What Is The True Gospel Really?

What Is The True “Gospel” —Really?

It Is Imperative That We Get This Right!

Chapter 18 Preview: Is the gospel message strictly the announcement that God is going to set up His earthly kingdom? Jesus commissioned His followers to preach the gospel, so it is imperative that we understand exactly what it is! Also, if the “Church” (off site) must reach the whole world before the “end”, then why did Jesus say that “you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:23). Is this a contradiction? Has “the Church” missed it’s mission? Could “the gospel of Christ [include] SALVATION for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16) This chapter primarily debunks some highly exclusivist misconceptions, still being promoted by scores of splinter groups spun off of the Worldwide Church of God.

INDEX

Mark 16:15-16 And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the ‘GOSPEL’ to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’ NKJV

“I have often said it is much more difficult to unlearn an erroneous supposed truth than it is to learn a new truth.” —Herbert W. Armstrong, Mystery of the Ages page xii.

I am very grateful that I learned truths about obtaining eternal life from Herbert W. Armstrong. The connection between keeping the Ten Commandments and Salvation was rare in the United States when I learned of it, as a teenager, in the 1960’s. Also the extreme importance of keeping both God’s Sabbath and the seven annual Holy Days, among Believing Americans, was almost the exclusive understanding of the Worldwide Church of God. I learned several other diverse things from him that were known among other religious groups but only “here a little, there a little”. Had I not encountered these truths when I did, I may have become distracted by some other religious philosophy and missed my opportunity to become a true Christian.

Nevertheless, there is much new truth to be discovered and many more extraordinary truths, presently understood by only a few, which are yet to be acknowledged by the majority. There is also a great deal of “erroneous supposed truth” “to unlearn”. A primary example of this was his teaching regarding the very definition of the term “gospel” and even whose job it is to take the message to the world! In this particular example, understanding took a giant step backward. Tho HWA died 1986 and many of the people who actually believed the truths that he taught have abandoned his now apostate incorporated “church”, I feel that it is important to encourage the thousands of commandment keepers who were once encouraged by him to continue to grow in grace and knowledge.

Does the “gospel” have NOTHING to do with SALVATION or EVERYTHING to do with it? Is the “gospel” ALL of the good news or only a part of the good news? Many thousands of God’s people—those who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” still do not understand that the “gospel” of Jesus the Christ principally regards BOTH how to obtain salvation thru Jesus AND the truth about the earthly Kingdom of God (which is the “destination” of salvation)! Before going on, I want to make it clear that HWA understood how to obtain salvation and what the Kingdom of God really is, but he did not consider both of these concepts as part of the gospel. To him, the “gospel” was exclusively the message that Jesus brought—but excluded everything about the life and sacrifice of “the Messenger” Himself. To him that was a totally separate matter. That is quite an oversight for someone who claimed to be the only person to come along in “nineteen hundred years” and preach the “true gospel” !

This clarification of what the “gospel” really is, is a comprehensive exposition. It is painstakingly detailed because of the seriousness of the topic and because it was the primary message of the WCG. It was to be the most dramatic claim that HWA ever made—his purportedly unique understanding of the “true gospel” that was supposedly lost “for over nineteen hundred years.” Every effort should be made to clarify this basic teaching.

To begin with, I would like to quote an instance in which an accurate definition of “the gospel” was eloquently stated by one of the Plain Truth Magazine contributors. I dont know how this slipped thru or even if the writer was fully aware of the magnitude and uniqueness of his statement; given the magazine it appeared in:

Jesus claimed to be “GOD’S Son.” We, too, may be called GOD’S Sons (1 John 3:1). The Supreme, Divine, All-ruling Family is the GOD Family! It is the Family or Kingdom OF GOD! Jesus “gospel” —His entire Message—was about the Kingdom or Family OF GOD and how you may be born into it!”... “Jesus whole message—which He spoke “in the name of the Lord” or “by His Authority” —was to explain that the name “God” —the Hebrew ELOHI—is a family NAME! His “gospel”, or good news, is the message that we may be called the Sons of God and be ‘born again”.—The Plain Truth, Herman L. Hoeh, October 1965 (Caps ours)

The essence of the above “definition”, which explains “His ‘gospel’” and its relationship to being “born again”, is the direct connection of Salvation to hearing the full “gospel” message. Just knowing that God is going to set up an Earthly Kingdom will not remotely help you to enter that Kingdom!

