The Gospel

Concise Bible Dictionary:

“Good news” or “glad tidings.” Everything worthy of this title must come from God. It has not always had the same character. It was good news to Adam and Eve that the Seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent. Doubtless they believed it, for Eve said, when Cain was born, “I have gotten a man from the Lord” (Gen. 3:15; Gen. 4:1). It was good news to Noah (when God made known that He was going to destroy all flesh) that he and his family should be saved in an ark, and that God would establish His covenant with him. Noah believed God, and was preserved (Heb. 11:7). It was good news to Abraham, when called out by God to be blessed by Him, to be told that he should have a son in his old age; that his seed should possess the land, and that in his Seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed (Gal. 3:8). Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3). It was good news to the Israelites, when slaves to Pharaoh, that God had come down to deliver them by the hand of Moses. They believed the good news, “they bowed their heads and worshipped” (Ex. 4:31). But this was only a part of the good news to Israel; they were not only to be brought out of Egypt; but to be brought into a “good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” Here alas, many of them failed; though this “gospel,” as it is called in the Epistle to the Hebrews, was preached to them, it did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in them: they “entered not in because of unbelief” (Heb. 4:2-6).
The “glad tidings of the kingdom” was prophesied of in the Old Testament and was preached by the Lord Jesus when on earth (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:43; etc.); and will be preached in the future (Matt. 24:14). Though this gospel was rejected by Israel at large, the Lord gathered around Him a little flock, who formed the nucleus of the church at Pentecost. Then Jesus Christ was preached and the forgiveness of sins through His death, “the gospel of the grace of God,” and this was towards all mankind (Acts 20:24).
To Paul was revealed “THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY,” that God has glorified Christ, and that His glory shines in the face of Him who put away the sins of believers (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:11). So peculiarly was this committed to Paul that he called it “my gospel” (2 Tim. 2:8). It embraced more than salvation, great as that is, for he was desirous of making known “the mystery of the gospel,” which separates believers from the first man of the earth, and associates them with Christ glorified in heaven.
In the future there will be glad tidings for Israel when God’s time is come to bless them. The messengers will publish peace and salvation, and say to Zion, “Thy God reigneth” (Isa. 52:7). There will also be proclaimed THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL to the Gentiles, that which has been from the beginning, that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head. The testimony rendered by means of angelic power is, “Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come,” with the injunction to worship the Creator (Rev. 14:6-7).

From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:

The word “gospel” means ”glad tidings” or “good news,” and it is used in Scripture to indicate that God has good news for man. This fact shows that God is interested in the blessing of man.
Scripture records that there have been different gospel messages that were preached to men at different times in history, promising different forms of blessing from God. To meld these gospel calls into one message is a mistake and does not take into account the dispensational ways of God.
God’s good news was first announced to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. It promised the eventual crushing of Satan under the judgment of God (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20; Rev. 20:10), but it was not specifically called the gospel. Good news was announced to Noah by which he was moved to build an ark to the saving of his house (Heb. 11:7), though again, this was not called the gospel.
“The gospel” was preached to Abraham, promising the blessing of being reckoned righteous by God (Gal. 3:8).
“The gospel” was preached to the nation of Israel promising them deliverance from bondage in Egypt and a material inheritance in the land of Canaan (Ex. 3:7-8; Num. 13:26; Heb. 4:2-3).
“The gospel of the kingdom” was preached to the nation of Israel by John the Baptist (Matt. 3), the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 4), and the apostles (Matt. 10). It promised that if they accepted Christ as their Messiah, He would establish the kingdom in the literal way in which the Old Testament prophets portrayed it. But the Jews rejected the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa. 49:4; 50:5-7; 53:1-4; Micah 5:2), and consequently, this gospel offer of the kingdom was postponed (Micah 5:3; Matt. 12:14-21; Rom. 11:7-11). It will be preached again in a future day (in the 70th week of Daniel 9:27) by the faithful Jewish remnant (Psa. 95-96; Matt. 24:14). Many in that day will be blessed through it—including Gentiles (Isa. 55-56; Rev. 9:7). They will participate in the earthly blessings of the kingdom which this gospel promises.
The gospel preached in these Christian times has at least seven titles, conveying various aspects of the message of God’s good news to the world today. This gospel announces that God in grace has come down to man in the Person of Christ, and through His atoning sufferings, death, and shed blood has secured salvation for sinners who believe. More than this, it announces that God has raised Christ from the dead and has seated Him at His right hand on high, and the believer now has a place of acceptance in Him, in whom are all his blessings. The person who believes this great message is sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and made part of the Church of God, the body and bride of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). Thus, this gospel is a heavenly call of believers to a heavenly destiny with Christ (1 Cor. 15:48-49; 2 Cor. 5:1; Eph. 1:3; 2:6; 6:12; Phil. 3:20; Col. 1:5; 3:1-2; Heb. 3:1; 8:1-2; 9:11; 10:19-21; 11:16; 12:22; 13:14; 1 Peter 1:4). All who believe this gospel will live and reign with Christ in the heavens over the millennial earth (Rev. 21:9–22:5).
•  When it is termed “the Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24), it is referring to Christ’s coming down from heaven in grace to die for sinners.
•  When it is called “the Gospel of the Glory of God” (1 Tim. 1:11), it is emphasizing Christ’s ascension on high in glory and the believer’s acceptance in Him there before God. (Paul called this aspect “my Gospel” – Romans 2:16; 16:25; 2 Timothy 2:8.)
•  When it is called “the Gospel of God” (Rom. 1:1), it is pointing to the source of the good news—God Himself who drew salvation’s plan.
•  When it is called “the Gospel of His Son” (Rom. 1:9), it is referring to the love of God that would cause Him to give the dearest Object of His heart to save sinners.
•  When it is called “the Gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27), it is referring the great subject of the Gospel—Christ and His glory.
•  When it is called “the Gospel of Peace” (Eph. 6:15), it is referring to the practical peace that our feet preach (i.e. our lives) as we walk through this troubled world.
•  When it is called “the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:8), it is not only emphasizing the salvation of our souls, but also the salvation of our lives by making Christ the Lord in our lives practically.
This distinctly Christian gospel must not be confused with the gospel of the kingdom. As mentioned, the destiny of those who believe the gospel of the grace and glory of God is to live and reign with Christ in heaven in His millennial kingdom. Whereas, the destiny of those who believe the gospel of the kingdom is to live on earth in Christ’s millennial kingdom (Rev. 7). These are two different spheres of blessing—heavenly and earthly. These distinctively different messages are not going out to the world at the same time; it would be confusion if they did.
“The everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6-7) is the good news that the creation itself preaches throughout the ages. It bears witness of the glory of God (Psa. 19:1), the wisdom and intelligence of God (Psa. 147:4-5), power of God (Rom. 1:19-20), and the goodness of God (Acts 14:17). If people never come in contact with the gospel of God’s grace, which tells us of the finished work of Christ, they can still be reached and blessed of God by believing this witness in creation. The proof of their faith in the Creator God will be seen in them fearing God and working righteousness. As a result, they will be “accepted” with Christ (Acts 10:35). If they die in their simple faith, they would go to heaven, but they will not be part of the Church of God, because such requires the sealing of the Spirit, which only occurs upon believing in Christ’s finished work (Eph. 1:13).

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