Posted on 10/26/2009 9:22:24 PM PDT by DouglasKC
What is the message Jesus Christ brought and taught? It seems like a simple enough question, but most people don't give it much thought. They know Jesus preached a "gospel"— which comes from the Old English godspel, meaning "good news" or "good message"—but what is that message?
This is where things can get a little murky. Many think that the gospel of Christ is a gospel exclusively about Christ. In doing so they focus almost entirely on the messenger while neglecting the message He brought. Is the distinction that important? Absolutely. If we fail to understand His central message, we will fail to grasp the whole point of His teachings, the reason for His coming and why He promises to come again to earth.
We will also fail to comprehend dozens of vital prophecies throughout the Bible. Jesus'message ties all of these things together in a theme that is truly good news that has great implications not only for your future but for that of the entire earth.
So what was Jesus'message? Let's go through some of His statements to be sure we understand it.
We find Christ's message summarized in Mark 1:14-15: "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'" (emphasis added throughout).
Jesus' teaching, we see, centered on the gospel—the good news—of the Kingdom of God. He also taught that people must believe that message and repent of their sins. Repentance is a prerequisite to entering the Kingdom of God.
Other verses confirm that the Kingdom of God was at the heart of Christ's message. Matthew 4:23 tells us that "Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, [and] preaching the gospel of the kingdom . . ." Several chapters later Matthew adds, "Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, [and] preaching the gospel of the kingdom . . ." (Matthew 9:35).
After Jesus'crucifixion and resurrection, He appeared to His disciples, "being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3). Luke 4:43 records Jesus saying, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent."
It's clear from the Scriptures that Jesus' teaching focused on the Kingdom of God. As Luke recorded, Christ said God sent Him to proclaim this specific message.
There should be little doubt about what Jesus taught. Regrettably, that isn't the case. People have differing ideas of what the Kingdom of God is. Some believe it is all of Christianity. Some view it as the sum total of all that is good and right in the world. Others think that the church is the Kingdom of God.
Regarding the latter, notice how The Catholic Encyclopedia explains this common perception: ". . . The 'kingdom' means not so much a goal to be attained or a place . . . It is rather a tone of mind . . . At one time the 'kingdom'means the sway of grace in men's hearts . . . As men realized that this kingdom stood for a certain tone of mind, and saw that this peculiar spirit was enshrined in the Church, they began to speak of the Church as 'the kingdom of God' . . . The kingdom of God means, then, the ruling of God in our hearts; it means those principles which separate us off from the kingdom of the world and the devil; it means the benign sway of grace; it means the Church . . ." (1908 edition, "Kingdom of God").
Did Christ intend for us to be confused about the central theme of His teaching? Can it be whatever we want it to be? Can we find a clear biblical explanation?
Christ's teaching about the Kingdom of God becomes clear when we understand that Jesus was building on the message God had revealed centuries earlier through the prophets of Israel. God inspired these men to write of a coming world-ruling government—a physical, literal kingdom—in which the Messiah would administer God's laws and way of life to bring peace and prosperity to humanity.
The prophet Daniel, for example, saw a vision in which the Messiah receives this Kingdom: "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14; see also Daniel 2:44).
Isaiah also wrote of the coming Messiah and His Kingdom: "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 . . ." (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Did Christ's followers understand that His teaching about God's Kingdom concerned a literal, world-ruling kingdom?
Indeed they did. Notice this promise He gave to His disciples: "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28; see also Luke 22:28-30).
After God resurrected Jesus from the dead, the disciples had a burning question for Him: "Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, 'Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?'And He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority'" (Acts 1:6-7).
They obviously understood that a part of Jesus'mission involved a restoration of a literal kingdom, with Christ as ruler and the disciples reigning under Him. Jesus told them, however, that the timing of the establishing of that kingdom is known only to God the Father (Matthew 24:36).
In Revelation 11:15 we read that this kingdom will be established at the seventh prophetic trumpet: "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'"
What does this kingdom have to do with you and me? It concerns us a great deal in every way.
Jesus Christ explained that He will return at a pivotal time in history—when humanity staggers on the brink of annihilation. In His remarkable prophecy in Matthew 24, He tells us He will intervene in a period of world crisis, "a time of great distress, such as there has never been before since the beginning of the world, and will never be again." Conditions will be so grave that "if that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive . . ." (verses 21-22, Revised English Bible).
Reading the rest of His prophecy (and parallel accounts in Luke 21 and Mark 13) is remarkably like reading today's headlines. Yet most people are unaware of the seriousness of the times in which they live.
