![all you workers of iniquity.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and
Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out" (vv. 25–28).
Does it really make a difference to God whether or not we adhere strictly to the exact same Gospel that
Christ and His Apostles preached? On the authority of Jesus Christ, I say it makes a great deal of
difference!
After Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, He appeared to His Apostles and commissioned them to, "Go
into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15–16). Christ later inspired the
Apostle Paul to pronounce a double curse on anyone who would dare preach a different gospel. He told
the Galatian Christians, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than
what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if
anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians
1:8–9).
The Apostle Paul took great pains to warn the Corinthian Christians about false ministers who would
come preaching "another Jesus" and proclaiming a "different gospel" (2 Corinthians 11:4). This is why I
say—as a minister of Jesus Christ—that it is critically important for you and your salvation to recognize
the true Jesus Christ of the Bible and to prove for yourself what is the genuine Gospel which He
preached! And Jesus Himself made that clear!
It can easily be shown from the Bible that the Gospel does not revolve solely around the personality of
Jesus, the Son of God. Of course, Jesus is our Messiah who shed His blood so that our sins might be
forgiven. We need to deeply appreciate and proclaim this Truth. But that in itself does not constitute the
complete Gospel. Certainly, we need the understanding of Christ's sacrifice. The Bible says, "Nor is
there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Consequently, the name of Jesus Christ is absolutely vital. Yet it is
absolutely false to say of Jesus, as many now do, "He is the Gospel. He is the Kingdom of God." There
is much more to the true Gospel message preached by Jesus Christ.
Gospel "Of" Christ or "About" Christ?
At the end of the Old Testament, God inspired the following prophecy: "Behold, I send My messenger,
and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple,
even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight" (Malachi 3:1). According to Mark 1:2–4, the
first messenger mentioned here refers to John the Baptist who prepared the way before Christ's First
Coming. Christ is referred to next as "the Lord… even the Messenger of the covenant." So Jesus Christ
was sent as a "Messenger." A messenger bears a message from someone else—and so Jesus did, as
He made plain by stating, "the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me" (John
14:24).
God the Father sent Christ to announce a message from Him. What kind of message was it? The word
"gospel" originates from the Old English word godspell, meaning "good news" or "announcement of glad
tidings." The New Testament translators used "gospel" for the Greek noun euaggelion. The English
word "evangelism"—preaching the Gospel—is derived from it. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have
come to be known as "the four Gospels" because they relate four separate accounts of Christ delivering
His announcement of Good News!
What was this Good News all about? Let Scripture answer! Open your Bible and turn to Mark 1:14–15.
Read what God inspired Mark to write: "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'" This is the Gospel. There is only one—and it is about the
Kingdom of God. Some will attempt to deny the prominence of "the kingdom of God" in the Gospel by
pointing out that Mark 1:1 mentions the "gospel of Jesus Christ." It is also referred to as the "Gospel of
God" because it was a message from God. But the New Testament overwhelmingly calls it "the Gospel
of the Kingdom of God." That is what the Gospel is about! Look at what one scholarly work attests:
"There is clear agreement among the synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark and Luke] that the kingdom of
God was the principal theme within Jesus' message…. In aggregate, they present some fifty sayings
and parables of Jesus concerning the kingdom…. It is, then, a matter of consensus within the canon
that the kingdom constituted a
primary focus of Jesus' theology" (Oxford Companion to the Bible, 1993, p. 408).
Do not blindly believe this booklet—or any commentary or Bible study aid. Believe your Bible—believe
God! People have gone off track spiritually by relying solely on men. Scripture commands you to "prove
all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Check up on this and examine it for yourself. Suspend your](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/todownloadtoyourcomputer-120522104435-phpapp01/85/To-download-to-your-computer-3-320.jpg)
![prior opinions and just read what God says. It will soon be clear in your mind that the Gospel of Christ is
His message, from the Father, about the Kingdom of God. Jesus affirmed this after teaching in the city
of Capernaum by saying, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this
purpose I have been sent" (Luke 4:43). Matthew 9:35 testifies that this is exactly what He did: "And
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom."
According to Jesus, what should life's primary focus be? "Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). In what has come to be known as the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus said, "In
this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come" (vv.
9–10). The Gospel that Christ brought is indeed the Good News of this coming Kingdom. That is the
message Jesus preached. He sent His disciples out preaching that very same message. And they did
preach it—the rest of their lives!
It was not until false teachers began to subvert the early Church that Christ's Gospel began to be
perverted. Paul, writing more than 20 years after Christ's death, was aware of one such distortion:
"There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7). Among a
growing number of heresies, perhaps none was gaining as much momentum as the new gospel about
the events of Christ's life and of simply believing on His person to be saved. Gradually, then, the true
Gospel of Christ was supplanted by a false gospel about Christ.
"In the mouth of Christ and those who, while He was on earth, He sent forth to proclaim it, it was the
good tidings of the kingdom of God which He had come to establish…. After Christ's death and
resurrection it became the good tidings about Christ" [Emphasis ours] (James Hastings, A Dictionary of
the Bible, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988, p. 233).
What About the Name of Jesus?
Christ sent out His disciples "to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…. So they departed and
went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere" (Luke 9:2, 6). When the
Apostles returned, in verse 10, Christ took them to a deserted place. "But when the multitudes knew it,
they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed
those who had need of healing" (v. 11).
According to Jesus' example and instructions: preaching the gospel is preaching about the Kingdom of
God!
Then, in verse 18 of the same chapter, when He was alone with His disciples, Christ asked: "Who do
the crowds say that I am?" They answered, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that
one of the old prophets has risen again" (v. 19).
Matthew 16 contains a more complete passage paralleling this account: "He said to them, 'But who do
you say that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven'" (vv. 15–17).
Clearly, Christ had not even told His own disciples this yet. But Jesus had already sent them out
preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Notice verse 20: "Then He commanded His disciples that
they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ." The reason He commanded this is that he did not
want to be crucified prematurely. But what is absolutely certain from this verse is that the Gospel of the
Kingdom of God cannot be a simple proclamation stating that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For
we have just seen in Luke 9:11 that they had already been preaching the Gospel—but obviously had not
told the people that Jesus was the Christ!
Some might say, "Yes, but perhaps the Gospel preached by Christ and His Apostles was about the fact
that the Messiah had to die for our sins and be resurrected, minus the actual identity of that Messiah."
To answer that, look at what happened after Peter recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, as recorded
in Mark 8:
"Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them that
the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and
began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter,
saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men'" (vv.
30–33).
