Many Churches claim they preach the true gospel but do not know what the true gospel is. Others think that the whole Bible is the gospel of the Lord God. By definition, the word GOSPEL was derived from the Old English “god-spell” or “godspel” which means “good tidings” or “glad tidings.” It came from the Greek word (εὐαγγέλιον), evangelion (eu – “good” + angelion – “message”).
From the Bible, the GOSPEL was preached by JESUS CHRIST, it is the TRUE GOSPEL.
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
It was prophesied in the Bible that the GOSPEL will be preached and then the end will come.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
The QUR’AN or the Holy Book of the Muslims also talks of the “INJIL” ( إنجيل ) but they refer to the whole New Testament of the Bible. The Qur’an says the INJIL to be one of the THREE previous REVELATIONS of GOD or “ALLAH” to them(the other TWO being the TAWRAT(books of Moses) and ZABUR(Psalms of David). The Qur’an asserts that Allah revealed the previous scriptures to the Jews and to the Christians, but that those who knew the scriptures ‘changed the words from their right places’ and ‘forgot a good part of the message’.
Despite the clear words of the Qur’an, the majority of Muslims errantly believe that Allah is telling them that the “People of the Book” have corrupted their books. Muslims proclaim that the actual texts have been changed; that not many of Allah’s original words remain in them. It clearly states that The Jews and Christians knew what their texts said, but that they deliberately distorted the commands and meanings in their oral recitations to the illiterate people; that they were saying “my book says to do this” when the text on the page did not. The Qur’an also charges that they ‘concealed’ a part of the message or ‘hid it (the book) behind their backs.’
To keep their claim of textual corruption of the ‘previous scriptures’ afloat, Muslims will often present Quran 2:79 as evidence of their interpretation.
Quran 2:79
YUSUFALI: Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:”This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.
PICKTHAL: Therefore woe be unto those who write the Scripture with their hands and then say, “This is from Allah,” that they may purchase a small gain therewith. Woe unto them for that their hands have written, and woe unto them for that they earn thereby.
SHAKIR: Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.
However, viewing this verse in context, juxtaposed against other Qur’anic verses proves this interpretation to be incorrect. Muslims also claim that the Injil is corrupt because of the differences in the accounting of events. The most significant difference is that in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, Jesus is believed to be God; yet the Qur’an says Isa (Jesus) was just a prophet.
In their claim that the Gospels were corrupted, there is no evidence in the Quran that literally says that the Jews or Christians have changed something in their Books. No where in the Quranic verses does it say that the Jews or Christians wrote down, what was not revealed from Allah. The Qur’an does charge that the Jews and Christian’s corrupted their scriptures; but only in their oral recitations.
“Injil” is a Christian, not an Islamic concept. “Good news” should be exactly that; good news. In Christianity, people need to be saved. However, according to the Qu’ran people have no need to be saved. According to the Qu’ran, people are only doomed if they receive the “signs of God” and choose to reject those “signs”.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
We believe that the GOSPELS are the TRUE GOSPEL and as Christians it matters to us. Apostle Paul pronounces a double curse on anyone who preaches a GOSPEL different from the one preached by the APOSTLES. The Apostles were taught directly by JESUS, who gave them a commission to preach the GOSPEL. (Mark 16: 15-16)
Gal 1:8 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.
Gal 1:9 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.
We believe that JESUS Himself preached the GOSPEL of the Kingdom of GOD. He came proclaiming the GOOD NEWS that God’s Kingdom would come and restore all things.
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Act 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
The GOSPEL explains not only that the Kingdom is coming but also how we can be a part of it. Good News!
What do we need to do to be a part of that Kingdom as preached by JESUS?
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
These conditions are simple in concept, “REPENT and BELIEVE in the GOSPEL.” Repentance means complete turning or changing of the mind and way of life to follow GOD. GOD’s WAY of LIFE is defined by His commandments. We repent by quitting our former sinful way of life and keeping God’s commandments.
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” (Matthew 19: 17 NIV)
Believing the GOSPEL encompasses both believing in CHRIST as well as believing what HE said.
Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. (John 8: 30-31 NIV)
Apostle Paul also spoke to the elders of the church in Ephesus about his ministry. He explains that his ministry had testified “to the GOSPEL of the grace of GOD.”
Act 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Act 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
And what had Apostle Paul preached? The KINGDOM of GOD. God’s wonderful offer of grace and salvation is also part of the gospel of the Kingdom!
Act 28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
Act 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
We believe that all people who professed they are Christians should be voluntarily place themselves under CHRIST’s rule and become “MEMBERS of the HOUSEHOLD of GOD.”
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3: 20 NIV
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, Ephesians 2: 19 NIV
As members of CHRIST’s body, they are “in CHRIST.”
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8: 1
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Christians are now actively participating in the advancement of God’s Kingdom but have not yet inherited the Kingdom in its fullness, an event that will not happen until they are resurrected and glorified at Christ’s coming.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
We also believe that “being in CHRIST” does not preclude Christians from falling away from GOD in the future.
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (Hebrews 6: 4-6 NIV)
Hebrews 10: 26- 31, If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The BIBLE said the GOSPEL will be preached unto all nations and after that the end will come. (Matthew 24: 14) The GOSPEL of the Kingdom is for us today. it is preached, not only when we proclaim that JESUS will come again but also when we teach both believers and unbelievers how to live GOD’S way of LIFE.
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Phillipians 1: 27 NIV – Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.
1Th 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
Why is the GOSPEL important? Why do we have to believe it? Apostle Paul said it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
This is the reason why JESUS wants us to believe in the Gospel. It is the power of God unto salvation for anyone who believes. Paul knows that there is no discrimination when it comes to salvation. And on the day that God will judge everyone, Paul mentioned about what will be the basis of His judgment, and the gospel will be the basis.
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
The Gospel that Paul received was from Jesus Christ and this Gospel is what He preached to the Gentiles.
Act 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And as Paul said, we will all be saved through this gospel if we stand by it, unless we believe in vain.
1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