The time of His return, Jesus said, "will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth" (Luke 21:35). He makes it clear that this will be the most horrifying and deadly epoch in mankind's history, one that few would live through. Only after human beings have learned painful lessons will they be humbled enough to willingly submit to Jesus'reign as the Messiah.
Jesus had much more to say about the Kingdom of God. In the first passage we read, Mark 1:14-15, a vital part of Christ's message was an exhortation to "repent, and believe in the gospel."
Two millennia later those words are just as important and meaningful as ever. Although the good news of Christ's coming world-ruling kingdom is truly good— in that humanity will at last see a world of peace, happiness and purpose and an end to war and other violence, starvation, disease and every other form of suffering— there's more to the story. (To learn more of how the world will be transformed by the Kingdom of God, be sure to read "Coming: An End to Suffering" "The Coming Age of Grace" and "The Feast of Prosperity" in this issue.)
The ultimate purpose of this literal, world-ruling government of which Christ spoke—and the ultimate purpose of our learning and surrendering to God's laws and ways in this life—is to enable us to enter God's eternal spiritual Kingdom as His children, resurrected to eternal life in His family. God says, through the apostle Paul, "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:18).
To enter that Kingdom, God must transform us from physical and mortal to spiritual and immortal. As Paul explains: ". . . Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:50-53). Jesus says of those who are transformed in this way: "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matthew 13:43). Jesus the Savior, glorified and immortal, now shines as the sun at full strength (Revelation 1:16). If we are willing to repent and believe, as He commands, He extends to us the opportunity to be glorified as He is (1 John 3:2).
Those to whom God gives eternal life will live and reign with Christ in that Kingdom (Revelation 20:4, 6). They will be "kings and priests to our God . . . reign[ing] on the earth" to teach and bring others into this eternal Kingdom (Revelation 5:10). Jesus promises us, "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne" (Revelation 3:21).
As the prophet Daniel had written centuries earlier: "Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Daniel 7:27).
This is an overview of the wonderful news of a future of awesome power and purpose revealed in the gospel of the Kingdom of God Jesus Christ taught. Would you like to share in that future? The choice is up to you! GN
I hope you're not a Lutheran....
Do you believe that Moses, Joshua, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc., are Christians?
Let’s see...trust the Greek knowledge of the translators of the ESV & NASB, or you? Tough choice...
OK, lets see how it is translated elsewhere:
Luk 4:9 And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here;
Luk 13:31 Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to Him, “Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill You.”
Jhn 7:3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.
Jhn 14:31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here.
Jhn 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”
Jhn 19:18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.
Jam 4:1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?
Rev 22:2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve {kinds of} fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
here, here, here, here, this realm, either side, source, either side.
The translators of the ESV & NASB were not fools. They gave a good translation.
You say you don’t follow Armstrong, but are a member of the United Church of God...from Wiki:
UCG is an offshoot of the Worldwide Church of God, which was originally incorporated in the 1940’s as the Radio Church of God by its founder, Herbert W. Armstrong. After Armstrong’s death, the subsequent WCG leadership introduced a series of major doctrinal changes which substantially altered the fundamental beliefs and goals of the original Worldwide Church of God. A segment of the membership wished to retain Herbert Armstrong’s theology and teachings (which is known by non-adherents as “Armstrongism”) and left WCG to start their own organizations. The United Church of God was established in May of 1995 and is the largest of these offshoot organizations.”
Further:
“Doctrinal distinctives include:
* Belief in a non-Trinitarian view of God. Specifically, the belief that the Holy Spirit is the spirit/power of God and of Christ Jesus rather than a separate person in the Godhead. God ‘the Father’ and Jesus Christ are viewed as distinct ‘God beings’ in a ‘God family’.[1] [2][3] [4]
* Belief that Christians are part of the family of God and will at their resurrection be “spirit-born divine beings who are part of Elohim, the universe-ruling family of God.” [5]
* Belief that the core of Jesus Christ’s message was the coming of a literal earthly Kingdom [6][7] and that people who are saved will not go to heaven but will live and rule eternally with Jesus Christ after his second coming. [8]
* Belief that the final destination of the wicked is not everlasting torture but annihilation or permanent destruction. [9]
* Belief in British Israelism, which is the theory that those of Western European descent, primarily the United States and the United Kingdom, are direct physical descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel.[10]
* Belief that Old Covenant laws (excluding ancient civil laws and temple laws) are applicable to Christians today.[11] Examples include seventh-day Sabbath,[12] dietary laws,[13] and Holy Days.[14]”
Just so folks know where you are coming from...when a cult member starts translating, it is best to know he isn’t playing from a full deck.
That would be true - if Jesus was just another man. But He was God as well, and as God could do that with the real souls of Moses and Elijah where as necromancers in addition to dealing with demons were worshiping false gods.