It was only after Peter's recognition of Jesus as the Christ that Jesus began to teach His disciples about
His coming crucifixion and resurrection. But Peter did not receive this teaching very well at this point. So](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/todownloadtoyourcomputer-120522104435-phpapp01/85/To-download-to-your-computer-4-320.jpg)
![it ought to be plain as day that a proclamation of Jesus, as Christ crucified, was not a part of the Gospel
that Christ had previously sent Peter out preaching!
To further illustrate this, look at the same event as recorded in Luke 9:18–22. In verse 22, Christ
instructed the Apostles that He would die and be resurrected. But, evidently much later, they still did not
get it! Christ said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about
to be betrayed into the hands of men. But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from
them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying" (vv. 44–45).
The Gospel that Jesus had sent the Apostles to preach was not centered on believing on Christ's
person or receiving forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice. Just talking about Christ is not the Gospel!
Yes, Jesus Christ is the most important Person ever to have walked the earth. He was, indeed, God in
the flesh, the Son of God, who came as the Christ to give His life to atone for the sins of mankind. And
He has been resurrected to be the Savior of the world. All of this is true. And—although it is extremely
necessary—none of this is the sole focus of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It was only after Jesus
was resurrected that He added this element to the message the Apostles were to preach: "And He [the
risen Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to
them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the
third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things'" (Luke 24:45–48).
The name of Jesus Christ—that is, His true name—comprises who He is, what He has done for us and
everything He has taught, commanded and stood for. This essential information was added—to be
taught alongside the Gospel of the Kingdom of God—after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Is this
an assumption? Not at all! Look at the preserved biblical account of the preaching of the early
evangelists and Apostles, years after Christ's death.
Notice what Philip preached in Samaria. "But when they believed Philip as he preached [1] the things
concerning the kingdom of God and [2] the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized"
(Acts 8:12).
The true Church is to preach both elements: first, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and, second, the
true name of Jesus Christ.
Chapter 2
What Is the Kingdom of God?
We have seen that the true Gospel preached by Christ and His Apostles was about the Kingdom of
God. Exactly what is that Kingdom? There have been many ideas. The Jews of Christ's day thought that
a Messiah figure would lead their physical nation to militarily subdue other governments until they
reigned supreme over all men. Later, the concept emerged that the Church made up the Kingdom.
Others have believed that the Kingdom of God is an ethereal realm set up in the hearts of men. Others
see it called "the kingdom of heaven" in Matthew's Gospel account and conclude that it must refer to
eternal bliss in heaven. Some also maintain that the Kingdom is the person of Jesus Himself.
"The 'Kingdom of God/Heaven' is a subject of major importance in the Bible for two primary reasons: its
frequency in the first three canonical (synoptic) gospels of the NT, and the conviction that it stands at
the very center of the message of the historical Jesus. Its meaning which is derived from a world of
oriental monarchs and monarchies that is very different from modern Western democracies, has been
interpreted in various ways. Historically it has been associated with the future state of the resurrected,
immortal blessed; the Church; monastic contemplation; mystical ecstasy; pious religious experience; the
progressively redeemed society inspired by love; the future transformation of this world; apocalyptic
hope for the next world; and an open-ended symbol possible of many interpretations" (The Anchor Bible
Dictionary, vol. 4, p. 49).
Scripture scholar George E. Ladd described how one particular theologian reduced the Kingdom of God
to the "subjective realm and understood it in terms of the human spirit and its relationship to God. The
Kingdom of God is an inward power which enters into the human soul and lays hold of it. It consists of a
few basic religious truths of universal application." A more recent interpretation, Ladd mentions,
"conceives of the Kingdom as the absolute, the 'wholly other' which has entered into time and space in
the person of Jesus of Nazareth" (The Gospel of the Kingdom, p. 15).
He continues:
"At the other extreme are those who, like Albert Schweitzer, define Jesus' message of the Kingdom as
an apocalyptic realm to be inaugurated by a supernatural act of God when history will be broken off and
a new heavenly order of existence begun. The Kingdom of God in no sense of the word is a present or](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/todownloadtoyourcomputer-120522104435-phpapp01/85/To-download-to-your-computer-5-320.jpg)
![Now we come to verses 44–45: the meaning of the "stone cut out of the mountain without hands" that
smashes the image representing the succession of human world-ruling empires and then grows to fill
the whole earth. This is the revelation we have been seeking!
Here, in the plain words of God Almighty, is the explanation of what the kingdom of God really is: "And
in the days of these kings [the last revival of the Roman Empire] the God of heaven will set up a
kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and
the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break
in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever"!
No more will there be any human "king of kings" like Nebuchadnezzar! Jesus Christ will then reign over
the whole earth as "King of kings and Lord of lords" (cf. Revelation 19:11–16). Revelation 11:15 affirms
Daniel's prophecy. At the time of Christ's Second Coming, loud voices in heaven will proclaim: "The
kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign
forever and ever!" Thus will Tomorrow's World finally be inaugurated!
Daniel's prophecy, when studied with the book of Revelation, should make it abundantly clear that the
future Kingdom of God will be a literal government, just as were the previously mentioned world-ruling
empires. As Daniel concluded, "The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure" (Daniel 2:45). This is
gloriously wonderful good news!
Other Prophecies of Tomorrow's World
Other Old Testament prophets also clearly show that Christ's Kingdom will be a future divine
government having global, administrative authority over this earth. Has God's Kingdom already been
established? The answer is obvious from a few straightforward prophecies from Scripture about the
coming Kingdom:
"Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established
on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many
people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mou](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/todownloadtoyourcomputer-120522104435-phpapp01/85/To-download-to-your-computer-8-320.jpg)
![Read what God inspired Mark to write: "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'" This is the Gospel. There is only one—and it is about the
Kingdom of God. Some will attempt to deny the prominence of "the kingdom of God" in the Gospel by
pointing out that Mark 1:1 mentions the "gospel of Jesus Christ." It is also referred to as the "Gospel of
God" because it was a message from God. But the New Testament overwhelmingly calls it "the Gospel
of the Kingdom of God." That is what the Gospel is about! Look at what one scholarly work attests:
"There is clear agreement among the synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark and Luke] that the kingdom of
God was the principal theme within Jesus' message…. In aggregate, they present some fifty sayings
and parables of Jesus concerning the kingdom…. It is, then, a matter of consensus within the canon
that the kingdom constituted a
primary focus of Jesus' theology" (Oxford Companion to the Bible, 1993, p. 408).
Do not blindly believe this booklet—or any commentary or Bible study aid. Believe your Bible—believe
God! People have gone off track spiritually by relying solely on men. Scripture commands you to "prove
all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Check up on this and examine it for yourself. Suspend your
prior opinions and just read what God says. It will soon be clear in your mind that the Gospel of Christ is
His message, from the Father, about the Kingdom of God. Jesus affirmed this after teaching in the city
of Capernaum by saying, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this
purpose I have been sent" (Luke 4:43). Matthew 9:35 testifies that this is exactly what He did: "And
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom."
