all nations in accordance with Jesus Christ's instructions. The church
today strives to continue fulfilling that commission with
ever-increasing effectiveness, following in the tradition of Elijah the
prophet and John the Baptist (Mal. 4:5-6), by preparing the way for
Christ's return through the announcement of that gospel message
SUMMARY
READ THESE SCRIPTURES IN YOUR OWN BIBLE.
| Mark 1:14-15
- Jesus
came preaching the gospel. |
| Matthew 24:14
- The gospel will be
preached in all the world and then the end shall come. |
| Matthew 28:19-20
- Jesus tells the
disciples to preach the gospel into all the world. |
| John 18:37
- Christ came to be a
ruler and king. |
| Galatians 3:28
- Everyone who has ever live has an opportunity
at Salvation. |
| 1
Corinthians15:1-3
- Salvation is
available to us because Christ died for our sins. |
| Hebrews 2:10
- Christ is
bringing many to Salvation by showing us the way. |
QUESTIONS
1. The gospel message is about:
a) God's coming Kingdom.
b) The restoration of God's government on earth.
c) How man can enter the Kingdom of God.
d) A and B only.
e) A and C only.
f) A, B and C.
2. The word "gospel" means simply ____ ____ [what?]
3. Will the present worldly systems of government/religions continue
forever? Yes or No?
4. In the broadest sense, the gospel includes the whole story of the
Bible. True or False?
5. The reason for Christ's return is the establishment of His Father's
_______ on _____? [what?]
6. Who will rule this Kingdom of God on the Earth?
7. The disciples had no idea about Jesus setting up a kingdom.
True or False?
8. In the plan of Salvation, how many have been saved so far?
a) countless millions.
b) all those of the New Testament church.
c) just the saints of the Old Testament as listed in Hebrews 11.
d) just one, Jesus Christ
e) none of the above.
f) all of the above.
9. Prior to the return of Christ, salvation will have been offered only
to a relative few. True or False?
10. The true destiny of man is to ________________ [what?]
11. It is a myth to believe that all of mankind gets an opportunity at
Salvation. True or False?
12. The Old Testament patriarchs and prophets understood nothing of the
gospel. True or False?
13. The gospel has been preached since ____________________ [when?]
14. Who confessed they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth waiting
for God's Kingdom?
a) The Old Testament patriarchs and prophets.
b) David and Solomon.
c) the disciples
d) Paul and Timothy
15. What verse begins, "of the increase of his government and peace
there shall be no end:
a) Matthew 24:18
b) Zechariah 14:28
c) Isaiah 9:7
d) Daniel 2:7
e) Mark 1:14
16. The Gospel also includes the totality of the message of how all
mankind shall enter into God's Family into God's Kingdom. What
verses state that all people, all races and all nations are eligible?
a) Galatians 3:26-29
b) Ephesians 3:26-29
c) Philippians 3:26-29
d) Colossians 3:26-29
e) Romans 3:26-29
17. In what verse does Jesus charge the disciples to "go therefore and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?"
18. Who is following in the tradition of Elijah the prophet and John the
Baptist by preparing the way for Christ's return through the
announcement of the gospel message? |
