2 Timothy 2:8
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David
was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
The word “gospel” appears in the Bible 98 times, in 11 different books, and has different meaning in different places. This requires us to again rightly divide the word of truth. The forthcoming conclusions are strictly my own using a Bible and a concordance.
First, there is more than one gospel dispensation in the Bible.
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
At the time the book of Galations was written by Paul,
there was a gospel of the uncircumcision for Gentiles and a gospel of
circumcision for Jews assigned to Peter.
Both gospels centered on Jesus Christ.
Remember, Israel was still being offered the kingdom until Acts 28:28, and their gospel was to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) until they heard the gospel of Christ.
D E A T H - B U R I A L - R E S U R R E C T I O N
Gentiles were also being offered the kingdom and their gospel was and still is the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This gospel is defined in I Corinthians 15:1-4 and it is accurate to refer to it as such, but it is not formally called this in the Bible. It is called by Paul the gospel of God, the gospel of his Son, the gospel of Christ, my gospel, the gospel of peace, our gospel, the gospel of the uncircumcision, the gospel of your salvation, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the gospel according to the power of God. All of these terms are in the same context of salvation through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Paul states that a dispensation of the gospel has been committed to him.
I Corinthians 9:17
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward:
but if against my will,
a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
So there is one gospel in God’s mind with different dispensations. The one general gospel is to get saved and then earn rewards so you can rule and reign with Christ (the king and his kingdom). And that gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for everyone now.
Any preacher that preaches any gospel other than the free gift of salvation through belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (not of works or baptism or sacraments) is accursed.
Galations 1:8-9
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke there is the gospel of the kingdom, the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the gospel of the kingdom of God. These are all the same as they were preached to Israel being offered the kingdom of heaven with Christ as the Messiah King. This is Israel’s dispensation of the gospel and this is proven by
Mark 1:1
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
If the gospel of Jesus Christ as defined by Paul is the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, then Christ’s ministry on earth at his first coming was the beginning of this gospel. In other words, the gospel of the kingdom was the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The entire gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, includes Jew and Gentile believers that will rule and reign in the kingdom of heaven. Of course, this is totally unknown to virtually all Greek “scholars”. They simply cannot distinguish between gospel dispensations in the same manner as a common man with an English Bible and a concordance.
There is also an everlasting gospel preached in the tribulation (Revelation 14:6), but hopefully you won’t be here to hear that one preached by an angel. I am sure it is another dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Those believers will also have the opportunity to be saved (but it will be very difficult) and earn rewards of some kind (probably not ruling and reigning). Actually, it makes no difference to me what that gospel is about because, rightly divided, my Bible assures me I will not be here.
I Thessalonians 4:17-18
17 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and pixabay.com