According to Jesus, what should life's primary focus be? "Seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). In what has come to be known as the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus said, "In
this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come" (vv.
9–10). The Gospel that Christ brought is indeed the Good News of this coming Kingdom. That is the
message Jesus preached. He sent His disciples out preaching that very same message. And they did
preach it—the rest of their lives!
It was not until false teachers began to subvert the early Church that Christ's Gospel began to be
perverted. Paul, writing more than 20 years after Christ's death, was aware of one such distortion:
"There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7). Among a
growing number of heresies, perhaps none was gaining as much momentum as the new gospel about
the events of Christ's life and of simply believing on His person to be saved. Gradually, then, the true
Gospel of Christ was supplanted by a false gospel about Christ.
"In the mouth of Christ and those who, while He was on earth, He sent forth to proclaim it, it was the
good tidings of the kingdom of God which He had come to establish…. After Christ's death and
resurrection it became the good tidings about Christ" [Emphasis ours] (James Hastings, A Dictionary of
the Bible, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988, p. 233).
What About the Name of Jesus?
Christ sent out His disciples "to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…. So they departed and
went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere" (Luke 9:2, 6). When the
Apostles returned, in verse 10, Christ took them to a deserted place. "But when the multitudes knew it,
they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed
those who had need of healing" (v. 11).
According to Jesus' example and instructions: preaching the gospel is preaching about the Kingdom of
God!
Then, in verse 18 of the same chapter, when He was alone with His disciples, Christ asked: "Who do
the crowds say that I am?" They answered, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that
one of the old prophets has risen again" (v. 19).
Matthew 16 contains a more complete passage paralleling this account: "He said to them, 'But who do
you say that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not
revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven'" (vv. 15–17).
Clearly, Christ had not even told His own disciples this yet. But Jesus had already sent them out
preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Notice verse 20: "Then He commanded His disciples that
they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ." The reason He commanded this is that he did not
want to be crucified prematurely. But what is absolutely certain from this verse is that the Gospel of the](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/todownloadtoyourcomputer-120522104435-phpapp01/85/To-download-to-your-computer-11-320.jpg)
![Kingdom of God cannot be a simple proclamation stating that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For
we have just seen in Luke 9:11 that they had already been preaching the Gospel—but obviously had not
told the people that Jesus was the Christ!
Some might say, "Yes, but perhaps the Gospel preached by Christ and His Apostles was about the fact
that the Messiah had to die for our sins and be resurrected, minus the actual identity of that Messiah."
To answer that, look at what happened after Peter recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, as recorded
in Mark 8:
"Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them that
the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and
began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter,
saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men'" (vv.
30–33).
It was only after Peter's recognition of Jesus as the Christ that Jesus began to teach His disciples about
His coming crucifixion and resurrection. But Peter did not receive this teaching very well at this point. So
it ought to be plain as day that a proclamation of Jesus, as Christ crucified, was not a part of the Gospel
that Christ had previously sent Peter out preaching!
To further illustrate this, look at the same event as recorded in Luke 9:18–22. In verse 22, Christ
instructed the Apostles that He would die and be resurrected. But, evidently much later, they still did not
get it! Christ said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about
to be betrayed into the hands of men. But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from
them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying" (vv. 44–45).
The Gospel that Jesus had sent the Apostles to preach was not centered on believing on Christ's
person or receiving forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice. Just talking about Christ is not the Gospel!
Yes, Jesus Christ is the most important Person ever to have walked the earth. He was, indeed, God in
the flesh, the Son of God, who came as the Christ to give His life to atone for the sins of mankind. And
He has been resurrected to be the Savior of the world. All of this is true. And—although it is extremely
necessary—none of this is the sole focus of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It was only after Jesus
was resurrected that He added this element to the message the Apostles were to preach: "And He [the
risen Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to
them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the
third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things'" (Luke 24:45–48).
The name of Jesus Christ—that is, His true name—comprises who He is, what He has done for us and
everything He has taught, commanded and stood for. This essential information was added—to be
taught alongside the Gospel of the Kingdom of God—after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Is this
an assumption? Not at all! Look at the preserved biblical account of the preaching of the early
evangelists and Apostles, years after Christ's death.
Notice what Philip preached in Samaria. "But when they believed Philip as he preached [1] the things
concerning the kingdom of God and [2] the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized"
(Acts 8:12).
The true Church is to preach both elements: first, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and, second, the
true name of Jesus Christ.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/todownloadtoyourcomputer-120522104435-phpapp01/85/To-download-to-your-computer-12-320.jpg)
To download to your computer
- 1. To download to your computer, click here. This Week's Telecast: How Does Satan Deceive You? Have you been deceived by Satan the Devil? Are you sure? God's word tells us that most human beings are deceived. People can be "sincere" while being sincerely wrong. How can you be sure you are avoiding Satan's deceptions? What does the real Jesus Christ of your Bible say? The true Gospel is the most vital message this world has ever received. It is the message Jesus and the Apostles preached. It is the message the faithful Church of God proclaims today. It is also a message that is often misunderstood and even shamefully attacked! Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14). Jesus continued throughout all the cities and villages, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 9:35). Instructing His disciples about signs preceding His Second Coming, Jesus warned that although false ministers would deceive many (Matthew 24:11), the true Gospel of the kingdom would be preached to the entire world (v. 14)! Scripture makes plain that the focus of the true Gospel is the coming kingdom of God! Yet, how terribly neglected is this powerful message of Christ’s literal return by so many of today’s churches! But, does this mean that Jesus is not part of the Gospel? Absolutely not! While the Gospel is primarily about the coming Kingdom of God, it is unscriptural, illogical and impossible for Christ not to be part of that message! Don’t believe people’s opinions about this! Holy Scripture makes it absolutely evident that the true Gospel includes both components! Simply accept what your Bible proclaims! Notice: •God’s faithful ministers have always taught “the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). •Paul declared, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16). •Peter taught, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). •The Apostles were literally often beaten for “preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42)! As Tomorrow’s World Editor in Chief Dr. Roderick C. Meredith summarizes, the Gospel includes Jesus’ role as “personal savior” and as “our heavenly High Priest… Finally, the Gospel’s main focus is on Christ’s future return in power and glory, as the Almighty King of kings, to rule this world and the entire universe under the authority of God the Father” (Do You Believe the True Gospel?, pp. 35-36). As briefly demonstrated, the above is exactly what Scripture teaches. The above is also exactly what God’s faithful ministers have always preached! Notice one of dozens of similar statements from Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong: “We must believe the Gospel, and that means also believing on Jesus Christ, the King of the Kingdom of God, and coming King of kings over all the families of the earth. It means believing in Him as personal Savior, as High Priest now, and as coming King” (“What is the True Gospel?,” Tomorrow’s World, January 1970, p. 7). We must believe the true Gospel to receive God’s grace (Mark 1:15; Ephesians 2:8-9), and Scripture indisputably teaches that this message is primarily about the coming Kingdom of God and includes Jesus Christ as Savior (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Again, notice the very clear words of Scripture: “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him” (Acts 28:30-31). Jude warns us to not accept the teachings of “ungodly” or “lewd” men (licentious or insolent teachers) who “deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Jude 4). Please don’t accept human opinion or half-truths on this most vital subject – instead, simply prayerfully and humbly believe God’s word. If you have been misled to accept a false or an incomplete Gospel, then please study 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and then prayerfully read all of the above Scriptures again in your own Bible. You may also wish to study: “Two Vital Aspects of the Gospel” and: Do You Believe the True Gospel? And please contact a minister for additional counsel. Sent at 10:32 PM on Wednesday kothari.suman: cds What did Jesus really preach? Do you know? Do not be too sure! Just what did Jesus mean by "the Kingdom of God"? Here is the exciting Good News: there is a new world coming! Chapter 1 A Message About the Messenger? Your eternity depends on your willingness to understand and believe the true Gospel! Yet the Apostle Paul warned the Christians of his day, "For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!" (2 Corinthians 11:4).
