Greetings:
This thread is dedicated to Debate over the differences between the ”gospel of the kingdom’ and Paul’s ”word of the cross’ gospel messages.
My hypothesis is that God gathers members to the kingdom ”bride’ (John 3:29) through the first gospel described below and members to the mystery ”body of Christ’ (Eph. 4:12) through Paul’s Gospel #2. My conclusion is that men have been mixing the doctrinal components of these two messages together to create many false gospels that God sent to NOBODY.
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No one has been saved by this gospel message for almost 2000 years. Our gospel for today is #2 below:
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I. Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23 , 9:35, 24:14, Acts 8:12). Gospel to the Circumcised. Galatians 2:7.
1. The good news that the ”kingdom of heaven’ is ”at hand’ (Matthew 3:2, 4:17, 10:7). i.e., ”preaching the kingdom’ (Acts 20:25).
2. According to Prophecy; seen by the OT Prophets. Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1.
3. Obtain eternal life by keeping the commandments. Matt. 19:16+17.
4. Water baptism (during confession) for the ”forgiveness of sins.’ Mark 1:4, Acts 2:38. (John’s Baptism; Acts 19:3; name of the Father; John 1:6, 33, Matt. 28:19.)
5. Baptism in the ”name of the Lord Jesus’ (Acts 8:16, 19:5), ”name of the Son’ (Matthew 28:19)
6. Receive the Spirit through the baptism in the ”name of the Holy Spirit’ (Matthew 28:19) through the laying of hands (Acts 8:17, 19:6).
7. Justified by ”works and not by faith alone.’ James 2:20-24.
8. Kingdom disciples are under Mosaic Law (Matthew 5:18, James 2:10).
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This is our “word of the cross” (1Cor. 1:18) gospel for today, apart from borrowing any works from Gospel #1 above.
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II. Paul’s “my gospel” (Romans 2:16, 16:25, etc.). Gospel to the Uncircumcised. Galatians 2:7.
1. The gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24), the ”word of the cross’ (1Corinthians 1:18).
2. According to the revelation of the Mystery; NOT seen by the OT prophets. Romans 16:25.
3. Saved by God’s grace through faith APART from works. Ephesians 2:8+9.
4. Sins forgiven through the redemption IN Christ (Romans 3:24) and His shed blood (Ephesians 1:7).
5. Our ”one baptism’ (Eph. 4:5) is done by the ”one Spirit’ (Ephesians 4:4) into the ”one body’ (1Corinthians 12:13), which is into “Christ’s body” (1Corinthians 12:27).
6. We receive the Spirit when hearing (Romans 10:17) and believing (Ephesians 1:13+14) Paul’s Gospel by ”hearing with faith.’ Galatians 3:2.
7. We are justified by faith apart from works. Romans 4:4-6.
8. We are under grace and not under law. Romans 6:14.
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Do these ”two gospel messages’ truly exist in our New Testament, or is there only ”one gospel?’
GL in the Debate,
In Christ,
Terral
"For the word of God is Living AND Active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12.
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