What is the Gospel?

[firedragon]

Re God, the Spirit and Jesus are 'one' - that's Trinitarian from the fourth or fifth century Catholic tradition - about as valid as purgatory,
indulgences, praying the rosary, monasteries and Mary, Queen of Heaven. Frankly, reading Constanines declaration on Trinity does my
head in.

Absomindnumbinglylutely irrelevant.

 

[PruePhillip]

Absomindnumbinglylutely irrelevant.

Certainly it is irrelevant. Creating theories about Jesus not in scripture has no relevance to salvation,
other than help you lose it.

 

[firedragon]

Certainly it is irrelevant. Creating theories about Jesus not in scripture has no relevance to salvation,
other than help you lose it.

Irrelevant.

 

[ElishaElijah]

If someone asked me what's the Gospel, I would say it was a revelation given to Jesus that he came to preach. As said in the New Testament in some places, he went to places and preached the Gospel. That does not mean he preached any of the four canonised books that were named gospels, but "The Gospel" as the Bible itself says.

That’s great so you said Jesus preached the “Gospel” but still haven’t explained what you believe that message is exactly.

 

[firedragon]

That’s great so you said Jesus preached the “Gospel” but still haven’t explained what you believe that message is exactly.

Now that you ask, I shall respond. But try your best not to think that others work for you.

I can only give my personal belief. I think Jesus was given the Gospel, which we never know if was ever written down. I think the Gospel would have been Jesus reaffirming the law that was given prior to him. But there is no evidence for it in terms of hard historical facts. It's an inference.

 

[ElishaElijah]

Now that you ask, I shall respond. But try your best not to think that others work for you.

I can only give my personal belief. I think Jesus was given the Gospel, which we never know if was ever written down. I think the Gospel would have been Jesus reaffirming the law that was given prior to him. But there is no evidence for it in terms of hard historical facts. It's an inference.

So in your view the Gospel message is Jesus reaffirming the law like what law? 10 Commandments or Levitical law? And do what? This is the Good News… Obey the Law?

 

[firedragon]

So in your view the Gospel message is Jesus reaffirming the law like what law? 10 Commandments or Levitical law? And do what? This is the Good News… Obey the Law?

I don't believe in a Levitican law, or a 10 commandments. I believe there was a law given earlier and reiterated many prophets. Jesus was one of them.

Don't get agitated mate after asking for peoples personal beliefs like a million times. But Jesus was special because he preached the Gospel. Which would be to reiterate the law, maybe even have some other things to preach. I don't know what was the Gospel mate. Just that I don't believe the Bible is Gods word, in any way. Maybe it has some remnants. I have no clue, I am only making an inference. I think I had to repeat that so that it sinks in to you.

 

[ElishaElijah]

I don't believe in a Levitican law, or a 10 commandments. I believe there was a law given earlier and reiterated many prophets. Jesus was one of them.

Don't get agitated mate after asking for peoples personal beliefs like a million times. But Jesus was special because he preached the Gospel. Which would be to reiterate the law, maybe even have some other things to preach. I don't know what was the Gospel mate. Just that I don't believe the Bible is Gods word, in any way. Maybe it has some remnants. I have no clue, I am only making an inference. I think I had to repeat that so that it sinks in to you.

Why would you think I would be agitated? Usually I ask questions when things aren’t clear and hopefully understand what someone is communicating.
So I think I got what you’re saying but if not clarify. You really have no clue what the Gospel message is but think it may have been a reiteration of the law but don’t know what law.

 

[metis]

The OP question was, What is the Gospel? The Gospel is not works but a gift by grace according to God’s mercy.

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:4-7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬


“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We may be talking past each other.

Vaya con Dios

 

[firedragon]

Why would you think I would be agitated? Usually I ask questions when things aren’t clear and hopefully understand what someone is communicating.
So I think I got what you’re saying but if not clarify. You really have no clue what the Gospel message is but think it may have been a reiteration of the law but don’t know what law.

I think I have explained many things in my posts in response to you that you have completely missed. The reason is you are reading based on your fundamental premises of your faith. Which is normal, but try and understand the other perspective.

I do not adhere to the Bible as God's word. As I told you twice, some remnants of God's word maybe there. But one would need a criterion to derive what that is. Every single prophet brings a criterion with him, and Jesus was one of them. So simplifying it to "I don't know what law" is just that, an over simplification.

You mentioned the Levitical law. I was speaking of THE LAW. Which the Jews believe is the Pentateuch that includes Leviticus. They call it the Torah and law is just the translation of the word Torah. The reason I don't believe it is the in tact word of God are many, but that's a whole different topic. So from your paradigm, what I say when I say the law is the Pentateuch. From my paradigm it is named the Torah, but I believe in a different Torah which would have been God's word, so remnants will remain.

Thus, I don't know exactly what the law is or was, or the details of this law, but Jesus came to reiterate the law, probably with changes and preach monotheism essentially.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Mainly aimed at Christians but open to everyone.

What is the gospel message? If someone asked you 'What is the good news?' What would you say?