- 2. Frankly, millions of sincere men and women have put up with a false gospel. They have been deceived all right—far too easily deceived. Why? Because too many have failed to obey God's command to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Jesus Christ said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Have you believed the same Gospel, which Jesus preached? You need to be sure! There are many, many "gospels" being preached in the world today! Have you ever heard something like this? "Just give your heart to the Lord. Jesus was born in the manger as the Christ, the Son of God, to save as many souls in this age as would accept Him into their hearts. When He grew up, He went around performing miracles and forgiving people. He kept God's harsh law for all of us before finally being nailed to the cross along with that old law. He rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to many witnesses. Then He returned to heaven and began to set up His Kingdom in the hearts of men. He'll forgive your sins and come into your heart—just as you are—if you'll only accept Him. Jesus saves! Just believe on Him, and you'll be saved—born again. And, when you die, you'll go to be with Him in heaven—forever!" But is that really the Gospel Jesus taught? If you have accepted, without question, the almost unanimous voice of mainstream Christianity in this regard, you probably think that it is. Yet consider what Mark Twain wrote: "In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second- hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing" (Mark Twain's Autobiography, 1959). Do you really know what constitutes the genuine Gospel that Jesus and His Apostles preached? Or have you made a careless assumption, following the crowd as Mark Twain noted, taking your beliefs from second-hand suppositions? Probably you were taught the mainstream understanding of "the Gospel" while growing up. Or maybe you learned it from the barrage of religious publications and broadcasts that exist in our modern world. In any case, you have, more than likely, not seen the need to question your beliefs. After all, most professing Christian authorities are in agreement here. Surely, they must be right. Or are they? In His famous Olivet Prophecy, Jesus Christ warned, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:4–5, KJV). Many modern versions place quotations around "I am Christ," assuming that Christ was talking about individuals who would claim to actually be Christ themselves. However, there have not been "many" such people in recent centuries that have been taken seriously, much less deceived the "many." Another interpretation some have offered is that Jesus was referring to false "Savior" figures like Hitler and Mussolini. But this is really taking liberties with the text. Remember, Christ said, "Many shall come in My name." A clearer rendering of what Jesus meant would be: "Take care that no one leads you astray. Indeed, many will appear, making use of My name, saying that I am Christ, yet deceiving many." What an astounding warning! Christ was foretelling that many false preachers would talk about Him and that they would proclaim that He is the Christ, the expected Messiah. Yet even after acknowledging Jesus' Messiahship, the deceivers are prophesied to seduce the unwary from a correct understanding of Jesus' genuine Gospel! How about you? Might they have deceived you too? Do not make careless assumptions! Find out—prove—what is true. Then you will really know and nobody will be able to fool you! False Assumptions and False Hopes Jesus said this about certain false religious teachers of His day: "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8–9). Jesus is plainly saying that one can worship Him to no purpose, uselessly—if the doctrines on which that worship is based have their source in men's erroneous ideas about how to interpret Scripture, rather than on the plain, intended teaching of the word of God! What, then, is the actual Gospel that Jesus preached? Did He simply tell people to believe on Him—or was it far more than that? This is a vital question. For if you believe a lie rather than the Truth, you will eventually find yourself holding a bag of false hopes and unfulfilled expectations! In Luke 13, Christ explained the plight of those holding false hopes. Many will "begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' then in reply he will say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But he will say 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me,
- 3. all you workers of iniquity.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out" (vv. 25–28). Does it really make a difference to God whether or not we adhere strictly to the exact same Gospel that Christ and His Apostles preached? On the authority of Jesus Christ, I say it makes a great deal of difference! After Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, He appeared to His Apostles and commissioned them to, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15–16). Christ later inspired the Apostle Paul to pronounce a double curse on anyone who would dare preach a different gospel. He told the Galatian Christians, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8–9). The Apostle Paul took great pains to warn the Corinthian Christians about false ministers who would come preaching "another Jesus" and proclaiming a "different gospel" (2 Corinthians 11:4). This is why I say—as a minister of Jesus Christ—that it is critically important for you and your salvation to recognize the true Jesus Christ of the Bible and to prove for yourself what is the genuine Gospel which He preached! And Jesus Himself made that clear! It can easily be shown from the Bible that the Gospel does not revolve solely around the personality of Jesus, the Son of God. Of course, Jesus is our Messiah who shed His blood so that our sins might be forgiven. We need to deeply appreciate and proclaim this Truth. But that in itself does not constitute the complete Gospel. Certainly, we need the understanding of Christ's sacrifice. The Bible says, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Consequently, the name of Jesus Christ is absolutely vital. Yet it is absolutely false to say of Jesus, as many now do, "He is the Gospel. He is the Kingdom of God." There is much more to the true Gospel message preached by Jesus Christ. Gospel "Of" Christ or "About" Christ? At the end of the Old Testament, God inspired the following prophecy: "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight" (Malachi 3:1). According to Mark 1:2–4, the first messenger mentioned here refers to John the Baptist who prepared the way before Christ's First Coming. Christ is referred to next as "the Lord… even the Messenger of the covenant." So Jesus Christ was sent as a "Messenger." A messenger bears a message from someone else—and so Jesus did, as He made plain by stating, "the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me" (John 14:24). God the Father sent Christ to announce a message from Him. What kind of message was it? The word "gospel" originates from the Old English word godspell, meaning "good news" or "announcement of glad tidings." The New Testament translators used "gospel" for the Greek noun euaggelion. The English word "evangelism"—preaching the Gospel—is derived from it. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have come to be known as "the four Gospels" because they relate four separate accounts of Christ delivering His announcement of Good News! What was this Good News all about? Let Scripture answer! Open your Bible and turn to Mark 1:14–15. Read what God inspired Mark to write: "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'" This is the Gospel. There is only one—and it is about the Kingdom of God. Some will attempt to deny the prominence of "the kingdom of God" in the Gospel by pointing out that Mark 1:1 mentions the "gospel of Jesus Christ." It is also referred to as the "Gospel of God" because it was a message from God. But the New Testament overwhelmingly calls it "the Gospel of the Kingdom of God." That is what the Gospel is about! Look at what one scholarly work attests: "There is clear agreement among the synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark and Luke] that the kingdom of God was the principal theme within Jesus' message…. In aggregate, they present some fifty sayings and parables of Jesus concerning the kingdom…. It is, then, a matter of consensus within the canon that the kingdom constituted a primary focus of Jesus' theology" (Oxford Companion to the Bible, 1993, p. 408). Do not blindly believe this booklet—or any commentary or Bible study aid. Believe your Bible—believe God! People have gone off track spiritually by relying solely on men. Scripture commands you to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Check up on this and examine it for yourself. Suspend your
