Author Topic: The Gospel and Salvation (Read 52869 times)

Richard Myers · « **on:** March 06, 2000, 10:37:00 AM »

A short note to begin our discussion of the gospel of salvation. The third angel's message begins with the first angel having the everlasting gospel to proclaim to those upon the earth. This message has been entrusted to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. How can we give this message without being united upon what is the gospel? We can't, not with power.

Therefore, I beg of all that are reading this, please prayerfully enter into our study that we might honor Him who has given all for us. This is my continual prayer.

As we begin, I pray: Heavenly Father send thy Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth of your love and grace and its power to change our characters. I pray in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

The message proclaimed by the angel flying in the midst of heaven is the everlasting gospel, the same gospel that was declared in Eden when God said to the serpent, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). Here was the first promise of a Saviour who would stand on the field of battle to contest the power of Satan and prevail against him. Christ came to our world to represent the character of God as it is represented in His holy law; for His law is a transcript of His character. Christ was both the law and the gospel. The angel that proclaims the everlasting gospel proclaims the law of God; for the gospel of salvation brings men to obedience of the law, whereby their characters are formed after the divine similitude.

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In His love and grace, Richard

Clive Nevell · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2000, 10:23:00 AM »

Do not think for one moment that I am down grading John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting light" wonderful as that is. Today, present truth tell us from Rev. 14:6,7 "And I saw another agel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him,For the HOUR OF HIS JUDGEMENT IS COME, and WORSHIP him that made heaven , and earth, and the sea, and the fountain of waters."
(emphasis supplied)
Doesn't it tell us here that the judgement is part of the gospel that is to be preached to all the world. This is what makes SDA so different to all other religions. You may get some who will even keep the Sabbath, baptism by immersion, believe in the second coming, state of the dead, etc. But how many believe in the the Investigative judgement. We must realize that before God condems anyone He always invetigates first, not to see what is taking place but to show that His judgements are fair and just to the rest of the universe.
Yes we must be united on the gospel.
Regards
Clive

Richard Myers · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2000, 05:06:00 PM »

Amen, Brother Clive.

Is there power in the gospel of Jesus Christ? What is this power and to whom is it available?

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In His love and grace, Richard

Clive Nevell · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2000, 05:39:00 PM »

Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in..."

2 Peter 1:3 "According to His divine POWER hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness..."

1 Peter 1:5 "Who are kept by the POWER of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Heb. 7:16 "Who is made, not after the law of a commandment, but after the POWER of an endless life."
(all emphasis supplied)

Yes we can have POWER and must have POWER, it comes in many ways to differant people, to some it is the "still small voice" to others it may be manifest in ways that are only discernable to that particular person, our next door felt the Hand of the Lord on her hands in a car accident.

It is available to all who ask.

John 14:16 "...and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever." Good news for me and everyone else.

That's POWER
Regards
Clive

gorazd · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2000, 03:41:00 AM »

Richard, you posed the question that is very sipmle but extremly difficult at the same time.

I would say that the gospel is in the first place the news that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God and that He is the answer to all the problems that human being can have (not counting imaginary problems and perplexities, which are delusions from satan). Jesus is the one and only solution, the supernatural help that is offered to humanity, in the form of a real man that walked the earth about 2000 years ago and went to the cross as an offering for my and everybody’s sins.

Yet this grand truth is unseperably linked to another truths, as one looks into it closely. Jesus said that the Scriptures are the authority and give us reliable information about how spiritual world works, how everything came into being and what will happen in the future and when. So accepting Jesus leads a thinker wider and wider in everything else what His Word caries and implies.

And because God revealed more and more truths through history, which were relevant and important for that time, the gospel, as time went on, contained more and more wide and complete package of truths. That part of the truth which was at some time especialy relevant had to be somewhere at the front of the gospel at that time.

And for our time there is such a variety of important parts of the gospel as this has never been in history, because the general knowledge of the world, mixed with noumerous lies and vain philosophies, is so wide and organized also. So what Christ’s followers have to offer to the world is intelligent and deep life philosophy, which exactly suits the spiritual reality humans live in and is founded in faith in Jesus and His everlasting teaching. Christian worldview contains the right answers to all relevant questions that might arise, because Jesus is the Living Mind of infinite wisdom.

