Q: What is the gospel?
A: Regardless of ethnic or racial heritage, each and every person born naturally into this world is incapable of pure goodness or even to comprehend truth on his or her own. The good news of the gospel is that the Creator God of the universe took upon Himself the responsibility to solve this problem in order to provide a way for each person to return to fellowship in Him, which means to enter into the pure, perfectly divine fullness of His love – a love that comprehends truth and acts in peaceful charity by faith in His just judgment of the earth. People living by this faith do not forcefully impose their definition of truth, or love, upon others by the sword, although they are devoutly faithful to the word of God.
The Creator is fulfilling His promises to solve this problem through the historical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob known as the peoples of Israel. Through them, He revealed Himself as the God of Israel, who intervenes in the affairs of this world to save us as He has saved Israel from her enemies throughout history. Without the requirement of scholars, priests, or other mediated interpretation, He reveals Himself in the Bible, His written word, comprised of 66 books – both “Old Covenant” and “New Testament.” This is not to forget that God provided the Bible and its translations through many human hands, and often those hands were scholarly or dedicated to His service.
In Genesis, the first book of Moses that comprises the holy writings, covenants, and promises of the God of Israel collectively called the Bible, the human spiritual nature and power chosen by Adam and Eve is described as one composed of an indivisible mixture of good and evil that ends in mortal death. The Tree of Life, described in Genesis 2 and Revelation 22, represents the goal of God’s restoration, His Spirit – the only power that can impart to us the pure nature of love found in eternal fellowship with Him.
Only by this purely good, Holy Spirit can human beings comprehend truth and properly understand the Bible. But the Holy Spirit is only given to those who submit themselves to His will and purpose as expressed in the Bible. It requires a turning away from our own definitions of love, truth, and justice to His. It requires a submitted dependence on His spiritual power and not our own.
The access to this holy power comes only through the Second Adam, Jesus/Yeshua, who was virginally and mortally born of the Holy Spirit and in the flesh, as the Son of Mary and of God. This reality was and is proven and declared in His literal, historical, bodily resurrection from the dead as testified by thousands. Thus, through Jacob’s descendants of Judah and David, the Creator of all again reveals Himself in Jesus/Yeshua, who is the sole mediator between the Creator-Father and humanity. He is also the Messiah, the sole Savior-King, who is coming again to lead all nations back to Him beginning with Israel. Then shall He fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah that the rebellion of the governments and peoples of this present world will be suppressed so that from Jerusalem shall flow all truth, love, justice and peace, and Israel shall be perfected in her witness of His almighty glory and forgiving grace.
Today, this process of spiritual restoration is available to any person who sincerely seeks it, as salvation comes about by faith alone directly between the new believer and the One, true God of Israel. Restoration to the Creator is His sovereign will and purpose. It requires no mediation by other persons, church or sacrament, although this gospel of good news is usually delivered to us through other humans. No church membership is required or specific set of detailed doctrines, creeds or confessions need to be attested, but fellowship with other believers born of His Spirit by faith is declared by His word to be vitally important to one’s growth in grace and knowledge, faith and love, joy and peace. -cjp
List of scriptural references: Genesis 2:4-3:24; 12:3; I Chronicles 17; Psalms 2 & 110; Isaiah 2:2-11; 9:6-7; 11:1-10; 42:5-9; 43:10-13; 53; Matthew 1:18-21; 23:37-39; Acts 2:22-40; 3:19-26; Romans 8:5-25; I Corinthians 15:12-26, 35-58; Ephesians 2:8-15; Revelation 11:15; 19:11-20:6.
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