- 4. prior opinions and just read what God says. It will soon be clear in your mind that the Gospel of Christ is His message, from the Father, about the Kingdom of God. Jesus affirmed this after teaching in the city of Capernaum by saying, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent" (Luke 4:43). Matthew 9:35 testifies that this is exactly what He did: "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom." According to Jesus, what should life's primary focus be? "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). In what has come to be known as the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus said, "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come" (vv. 9–10). The Gospel that Christ brought is indeed the Good News of this coming Kingdom. That is the message Jesus preached. He sent His disciples out preaching that very same message. And they did preach it—the rest of their lives! It was not until false teachers began to subvert the early Church that Christ's Gospel began to be perverted. Paul, writing more than 20 years after Christ's death, was aware of one such distortion: "There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7). Among a growing number of heresies, perhaps none was gaining as much momentum as the new gospel about the events of Christ's life and of simply believing on His person to be saved. Gradually, then, the true Gospel of Christ was supplanted by a false gospel about Christ. "In the mouth of Christ and those who, while He was on earth, He sent forth to proclaim it, it was the good tidings of the kingdom of God which He had come to establish…. After Christ's death and resurrection it became the good tidings about Christ" [Emphasis ours] (James Hastings, A Dictionary of the Bible, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988, p. 233). What About the Name of Jesus? Christ sent out His disciples "to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…. So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere" (Luke 9:2, 6). When the Apostles returned, in verse 10, Christ took them to a deserted place. "But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing" (v. 11). According to Jesus' example and instructions: preaching the gospel is preaching about the Kingdom of God! Then, in verse 18 of the same chapter, when He was alone with His disciples, Christ asked: "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They answered, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again" (v. 19). Matthew 16 contains a more complete passage paralleling this account: "He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven'" (vv. 15–17). Clearly, Christ had not even told His own disciples this yet. But Jesus had already sent them out preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Notice verse 20: "Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ." The reason He commanded this is that he did not want to be crucified prematurely. But what is absolutely certain from this verse is that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God cannot be a simple proclamation stating that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For we have just seen in Luke 9:11 that they had already been preaching the Gospel—but obviously had not told the people that Jesus was the Christ! Some might say, "Yes, but perhaps the Gospel preached by Christ and His Apostles was about the fact that the Messiah had to die for our sins and be resurrected, minus the actual identity of that Messiah." To answer that, look at what happened after Peter recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, as recorded in Mark 8: "Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men'" (vv. 30–33). It was only after Peter's recognition of Jesus as the Christ that Jesus began to teach His disciples about His coming crucifixion and resurrection. But Peter did not receive this teaching very well at this point. So
- 5. it ought to be plain as day that a proclamation of Jesus, as Christ crucified, was not a part of the Gospel that Christ had previously sent Peter out preaching! To further illustrate this, look at the same event as recorded in Luke 9:18–22. In verse 22, Christ instructed the Apostles that He would die and be resurrected. But, evidently much later, they still did not get it! Christ said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying" (vv. 44–45). The Gospel that Jesus had sent the Apostles to preach was not centered on believing on Christ's person or receiving forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice. Just talking about Christ is not the Gospel! Yes, Jesus Christ is the most important Person ever to have walked the earth. He was, indeed, God in the flesh, the Son of God, who came as the Christ to give His life to atone for the sins of mankind. And He has been resurrected to be the Savior of the world. All of this is true. And—although it is extremely necessary—none of this is the sole focus of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It was only after Jesus was resurrected that He added this element to the message the Apostles were to preach: "And He [the risen Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things'" (Luke 24:45–48). The name of Jesus Christ—that is, His true name—comprises who He is, what He has done for us and everything He has taught, commanded and stood for. This essential information was added—to be taught alongside the Gospel of the Kingdom of God—after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Is this an assumption? Not at all! Look at the preserved biblical account of the preaching of the early evangelists and Apostles, years after Christ's death. Notice what Philip preached in Samaria. "But when they believed Philip as he preached [1] the things concerning the kingdom of God and [2] the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized" (Acts 8:12). The true Church is to preach both elements: first, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and, second, the true name of Jesus Christ. Chapter 2 What Is the Kingdom of God? We have seen that the true Gospel preached by Christ and His Apostles was about the Kingdom of God. Exactly what is that Kingdom? There have been many ideas. The Jews of Christ's day thought that a Messiah figure would lead their physical nation to militarily subdue other governments until they reigned supreme over all men. Later, the concept emerged that the Church made up the Kingdom. Others have believed that the Kingdom of God is an ethereal realm set up in the hearts of men. Others see it called "the kingdom of heaven" in Matthew's Gospel account and conclude that it must refer to eternal bliss in heaven. Some also maintain that the Kingdom is the person of Jesus Himself. "The 'Kingdom of God/Heaven' is a subject of major importance in the Bible for two primary reasons: its frequency in the first three canonical (synoptic) gospels of the NT, and the conviction that it stands at the very center of the message of the historical Jesus. Its meaning which is derived from a world of oriental monarchs and monarchies that is very different from modern Western democracies, has been interpreted in various ways. Historically it has been associated with the future state of the resurrected, immortal blessed; the Church; monastic contemplation; mystical ecstasy; pious religious experience; the progressively redeemed society inspired by love; the future transformation of this world; apocalyptic hope for the next world; and an open-ended symbol possible of many interpretations" (The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4, p. 49). Scripture scholar George E. Ladd described how one particular theologian reduced the Kingdom of God to the "subjective realm and understood it in terms of the human spirit and its relationship to God. The Kingdom of God is an inward power which enters into the human soul and lays hold of it. It consists of a few basic religious truths of universal application." A more recent interpretation, Ladd mentions, "conceives of the Kingdom as the absolute, the 'wholly other' which has entered into time and space in the person of Jesus of Nazareth" (The Gospel of the Kingdom, p. 15). He continues: "At the other extreme are those who, like Albert Schweitzer, define Jesus' message of the Kingdom as an apocalyptic realm to be inaugurated by a supernatural act of God when history will be broken off and a new heavenly order of existence begun. The Kingdom of God in no sense of the word is a present or
