The Idea of Two Gospels
:
There have been many discussions about the “gospel of the kingdom” and the “gospel of grace.” Most do not agree that there is any difference in them. This writing is my attempt at showing that there is a very big difference.
2 Cor 3:6-18 (NKJ) Paul writing.
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the """new covenant,""" not of the letter (Law) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,
8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation (the Law) had glory, the ministry of righteousness (grace) exceeds much more in glory.
10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
What was passing away? According to the above it was "the ministry of condemnation, verse 9 (the law). What was taking its place? According to the above, verse 8, it was "the ministry of the Spirit." Therefore there were two ministries, two gospels. One was passing away (the law that Jesus and the 12 taught) and another was taking its place.
12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech--
13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.
14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as ""by"" the Spirit of the Lord.
In the above we see that an old covenant was passing away. Take verse 8 and then look at verses 17 and 18. Men can not “transform themselves” by the choices THEY make and by their own power.
Notice that in Acts 3:21 Peter is proclaiming things made known by the prophets since the world began. ----- In contrast, in the book of Romans, 16:25, Paul is proclaiming things kept secret since the world began. Something made known cannot be a secret and something kept secret has not been made known. Clearly, Peter and Paul proclaimed two different messages.
Many say that Abraham and the Jews were saved by the grace of God in the “”same manner”” as we are in this age. I intend to show that it isn’t true.
It is true that Abraham "believed God" and it was accounted as righteousness before God. Does that mean that Abraham was saved at that moment? Did it mean he was saved by the grace of God and could enter into heaven to be with God? If he were saved at that moment, under the grace of God, he would not have been required to do the works that God had him do later in life. If his later works were required he was not saved by grace. It would have been by works.
We know that the Holy Spirit was not given until after Christ died on the cross. Abraham was not reborn and sealed by the Spirit. If he had been he would not have been required to do any works. If we look in Luke 16:19--- and read the story of the rich man and the tax collector who died we see that Abraham was in a part of Hades with both of them but not in the bad part, but in a separate part Jesus called Paradise from the cross.
Abraham was accounted as righteous but he could not BE righteous until Jesus shed His blood on the cross to pay for his sins in the flesh. No one was ever saved until the sin debt was paid. Salvation was, and is, in the work that Jesus (God) did on the cross. Everything points to Christ. Everything begins and ends with what Jesus did on the cross. To say that salvation came before Christ is to say His death was not necessary.
When we read about Abraham we must consider the whole life he lived, we see that he was required to offer up his son, that he was required to circumcise himself and all the males in his family. God’s relationship with Abraham was modified as time went on and eventually the law was given through Moses. It is clear to me that, although Abraham believed God and it was accounted as righteousness before God, there were works that were added at a later date.
During the dispensation of the Law of Moses a person was righteous before God by having faith in Him and by demonstrating their faith by their works just as Abraham did. This is exactly what James is writing about in James 2. James uses Abraham as an example and the words “justified” by works. James is correct in what he has said. He was preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
We can see that Jesus told the Jews to keep the laws of Moses and we can see that the 12 were teaching the same thing. It was the gospel of the kingdom and it was faith plus (+) works. They, the Jews, were to accept Jesus as the Messiah and He would set up His kingdom rule on this earth. But they rejected Jesus and His gospel of the kingdom. This teaching did not change until Paul came on the scene. We can see that, by reading the early chapters of Acts. I believe Acts to be a transitional book.
Paul teaches that Abraham’s faith making him righteous before God was a """""foreshadowing""""foreseeing"""beforehand"""would be"""
of the gospel of Grace that was to come (Gal 3:7-9). This means this was to be true in the future.
7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
8 And the Scripture, """foreseeing""" that God """would""" justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham """beforehand,""" saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
(NKJ)
Therefore the mystery Paul spoke of was much more than an acceptance of the Gentiles. It was a whole new gospel that was not seen in the O.T. -- Peter acknowledges that the message has changed when he says that the Jews would ""NOW"" be saved in the same manner (way) the Gentiles are, see verse 11 below.
Acts 15:7-11
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them:"Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."
NKJV
The above verse 11 begs the question, in what manner were the Jews saved before???
My only conclusion is that the gospel for the Gentiles is a unique gospel given to Paul for the age of the grace of God. Although it was told to Abraham """beforehand""" it was not ""in effect"" and applied until Jesus died on the cross.
I see that the gospel of faith + works is a gospel that is suited for religion since it requires men to do religious things. I also see that Jesus did not think very highly of man’s religious works.
I see that the gospel of grace is not a religion. It is about a covenant relationship with God in the heart based on belief in God‘s work on the cross. It is a relationship of Father to son. It is a relationship of belief, faith, trust, and confidence in our heavenly Father and His work on the cross. If you have this relationship God does not require anything else.