Here are some quotations from Herbert W. Armstrong’s booklet entitled: What Is the True Gospel? Copyrighted in 1955 and 1972. After this we will examine numerous other scriptures, from Matthew to Revelation, which shed light on the “gospel” message.

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.” And it is made a double curse! For the next verse says: “... So say I now again, if any man preach any other ‘gospel’ unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed! [Page 3]

This is an astounding, incredible situation! It ought to shake you out of passive indifference. YOUR eternity is at stake! This is not a nonconsequential, unimportant matter! [4]

Jesus Christ said it is necessary to BELIEVE THE GOSPEL to be saved! Yet the many—the hundreds of millions— today, do not know what that gospel is! Again, His parting commission to His apostles, being sent out as His ministers to build His church, was this: ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the ‘gospel’.’ They were to preach THE ‘GOSPEL’. [4]

Jesus then said: “He that BELIEVETH and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15). Notice! Jesus said, “He that BELIEVETH.” Believeth what? Why, BELIEVETH that which they PREACHED, of course—THE GOSPEL! Not a gospel. Not any gospel. THE gospel! On the authority of Jesus Christ, it is necessary to believe THAT PRECISE IDENTICAL GOSPEL in order to be saved! And to BELIEVE the true gospel, we must first come to KNOW what it is! [4]

“The Message Sent from Heaven”

God the Father had promised to send a Messenger into this world from heaven, bearing a message from HIM—God the FATHER! God had promised that in Malachi 3:1: ‘Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me [and that messenger, as explained in Mark 1:2, was John the Baptist, preparing the way before Jesus Christ]; and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, EVEN THE MESSENGER OF THE COVENANT, whom ye delight in.’ [4]

But, one may ask, dont we need to believe on Jesus? Of course. Other scriptures teach that. But at this particular time Jesus said we must believe Him—believe what He said—believe the gospel of the Kingdom of God! [6]

Other scriptures teach that! Here we unmistakably see HWA’s differentiation between believing on Jesus, to obtain salvation, and the ‘gospel’. While I disagree with this limited rationalization of what the ‘gospel’ is, I do believe that he understood each of the scriptural components that constitute it. I do not fear for those who also share his viewpoint, as if they believed some “other ‘gospel’” yet we have no excuse not to search out everything that the Bible has to say about such an important topic.

Another quote:

The ‘gospel’ of Jesus Christ IS NOT man’s ‘gospel’ ABOUT THE PERSON of Christ. It is CHRIST’S ‘gospel’—the ‘gospel’ Jesus PREACHED—the ‘gospel’ GOD SENT by Him, and therefore it is also called, in Scripture, the gospel of God. The ‘gospel’ of God is God’s GOSPEL—His Message—His Good News, which He sent by Jesus. [6]

HWA said that the “gospel” is what Jesus preached, while it excluded the things that He did. Yet had He not died for us, the “message” would have been of no value!

I can understand the frustration that HWA had with millions of “ministers” who preach incessantly about a “sweet Jesus”, and who teach their followers that there are absolutely no absolutes particularly concerning God’s Law and who teach about no purpose for the saints other than for them to be plucking on harps for eternity. All that these “Christian leaders” say that God wants for us to do is say some magic words about “accepting Jesus” and that supposedly fulfills every desire that the God family wants for Their offspring. How ludicrous that premise really is!

