What is meant by "Obey the Gospel?"

Today, it seems as though few preachers are telling their congregations specifics anymore. The "feel good gospel" is dominating our pulpits. Don't preach against sin, or you'll hurt feelings. Don't preach against homosexuality, or you might end up in jail, depending on where you live. Truth is being portrayed as "hate speech" by those who hate the truth.

The truth is, according to Jesus, that the only way to the Father is through himself...Jesus. No other religion offers eternal life. Is that hate speech? It is motivated only by love! "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. If that is hate speech what do you call it when those who labor in love to spread that good news are accosted as vile creatures? What motivates the persecution of these lovers of men's souls? Is it love? Or is it hatred of the truth, and the God of truth?

OK, so if you are reading this, you probably already agree that those trying to spread the gospel are motivated by love, and I'm preaching to the choir...but all aren't spreading the same "gospel".

We are told that "Gospel" simply means "good news", and telling folks about John 3:16 is spreading the good news...obeying our commission to " Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost": Matt.28:19

We are taught the "Roman Road to Salvation", and share the tracts that teach that plan of salvation, with hope in our hearts, and faith in God to move on the hearts we are presented with. Bravo! Brave soldiers of the cross believe in the promise that says "...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against us." But are we presenting the "Gospel" that the apostles gave their lives to present? Does it matter, as long as our hearts mean well? Won't God bless the hearers even if we are lacking in depth of understanding...the work of the Holy Ghost surely isn't hampered by our inadequacies...is it?

The only scripture that actually defines the gospel is found in 1 Cor.15:1-4
1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
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;
4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

2 Thess. 1:7. And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Romans 10:16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The gospel we are to be spreading must be according to the word of God! If we are all using the same word of God, how is it we are not all telling the same gospel? Do I suddenly appear divisive to you? There is only one gospel.

1. I Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 9. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Ephesians 4

Speaking the truth in love has gotten a lot of men (and women) killed. Remember the Inquisition! The Roman Catholic Church put many Christians to death for their faith. The Protestant reformation was truly a God send, but those that broke away from the RCC took parts of their old traditions and teaching with them.

8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col.2

What was the gospel that the apostles taught? Who preached the first gospel message on the birthday of the new Christian faith? Peter did! What did he preach? Two things...first he preached the gospel...the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Acts 2:14. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35. Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Next he preached the obedience to that gospel, continuing in Acts 2:
37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

I know this may seem like a strange new doctrine if you have not been made familiar to it before, but please go to the powerpoint presentation "The Roman Road, put into perspective" by clicking on the title of this post. Then check out the powerpoint presentation, "The Tabernacle in the Wilderness" found in the links to the left. We all need to get on the same page with this gospel, if we are to be as effective as we are called to be. "if the eye be single, the whole body is full of light"...lets let the true light shine!