Incredible as it may seem, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was 'lost' for over nineteen centuries not only to the world but to the entire Christendom as a whole. In its place, the churches of the world preach a Gospel about the Person of Christ. In essence, the Gospel of Christ is the message that Christ was sent by God the Father to preach to the world - the message of the kingdom of God. Some twenty to thirty year after the founding of the New Testament church in AD 31, controversy began to emerge as to what is the true Gospel. After a period of almost one century - known as the lost century of the Christian church - the Gospel centred around the Person of Christ began to gain momentum, in place of the Gospel about the kingdom of God.
Christ first came as a Prophet was prophesied by Moses, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear' - Deut 18:15. Malachi affirmed that Christ will come as a Messenger of the (new) covenant to bring good news from God the Father about the coming kingdom that will dethrone Satan who is presently the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4) who deceived the whole world (Rev 12:9). Jesus Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God.The Gospel of the kingdom is to be preached in conjunction with Christ's role in it, and not preaching about Christ apart from the Gospel. Yet all who claimed to be Christ's disciples are totally ignorant of the very work they are commissioned to do! The world's churches of different persuasion preached a different gospel of grace, salvation, social issues and prosperity which the Apostle Paul warned with a 'double curse' - for perverting the Gospel of Christ (Gal 1:7-9).
Many preachers proclaim that 'the kingdom of God is within you' - presumably in you heart, mind and soul - quoting Luke 17:21. But little did they realise that this is mistranslation - when it should mean 'in the midst of you' - meaning that Christ as the King of the future kingdom of God, was in their midst. As the context was Christ speaking to the Pharisees, obviously Christ was not referring to them having inherited the kingdom of God! Because man has rejected the true Gospel, they have supplanted something else - another gospel ( 2 Cor 11:4) - to replace it. That is why the world - like the Titanic - is heading towards the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord but yet totally oblivious to the cataclysmic events prophesied to unfold!
The writer of Mark 1:1 states, 'The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God' - and following down in verse 14-15, he states, 'Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God' and saying, 'The time is fulfilled and the kingom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.' IT IS NECESSARY TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO BE SAVED! But how can one believe unless he/she understands what the gospel of the kingdom of God is. That is the very Gospel message that God the Father sent Christ to proclaim (Luke 4:43) and we are commanded to hear Him. For over nineteen centuries, the world was ignorant of the true Gospel as they only understand a gospel about Christ and not the Gospel of Christ. While on earth, Christ sent His twelve disciples to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Matt 10: 5-7; Luke 9:1-2). After His resurrection but before His ascension to heaven, Christ taught His disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
The purpose of the church is to prepare those whom God has called to teach and rule in the kingdom of God. The purpose of king Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:28) was to reveal God's government (2:44) - the quintessence of the kingdom of God. It is referring to a literal kingdom on earth that bear rule on real people over the whole world, as Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount - Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5). Christ was born to be King, and when He returns all the governments of the world will be dissolved (Rev 11:15). In its place will be the kingdom of God ruled by Christ assisted by born again immortal spirit beings who will form the Family of God. The divine Family of God will rule over all mortal humans of the world but they will not be in the kingdom of God, though they will be ruled by it. Then Christ will be King over all the earth (John 18:37) in the world to come (Heb 2:5).
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ stated this categorically in John 8:30-32 thus, 'As He spoke these words, many believed in Him (people believed that Christ was sent from the Heavenly Father to proclaim the Gospel message of hope for mankind). Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my word (the Gospel message of the kingdom of God), you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and truth shall make you free." Christ was telling the Jews that it was not enough just believing in Him that He is the Son of God sent from heaven above (the demons beleive so and tremble), but that they must also believe His word - the message of the kingdom of God - so that they can be set free from sin and death through resurrection (when Christ return) and be born again into immortal life as a spirit being. Sadly, because of unbelief, only a small minority during the church age will get to inherit the kingdom of God ('little flock' - Luke 12:32) as it remains a mystery even to the large majority of church goers the world over. For many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16; 22:14) - to become the sons of God in the divine Family who will rule and reign with Christ in the coming kingdom. Make no mistake, only those who are born again as immortals into the Family of God will rule as masters of the universe!
