Sometimes you talk twaddle Rolly.
The message of the Gospel is reconciliation.
"Peace on earth, good will toward man. "
Not 'serve Me or go to hell.'
The Good News is that God wants to be rejoined to His man that He created...communication got 'broken' in the Garden..In Christ Crucified God is all about reconciliation and- " breaking down the middle wall of partition between us"
"Christ and Him crucified" was a good enough message for Paul..so it is good enough for me. You should try it sometime...and not worry about whether anybody know what you are talking about. It is the Holy Spirit who speaks to them anyway...not 'you.'
The Gospel :-
2 Cor 5:19 "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto US the word of reconciliation."
Heaven or hell are side issues...they are not God formular for the gospel.
Jesus told them to- " Heal the sick, raise the dead, and tell them , the kingdom of God is nigh thee "
Do you read anything about heaven or hell in the message that Jesus gave them, and sent them out with? NO...because it isn't there.
ByGrace: I just wanted to add a little trivia where an expression you have used in your post is the modified meaning from what is written in scripture since the Mid 1800s. It is relevant to your conversation.
There was poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow around December 1863. It was dedicated to his family to his wife that died in a fire and his son that was killed in the Civil War and others. It was published in 1865 entitled ‘Christmas Bells.’
Unfortunately, the expression he wrote in his quintain, the last line of each 5-stanza ‘Of peace on earth, good-will to men!’ stuck too well along with the already mistranslation in the KJV Bible. It created a false and misleading interpretation of scripture where he sourced it from.
In Luke 2:14, The angel said that God wished ONLY those that pleased him, peace while they were living on the earth. God never said he wished all people peace on earth! Jesus said there would be no peace because of the truth he presented, that only believers would understand. They would be blessed with the peace of God.
Note the KJV made a mess of the translation. Over 90 percent of the Bible translation have it right ending in phrases like ‘whom He is well pleased,’ ‘to men of good will’ ‘good pleasure in men,’ ‘to those that have his good will’ 'people who enjoy his favor’ ….etc.
(Luk 2:14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (KJV)
(Luk 2:14) Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those in whom He is well pleased. (NEV)
(Mat 10:34) Think not that I came to send peace on the earth. I came not to send peace but a sword. (NEV)
Most people at Christmas speak and sing hymns with the same Longfellow and KJV meaning, and translation the same peace on earth and goodwill towards all men in total ignorance of scripture.
Do you think anyone cares, or it will be changed? I know the difference and that is all that matters.
If I pray for peace on earth it is only geared towards the righteous folks in Christ. These are the people we pray about– to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Peace!
Bless you,
APAK