In the epistle to the Galatians, the apostle Paul discovered by the Spirit that God evangelized Abraham (3:8), and explains that such an act did not consist in “informing” him about his future plans with him and his descendants, but in the faculty Abraham received to “believe” in him, that is, to generate faith in the Word of God, to such an extent that as the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews also discovers by the Spirit, Abraham believed that God was able to give Isaac back to him even after he died,
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Hebrews 11:17-19
God evangelized Abraham when He discovered to him the purpose of his presence on earth, and said to him: In you all nations will be blessed. It was not to prosper him for we all know from history that he dwelt in Canaan as a stranger; the Gospel to Abraham meant a dowry of Revelation, faith and purpose.
Such teaching helps us understand that the Gospel is Revelation of the very essence of God, the Gospel is nourished by faith in the Word; no proclamation of the Good News makes true sense if the message does not foster the value of faith in God, a message based on highlighting only personal benefits is not a true Gospel message; the Gospel reveals to the person by the Spirit God’s purpose for him or her.
34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him… 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Acts 10:34,35-11:18
In his epistle to Timothy, the apostle acknowledges that God’s mercy reaches out to people to transform their lives, so that with them they may glorify the Lord.
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 1st. Timothy 1:12-14
The Gospel is Revelation of purposes, it is discovering by the Spirit to the person the meaning of living hidden in Christ, it is showing him the service that God wants each one to develop for the benefit of the body of Christ. Hence, in the testimony of the apostle John, every person occupies a leading position within the Kingdom,
12 But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
Paul presents this same teaching by the Spirit as the harmonious integration of the members into one body, where all the members exercise a spiritual function of establishing the Kingdom,
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 1st. Corinthians 12:15-17
The Gospel is therefore not just a message, it is Revelation that commissions the person to move in the Spirit by establishing with their decisions and actions the spiritual support for other members to move in the same way.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Philippians 2:4-6
It could be that some only have information about Jesus, because it could be that the Gospel they approached only contemplated the information of a historical Jesus; upon discovering that the Gospel “attributes” essence and divine substance, today it is convenient that we discard everything that is merely informative, and begin, like Abraham, to discover the power of transformation that the promise of his life in Jesus gives to the person who believes.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:12
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:18-20
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39
The biblical quotations are taken from the Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
Pastor Pedro Montoya
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Treasure in Earthen Vessels 