Another quote:

We hear a great deal today of the ‘gospel’ of MEN about the PERSON of Jesus Christ—confining the message solely to the things ABOUT Jesus. As a result, millions believe on Christ, who do not BELIEVE CHRIST! But Jesus’ gospel IS HIS MESSAGE! [7]

Could totally omitting all mention of the person of Jesus from the ‘gospel’ message be the other ditch? Here is the paradoxical part of HWA’s teaching: He understood perfectly well the way to obtain salvation AND he was one of the tiny minority of teachers who understood, to a large degree, what the Kingdom of God is, yet it takes the whole truth that was preserved by His Apostles, and even the Prophets, to constitute the true ‘gospel’ message. He seemingly rejected the all important account of Jesus life, death, and resurrection as being a part of the ‘gospel’ message!

Another quote:

Yes, the Father SENT Jesus bearing a Message, which is the Good News of THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Jesus is God’s spokesman—the WORD that was made flesh and lived, and taught, on this earth! In John 14: 24 Jesus said, ‘The word which ye hear is NOT MINE, but the Father’s which sent me. [7]

God’s Spell?

Here is the definition of the “Gospel” in English:

* One definition for “spell” according to the Living Webster dictionary, (not the listing having to do with letters), is as follows: spell, spel, n. [O.E. spell a saying, tale, or a charm; Icel. spjalla, O.G. spel, Goth. spill, a tale. Hence the later part of GOSPEL.] A charm consisting of some words of occult power; an incantation; any magic charm. [Emphasis mine]

“God’s spell” is sufficient reason for me to prefer an alternative rendering of “evangelion” such as “good news” since the Greek “evangelion” has absolutely nothing to do with God or perhaps magic spells [as was done in The Testimony of Yeshua. Could it be that the same twisted being who clandestinely appropriated the very name of God: (See The Name Lucifer) and who laughs every time that someone is baptized into the Trinity, (See also Constantine wrote Mattlew 28:19 into your Bible!), also laughs every time the “Church” (a counterfeit name derived from the name of a pagan goddess) could be taking God’s name in vain when teaching that “God’s [occult?] spell” will be “cast” “into all the world”! Is this only coincidental?

Here is another true “definition” of the “gospel”: “the ‘GOSPEL’ of Christ ... IS THE POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION for everyone who believes ...” (Romans 1:16)

Conditions of Entering: Continuing “What is the True Gospel” quotations:

Now, HOW do we enter into that glorious KINGDOM? Jesus came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, “REPENT”, and “BELIEVE THE GOSPEL”. [10]

Just TWO things we do—REPENT, and BELIEVE. We must BELIEVE the gospel, and that means also believing on JESUS CHRIST, the KING of the Kingdom of God, and coming KING of kings over all the families of the earth. It means believing in Him as personal SAVIOR, as High Priest now, and as coming KING. [10]

Here he mentioned, “REPENT” and “BELIEVE” as being two entirely different concepts. Then he again boldly emphasized that the ‘gospel’ message is confined to the words that Jesus said. Notice:

It’s about time that SOMEONE speaks out, in this world, and tells the world that the very GOSPEL of Jesus Christ was the advance ANNOUNCEMENT of this very world GOVERNMENT—a government, NOT by selfishly motivated man but by the living all-powerful God ... Jesus Christ’s message—His “gospel” —was the Kingdom of God —the GOVERNMENT of the living God! [12]

The “gospel” is far more than “the advance ANNOUNCEMENT”. The “gospel” includes every truth that is revealed in the Greek Scriptures, popularly known as “the New Testament”. Its central message is meaningless if it does not include the very things that were accomplished by the life of the “Messenger”.

Here is the “gospel” message that Paul preached:

1 Corinthians 15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the ‘GOSPEL’ which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve .... 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching [our “gospel” !] is empty and your faith is also empty.

The scriptures actually incorporate the preaching of the “gospel” INTO every other aspect of what Jesus Himself first did and then later what the Apostles did. The ‘gospel’ is not a message isolated from the rest of the purpose of Jesus or His Assembly (Church)!

Matthew 9:35-38 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the ‘gospel’ of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’

The ‘gospel’ is also associated with Jesus’ burial.

Matthew 26:12-13 For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. 13 ‘Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this ‘gospel’ is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. (Also Mark 14:9)

Why should an unusual act of kindness shown to the “Messenger” be so integrally tied to the “gospel” if only the “message” was pertinent?