Richard
:
There have been many discussions about the “gospel of the kingdom” and the “gospel of grace.” Most do not agree that there is any difference in them. This writing is my attempt at showing that there is a very big difference.
2 Cor 3:6-18 (NKJ) Paul writing.
6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the """new covenant,""" not of the letter (Law) but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away,
8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?
9 For if the ministry of condemnation (the Law) had glory, the ministry of righteousness (grace) exceeds much more in glory.
10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
What was passing away? According to the above it was "the ministry of condemnation, verse 9 (the law). What was taking its place? According to the above, verse 8, it was "the ministry of the Spirit." Therefore there were two ministries, two gospels. One was passing away (the law that Jesus and the 12 taught) and another was taking its place.
12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech--
13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.
14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.
16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as ""by"" the Spirit of the Lord.
In the above we see that an old covenant was passing away. Take verse 8 and then look at verses 17 and 18. Men can not “transform themselves” by the choices THEY make and by their own power.
Notice that in Acts 3:21 Peter is proclaiming things made known by the prophets since the world began. ----- In contrast, in the book of Romans, 16:25, Paul is proclaiming things kept secret since the world began. Something made known cannot be a secret and something kept secret has not been made known. Clearly, Peter and Paul proclaimed two different messages.
Many say that Abraham and the Jews were saved by the grace of God in the “”same manner”” as we are in this age. I intend to show that it isn’t true.
It is true that Abraham "believed God" and it was accounted as righteousness before God. Does that mean that Abraham was saved at that moment? Did it mean he was saved by the grace of God and could enter into heaven to be with God? If he were saved at that moment, under the grace of God, he would not have been required to do the works that God had him do later in life. If his later works were required he was not saved by grace. It would have been by works.
We know that the Holy Spirit was not given until after Christ died on the cross. Abraham was not reborn and sealed by the Spirit. If he had been he would not have been required to do any works. If we look in Luke 16:19--- and read the story of the rich man and the tax collector who died we see that Abraham was in a part of Hades with both of them but not in the bad part, but in a separate part Jesus called Paradise from the cross.
Abraham was accounted as righteous but he could not BE righteous until Jesus shed His blood on the cross to pay for his sins in the flesh. No one was ever saved until the sin debt was paid. Salvation was, and is, in the work that Jesus (God) did on the cross. Everything points to Christ. Everything begins and ends with what Jesus did on the cross. To say that salvation came before Christ is to say His death was not necessary.
When we read about Abraham we must consider the whole life he lived, we see that he was required to offer up his son, that he was required to circumcise himself and all the males in his family. God’s relationship with Abraham was modified as time went on and eventually the law was given through Moses. It is clear to me that, although Abraham believed God and it was accounted as righteousness before God, there were works that were added at a later date.
During the dispensation of the Law of Moses a person was righteous before God by having faith in Him and by demonstrating their faith by their works just as Abraham did. This is exactly what James is writing about in James 2. James uses Abraham as an example and the words “justified” by works. James is correct in what he has said. He was preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
We can see that Jesus told the Jews to keep the laws of Moses and we can see that the 12 were teaching the same thing. It was the gospel of the kingdom and it was faith plus (+) works. They, the Jews, were to accept Jesus as the Messiah and He would set up His kingdom rule on this earth. But they rejected Jesus and His gospel of the kingdom. This teaching did not change until Paul came on the scene. We can see that, by reading the early chapters of Acts. I believe Acts to be a transitional book.
Paul teaches that Abraham’s faith making him righteous before God was a """""foreshadowing""""foreseeing"""beforehand"""would be"""
of the gospel of Grace that was to come (Gal 3:7-9). This means this was to be true in the future.
7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
8 And the Scripture, """foreseeing""" that God """would""" justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham """beforehand,""" saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
(NKJ)
Therefore the mystery Paul spoke of was much more than an acceptance of the Gentiles. It was a whole new gospel that was not seen in the O.T. -- Peter acknowledges that the message has changed when he says that the Jews would ""NOW"" be saved in the same manner (way) the Gentiles are, see verse 11 below.
Acts 15:7-11
7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them:"Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.
8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,
9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."
NKJV
The above verse 11 begs the question, in what manner were the Jews saved before???
My only conclusion is that the gospel for the Gentiles is a unique gospel given to Paul for the age of the grace of God. Although it was told to Abraham """beforehand""" it was not ""in effect"" and applied until Jesus died on the cross.
I see that the gospel of faith + works is a gospel that is suited for religion since it requires men to do religious things. I also see that Jesus did not think very highly of man’s religious works.
I see that the gospel of grace is not a religion. It is about a covenant relationship with God in the heart based on belief in God‘s work on the cross. It is a relationship of Father to son. It is a relationship of belief, faith, trust, and confidence in our heavenly Father and His work on the cross. If you have this relationship God does not require anything else.
Richard
