If we are going to discuss the fact that there is more than one Gospel message within the pages of Scripture, then we first must define why it is that that subject is so important. In most churches throughout the world, the importance of the Gospel is downplayed, if mentioned at all, and Satan is working over-time to keep mankind from hearing the Gospel that saves today (2 Cor 4:3-4). Why is that? The answer is:
The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes –
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:16
Life and immortality are brought through the Gospel –
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
2 Tim 1:8-10
God calls a person by the Gospel –
Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thes 2:14
When one hears the Gospel and they believe it, they are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God – Rom 10:17) –
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:13
The Body of Christ is made possible “by the blood of Christ” (Eph 2:13) and “by the cross” (Eph 2:16), but entrance into the Body of Christ is “by the Gospel” and “by one Spirit” (Eph 2:18; 1 Cor 12:13) –
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Eph 3:6
How does one get into the Body of Christ? It is by one Spirit, baptizing you into one Body. When does the Spirit do that? It is by the Gospel –
That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Eph 3:6
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Eph 1:12-14
If the Gospel is hidden from someone and they do not know it, they are lost and they will perish –
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Cor 4:3-4
Paul pronounced a curse upon anyone who proclaimed a Gospel different from his. Those who proclaim a Gospel other than Paul’s are cursed, they do not know Christ –
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Gal 1:6-12
Those who preach the (correct) Gospel need to understand and be thankful that God has trusted them with the honor of preaching His saving message –
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
1 Thes 2:4
Does that give you a better understanding as to why it is that the Gospel is so important? Satan does not want you to hear the Gospel that saves today. Satan does not want you to understand the saving message for today. Satan does not want you to share the Gospel with others. Satan wants you confused and he wants you hearing and sharing false Gospel messages or Gospel messages from the Bible that do not save today:
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. … For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2 Cor 11:3-4, 13-14
The intention of this post is not to define and dissect each and every Gospel message found within the Bible – I intend to do that within a future post – but rather to drive home the point, despite what you have most likely been taught on Sunday mornings, that there is more than one Gospel within Scripture. Allow me to make it perfectly clear at this point – there is ONE GOSPEL that saves today! There are, however, multiple Gospel messages found throughout the pages of the Bible.
In demonstrating this fact, again, counter to what you have most likely been taught, I would like to provide you five “proofs” or pieces of evidence that support the position that there is more than one Gospel within the Bible. Remember: the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16), so it is imperative that we get this subject correct.
Proof #1 –
The first piece of evidence that I would like to submit requires just a touch of analysis. That analysis comes by way of answering a few questions:
Q1: What is the Gospel that saves today?
A:
The Gospel by which we are saved today is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose from the dead, He was resurrected, three days later. It is the finished work of Jesus Christ (see Eph 2:8-9) and all it requires is BELIEF (see 1 Thes 4:14). The one who believes this fact receives God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life. No works are required. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation or contribute to what Christ has accomplished. Jesus Christ abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
Q2: Are the four Gospels, especially the Gospel of Luke, written chronologically?
A: Yes. The Gospel of Luke, for example, discusses the birth of Jesus the Christ (Lk 1:31-33) in Chapter 1 and it discusses Christ’s ascension, after the cross and His earthly ministry, within its final chapter (Lk 24:50-53).
Q3: Is there more than one Gospel within the Bible?
A: Christendom teaches an answer of “No”. Reformed Theology, Covenant Theology, and most Acts 2 Dispensationalists teach that the answer to that question is “No”. This, however, is tradition at best and false doctrine, used by our chief enemy, at its worst.
Analysis:
The ministry of Christ to Israel began with John the Baptist (Jn 1:6-7), and since John was a great prophet (Lk 7:28), what did he first instruct those of Israel to do? John made prophetic witness of the coming Messiah first and foremost, that the one to come after him was THE Christ (Jn 1:15), and to make straight the way of the Lord (Jn 1:23, Isa 40:3). In other words, “wake up Israel, that which was promised since the world began has arrived!” “Repent (of your sins) for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (Mt 3:2).” Those who believed what John said were straight away baptized with water, confessing their sins (Mt 3:6). In the next chapter of the Gospel of Matthew we read:
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mt 4:17
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Mt 4:23
In Matthew chapter 4, Jesus is preaching the Gospel. In Luke 9 we read:
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
Lk 9:1-6
In Luke 9 we see that the twelve were sent to preach the gospel, just as Jesus had been doing in Matthew 4. Let’s keep in mind that within 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 the apostle Paul tells us that THE Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let’s look at Paul’s words again and emphasize his language along the way:
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you THE gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Cor 15:1-4
In Luke 9 the twelve disciples were sent to preach the Gospel. What was the content of their message? Was it “death, burial, and resurrection” as we see above? Moving chronologically within the Gospel of Luke, nine chapters later we read the following:
Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Lk 18:31-34
If “the gospel” in Luke 9:6 is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, why is it that nine chapters later, we read that the disciples understood nothing about Christ’s death and resurrection AFTER they went out preaching the Gospel? Why also were the twelve afraid to ask Jesus about this new teaching in Mark 9:32?
