The word Gospel means good news, but why was gospel good news? and why did Paul coin the phrase to describe the message of Christ? The term gospel comes from Roman Tradition, when a new king, or emperor was put in place they would carry the “good news” of a new King coming to power. Paul used this term not just to describe the good news of salvation, but the good news of a coming King.
In the church today the gospel goes forth. Thanks to Nicolas Negropnte and the technological revolution, every tribe, people, and language will have a laptop, and WiFi access in the next 5 years. Even now tribes in Nigeria struggling to find food, water, and electricity, have laptops that are manually powered and are surfing the Internet. The outlet for the Message of Christ just got bigger. 6.5 billion people will have heard and will have access to the gospel within the decade. What gospel are they hearing? Predominately the gospel going forth has been one outlining the good news of salvation. Jesus died for your sins, believe in him and you’ll be saved. This is wonderful, and I rejoice that so many will accepted Jesus as their savior.
The problem is, Jesus didn’t die just to abolish us from sin. He died so that we get to be with him as he reigns throughout eternity. Much of the Gospel going forth today has been individualised into “your personal justification”. Like the 80’s pop song goes, “Your Own Personal Jesus. When the gospel is about Jesus, not about us. We were created to glorify him. We were saved because he desired us to be with him as One Bride… to be continued… but till then chime in with what you think the gospel is.
5 Comments
Jam2000000amTue, 27 Feb 2007 09:05:14 +000007 5, 2007 at Tuesday, February 27, 2007
But Paul said that the gospel was the power of God unto salvation. Perhaps we are crossing the ever blurry line into a discussion of sanctification?
Jam2000000amTue, 27 Feb 2007 09:22:19 +000007 5, 2007 at Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Yes we are saved by grace but the completion of that salvation is when he comes back… Paul never paints the picture of just being free from sin, it’s always unto Jesus establishing his kingdom. The message of salvation doesn’t cease at legal aquital from sin… santification is a blurry subject… my point is most of the church wouldn’t even know… their knowledge ends at justification… but if they are to be ready for the times ahead, “the eyes of their understanding most be enlightend”
Jpm2000000pmTue, 27 Feb 2007 12:00:07 +000007 5, 2007 at Tuesday, February 27, 2007
I must ask… have you been talking to Mr. Liantonio?
In any case… This is nicely communicated.
Jpm2000000pmTue, 27 Feb 2007 22:19:28 +000007 5, 2007 at Tuesday, February 27, 2007
@ christine…
no actually I haven’t been… but maybe i should
Jam2000000amWed, 28 Feb 2007 06:31:24 +000007 5, 2007 at Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Indeed. I think you should.