But one of the conditions to earn the reward from Christ is to - 'Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him' (1 John 2:15).This present evil age (Gal 1:4) is Satan's world and the large majority of the people are being deceived to follow the Babylonian system of idolatry rooted in false doctrines and practices. True Christians who are called are warned to 'Come out of her' or else they become partakers in her sins. (Rev 18:4). Those who fail to heed the warning of Christ may not receive a full reward (2 John 8).
Christ first came as a Prophet was prophesied by Moses, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear' - Deut 18:15. Malachi affirmed that Christ will come as a Messenger of the (new) covenant to bring good news from God the Father about the coming kingdom that will dethrone Satan who is presently the god of this world (2 Cor 4:4) who deceived the whole world (Rev 12:9). Jesus Christ came preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God.The Gospel of the kingdom is to be preached in conjunction with Christ's role in it, and not preaching about Christ apart from the Gospel. Yet all who claimed to be Christ's disciples are totally ignorant of the very work they are commissioned to do! The world's churches of different persuasion preached a different gospel of grace, salvation, social issues and prosperity which the Apostle Paul warned with a 'double curse' - for perverting the Gospel of Christ (Gal 1:7-9).
Many preachers proclaim that 'the kingdom of God is within you' - presumably in you heart, mind and soul - quoting Luke 17:21. But little did they realise that this is mistranslation - when it should mean 'in the midst of you' - meaning that Christ as the King of the future kingdom of God, was in their midst. As the context was Christ speaking to the Pharisees, obviously Christ was not referring to them having inherited the kingdom of God! Because man has rejected the true Gospel, they have supplanted something else - another gospel ( 2 Cor 11:4) - to replace it. That is why the world - like the Titanic - is heading towards the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord but yet totally oblivious to the cataclysmic events prophesied to unfold!
The writer of Mark 1:1 states, 'The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God' - and following down in verse 14-15, he states, 'Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God' and saying, 'The time is fulfilled and the kingom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.' IT IS NECESSARY TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD TO BE SAVED! But how can one believe unless he/she understands what the gospel of the kingdom of God is. That is the very Gospel message that God the Father sent Christ to proclaim (Luke 4:43) and we are commanded to hear Him. For over nineteen centuries, the world was ignorant of the true Gospel as they only understand a gospel about Christ and not the Gospel of Christ. While on earth, Christ sent His twelve disciples to preach the Gospel of the kingdom of God (Matt 10: 5-7; Luke 9:1-2). After His resurrection but before His ascension to heaven, Christ taught His disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
The purpose of the church is to prepare those whom God has called to teach and rule in the kingdom of God. The purpose of king Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:28) was to reveal God's government (2:44) - the quintessence of the kingdom of God. It is referring to a literal kingdom on earth that bear rule on real people over the whole world, as Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount - Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5). Christ was born to be King, and when He returns all the governments of the world will be dissolved (Rev 11:15). In its place will be the kingdom of God ruled by Christ assisted by born again immortal spirit beings who will form the Family of God. The divine Family of God will rule over all mortal humans of the world but they will not be in the kingdom of God, though they will be ruled by it. Then Christ will be King over all the earth (John 18:37) in the world to come (Heb 2:5).
Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ stated this categorically in John 8:30-32 thus, 'As He spoke these words, many believed in Him (people believed that Christ was sent from the Heavenly Father to proclaim the Gospel message of hope for mankind). Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in my word (the Gospel message of the kingdom of God), you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and truth shall make you free." Christ was telling the Jews that it was not enough just believing in Him that He is the Son of God sent from heaven above (the demons beleive so and tremble), but that they must also believe His word - the message of the kingdom of God - so that they can be set free from sin and death through resurrection (when Christ return) and be born again into immortal life as a spirit being. Sadly, because of unbelief, only a small minority during the church age will get to inherit the kingdom of God ('little flock' - Luke 12:32) as it remains a mystery even to the large majority of church goers the world over. For many are called but few are chosen (Matt 20:16; 22:14) - to become the sons of God in the divine Family who will rule and reign with Christ in the coming kingdom. Make no mistake, only those who are born again as immortals into the Family of God will rule as masters of the universe!
But one of the conditions to earn the reward from Christ is to - 'Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him' (1 John 2:15).This present evil age (Gal 1:4) is Satan's world and the large majority of the people are being deceived to follow the Babylonian system of idolatry rooted in false doctrines and practices. True Christians who are called are warned to 'Come out of her' or else they become partakers in her sins. (Rev 18:4). Those who fail to heed the warning of Christ may not receive a full reward (2 John 8).
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