The Gospel

The Gospel

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead . . . .” Rom. 1:1-4.

This is the gospel as Paul had received it and as it had been promised through the prophets and the Holy Scriptures. In our days the harlot has removed half of the gospel. They proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, but not that He was born of the seed of David according to the flesh—which does not result in true salvation.

“Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” 1 Pet. 1:10-12.

Because they do not proclaim Jesus as being born of the seed of David according to the flesh, they cannot proclaim the sufferings of Christ either. Therefore they speak very little about the conditions, but much about the glory. Quite often we can hear half of a scripture verse quoted or see it painted on pulpits and walls, such as: “And the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sins!” But the condition, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light,” has been left out. 1 John 1:7. Also, “You are My friends!” But the condition, “If you do whatever I command you,” has been left out. These are only a couple of examples. John 15:14.

The gospel is not just a message about a whole lot of promises, but it is a message about a way out from sin—it is a message about the new and living way which Jesus consecrated for us. Heb. 10:20. If the gospel is proclaimed as a whole lot of promises instead of a way, people are left sitting as they are fighting in the air. It sounds so wonderful, but how can they get hold of it? “Well,” they are told, “Just believe,” and there are many people who expect something out of the ordinary to happen to them. Many times they think they have laid hold of it, and then they praise God; but they lose it again, and they are just as poor as before. Such people tumble about all their life and run from one preacher to the next.

Peter explains, while proclaiming the gospel, what the Spirit of Christ through the prophets inquired and searched for: “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” 1 Pet. 4:1.

This does away with all daydreaming as the way is clearly laid out. First the sufferings, and then the glory. There is a promise, but also a condition. We can see that Peter lays Christ as a foundation by saying, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh,” etc. He is the One who consecrated this way and who has made it possible for us to walk on it.

“Yes,” you say, “but there are many sermons being preached about Christ’s sufferings. You should just listen at Easter time and also at other times how they speak about Jesus’ sufferings and death.” True enough, but they are speaking about the external, physical sufferings. When Peter says, “He who has suffered . . . has ceased from sin,” and “Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:12-13), we realize that he is thinking of Christ’s sufferings in a totally different and deeper sense than just the external sufferings. And when Paul says, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2 Cor. 4:10), you need to understand that he is thinking of something totally different than Jesus’ death on Calvary. Peter and Paul were thinking of what Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23. Jesus went the way before us by partaking of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh. Heb. 2:14-18. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” He has inaugurated a way out of the leading of the flesh into a walk in the Spirit. Rom. 8:3-4. These are the glad tidings that the apostles proclaimed to the world. The way is indeed difficult and the gate is narrow, but all who are tired of sin rejoice greatly over this way. And when Paul wanted to exhort and comfort his true son in the Lord, Timothy, he said, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” 2 Tim. 2:8. And he goes on to say: “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.” V. 11. This is not an indication of fighting in the air or daydreaming, but of a firm faith in following our forerunner and author of our salvation, Jesus Christ, who was made perfect through sufferings. Heb. 2:10-11. If we enter into these sufferings we will partake of the glory. If we fulfill the conditions we will partake of the promises. The result is something firm and immovable. We avoid being cast about by all kinds of doctrines, because we know in whom we believe.

John wept when no one was found who could open the scroll, but the angel said: “‘do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’” Rev. 5:5.

In our days there are also many people who weep because they are in the firm embrace of sin—it is like being sealed with seven seals; but they rejoice when they hear the gospel of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, who prevailed and can break the seven seals.

“‘I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.’” Rev. 22:16.

This tells us that it must be of extremely great significance that Jesus is the Root and Offspring of David. That is why it is so sad that this very important matter is being left out of the preaching. They do not preach these things even though they can read these scriptures. They are not against reading it, but they are against preaching it. Yet God be praised, we continually see souls, who were deceived by this half, and thereby counterfeit, gospel being delivered from it. A new morning is dawning in their lives when they hear about Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star—He who according to the flesh, is of the seed of David, and was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Rom. 1:3-4.