The diligent student of the Bible (Acts 17:11) is willing and able to compare and contrast Luke 9:1-6 (the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom) against Luke 18:31-34 (at the end of Jesus’ ministry as He is teaching the twelve that He must go to the cross) and in light of Paul’s Gospel (1 Cor 15:1-4), is able to make a rational deduction. The twelve in Luke 18 know nothing about the cross, yet nine chapters earlier they were preaching a Gospel message. This tells you that there are at least two Gospels within Scripture – there is one in Luke 9:1-6 that is ignorant of the cross and there is one in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 that is all about the cross. Two Gospels!
The Gospel that saves today is all about Christ’s finished work, His death, burial, and resurrection. Within this discussion, let’s keep in mind that Peter attempted to stop our Lord from going to the cross:
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Mt 16:21-22
If the apostle Paul tells us that we are to “glory in the cross” (Gal 6:14) and it is Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that provides eternal salvation, why in the world would Peter ever try to stop Jesus from going to the cross? Many wrongly assume that the twelve apostles had been preaching the same Gospel that is to be preached today. If that was the case, why is it that they did not understand the death, burial, and resurrection when Christ told them about it before His crucifixion, and why did they not believe the report of His resurrection after it happened (Lk 24:10-12)?
The Gospel Paul preached includes Christ dying for our sins, His burial, and resurrection. Christ sent His disciples to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and not the Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24). The twelve disciples did not understand the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ while they were preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Gospel of the Kingdom and Paul’s Gospel are two different messages.
The Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of the Grace of God are different and neither Peter nor Christ nor John the Baptist ever preached the Gospel of the Grace of God, only Paul preached it, and that happened after the glorified Lord Jesus returned from heaven to reveal it to his chosen vessel in Acts 9 (Acts 9:15).
Proof #2 –
This second piece of evidence requires that we ask a couple more questions of the text. In Mark chapter 1 we read the following:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mk 1:1-2
Mark states that the “beginning of the gospel” was found in the prophets. This is defined for us in verses 2 and 3 where Mark quotes from Malachi (Mal 3:1) and Isaiah (Isa 40:3). These are two Old Testament prophets to the nation Israel.
** As a side note, if your translation of the Bible reads “As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,” then please recognize the error within your translation. You are using a corrupt “modern day” translation of the Bible and one of many errors is being pointed out to you here… **
Interestingly enough, the apostle Paul tells us in his epistle to the Philippians:
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Phil 4:15
Paul states that the “beginning of the gospel” was when he departed from Macedonia. This is in the New Testament and it is years after Christ’s ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. So which is it? “the beginning of the gospel” – was that in the Old Testament or in the New Testament? Why does this conflict appear within Scripture?
A: There is more than one Gospel within Scripture and each of them had a beginning. Do you recognize when it is that the Gospel of the Grace of God, Paul’s Gospel, began?
Proof #3 –
Our third piece of evidence comes by way of the book of Revelation. Chapter 14 contains an interesting piece of information:
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:6-7
This Gospel, the Everlasting Gospel, is so simple. It is defined for us in verse 7 as follows: “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” This obviously is not death, burial, and resurrection… What we see here in Revelation 14 is that at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period, Daniel’s 70th Week, it looks as though God is so gracious that He boils the saving message (Gospel) down to something so fundamental at that time, something so supremely simple for people to believe, in order to save as many as He can: “fear God, recognize Him as the Creator of all things, and give Him glory!”
Keep in mind that it is an angel preaching this Gospel and that nowhere within the context do we see the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. The careful student of the Bible will recall a certain passage from the apostle Paul within this moment:
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:6-9
Is the angel in Revelation 14 accursed? This angel is preaching “another gospel,” and not the content of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. What needs to be understood is that this angel is preaching a different Gospel, the Everlasting Gospel, within a different dispensation to the Gospel of the Grace of God. He is preaching during Daniel’s 70th Week and not within our current dispensation (the “But Now” period of time).
What is humorous about this particular piece of evidence is that God, the Holy Spirit, literally put the words “or an angel from heaven” within Paul’s harsh passage so that you wouldn’t miss the comparison that you are supposed to make with Revelation 14:6-7 and the Everlasting Gospel.
Proof #4 –
Compare these two verses:
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Mt 24:14
..and:
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Col 1:23
A simple question is warranted at this point: If there is “only one Gospel within Scripture,” why hasn’t the end come yet?
What needs to be understood is that Paul is the one who went out into the world of heathens (you and me) preaching NOT the Kingdom at hand as the twelve were commanded to do, but the Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24), Christ’s finished work. Since the end did not come when every creature had heard, clearly the Gospel that Paul preached was not the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Paul’s Gospel went to the known world during the first century (Col 1:6, 23), which proves that the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of the Grace of God are not the same message since the end has not come.
Proof #5 –
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Gal 2:7-9
The honest student of the Bible will recognize that there are two Gospels mentioned within this passage: the Gospel of UnCircumcision and the Gospel of the Circumcision. But alas, those who fear where this truth of Scripture will take them and those who are deceived by our chief enemy will shout that “there is one Gospel in view here, but that it is to go to two separate groups.”
