In an ambience as theologized as in which we live, where talking about complex doctrinal themes has become almost the bread of every day, we have overlooked that the message of the Gospel is a simple message, unpretentious, which tells us of the love of God that even being sinners Christ died for us.
It is the biblical message, the proclamation of an Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and earth, and by which all created things subsist.[1] It is the testimony of an ever-present God, who fills all things in all,[2] who though he abhors sin, loves the sinner, and delights in his Creation.
The message of the Gospel is the message of a God who is no respecter of persons who, though he may speak judgment against even one nation, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if the nation turn from their evil, He repents of the evil that He spoke about them.[3]
It is the message that breaks out among people who do not know Him, even among those who do not want to hear Him. It is the message that speaks of Peace, of restoration, of edification, of restitution; the message that which says, you shall be built.[4]
It is the message of the one who calls the things which be not as if they were,[5] the one who calls all things by name.[6] It is the message of which the prophets described as the God of all flesh,[7] God of the spirits,[8] the God of heaven, and the God of the earth,[9] God of gods.[10] Such is the greatness of his strength, and his power and virtue.
The message of the Gospel is not philosophical, nor religious, nor does the power of its strength lie in the etymology of the Word.
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1st. Corinthians 4:20
It is not a message that is subject to the hermeneutics of the word, hard to understand,
For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Deuteronomy 30:11-13
It is the message born from the conviction, from the personal conviction that God revealed Himself and spoke, and that His instructions do not need interpretation,
But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. Deuteronomy 30:14
It was the message that was spread throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the entire Roman Empire,
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:8, 9
The message of the Gospel is the same prophetic message established even before the foundation of the world, it is the theme established as the foundation of the Mosaic Law,…
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. Luke 24:26, 27
… And proclaimed and established by the apostles of Jesus as the foundation of faith,
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 1st. Peter 1:9-12
The message of the Gospel is the Revelation that Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ, in Greek),
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, we have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. John 1.41
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. John 4:25
These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. John 9:22
The message of the Gospel is the message that Jesus is the Son of God, acknowledging his human presence…
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1st. John 4:3
… But differentiating him from any other prophet of old. He is God.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, of a truth thou art the Son of God. Matthew 14:33
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: Romans 1:4
The message of the Gospel is the confession that Jesus is salvation, liberation and eternal life.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10:9
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13
It is not only a verbal statement, like pagan religious confessions; it is the confession born from the revelation that Jesus is God Himself incarnate, and established as a life conviction that He lives in us,
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:16
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Acts 3:26
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 8:37
God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 1st. Corinthians 1:9
The message of the Gospel is the proclamation that Jesus is the foundation of Eternal Life,…
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: Ephesians 2:20, 21
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6,7
The message of the Gospel is the doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven which states that God demands that all men repent of living under the kingdom of Satan, and submit to the Lordship of Christ,…
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: Acts 17:30
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:2
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17
And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:7
.. To be counted worthy of this Grace,
Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer. 2nd. Thessalonians 1:5
The Gospel is the proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven, which establishes God’s decision to reconcile man with his Creator. Jesus is the only mediator between God and men,
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Galatians 3:19, 20
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1st. Timothy 2:5
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Hebrew 8:6
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Hebrew 9:15
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Hebrew 12:24
The message of the Gospel is the testimony that He appeared to undo the works of Satan and demons,
And, behold, they cried out, saying, what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Matthew 8:29
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1st. John 3:8
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; Hebrew 2:14
The message of the Gospel is the Regeneration of man through the Holy Spirit,
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17
Its strength does not depend on the intellectual capacity of the person, neither on their academic nor theological preparation; …
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. Psalm 118:22
And he beheld them, and said, what is this then that is written, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Luke 20:17
… the power of the Gospel consists in man’s disposition to humble himself before Him, and in the action of submitting to His Lordship,
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:17
The Gospel of the Kingdom is established on the foundation of faith in Jesus as the only mediator of a new covenant,…
Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone; Romans 9:32
… faith in Jesus discovers the righteousness of the Kingdom,
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 9:33
The message of the Gospel does not consist of liturgy or religious rituals.
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. 1st. Peter 2:7
The integration of religious components only causes those who follow it to err from the faith and establish apostasy in their deeds and words,
And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 1st. Peter 2:8
In terms of the content of salvation, the message of the Gospel is the message of Jesus crucified,…
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. 1st. Corinthians 1:23
… but above all, it is the proclamation that Jesus rose from the dead,
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 1st. Corinthians 15:12-17
… is the proclamation that Jesus is made first fruits of those who slept, establishing the doctrine of the resurrection among the dead of the saints and the righteous at His coming,
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 1st. Corinthians 15:20
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1st. Thessalonians 4:16
As for presentation, the message of the Gospel is known by various other names; the first presented from its beginnings, the way of the Lord,
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. Acts 18:25
… as well as, the way of God,
And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. Acts 18:26
… as, the way of salvation,
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, these men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. Acts 16:17
… or, merely, the Way,
But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. Acts 19:9
The most common name among the Gentile regions, the Preaching of the Cross,
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1st. Corinthians 1:17, 18
The apostle Paul also used the term, the power of God unto salvation,
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
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Ephesians 1:19
The message of the Gospel of the Kingdom is also presented as, the counsel of God,
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Acts 20:27
We conclude this teaching by asking ourselves: What is the message of the Gospel that we have received?
We will realize that much of what we have received is in fact philosophical and religious knowledge, quite distant from the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven established in the Scriptures by the Lord.
Let us correct our way… we are on time!
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrew 4:16
[1] Colossians 1:17; Hebrew 2:10
[2] Ephesians 1:23
[3] Jeremiah 18:7,8
[4] Jeremiah 31:4; Isaias 44:28
[5] Romans 4:17
[6] Isaias 40:26
[7] Jeremiah 32:27
[8] Numbers 16:22; 27:16
[9] Genesis 24:3
[10] Deuteronomy 10:17
We invite you to review the published books, and to acquire them. They are available in paperback and electronic format.
Pastor Pedro Montoya
Tel Cell. (407) 764-2699
Twitter: @pastormontoya
Treasure in Earthen Vessels 