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 Bro.
Turner:
We
have had much discussion about the word “gospel”; is it
properly applied to anything other than the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ? (1 Cor. 15: 1—4)
SD
Reply:
I
wonder why people who read that passage stop with verse four?
Verse five continues. “and that he appeared to Cephas; then to
the twelve... etc” If this is such a complete statement of the
“gospel” as to rule out all extensions, we should at least
get all that Paul put there.
“Gospel”
is an English word, from the Anglo-Saxon “god” (good) and
“spell” (a saying, tale, speech). We are repeatedly told in
the footnotes of the ARV that it means “good tidings.” But
what “good tidings”?
There
is no doubt but that Christ our Saviour is the center, apex,
pivot, fullness. etc. , of the gospel and I know of none who
deny that; although we sometimes hear some facet of the “glad
tidings” so emphasized as to overshadow Christ. All
fundamentalist agree that the death, burial and resurrection of
Christ are the key factors in the gospel. But this must not be
allowed to rule out scriptural extensions of the term, nor
become the basis for unfounded assumptions that Christ can be
separated from His teaching (doctrine).
Christ
preached “the gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23) before
he began to foretell his death, burial and resurrection. (Matt.
11:21) The coming of the rule of God
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in Christ was also “gospel”
(see Mk. 1:14-15).
When
Paul saw that Peter, et al., “walked not uprightly according
to the truth of the gospel,” (Gal. 2:14) he upbraided them. To
preach or practice less than a “universal” gospel —
treating Jews and Gentiles alike — was to pervert the “gospel.”
The
Colossians heard of “the hope which is laid up for you in the
heavens” from the “word of the truth of the gospel.” (Col.
1:5)
Paul
preached with authority, as one entrusted with the gospel —
and this involved exhorting and reproving “to the end that ye
should walk worthily of God.” (1 Thes. 2:2,4,9-12) We believe
this clearly shows that the many teachings of Paul were counted
a part of the “gospel.”
2
Thes. 1:8 shows that the “gospel” can be obeyed — which
means it includes commandments. It is not enough to say that
baptism is a “form” of the death, burial and resurrection.
This “form” is commanded; and God will render vengeance to
them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of
our Lord Jesus.” (See also 1 Pet. 4:17)
So,
although the essence of the good news is that Christ gave
Himself for us, we have no right to build a fence about the word
“gospel”. The proofs of His resurrection, the
sovereign “rule” of His kingdom, the universality of
His blessings, His commandments, instructions for
a true “Christian life”, and the promise of heaven,
are all part of His “gospel.”
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