We are part of the Universe, and as such, we can identify with it and be reborn as undying.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man may come unto the Father except by me. John 14:6

And understanding Christ as a mythical figure, a symbol, rather than a literal godman, this verse allows a person the freedom to see the "Christ" in whatever will inspire them, and even (and especially) in themselves.

 

[ElishaElijah]

I do not adhere to the Bible as God's word.

Well I get all that, so in essence you really can’t articulate what the Gospel message is. That’s it and that’s fine with me. Was that really difficult? I wasn’t looking for a debate, just what you understand the Gospel message to be.

 

[firedragon]

Well I get all that, so in essence you really can’t articulate what the Gospel message is. That’s it and that’s fine with me. Was that really difficult? I wasn’t looking for a debate, just what you understand the Gospel message to be.

I was never debating in this thread anyway.

I don't think you have taken in anything I said. But thanks for responding. Cheers.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

And understanding Christ as a mythical figure, a symbol, rather than a literal godman, this verse allows a person the freedom to see the "Christ" in whatever will inspire them, and even (and especially) in themselves.

If you see it as mythical, why keep something attached to so much negative baggage? Why not instead turn to one of the many other sources that feature characters who aren't promoting their violent and tyrannical father and calling his father's ways love and mercy?

 

[Guitar's Cry]

If you see it as mythical, why keep something attached to so much negative baggage? Why not instead turn to one of the many other sources that feature characters who aren't promoting their violent and tyrannical father and calling his father's ways love and mercy?

For me it's the sheer ubiquity of the mythical figure and my ability to equate the symbol to other symbols with less baggage. While I cannot stand mainstream churches and the folks that preach the message you are referring to, I can work within the symbolism to pick and choose what I find inspiring.

Your point in well-taken, though! And one of the reasons I bring my viewpoint up is so that maybe others can see Christ from a more symbolic perspective that I think is more powerful and profound than the literal.

 

[Link]

Moses (a) complained about a knot on his tongue and prayed God would remove it by the one who God will send. God got angry and said you have Aaron. This means Moses, you should prepare people now and Aaron one your side can speak things which you due to your situation with ignorance of people of your time, cannot speak.

The Gospels because of the build up, and because of the prediction of Mohammad (s), who bring it back to a more middle way (neither loud nor silent), is a loud voice from God. The Torah and books between are more silent wisdom. The Quran is a middle way, neither loud in the connection nor silent and same with Mohammad's (s) Sunnah.

The loudness Sunnah wise took place through Imam Mohamad Al-Baqir (a). And people as a result of taking many of his statements out of their proper intent, began to call Imams gods, and worship them as well.

However, due to Quran, such sects were so minor, and have disappeared now practically.

The Gospels give a peace to a Shiite heart aware of the Light and position of Welayat of God's chosen from Adam (a) to Imam Mahdi (a).

Imam Mohammad Al-Baqir (a) expressed things like "We have states with God where he is us and we are him", and so they were even more hyperbolic then the Gospels.

But we don't equate Imams with God, God is far exalted above them, infinitely absolutely above them.

 

[PruePhillip]

I don't believe in a Levitican law, or a 10 commandments. I believe there was a law given earlier and reiterated many prophets. Jesus was one of them.

Don't get agitated mate after asking for peoples personal beliefs like a million times. But Jesus was special because he preached the Gospel. Which would be to reiterate the law, maybe even have some other things to preach. I don't know what was the Gospel mate. Just that I don't believe the Bible is Gods word, in any way. Maybe it has some remnants. I have no clue, I am only making an inference. I think I had to repeat that so that it sinks in to you.

Jesus isn't 'special because he preached the Gospel' - he was 'special' in that he himself WAS the good news.
This is the Redeemer, the Messianic figure who would END THE LAW, who would give his life as the 'lamb slain
from the foundation of the world', he who would believed upon by the Gentiles and rejected of the Jews - even of
his own family. Jacob in Egypt said that the Messiah would come through the line of Juda, and the Hebrew nation
would end with his coming - but he would be believed upon of the world.

 

[Redemptionsong]

Mainly aimed at Christians but open to everyone.

What is the gospel message? If someone asked you 'What is the good news?' What would you say?

It's interesting, having read all the posts on this thread, that only one person (ElishaElijah) has mentioned the Holy Spirit. Yet the Church, the body of Christ, only came into being on the day of Pentecost, some fifty days after Jesus' resurrection, and ten days after his ascension.

The 'Good News' is Jesus Christ, the Messiah, but to know and abide in Christ a person must (lMU) be 'born again' of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the righteous Spirit of God, not the spirit of man!

 

[1213]

Jesus wasn't necessary for this before.

Why do you think so?

I think these show the Gospel was about forgiveness, but also about healing:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, Because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim release to the captives, Recovering of sight to the blind, To deliver those who are crushed, And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Luke 4:18-19

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, "Why are you reasoning so in your hearts? Which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you;' or to say, 'Arise and walk?' But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" (he said to the paralyzed man), "I tell you, arise, and take up your cot, and go to your house." Immediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.
Luke 5:21-25