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Writer's pictureVipin Viswanathan

What is the Gospel?

We have four gospel books in our Bible. The main contents are:

 

Who is Jesus?

 Stories of Jesus 

Miracles of Jesus 

Teachings of Jesus 

 What did Jesus do for our salvation?


We usually talk only about "what Jesus did for our salvation?" as Gospel message. The Gospel message is much broader than that.


Let us examine the scripture

John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.


What does it mean to Believe in Jesus? Muslims also believe in Jesus and they believe that he is a prophet sent by God. Is that enough for salvation? No. But why? We need to believe in Jesus and his gospel. 


Gal 1:8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!


If anyone preaches the perverted or wrong gospel he is unlikely to receive salvation. That is why it is important to believe the right Gospel. I encourage you to study the four books of Gospel for your good so that you may not go to and fro listening to different doctrines and you will be able to judge the doctrines.


Jehovah witnessed don’t believe Jesus as God. Rejecting "who is Jesus?". Denying the Jesus loses salvation. Apostolic Pentecostal and United Pentecostal believe that Jesus, Father and Holy Spirit as one person. It is a very dangerous doctrine to believe. We need to believe the right Jesus. I am not interested in judging whether they will go to heaven or not. 

Brethren Assembly believes Miracles has ceased. Reformed Theologians believe God does miracles even today but believe Gifts of Holy Spirit Ceased. They are very dangerous doctrines. 


Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;


They speak against the above verse. Again, I don’t know whether they will go to heaven or not. It is God who can Judge. But, my point is your doctrine shouldn't contradict the Gospel of Jesus. 


Jesus died for your sins but the Prosperity preachers preach that He died for our prosperity. The gospel message is altered. They also preach that Jesus died spiritually. They believe that Jesus has to die spiritually and also had to suffer in Sheol for our salvation. The original Gospel message, Jesus died physically on the cross shedding his blood which redeems us. Also, he spoke "it is finished" on the cross then why again he had to go to Sheol to pay further for us. The gospel message is altered. Be careful about such doctrines. Again, I don’t want to judge them as false prophets because all theology has errors. I don’t know whether they will go to heaven or not because of the reason that they have altered Gospel. 


Matthew 9:17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."


Jesus is telling not to mix up NT and OT covenants. In OT covenants, you need to walk in righteousness to get blessings(prosperity) of God. In NT, we don’t have to attain righteousness and we are already righteous and blessed with all spiritual blessings. Again, we see prosperity preachers alter Gospel message.


All I am saying is that you need to be careful before believing any doctrine. Pray to God. I don’t want to judge anyone regarding who will go Heaven or Hell.


Jesus told a sick man on a Sabbath day “Arise, take up your bed and walk”. He instantly got healed. But, the Pharisees saw a man walking with his bed on a Sabbath day. Jews questioned him who told you to break the law of Sabbath. He replied to Jesus. Jesus was not breaking the law of the Sabbath. Jews have made their doctrines(or interpretations) from the Bible. Jesus broke their doctrines but he didn’t violate the law of Sabbath, for he himself made Sabbath. He is not a lawbreaker. Pharisees got angry towards Jesus because He is not abiding by their doctrines. While Jesus spoke on his defence he called God “My father”. Again, they got angry because he is speaking against their doctrines. Once Jesus told to a sick man “you sins are forgiven you”. Jesus speaks against their doctrine. Once Jesus healed a sick man in a synagogue on a Sabbath. He is not abiding by the laws of Pharisees and they burned with anger towards Jesus. They started to persecute him.


O Jesus, if you give tithe God will give you a wife.

If you fear God, you are supposed to a millionaire.

If you walk in righteousness, you can get the highest salary job.

If he is from God, how can he stay with Samaritans?

If he is from God, how can he break the law of Sabbath?

If he is from God, How can he call God “My father”.


In spite of all the miracles Jesus did, Pharisees were only concerned about their doctrine. They were not willing to give up their sacred doctrines which they preached.

Jesus got angry towards them. He told them you are not sons of Abraham, you are sons of Lucifer, you are liars. Lucifer was a liar and murder from the beginning. The judgement upon them will be greater than judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah. Pharisees continued to embrace their sacred doctrines. They gave no ear to Jesus. Their enmity towards Jesus grew in strength. They decided to kill him. They spoke lies and false witness to all their fellow Jews about Jesus. Jewish leaders told their fellow Jews that they are forced to remove Jesus for the good of everyone(Jews). But, they were not removing Jesus for others good. They cannot face the teachings of Jesus. He spoke angry words to them, called them “brood of vipers”. How can they forgive such things? He constantly spoke against their sacred doctrines. They successfully crucified him. You dare to call us “brood of vipers’, this is your fate. We are removing you from our church membership forever. If you are truly the son of God, come down from the cross. Jesus prayed to father ”Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they do”. Jesus still loves them and prayed for the mercy of God upon his enemies.


Pharisees rejoiced at the death of Jesus. Now, none to speak against our sacred doctrines, none to get angry towards us, none to command us to repent. We can enjoy our own life in our old ways. They thought the chapter of Jesus is over forever. Alas!!! on the third day, Jesus got resurrected. They learned that Jesus is going to come back again. The man who spoke against our sacred doctrines, the man who got angry towards us, the man who called ‘brood of vipers’, the man who asks to repent from our sins, the man who asks to believe his Gospel. He is coming again. They formed a huge army from the whole globe at Armageddon to kill Jesus(his true disciples) again. He is resisting our sacred doctrines, he gets angry at out teachings,……We want to remove Jesus(true disciples of Jesus) forever. The glorified Jesus comes again on the clouds and he takes his true disciples by rapture towards himself. He kills the false prophets who were busy killing his true disciples. On second coming, he comes as a king to rule not to get killed.


Jesus commanded us to love God, love one another.

He also commanded us to deny yourself and carry your own cross.

John the Baptist said, " I must decrease and He must increase".

John wrote we must sacrifice yourselves for others and that is love.

Paul wrote this life is suffering and it is nothing compared to the glory that is to be revealed.

Jesus also told that since the world rejected him, persecuted him we also will be rejected and persecuted. He then promised Holyspirit would dwell in us forever to strengthen us.


Paul wrote in Colossians 3:1,2

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.


Are you denying yourself?

Are you carrying your cross?

Are you setting your hearts on things above and rejecting your mind on earthly things?

Are you decreasing and Jesus increasing in your life?

Are you sacrificing for others whom you love?

Are you seeking Jesus and his will?

Or

Are you after the prosperity of this world? 

Are you after non-suffering(peaceful, prosperous, successful) life in this world?


This is an incomplete work yet I published. Please comment your corrections, English corections, suggestions, disagreements etc. I love to hear your reply so I can improve. I am only an English learner and so I need your help in improving my writings.

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