The text of Galatians 2:7-9 reveals two Gospels: the Gospel of the UnCircumcision (Gentiles) given to Paul and the Gospel of the Circumcision (Jews) committed to Peter. Both Gospel messages were delivered to each man by Jesus Christ. To Peter, during Christ’s earthly ministry to Israel (see Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and to Paul during Christ’s current Heavenly exile (due to His friends (Israel’s) rejection, as He is currently seated at His Father’s right hand in Heaven until His enemies are made His footstool – Heb 10:12-13) on the road to Damascus in Acts 9 and expounded upon in Galatians 1:11-12.
There are two genitive phrases within Galatians 2:7. The two Gospel messages identified in that verse should be translated “the uncircumcision gospel” and “the circumcision gospel”. The apostle Paul preached a Gospel that was not connected to circumcision and the Mosaic law (Acts 13:38-39; Gal 5:2-4). The difference between these two Gospel messages lies in the respective ways in which God requires the individual’s faith to be expressed. Paul’s Gospel declared that a true belief in the Lord Jesus Christ was necessary (Acts 13:38-39; 16:31). The Circumcision Gospel declared a true belief in Him, circumcision, baptism, law keeping, and that endurance was necessary (Mt 10:22; Acts 2:38; 21:20-21; James 2:8-24; Jn 15:6).
The circumcision covenant of Genesis 17 was about blessings to Abraham and his descendants and the conditions his circumcised descendants would have to keep in order to be included in the blessings from God. The Circumcision Gospel would be “good news” about the circumcision people and would be contrasted with the good news of those who were not circumcised.
The twelve did not understand Paul’s Gospel. That is why Paul wrote in Galatians 2:2 that he communicated (ἀνατίθημι) it to them. The Greek word ἀνατίθημι means to explain or disclose something. So, obviously, they could not proclaim something they did not know or understand. Paul wrote that his Gospel was a secret (Eph 6:19; Rom 16:25), a mystery. No one knew of Paul’s Gospel until the risen Christ revealed it to him (Gal 1:11-12).
Denominational churches (not understanding nor acknowledging the mystery kept secret since the world began – Rom 16:25) teach that Peter and Paul preached the same Gospel “to” two different groups of people. Check these verses (Gal 2:7-9) in any other “bible” than the KJB. “Modern day” translations reduce the specific intent Paul (via the Holy Spirit) had for writing these verses, and combine them into one single “Kingdom” Gospel message preached unto two groups of people; as if both groups are to follow the same instructions from God. The King James Bible maintains Paul’s literal meaning, and that is: 1) a specific Gospel (good news) message was given to him that he could give to the uncircumcision (the heathen), and 2) a specific Gospel (good news) message was given to Peter and the twelve that they could give to the circumcision (the Jews).
Paul stands alone as the sole apostle to the heathen for Christ’s heavenly ministry, post ascension (Rom 11:13). The fact of the matter is that none of the twelve apostles understood the cross and certainly none of them preached it or gloried in it as the apostle Paul did. There are two Gospel’s identified within the passage of Galatians 2:7-9 and those who call themselves “Christian” continue to walk in deception when they do not recognize that fact.
Conclusion:
There is ONE Gospel message that saves today (1 Cor 15:1-4), but the Bible clearly indicates that there have been different salvation messages (“good news” / Gospel) over the course of human history. Though this is not an all-inclusive list, the student of the Bible should commit themselves to studying (comparing and contrasting) the various Gospel messages found within Scripture:
- Gospel of the UnCircumcision – Gal 2:7
- Gospel of the Circumcision – Gal 2:7
- Gospel of the Kingdom – Mt 4:17, 23
- Gospel of God – Rom 1:1-4
- Gospel of the Grace of God – 1 Cor 15:1-4; Eph 2:8-9; 1 Thes 4:14
- Everlasting Gospel – Rev 14:6-7
One of the most important things about right division (MAPD) is that it enables us to understand and clearly present the only Gospel by which sinners are saved in this present age. One of the biggest problems that people have with right division concerns the issue of salvation in different ages because the common and traditional view is that salvation is the same for all people in all ages. Most professing Christians believe there is only one Gospel in the Bible, not because they personally studied the matter, but because that is what they have always heard on Sunday morning.
The common cliché is that “People in the Old Testament were saved by looking toward the cross and people in the New Testament are saved by looking back to the cross.” How can that be true when the twelve apostles weren’t even looking toward the cross? The fact that they had been preaching the Gospel (Lk 9:1-6) for three years BEFORE Christ began to speak to them about His death, burial, and resurrection, and that they did not understand or believe that message (Lk 18:31-34), proves that there are different Gospels within the Bible. It is time for us to forsake tradition. It is time for us to forsake false teachings and deception. It is time for us to let the words on the page speak for themselves and to prayerfully seek out the truth of God’s word no matter where it leads us.
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
1 Cor 9:17
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Eph 6:19
