What is the gospel?

THE GOSPEL IN FIVE SECONDS

 

One: The gospel required a second covenant or testament. "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second" (Hebrews 8:7). "He takes away the first that He may establish the second" (Hebrews 10:9b). Why was this the case? "For the law (the old covenant), having a shadow of the good things to come (the new testament), and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered continually year by year, make those who approach perfect...For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" (Hebrews 10:1,4). The old covenant was made with the children of Israel (Deuteronomy 5:2-3). The new covenant is for every creature in all nations (Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:18-20). The old covenant (law) was a "schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Galatians 3:24-25). The New Testament sets forth the "one faith" (Ephesians 4:5), "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). We do not go to the old covenant (the Old Testament) today to learn the particulars of how to become a child of God, how to acceptably worship, or how to live a faithful Christian life!

 

Two: The gospel demands a second birth. To Nicodemus, Jesus said, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). He went on to explain, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Though He was talking to Nicodemus, the force of Jesus' words is that anyone who would see and enter the kingdom of God must be born a second time. Writing to Christians, Peter spoke of their "having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever" (I Peter 5:23). Our first birth was a fleshly birth from our mother's womb. The second birth is a spiritual birth "of water and the Spirit."

 

Three: The gospel sets forth a second law of pardon, a way for Christians who fall away from the Lord to return to him. In Acts 8:9-13, we have the account of the conversion of the Samaritans, including a sorcerer by the name of Simon. Later, Simon tried to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit money, that is, he wanted to have the ability to bestow the Holy Spirit on others (Acts 8:18-19). He was immediately rebuked by the apostle Peter and told "your heart is not right in the sight of God" (Acts 8:21). He was then instructed, "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you." This second law of pardon is not for aliens but for children of God who fall into sin. Christians who sin are told, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). But let us not confuse God's second law of pardon (for the sinning child of God) with His first law of pardon (for the alien sinner) (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; et. al.).

 

Four: The gospel tells of a second coming of Christ. "And to those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation" (Hebrews 9:28b). Christ appearing a second time "apart from sin" simply means that at His second coming He will not be offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin (as He did at His first coming), but rather for the eternal salvation of His faithful followers. At His ascension, two men in white apparel (apparently angels) announced, "This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11). At our Lord's second coming and after the dead saints have been resurrected (along with all the rest of the dead, John 5:28-29), the living saints will be "caught up together with them (the resurrected saints) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (I Thessalonians 4:16-17).

 

Five: The gospel warns of a second death. To the tribulation-torn saints in Smyrna, Jesus said, "He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death" (Revelation 2:11). Later we read, "And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15). The first death is the death of the body, a death appointed to all (Hebrews 9:27). The second death is the eternal separation from God that all of those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of Christ and who do not remain faithful will experience (cf. Romans 6:23).

These five "seconds" of the gospel are important to understand and properly apply (cf. II Timothy 2:15).

In conclusion, think about this: The person who is born twice (see two above), will die only once (physical death). But the person who is born only once (the fleshly birth from his mother's womb, but without the second birth "of water and the Spirit") will die twice (both physical death and the second death in the lake of fire and brimstone)! Succinctly summarized it is this: born once, die twice! Born twice, die once!

 

Hugh Fulford