In this passage, Jesus associated Himself AND His “words” with the “gospel” —twice!

Mark 8:34-38 Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it ... 38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

Again, the person of Jesus and what He said are both emphasized!

Mark 10:29-30 Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the ‘gospel’s’, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.

Miraculous signs must accompany the “gospel” message. This should quell any boasting!

Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them: Go into all the world and preach the ‘gospel’ to every creature.16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.17 And these signs WILL follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

This is Jesus’ “mission statement”. Preaching the “gospel” was only a part of His mission.

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the ‘gospel’ to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed…”

The result of the “gospel” being preached was that “many disciples” were made. This was far more than the public being given a warning witness. Many people accepted “the whole package” and were converted! In this instance, the Kingdom of God is associated with the “gospel”, as a bonus:

Acts 14:21-22 And when they had preached the ‘gospel’ to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.

When Peter taught the “good news” people believed it and received the Holy Spirit. If they had only “believed” the fact that the Kingdom of God is going to be set up, why did they receive the Spirit? The truth is that the “gentiles” were not just given a part of the good news; they were given all of it!

Acts 15:7-8 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: ‘Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the ‘Gentiles’ should hear the word of the ‘gospel’ and believe. 8 ‘So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us…

Acts 16:6-10 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us. 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the ‘gospel’ TO THEM.

God knows who will benefit from hearing the “good news” and directly discriminated against the Apostles wasting any time on unfertile ground! What happened when the “good news” was preached in Macedonia?—“And when she and her household were baptized ....” God is NOT going to preach the “good news” to the whole world, or any portion of it, for the purpose of being able to say “I told you so” just before He starts “wiping people out”. The “good news” is preached for the sole purpose of enticing “a few good men” and women to repent. This account is a wonderful example of God’s selectivity in bringing the “good news” to just where it is of benefit. Massive expenditures of money that was dedicated to God in an attempt to warn “the whole world” only brings in lots of tares with the wheat that would be harvested anyway! A modest public presence is sufficient.

This is a very significant passage of scripture:

Acts 20:24-27 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the ‘gospel’ of the grace of God. 25 And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. 26 ‘Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the WHOLE counsel of God.

As Paul was about to finish his life’s work he emphasized that the ‘gospel’ concerned “the grace of God.” Certainly it includes the little known truth concerning the earthly Kingdom of God to come, as he mentioned, but notice carefully: Why was Paul saying that he was “innocent of the blood of all men”? Surely he was responsible for the deaths of some as he himself said: “I persecuted this Way to the death” (Acts 22:4) and “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord ....” (Acts 9:1) By the grace of God he had had been forgiven of literal murder. Everyone knew of his vicious past. But the point that Paul made at this somber point in his life was that because he had not failed to declare “the whole council of God” he was therefore “innocent of the blood of all men”. The converse of this would be that had he only preached part of the “council of God” [such as only the Kingdom of God] he would have been a murderer!

Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the ‘gospel’ of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

The “gospel of God” CONCERNS “HIS SON JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD”, His birth, His power, His death and His resurrection!

Here is a “gospel” reference that includes an interesting phrase. Was the Roman church—a church of scattered individuals who assembled in houses on Sabbaths, (Romans 16:5)—really a topic of conversation “spoken of throughout the WHOLE WORLD”:?

Romans 1:8-9 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the “gospel” of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers ....”

Was Paul lying or exaggerating, or was he simply referencing the “whole world” of those whom God was calling in that age? Keep this figure of speech in mind the next time you read Mark 16:15 about going into “all the world” and preaching “the ‘gospel’ to every creature.”

Notice that the “gospel” was preached to the Roman brethren. Certainly this “gospel” was not a “warning witness”, it was about faith and salvation.

Romans 1:15-16 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the ‘gospel’ to you who are in Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the ‘gospel’ of Christ, FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD TO SALVATION for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it [the ‘gospel’] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith ....

The following verse associates the “gospel” with JUDGMENT DAY!