- 6. spiritual reality; it is altogether future and supernatural" (ibid.). Ladd also points out the view or interpretation which "relates the Kingdom of God in one way or another to the Church." Since the days of Augustine, "the Kingdom has been identified with the Church." He explains: "As the Church grows, the Kingdom grows and is extended in the world. Many Protestant theologians have taught a modified form of this interpretation, holding that the Kingdom of God may be identified with the true Church which is embodied in the visible professing Church. As the Church takes the Gospel into all the world, it extends the Kingdom of God. An optimistic version holds that it is the mission of the Church to win the entire world to Christ and thus transform the world into the Kingdom of God" (ibid.). Do any of these interpretations have it right? What, in the midst of all this confusion, is the Truth? What is the Kingdom of God? What Is a Kingdom? To understand the Kingdom of God, we should begin by asking what any kingdom is. The primary dictionary definition of the word "kingdom" is, "a state or government having a king or queen as its head" (Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, Portland House, 1989). This is also the biblical definition of a kingdom. Four things are necessary to constitute a real kingdom: 1) a king or ruling agent; 2) land or territory; 3) subjects or citizens within that territorial jurisdiction; 4) laws and a form of government. If we leave out any of the above elements, we do not have a real kingdom. And if we believe in some ethereal sort of "kingdom," we do not believe in the true Gospel! The Truth on the subject of the Kingdom is revealed in God's word. What men think may be interesting and appealing to the intellect, but the Truth is in the Holy Scripture. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth" (John 17:17). The Bible reveals that Jesus' message concerned government and governance. He was born to be humanity's King! The prophet Isaiah wrote of Him: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:6–7). Shortly before Christ's human conception, the archangel Gabriel told Mary, who would be His mother: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32–33). During Jesus' trial, Pontius Pilate asked Him if He was a king. "Jesus answered, 'You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice'" (John 18:37). Too many in this deceived world think of Christ as either "the little Lord Jesus, away in a manger" or as a frail weakling nailed to a cross. They do not contemplate His role as a coming, omnipotent Ruler and King. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream What is the nature of the government that is to rest on Christ's shoulders? Is it merely human devotion to "sweet Jesus"? Emphatically, no! God's message and plan for mankind is consistent. The prophet Daniel was inspired nearly 600 years before Christ's birth to write about the coming Kingdom of God. During the Jews' captivity in the ancient Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean Empire, Daniel served his masters in the palace of the emperor Nebuchadnezzar. This world ruler had a vivid dream which so troubled him that he was losing sleep over it (Daniel 2:1). He just had to know its meaning! So Nebuchadnezzar ordered his court magicians, astrologers and sorcerers to reveal to him the dream's meaning. But this shrewd despot would not even tell his "trusted" advisors what He had dreamt! They were first required to tell him his dream—so that he could know their interpretations were trustworthy (vv. 2–9). They, of course, were unable to do so (vv. 10–11). God, however, had given Daniel "understanding in all visions and dreams" (Daniel 1:17). When he was brought before Nebuchadnezzar (2:25), he explained: "The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in
- 7. the latter days" (vv. 27–28). So God's purpose here was to reveal to this pagan ruler that there is a real God who rules the vast universe, as well as to reveal what would happen "in the latter days." If you want to understand the exciting, advance news of future events—the culmination of which may occur in your lifetime—open your Bible and turn to this amazing chapter in Daniel and read it for yourself! "You, O king, were watching; and behold, a great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you; and its form was awesome. This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation of it before the king" (vv. 31– 36). Did this dream mean something? Yes, because God had inspired it! It was prophetic. However, some people think that Bible prophecy is just melodic poetry—serving no guiding, foretelling purpose. Others believe prophecy does indeed have meaning, but that we cannot possibly decipher what that meaning is —at least until after its fulfillment and often not even then. There are still others who subscribe to the idea that prophetic meaning is subject to personal interpretation. These views reject or distort a major aspect of Christ's message. And since more than one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy, such opinions about prophecy would make a major portion of God's word basically useless to us. Yet God tells us that "all Scripture… is profitable" (2 Timothy 3:16) and Revelation 19:10 teaches us that "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The Apostle Peter wrote that "We have the prophetic word made more sure… knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:19–21). We must never try to interpret the Bible by reading our ideas into it! And we must not believe the personal interpretation of other human beings. We must deeply study the Bible—comparing scripture with scripture. We must let the Bible interpret itself. A Succession of World-Ruling Kingdoms Daniel gave God's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream: "You, O king, are a king of kings" (Daniel 2:37). Nebuchadnezzar subjugated other kingdoms under his own. He was the first to rule over a really world-dominating kingdom or empire. But it was not through his own might: "For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory" (v. 37). God was revealing His own supremacy in world events. "You," God told Nebuchadnezzar, "are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth" (vv. 38–39). Did you catch that? God is speaking here of literal kingdoms—a succession of world-ruling governments. This is clearly not talking about syrupy, sentimental concepts. God is making the Truth plain! Nebuchadnezzar's Chaldean Empire was represented by the head of gold. Following that would come another empire to be succeeded by still another. If you check your history books, you will see that the Persian Empire came next, followed by Alexander the Great's Greco-Macedonian Empire. Yet another, represented by the two legs of iron, would immediately follow that one, "and the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters all things; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others" (v. 40). The Roman Empire did just that. We can see that it was divided into two "legs," West and East, with capitals in Rome and Constantinople respectively. If we compare this account with Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 and 17, we can understand that the Roman Empire system would have ten revivals or resurrections in later centuries. The last seven of these revivals would be controlled by a false religious authority. The last of the ten revivals equates to the feet and toes of this great image in Daniel 2. Its ten toes of "iron mixed with ceramic clay" (v. 43)—a strong, but brittle mixture (v. 42)—symbolize ten contemporaneous political leaders who will give power to a charismatic, powerful ruler (Revelation 17:12–13). Together, these "kings" will make up the final resurrection of the fourth world-ruling empire. That final European superstate will rise before our very eyes! Remember that Daniel had told Nebuchadnezzar that this vision was to reveal events "in the latter days."