It's also not scriptural to suggest that anyone besides Christ already has eternal life:
Fail to look at the scripture then -
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16* For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:36* He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
Joh 5:24* Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Ro 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Ro 6:23* For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christians have a down payment on eternal life, the holy spirit of God,
It is apparent from the above that Christian have eternal life from the moment of the profession of faith. Timothy citation refers to the Deity of Christ, if you would bother to read the whole passage.
Christians have a down payment on eternal life, the holy spirit of God,
Since the scripture is clear that believers HAVE eternal life BECAUSE we are sealed by the Holy Spirit (God - 3d Person of the Trinity)
Scripture indicates that the fate of the dead is to sleep in the grave until either Christ returns, if you're a Christian, or until the great white throne judgment if you're not
Soul sleep now LOL, getting your sabbatarian groups mixed up. Citiation of the rapture doesn't help your cause since you avoid what scripture clearly says upon death.
2Co 5:6* Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:8* We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
No I didn't. As I said, the standards are in the Scriptures and compiled by the early church.
Hey can I play tear down others too? What denomination do you claim?
You posted this thread as ucg propaganda piece, it is yours to defend.
I don't think you understand what you are trying to correct me on. While Jesus voluntarily gave up His glory to become man, He still remained GOD, and retained all prerogatives therein
That's the sequence. That's why he asked to be glorified before his death.
Do you bother to read your proof texts?
Php 2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, - statement of His Deity - Who's glory is an inherent characteristic, that He set aside.
There's no need to theorize a "temporary" glorification. The ONLY thing that matches up with scripture is that the transfiguration was a vision of a future glorification...Christ IN the kingdom of God.
Once again you insist upon a non-scriptural interpretation even in the face of Scripture that says otherwise. As pointed out earlier, they were discussing Jesus' impending crucifixion - NOT some 'future' kingdom. Common sense applied liberally.
He made a statement in verse 1, and then kept the promise by showing those disciples a vision of the future kingdom of God.
For a belief system that claims to follow scripture, it is appalling to see how it is abused.
Mar 9:1 And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."
1) till they see Here is that pesky 'eido', actual, physical sight, not a metaphysical 'vision'. In fact the same word is used in all three passages.
2) present Existing or occurring now, not a future event.
WOG Cultic Placemarker
No, just your misinterpretation of the passage. homoios is not ontologically the same as being 'God'.
t makes a clear, scriptural case that God is family, and that we, as his children, are entitled to inherit all things. This shouldn't be a surprise...God modeled earthly things after heavenly things. Earthly families resemble, or should resemble, the heavenly family.
Well then since you are endorsing "What is you destiny", you accept polytheism.
Dogs beget dogs, humans beget humans, spirit begets spirit. God is spirit.
How mormonesque again, do you believe that you were a spirit child too - is there a god-mother?
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
We are children by adoption - not by procreation. We are not god-material. A clay bowl is not ontologically equivalent to the Creator.
Indeed! Especially when they are selective in their 'translation' and refuse to incorporate parallel passages that clarify the translation.
The Roman "church" rejected YHvH's commanded Feasts It is very easy and comfortably self-satisfying to call someone
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
else's belief a cult particularly when you follow the "church"'s Paganism
started at Nicea by Constantine who rejected the Holy Word of G-d.
and substituted Pagan Feasts.
e.g Easter, Christmas and Sunday.
Thank you for your replies. They are good ones!
They wouldn't have called themselves Christians but they had God's spirit and followed Christ.
Hey...you forgot to answer this one.
Where in scripture does it say you have to believe in "X" to be a Christian?
Very true, but a hard sell to those that have misconstrued "absent from the body, present with the Lord," and those that wish to pray to dead men.
Otherwise how could the "dead" be raised?
“It is very easy and comfortably self-satisfying to call someone
else’s belief a cult particularly when you follow the “church”’s Paganism
started at Nicea by Constantine who rejected the Holy Word of G-d. “
What is Christian and what is not Christian have been
well defined throughout history.
What Word of God do you believe was rejected at Nicea?
It stems from a belief in an immortal soul. Many don't realize that eternal life is a gift from God.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin = death, eternal life is a gift given to believers upon being resurrected. The spirit is a promise, a guarantee of that.
2Co 5:5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
The test of whether we have eternal life NOW or the promise of a future eternal life is easy. Do we die? So far every human who ever lived has died. Only one has been resurrected to glory, Jesus Christ.
What is Christian and what is not Christian have been well defined throughout history.
What Word of God do you believe was rejected at Nicea?