Romans 2:16 ... in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my “gospel”.

Here ministering the “gospel” is associated with salvation of the “gentiles”.

Romans 15:16 ... that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the ‘Gentiles’, ministering the ‘gospel’ of God, that the offering of the ‘Gentiles’ might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

To have “fully preached the ‘gospel’ of Christ” must actually include “mighty signs and wonders”!

Romans 15:19 ... in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the “gospel” of Christ.

The Good News was not for a witness—it was taught so that people “shall understand”!

Romans 15:20-21 And so I have made it my aim to preach the ‘gospel’, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written: ‘To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard shall understand.

Notice two things in these verses: “Preaching the gospel” is about “the preaching of Jesus Christ”! Secondly, those who understand this “good news” will understand “the revelation of the mystery”. At this time God is only seriously interested in having the ‘good news’ heard by those whom He is calling!

Notice that Paul called the “gospel” “my gospel”:

Romans 16:25-27 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my ‘gospel’ and the preaching of Jesus Christ, [Or was he just supposed to say “preaching the Kingdom of God?”] according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen

Was Paul trying to “steal” the “gospel” that allegedly was the Father’s message, or was the Father’s “gospel” the same as Jesus’ “gospel”, which is the same Paul’s “gospel”, which is the same as ours? Also notice that the “prophetic scriptures” themselves “made known to all nations” the “gospel” truth. That “mystery” was only made understandible, in hindsight, by looking at the entire life of Jesus.

Here is another plain association between the ‘gospel’ and Jesus Himself.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the “gospel”, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Shouldnt Paul have mentioned the Father, since Jesus was “just the Messenger”

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the “gospel”.

How could one be a “partaker” of an announcement?

1 Corinthians 9:23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it [‘the good news’] with you.

There is no mention of the Kingdom of God in these and most other “gospel” contexts.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the ‘GOSPEL’ which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word [message] which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that [good news] which I also received: THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures ....

2 Corinthians 2:12 & 15 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s ‘gospel’, and a door was opened to me by the Lord ... 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are BEING SAVED and among those who are perishing.

I wonder where he explained this one?

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 But even if our ‘gospel’ is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the ‘GOSPEL’ OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We are admonished not to accept an apocryphal [bogus] “Jesus”, or “spirit” or “good news”.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different ‘gospel’ which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

The true “gospel of Christ” includes preaching “HIM among the ‘gentiles’!”

Galatians 1:6-15 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different ‘gospel’, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the ‘gospel’ of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other ‘gospel’ to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other ‘gospel’ to you than what you have received, let him be accursed…15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach HIM among the ‘Gentiles’, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood ....

The ‘good news’ concerns justification of the all of the world’s nations—just ask Abraham!

Galatians 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the ‘Gentiles’ by faith, preached the ‘gospel’ to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.

The “gospel of your salvation” concerns believing in “HIM”.

Ephesians 1: 7- 14 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace .... 13 In HIM you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the ‘gospel’ of your salvation; in WHOM also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance [in the Kingdom of God] until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Jesus is the “promise” of the “good news” !

Ephesians 3:6 that the “Gentiles” should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the “gospel”....

The “good news” certainly seems to be a part of the “whole armor of God” package! You may stop reading this when you see that the point is made with overwhelming evidence. However, if you have been deceived, then I would recommend that you continue reading as an exercise in ‘I must have been asleep for years’. Call it the Rumplestiltskin principle.

Ephesians 6:13-18 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the ‘gospel’ of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints ....

The “gospel” message is the basis for “fellowship”, and will remain so until the Day of Jesus Christ!

Philippians 1:5-6 for your fellowship in the ‘gospel’ from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ ...

Strange isnt it; Paul seemed to think that preaching about the life of Christ should be associated with the “good news” !

Philippians 1:17-18 ... but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the ‘gospel’. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

The “gospel of Christ” concerns “faith”, “salvation” and believing “in Him”!

Philippians 1:27-29 Only let your conduct be worthy of the “GOSPEL” of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the “GOSPEL”, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.