- 8. Now we come to verses 44–45: the meaning of the "stone cut out of the mountain without hands" that smashes the image representing the succession of human world-ruling empires and then grows to fill the whole earth. This is the revelation we have been seeking! Here, in the plain words of God Almighty, is the explanation of what the kingdom of God really is: "And in the days of these kings [the last revival of the Roman Empire] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever"! No more will there be any human "king of kings" like Nebuchadnezzar! Jesus Christ will then reign over the whole earth as "King of kings and Lord of lords" (cf. Revelation 19:11–16). Revelation 11:15 affirms Daniel's prophecy. At the time of Christ's Second Coming, loud voices in heaven will proclaim: "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" Thus will Tomorrow's World finally be inaugurated! Daniel's prophecy, when studied with the book of Revelation, should make it abundantly clear that the future Kingdom of God will be a literal government, just as were the previously mentioned world-ruling empires. As Daniel concluded, "The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure" (Daniel 2:45). This is gloriously wonderful good news! Other Prophecies of Tomorrow's World Other Old Testament prophets also clearly show that Christ's Kingdom will be a future divine government having global, administrative authority over this earth. Has God's Kingdom already been established? The answer is obvious from a few straightforward prophecies from Scripture about the coming Kingdom: "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mou
- 9. by admin on Sun, 2004-12-26 17:35 Do You Believe the True Gospel? Roderick C. Meredith Order FREE Printed Version | Download this Booklet Now (PDF) | What did Jesus really preach? Do you know? Do not be too sure! Just what did Jesus mean by "the Kingdom of God"? Here is the exciting Good News: there is a new world coming! Chapter 1 A Message About the Messenger? Your eternity depends on your willingness to understand and believe the true Gospel! Yet the Apostle Paul warned the Christians of his day, "For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!" (2 Corinthians 11:4). Frankly, millions of sincere men and women have put up with a false gospel. They have been deceived all right—far too easily deceived. Why? Because too many have failed to obey God's command to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Jesus Christ said, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Have you believed the same Gospel, which Jesus preached? You need to be sure! There are many, many "gospels" being preached in the world today! Have you ever heard something like this? "Just give your heart to the Lord. Jesus was born in the manger as the Christ, the Son of God, to save as many souls in this age as would accept Him into their hearts. When He grew up, He went around performing miracles and forgiving people. He kept God's harsh law for all of us before finally being nailed to the cross along with that old law. He rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to many witnesses. Then He returned to heaven and began to set up His Kingdom in the hearts of men. He'll forgive your sins and come into your heart—just as you are—if you'll only accept Him. Jesus saves! Just believe on Him, and you'll be saved—born again. And, when you die, you'll go to be with Him in heaven—forever!" But is that really the Gospel Jesus taught? If you have accepted, without question, the almost unanimous voice of mainstream Christianity in this regard, you probably think that it is. Yet consider what Mark Twain wrote: "In religion and politics, people's beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second- hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing" (Mark Twain's Autobiography, 1959). Do you really know what constitutes the genuine Gospel that Jesus and His Apostles preached? Or have you made a careless assumption, following the crowd as Mark Twain noted, taking your beliefs from second-hand suppositions? Probably you were taught the mainstream understanding of "the Gospel" while growing up. Or maybe you learned it from the barrage of religious publications and broadcasts that exist in our modern world. In any case, you have, more than likely, not seen the need to question your beliefs. After all, most professing Christian authorities are in agreement here. Surely, they must be right. Or are they? In His famous Olivet Prophecy, Jesus Christ warned, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:4–5, KJV). Many modern versions place quotations around "I am Christ," assuming that Christ was talking about individuals who would claim to actually be Christ themselves. However, there have not been "many" such people in recent centuries that have been taken seriously, much less deceived the "many." Another interpretation some have offered is that Jesus was referring to false "Savior" figures like Hitler and Mussolini. But this is really taking liberties with the text. Remember, Christ said, "Many shall come in My name." A clearer rendering of what Jesus meant would be: "Take care that no one leads you astray. Indeed, many will appear, making use of My name, saying that I am Christ, yet deceiving many." What an astounding warning! Christ was foretelling that many false preachers would talk about Him and that they would proclaim that He is the Christ, the expected Messiah. Yet even after acknowledging Jesus' Messiahship, the deceivers are prophesied to seduce the unwary from a correct understanding of Jesus' genuine Gospel! How about you? Might they have deceived you too? Do not make careless assumptions! Find out—prove—what is true. Then you will really know and nobody will be able to fool
- 10. you! False Assumptions and False Hopes Jesus said this about certain false religious teachers of His day: "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8–9). Jesus is plainly saying that one can worship Him to no purpose, uselessly—if the doctrines on which that worship is based have their source in men's erroneous ideas about how to interpret Scripture, rather than on the plain, intended teaching of the word of God! What, then, is the actual Gospel that Jesus preached? Did He simply tell people to believe on Him—or was it far more than that? This is a vital question. For if you believe a lie rather than the Truth, you will eventually find yourself holding a bag of false hopes and unfulfilled expectations! In Luke 13, Christ explained the plight of those holding false hopes. Many will "begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' then in reply he will say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.' But he will say 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out" (vv. 25–28). Does it really make a difference to God whether or not we adhere strictly to the exact same Gospel that Christ and His Apostles preached? On the authority of Jesus Christ, I say it makes a great deal of difference! After Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, He appeared to His Apostles and commissioned them to, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15–16). Christ later inspired the Apostle Paul to pronounce a double curse on anyone who would dare preach a different gospel. He told the Galatian Christians, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8–9). The Apostle Paul took great pains to warn the Corinthian Christians about false ministers who would come preaching "another Jesus" and proclaiming a "different gospel" (2 Corinthians 11:4). This is why I say—as a minister of Jesus Christ—that it is critically important for you and your salvation to recognize the true Jesus Christ of the Bible and to prove for yourself what is the genuine Gospel which He preached! And Jesus Himself made that clear! It can easily be shown from the Bible that the Gospel does not revolve solely around the personality of Jesus, the Son of God. Of course, Jesus is our Messiah who shed His blood so that our sins might be forgiven. We need to deeply appreciate and proclaim this Truth. But that in itself does not constitute the complete Gospel. Certainly, we need the understanding of Christ's sacrifice. The Bible says, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Consequently, the name of Jesus Christ is absolutely vital. Yet it is absolutely false to say of Jesus, as many now do, "He is the Gospel. He is the Kingdom of God." There is much more to the true Gospel message preached by Jesus Christ. Gospel "Of" Christ or "About" Christ? At the end of the Old Testament, God inspired the following prophecy: "Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight" (Malachi 3:1). According to Mark 1:2–4, the first messenger mentioned here refers to John the Baptist who prepared the way before Christ's First Coming. Christ is referred to next as "the Lord… even the Messenger of the covenant." So Jesus Christ was sent as a "Messenger." A messenger bears a message from someone else—and so Jesus did, as He made plain by stating, "the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me" (John 14:24). God the Father sent Christ to announce a message from Him. What kind of message was it? The word "gospel" originates from the Old English word godspell, meaning "good news" or "announcement of glad tidings." The New Testament translators used "gospel" for the Greek noun euaggelion. The English word "evangelism"—preaching the Gospel—is derived from it. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have come to be known as "the four Gospels" because they relate four separate accounts of Christ delivering His announcement of Good News! What was this Good News all about? Let Scripture answer! Open your Bible and turn to Mark 1:14–15.