Passover and all the other of YHvH's Holy commanded Feast Days were rejected From the Letter of the Emperor to all those not present at the Council.
from DOCUMENTS FROM THE FIRST COUNCIL OF NICEA [THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL] A.D. 325 Emperor Constantine, Emperor of the Roman Empire He had issued an Edict making Sunday the day of rest In 321 CE, while a Pagan sun-worshiper, the Emperor Constantine
They ruled: "Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day."
and replaced with Pagan feast days; the feast days of the Evil One.
Whatever some people think was the purpose of the Council of Nicea,
the following is what the Roman Pontiff who called and supervised
the council thought was the most important for the world to know.
The following was promulgated to the whole Roman Empire for their understanding and compliance: ON THE KEEPING OF EASTER.(The Pagan feast of easter)
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
(Found in Eusebius, Vita Const., Lib. iii., 18-20.) When the question relative to the sacred festival of Easter arose, it was
universally thought that it would be convenient that all should keep the
feast on one day; for what could be more beautiful and more desirable,
than to see this festival, through which we receive the hope of
immortality, celebrated by all with one accord, and in the same
manner? It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the
holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom [the calculation] of the
Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and
whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom,(1) we may
transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter,
which we have observed from the time of the Saviour's Passion to the
present day[according to the day of the week]. We ought not,
therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Saviour
has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and
more convenient course(the order of the days of the week); and
consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest
brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the
Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without
their direction we could not keep this feast. How can they be in the
right, they who, after the death of the Saviour, have no longer been led
by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They
do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness
and repugnance to all improvements, they frequently celebrate two
passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly
in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most
certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the passover twice in one
year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still
be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such
wicked people[the Jews]. Besides, consider well, that in such an
important matter, and on a subject of such great solemnity, there ought
not to be any division. Our Saviour has left us only one festal day of
our redemption, that is to say, of his holy passion, and he desired[to
establish] only one Catholic Church. Think, then, how unseemly it is,
that on the same day some should be fasting whilst others are seated
at a banquet; and that after Easter, some should be rejoicing at feasts,
whilst others are still observing a strict fast. For this reason, a Divine
Providence wills that this custom should be rectified and regulated in a
uniform way; and everyone, I hope, will agree upon this point. As, on
the one hand, it is our duty not to have anything in common with the
murderers of our Lord; and as, on the other, the custom now followed
by the Churches of the West, of the South, and of
the North, and by some of those of the East, is the most acceptable, it
has appeared good to all; and I have been guarantee for your consent,
that you would accept it with joy, as it is followed at Rome, in Africa,
in all Italy, Egypt, Spain, Gaul, Britain, Libya, in all Achaia, and in the
dioceses of Asia, of Pontus, and Cilicia. You should consider not only
that the number of churches in these provinces make a majority, but
also that it is right to demand what our reason approves, and that we
should have nothing in common with the Jews. To sum up in few
words: By the unanimous judgment of all, it has been decided that the
most holy festival of Easter should be everywhere celebrated on one
and the same day, and it is not seemly that in so holy a thing there
should be any division. As this is the state of the case, accept joyfully
the divine favour, and this truly divine command; for all which takes
place in assemblies of the bishops ought to be regarded as proceeding
from the will of God. Make known to your brethren what has been
decreed, keep this most holy day according to the prescribed mode; we
can thus celebrate this holy Easter day at the same time, if it is granted
me, as I desire, to unite myself with you; we can rejoice together,
seeing that the divine power has made use of our instrumentality for
destroying the evil designs of the devil, and thus causing faith, peace,
and unity to flourish amongst us. May God graciously protect you, my
beloved brethren.
This is the Decree from the Pontiff of the Roman church to all the world.
declared that Sunday was to be a day of rest throughout the Roman Empire: "On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest,
Council of Laodicea circa 364 CE ordered that religious observances were
and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture
may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day
is not suitable for gain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment
for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost."
to be conducted on Sunday, not Saturday. Sunday became the new Sabbath.
The test of whether we have eternal life NOW or the promise of a future eternal life is easy. Do we die? So far every human who ever lived has died. Only one has been resurrected to glory, Jesus Christ.
This ignores the question of whether we have any other life than physical life.
If we don't have spiritual life, then how can we be ...... "absent from the body, present with the Lord" ?Also, ... did Jesus have any type of life between His death ... and resurrection ?
Didn't He descend into hell to preach to the spirits which were imprisoned there ?Ephesians 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,And ... btw, ... what type of life did these disobedient spirits have ?
19 through whom[d] also he went and preached to the spirits in prison
20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
It certainly wasn't physical.
Except for enoch and elijah
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