It is possible to say much more about what is the gospel, so I will leave others to speak and spare some ideas for further conversation.

Your brother, Gorazd.

Gary K · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2000, 10:05:00 AM »

Hi all,

As I read this thread and thought about the responses and the original post I see something that shows how many different ways God uses to reach us. All of us will see things in a slightly different light but yet it is all a part of the same whole.

What do I see? I see in the Gospel the healing that God so longs to give each of us from the scars of sin. The healing that allows us to reflect the love of God, that makes His character our character.

When I see the third angels message to, Fear God and give glory to Him who made heaven and earth, I see a call to allow our God to come in and heal every part of us. To heal all the things that make us not reflect Him in thought and deed, to recreate us in His image.

Jesus said, ask that your joy may be full. If we do not ask for and allow His healing we cannot have His full joy. We miss out on heaven on earth.

Your brother in Christ, Gary

Richard Myers · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2000, 01:45:00 PM »

Brothers Clive, Gorazd, and Gary, it is so good to see the focus on Jesus and what He wants to do for us. Let me share a truth that we opened the Ministry of Healing forum with and see how it harmonizes with what we are saying thus far.

"Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this world as the unwearied servant of man's necessity. He 'took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses,' that He might minister to every need of humanity. Matthew 8:17. The burden of disease and wretchedness and sin He came to remove. It was His mission to bring to men complete restoration; He came to give them health and peace and perfection of character."

There truly is power in the gospel to accomplish that which Christ came to this earth to do. As we go deeper into these beautiful truths, let us also study how it is that we might come to receive these blessings.

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In His love and grace, Richard

Richard Myers · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2000, 05:56:00 PM »

Brother James says he sees two ways to gain this power that gives eternal life. What must we do in order to have eternal life? How do we come to Jesus? The gospel has power, but how do we receive this power into our lives?

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In His love and grace, Richard

frenchmon · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2000, 02:09:00 PM »

"What must we do in order to have eternal life? How do we come to Jesus? The gospel has power, but how do we receive this power into our lives?"

Jesus said: "For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world." "I am the bread of life: He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." (John 6:33,34)

When those who want the true "Bread of Life" that cometh down from heaven recieve this wonderful gift into there souls, they will have power to obey. But those who only have a faith that is only in the head, have not recieved the true manna from heaven into the soul. To recieve the power from on high is not only agreeing with facts about Jesus in the head, but also having a hunger in the heart.

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53,54)

Those who have power are those who come to Jesus and feast!

frenchmon

Richard Myers · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2000, 03:49:00 PM »

Brother frenchmon, amen! How good to see you!

Yes, profession of faith means nothing. It is a changed heart that Jesus wants. He wants us to reveal His love to those for whom He died. If we have not this love, we are none of His. The world will know we are His by the love we have one for another. A knowledge of the truth has never saved anyone. As Brother Crawford has shared it must be brought into the life.

Welcome, Brother frenchmon. It is good to have you with us online. Say hello to your wife.

In His love and grace, Richard

frenchmon · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2000, 07:11:00 PM »

Blessings to you also Richard! May The True "Bread Of Life" bestow more and more of His grace upon you and yours.

frenchmon

Clive Nevell · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2000, 09:01:00 PM »

What does Rev. 1:1,3 say "The Revelation of Jesus Christ...Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it: for the time is near."
Revelation is about Jesus Christ and what follows is a result of knowing Him.
It is the only book in the Bible where we are told we will be blest if we "read, hear and keep"
The gospel is about that "read, hear and keep" Jesus Christ.
Regards
Clive

M.A. Crawford · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2000, 01:02:00 PM »

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the "Good News" that "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). This is the very heart of the Gospel message, and when this fact is taught as it should be, in its simplicity and beauty, sincere hearts will melt and individuals will give their lives to Christ and be drawn to Him by this indescribable love.

It is a correct understanding of---and the desire to respond positively to---this all-encompassing love God has for humankind that draws men and women to Him. Not doctrines and not sermons, but a knowledge of the supreme sacrifice Christ made to redeem us from the penalty of death by dying in our stead is the overriding factor in the decision to commit one's life to, and establish a love relationship with, Him.