“Faith in Christ Jesus” is heard “in the word of the truth of the ‘gospel’.”

Colossians 1:3-5 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the Saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the “gospel”...

“The hope of the gospel” concerns reconciliation to Jesus thru His death!

Colossians 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the ‘gospel’ which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

“The ‘gospel’ of our Lord Jesus Christ” demands obedience, not just understanding a message.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 ... in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the ‘gospel’ of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Once again, “salvation” and “belief” and “truth” pertain to the “good news”.

2 Thessalonians 2:13- 14 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for SALVATION through sanctification by the Spirit and BELIEF in the TRUTH, 14 to which He called you by OUR [the apostles] ‘GOSPEL’, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“The glorious gospel” concerns the “sound doctrine” of “the Law”.

1 Timothy 1:8-11 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious ‘gospel’ of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

Understanding the truth about “immortality” is part of the “good news”.

2 Timothy 1:8-10 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the ‘gospel’ according to the power of God .... 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light [understanding] through the “GOSPEL”....

The “good news” is about Jesus being “raised from the dead” as well as our own “salvation”.

2 Timothy 2:8-10 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my ‘gospel’, 9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Paul told Timothy that he was in chains for speaking about Jesus being raised from the dead. He told Philemon about “my chains for the gospel”. Get the connection?

Philemon 1:13 ... whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the “gospel”.

Ancient Israel heard an incomplete “gospel” about the Kingdom of God, from the prophets, “not being mixed with faith” in Jesus Christ, and it “did not profit them”. We must not make that mistake!

Hebrews 4:2 For indeed the ‘gospel’ was preached to us as well as to them [Ancient Israel]; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

1 Peter 1:10-12 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11 searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.12 To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the ‘gospel’ to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.

The “word of God” is “forever”. This quotation, taken from Isaiah 40:6-8, is an example of “the word” which comprises the ‘good news’. The “gospel” is all of the good news!

1 Peter 1:23-25 ... through THE WORD of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because ‘All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, 25 but the word of the LORD endures forever.’ Now this is THE WORD which by the ‘gospel’ was preached to you.

The “gospel” message is for “judgment” on God’s Assembly of Saints, the “house of God” as well as for “those who do not obey”.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the ‘gospel’ of God?

This last Biblical reference to the ‘gospel’ is part of another separate topic that will be addressed at another time. The above scriptures present nearly every statement concerning the word ‘gospel’ that appear in the Bible.

Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting ‘gospel’ to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people…

Having seen the many Biblical references to the “gospel”, I want to quote some more of HWA’s comments on the topic to underscore the dissimilarities. In The Incredible Human Potential: H.W. Armstrong came as close to getting the definition of “good news” right as he ever did, yet he still neglected the connection between the “Messenger” Himself playing the indispensable role of “mediator of the New Covenant”. Jesus was no ordinary messenger:

Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.!

“What Was Christ’s gospel?” From Chapter 2 of The Incredible Human Potential:

God the Father had promised to send a messenger into the world from heaven, bearing a message from Him for all mankind. This promise is recorded in Malachi 3:1 ‘Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me [and that messenger, as explained in Mark 1:2. was John the Baptist] and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in.’ The “Lord” here, of course, refers to Jesus Christ. [11]

That is the message God wanted proclaimed AS A WITNESS to all nations! But since the first century the world has known NOTHING of the Kingdom of God because that message was not proclaimed to the world after the first century. That message, when explained and fully understood, covers a very wide range of revealed knowledge. It reveals—I repeat—what science has been utterly UNABLE to discover, what religion has never revealed, what this world’s education has never known nor taught. [12]

When HWA said that the “gospel” was to serve “AS A WITNESS”, he actually believed that the truth was to be explained only so that God could say “I told you so” just before He smashed them on the Day of the Lord. This is a very pessimistic perspective. The fact is that scripture shows that when the world actually does hear the “good news”, many will believe it and be spared! This is carefully explained in The Time After Jacob’s Trouble.

Now for Part 2