- 11. Read what God inspired Mark to write: "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'" This is the Gospel. There is only one—and it is about the Kingdom of God. Some will attempt to deny the prominence of "the kingdom of God" in the Gospel by pointing out that Mark 1:1 mentions the "gospel of Jesus Christ." It is also referred to as the "Gospel of God" because it was a message from God. But the New Testament overwhelmingly calls it "the Gospel of the Kingdom of God." That is what the Gospel is about! Look at what one scholarly work attests: "There is clear agreement among the synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark and Luke] that the kingdom of God was the principal theme within Jesus' message…. In aggregate, they present some fifty sayings and parables of Jesus concerning the kingdom…. It is, then, a matter of consensus within the canon that the kingdom constituted a primary focus of Jesus' theology" (Oxford Companion to the Bible, 1993, p. 408). Do not blindly believe this booklet—or any commentary or Bible study aid. Believe your Bible—believe God! People have gone off track spiritually by relying solely on men. Scripture commands you to "prove all things" (1 Thessalonians 5:21, KJV). Check up on this and examine it for yourself. Suspend your prior opinions and just read what God says. It will soon be clear in your mind that the Gospel of Christ is His message, from the Father, about the Kingdom of God. Jesus affirmed this after teaching in the city of Capernaum by saying, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent" (Luke 4:43). Matthew 9:35 testifies that this is exactly what He did: "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom." According to Jesus, what should life's primary focus be? "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). In what has come to be known as the "Lord's Prayer," Jesus said, "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come" (vv. 9–10). The Gospel that Christ brought is indeed the Good News of this coming Kingdom. That is the message Jesus preached. He sent His disciples out preaching that very same message. And they did preach it—the rest of their lives! It was not until false teachers began to subvert the early Church that Christ's Gospel began to be perverted. Paul, writing more than 20 years after Christ's death, was aware of one such distortion: "There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7). Among a growing number of heresies, perhaps none was gaining as much momentum as the new gospel about the events of Christ's life and of simply believing on His person to be saved. Gradually, then, the true Gospel of Christ was supplanted by a false gospel about Christ. "In the mouth of Christ and those who, while He was on earth, He sent forth to proclaim it, it was the good tidings of the kingdom of God which He had come to establish…. After Christ's death and resurrection it became the good tidings about Christ" [Emphasis ours] (James Hastings, A Dictionary of the Bible, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988, p. 233). What About the Name of Jesus? Christ sent out His disciples "to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…. So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere" (Luke 9:2, 6). When the Apostles returned, in verse 10, Christ took them to a deserted place. "But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing" (v. 11). According to Jesus' example and instructions: preaching the gospel is preaching about the Kingdom of God! Then, in verse 18 of the same chapter, when He was alone with His disciples, Christ asked: "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They answered, "John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again" (v. 19). Matthew 16 contains a more complete passage paralleling this account: "He said to them, 'But who do you say that I am?' And Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven'" (vv. 15–17). Clearly, Christ had not even told His own disciples this yet. But Jesus had already sent them out preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Notice verse 20: "Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ." The reason He commanded this is that he did not want to be crucified prematurely. But what is absolutely certain from this verse is that the Gospel of the
- 12. Kingdom of God cannot be a simple proclamation stating that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. For we have just seen in Luke 9:11 that they had already been preaching the Gospel—but obviously had not told the people that Jesus was the Christ! Some might say, "Yes, but perhaps the Gospel preached by Christ and His Apostles was about the fact that the Messiah had to die for our sins and be resurrected, minus the actual identity of that Messiah." To answer that, look at what happened after Peter recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, as recorded in Mark 8: "Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him. And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, 'Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men'" (vv. 30–33). It was only after Peter's recognition of Jesus as the Christ that Jesus began to teach His disciples about His coming crucifixion and resurrection. But Peter did not receive this teaching very well at this point. So it ought to be plain as day that a proclamation of Jesus, as Christ crucified, was not a part of the Gospel that Christ had previously sent Peter out preaching! To further illustrate this, look at the same event as recorded in Luke 9:18–22. In verse 22, Christ instructed the Apostles that He would die and be resurrected. But, evidently much later, they still did not get it! Christ said to His disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying" (vv. 44–45). The Gospel that Jesus had sent the Apostles to preach was not centered on believing on Christ's person or receiving forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice. Just talking about Christ is not the Gospel! Yes, Jesus Christ is the most important Person ever to have walked the earth. He was, indeed, God in the flesh, the Son of God, who came as the Christ to give His life to atone for the sins of mankind. And He has been resurrected to be the Savior of the world. All of this is true. And—although it is extremely necessary—none of this is the sole focus of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It was only after Jesus was resurrected that He added this element to the message the Apostles were to preach: "And He [the risen Jesus] opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things'" (Luke 24:45–48). The name of Jesus Christ—that is, His true name—comprises who He is, what He has done for us and everything He has taught, commanded and stood for. This essential information was added—to be taught alongside the Gospel of the Kingdom of God—after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Is this an assumption? Not at all! Look at the preserved biblical account of the preaching of the early evangelists and Apostles, years after Christ's death. Notice what Philip preached in Samaria. "But when they believed Philip as he preached [1] the things concerning the kingdom of God and [2] the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized" (Acts 8:12). The true Church is to preach both elements: first, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and, second, the true name of Jesus Christ.