Salvation is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8, 9). We can never do anything of ourselves to earn it no matter what, or how many, "good deeds" we do in this life. As a result, we don't keep God's Commandments to be saved. We do so because WE LOVE THE LORD, and want to make sure we are doing all we can to please Him because of that love.

This is a very important point that is critical unto salvation. Consequently, I believe one reason why some of our churches are so cold, lifeless, and devoid of the radiance and glow of happiness on the faces of many of their members is because of the absence of this love factor.

Many are attempting to keep the "letter" of the law while completely ignoring the principle (spirit) of the law. And that principle, or spirit, that is so often missing is LOVE. "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:.

M.A.

Richard Myers · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2000, 07:34:00 PM »

M.A., the gospel is very simple, is it not? We do not need a degree in theology to understand the sermon on the mount. Thank you so much for expressing the foundation principles in a way that all can understand!

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In His love and grace, Richard

charlene · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2000, 03:50:00 AM »

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."
Love is the greatest. iCor 13:13

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charlene

James Saptenno · « **Reply #15 on:** April 06, 2000, 01:05:00 AM »

Sister Charlene

Why is love the greatest? Which love it means? Selfish love or agape love? Both are love!
But one bring eternal life and the other one bring death.

Satan and Adam were examples of God creatures that came from an agape love society and must exercise agape love but had changed their agape love to selfish love and we know the results. Destruction and death.

We came from a selfish love society , and our duty and determination is to change our selfish love to agape love. If we succeed, we truly will have eternal life.

It is only a matter of changing selfish love to agape love.

Your brother in Christ

James S

charlene · « **Reply #16 on:** April 06, 2000, 06:52:00 AM »

Good morning Brother James,

In the context of 1 Cor.13, you will see that this refers to agape love. Even if we give our "bodies to be burned", without LOVE, it is nothing.

Our motives, the hidden energy behind our works, will come into judgement. The unselfish love of God expressed to others, will bring us face to face with our Saviour.

God is Good,

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charlene

M.A. Crawford · « **Reply #17 on:** April 06, 2000, 04:20:00 PM »

"Why is love the greatest?...Selfish love or agape love?...We come from a selfish love society, and our duty and determination is to change our selfish love to agape love."

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5:43, 44).

Because we are human beings, it is natural for us to love self and "look out for no.1". It is also natural for us to love those who love us because it is our nature, but Jesus said in vs. 46: "...if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?"

Agape or Godly love comes about when we are able to love those who do not treat us kindly, or in a Christ-like manner. It does not mean one has to hug and kiss them. That is not the kind of "love" Jesus has reference to. It means to TREAT THEM RIGHT even though they do not treat us right. But this is easier said than done because our natural tendency is to "get even" with those who have mistreated us. But this is not the way of Christ. Consequently, we cannot demonstrate Agape love without the power of the Holy Spirit in the life through Christ.

True Agape love is something that is done everyday, and not just on the Sabbath. Emptying oneself of "self" means to "put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ" every day, every week, every month, and every year, and order one's life after His Divine Similitude.

M.A.

Richard Myers · « **Reply #18 on:** April 07, 2000, 05:52:00 AM »

Amen! I die daily by the grace of Christ. His love transforms our characters on a continual basis if we will allow Him into our hearts...

if we will behold Him.

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In His love and grace, Richard

James Saptenno · « **Reply #19 on:** April 08, 2000, 10:10:00 AM »

Amen!

Jesus have said: “Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; (John 14:12)
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self to him (John 14:21)

He that loved me not knoweth not God; for God is love (I John 4:. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby know we that we are in Him. He that said he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked. (I John 2:3,5,6).

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is NO FEAR in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:17,18)

As Jesus had walk a life of humiliation, tribulation and persecution until His death to redeem us so that we that believe in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life, then we too must be ready to walk in His path, WITHOUT FEAR, even death is the consequences. Because perfect love cast out fear. Even though we must be headed because we will not worship the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon our fore head, or in our hands, because we know that we will live and reign with Christ for 1000 years in heaven ( Revelation 20:4).

Can we stand the pain, can we stand the trial, can we stand the persecution, can we face the death?
As Paul had said; For me to live is Christ and to die is GAIN (Philippians 1:21).
As John has said; Perfect love (agape love) cast out fear.

Then surely we will be ready to walk as Jesus has walked.
Knowing God is eternal life, His commandments is eternal life.

In His love

James S