In our daily devotions when reading the New Testament, we come across words in the verses we are reading in which we do not use in our everyday conversations and or might not even be part of our vocabulary. For example, when reading in the New International Version of the Bible, Romans 3:23-25, 23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood”, three words appear that not everyone might not be able to define Biblically, “justified”, “redemption” and “atonement”.
There are many words that we read in our Bibles that we are familiar with and do use in our conversations however do we really know what is the Biblical definition and application of these words when we read the Bible? A few examples and how many times they are used in the New International Version of the New Testament are; Saved – 55 verses, Faith – 231 verses, Sin – 127 verses, Grace – 123, Hope – 75 verses, Love – 200 verses, Gospel – 91 verses.
When reading our Bibles, we need to always remember that many of the words such as the examples just given have a secular definition and or a religious traditional meaning different to the Biblical definition and its application in the context. While reading our Bibles a helpful question we should always ask ourselves is, do I know the Biblical meaning of the words I am reading and how they relate to my faith and relationship with Christ? Three seemingly simple words in the verses that we have already looked at in Romans 3:23-25, have great and particularly important significance in our relationship with Christ; “sinned”, “grace” and “faith”. 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.
We have all heard the expression used, “The gospel truth” and we all know what it means, “a completely true statement or the absolute truth”. However, this definition does not have anything to do with the Biblical definition and its application. For example, in Romans 1:16-17 (NIV) the apostle Paul in these two verses uses the word or term “gospel” twice, “16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”. For a Christian new in their relationship with Christ and not knowing how the Bible defines this term Gospel, they might easily apply the secular definition when reading theses verses which would read like this; “16 I am not ashamed of the gospel (the absolute truth), because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel (the absolute truth) a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” This sounds good but is this what Paul meant by using this term gospel in these two verses?
Term – a word or expression that has a precise meaning in some uses or is peculiar to a science, art, profession, or subject – Merriam Webster
In these next seven verses the term “gospel” is used six times in Galatians 1:6-12, 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different (the absolute truth) gospel— 7 which is really no (the absolute truth) gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert (the absolute truth) the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach (the absolute truth) a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you (the absolute truth) a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 I want you to know, brothers, that (the absolute truth) the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
It would seem that the secular definition for gospel, “the absolute truth”, would fit perfectly in this context of the use of the term and or word “gospel”. However, “the absolute truth” is not the meaning that Paul wants his readers to understand of what the gospel is. So, then what is the meaning of the term Gospel in these seven verses of Galatians? Before we answer we need to take in to account an especially important point.
There are commonly accepted rules or laws to interpreting scripture which is called Hermeneutics. “Biblical hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the text of the Bible.” One of these laws are, “that Scripture is always the best interpreter of Scripture. For this reason, we always compare Scripture with Scripture when trying to determine the meaning of a passage.” So, applying this rule will help us determine the Biblical meaning to that Paul was applying to the term gospel. Then, is there scripture that will help us define the Biblical meaning for Paul’s use of the term gospel? The answer is yes, there is. However, before we disclose our answer, we also need to be aware of religious definitions with good intentions and supported with scripture that have given the term gospel a definition which different to what Paul teaches us in the Bible.
Many believers in Christ are familiar with the Gospel Bracelet as pictured above. For some Christians, the gospel is represented in the five colors of the Gospel bracelet.
- Black = Sin, The black bead reminds us of our sin which separates us from God and dooms us to eternal darkness.
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
- Red = Christ’s Blood, The red bead symbolizes Christ’s’ blood shed for you and me.
Romans 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…we have been justified by his blood…”
- White = Prayer of Repentance for Cleansing, The white bead represents the cleansing that occurs when a sinner repents and turns to God.
Psalm 51:1-2, “Have mercy on me, Oh God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
- Green = Christian Growth, The green bead represents growth in our faith.
Colossians 1:10 “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…”
- Gold– yellow = Eternal life, The gold-yellow bead represents eternal life with Jesus in Heaven.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
For other Christians, the Gospel is The Four Spiritual Laws.
- “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”
- “Humanity is tainted by sin and is therefore separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.”
- “Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and restore a right relationship with God.”
- “We must place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.”
We also must be aware that the word gospel is termed in the New Testament at least in seven different ways of which all are synonymous to Paul’s definition.
o “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24)
o “the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23)
o “the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 1:16)
o “the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15)
o “the glorious gospel (1 Tim1:11)
o “the everlasting gospel (Rev.4:6)
o “the gospel of salvation” (Eph. 1:13)
What does Paul tell us in the New Testament of what is the gospel of Jesus Christ? It has only three points.
1 Corinthians 15:1-8
1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word (gospel) I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: A) Jesus’ death, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, B) Jesus’ Resurrection, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
1 Corinthians 15:9-19 – Paul is referring to a previous subject he wrote about. His apostleship and the disbelief of some concerning the resurrection of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 Paul is adding to what he already stated concerning Christ’s resurrection and telling us of its personal application. 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Paul briefly expounds on the fourth and final point of the definition of what is the gospel, the Lordship of Jesus.
- C) Jesus’ Resurrection, 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. D) Jesus’ Lordship 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
What Paul does NOT mention in these verses is Hell, Heaven, repentance and or forgiveness and God’s grace and love. All of which are important and essential topics in and of themselves. What Paul does mention is; A) Jesus’ death for our sins, B) Jesus’ resurrection, C) Jesus’ Lordship – reign and rule over “everything”.
With this understanding, next week we will look at other important Biblical facts concerning the Gospel as stated in the Bible.
Pastor John
