THE ETERNAL GOSPEL
"Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had THE ETERNAL GOSPEL to proclaim to those who live on the earth - to every nation, tribe, language and people." (Revelation 14:6)
What Is the Eternal Gospel?
The mission of the apostles was to proclaim to the world the message of WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED by the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Our mission therefore is to proclaim this message to every tribe, people and nation.
It is not just the biographical details of Jesus' life.
It is not arguing which denomination is best.
It is not attending a service in a building.
The eternal gospel is the full explanation of what God, Our heavenly Father accomplished for the world through the work of Jesus.
God commissions every believer to proclaim these great realities. Historic Christianity has proclaimed some of it - but the whole message deserves to be heard by every tribe, tongue people and nation.
This eternal gospel has EIGHT major components, which we outline below.
1. Jesus The Sin Bearer & Righteousness Giver
The apostolic gospel is a proclamation announcing that, on the Cross, God, Our Father, successfully transferred on to Jesus all the blame, shame, guilt, of each of us. (2 Cor. 5:17-21) God's criminal Justice system has been completely satisfied by the historical fact of Jesus' death for all the sin of mankind. Everyone inherits this sin, ever since Adam chose to obey Satan rather than God.
The guilt issue is settled. EVERYONE can return to the goodness of God and be restored to His favour in spite of our past sin once they acknowledge the need of a Saviour.
It is not on the basis of OUR performance but on the basis His work for us. It is a revolution of mercy. It is an undeserved invitation to His love to be received by faith. We can come home to Him - streaming to His goodness - in spite of our past,
However, the benefits of His work on the Cross and His Resurrection are of no value unless we hear and believe. (Rom. 10:14; Heb. 4:2). They must be proclaimed, so that all can believe and repent of the sins of the Adam life and receive the new life.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL - THERE'S MORE!
2. Jesus The Life Giver (Jn. 20:22, I Cor. 15:45)
The apostolic gospel heralds to every man and woman an invitation to receive a new life that was not in humans before the Resurrection of Jesus. It announces a COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION, available for all.
The first nature, which we receive from our genetic line, is flawed and incapable of living the beautiful God kind of life. The apostolic gospel announces that we can receive the Spirit of Jesus to be our new life principle. (John's gospel call this being 'born again.") This gives us a new nature, empowering us to live in the upright ways of God and walk in love. This is accomplished NOT by self-improvement but by receiving of the life of Christ to be our new life. Jesus is not only the Sin-bearer - He is the Life-giver.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL - THERE'S MORE!
3. Christ In Us (Col 1:27)
The apostolic gospel proclaims that God can extract the cancer of sin from within us. He wants to REPLACE 'The Heart Of Stone’ with His own life. (Ezek. 36:26-27) The world longs for brotherhood and love and yet is devastated by man’s humanity to man because of the corruption that lies within our hearts. The answer is not in politics, psychiatry or sociology - the answer is in the revelation of the gospel.
God is offering us an inside make over. He wants to extract the hard, selfish part of our nature and replace it with His own life. The 13 'issues' of the 'heart of stone' (evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit sensuality, envy, slander, pride & foolishness) are replaced with the nine fold fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control). (Mk 7:21-23 & Gal 5:22)
The apostolic gospel does not require that we improve our old life, but shows how we can REPLACE it by choosing to receive the New Life by an act of the will. When Jesus died our old (unimprovable) Adamic self died with Him. (Rom. 6:6 & 6:11) There is no more self-improvement but self-replacement- if we acknowledge our need of it. He Himself comes within in us to be our life. He provides the ability to meet every situation with love and righteousness. By this mankind can be completely transformed. "I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live no longer I but Christ who lives in me." (Gal 2.20) This takes place at the beginning of or new birth. Many have failed do understand this.
By faith we refuse to draw from self anymore instead we draw from the life of the Spirit of Jesus who has come to live in us.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL -THERE'S MORE!
4. From The Curse To The Blessing
The apostolic Gospel proclaims that God has also successfully dealt with the curse that came upon us through our own sins, the sins of our ancestors and the oppressive work of the devil. He has placed this curse on Jesus so that it can be lifted from us. All nations are invited to come streaming to the goodness of God, Our heavenly Father and to the blessing of His love, care and provision. (Jeremiah 31:7)
The purpose of God for Israel is unique but the blessing of Abraham was not only promised to the tribes of Israel but also to every nation. This blessing is now, through Messiah Jesus, available to people of every tribe, tongue and nation. Through Jesus' work we can all come to the mercy, care and blessing of our loving Heavenly Father.
By faith in this great reality we receive God's provision for every area of our lives spiritual, emotional, physical and material along with the empowerment to bless others. This is the life of the 'lilies of the field’ and "the birds of the air" as described in Mathew’s gospel. Jesus is our Redeemer, Blesser, Healer, Shepherd and Provider. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL -THERE'S MORE!
5. Our Inheritance (Probate Law)
The apostolic gospel proclaims to all who were dis-inherited and alienated from God's covenants and blessings by the sin of Adam that they that they are NOW heirs to multiple blessings through the Will & Testament of Jesus. Jesus (the appointed heir of all things) invites every human being to be his heir. "Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir of God through Christ." (Gal 4:7) The proclaimers, God's probate lawyers - evangelists, tell the world the good news of this inheritance of which many are ignorant. It then becomes possible for those who hear to return and receive its benefits.
This is ours only on the basis of Jesus' work. We did not earn it - He left it to us in His will. However, the inheritance is of no value unless we know about it and turn to receive it.
We are destined for sonship. The fatherhood, care and provision of His loving Heavenly Father belong to us also. (Rom. 4:17, Gal. 4:7, Heb. 9:16, Eph. 2:19) The apostolic gospel is an invitation to receive adoption into God's family and live as beloved children in the Father's love. Then we are no longer strangers or orphans but become His beloved children. (Jn 14:18. Rom 5:5)
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL -THERE'S MORE!
6. God's Conveyance Law.
The apostolic gospel invites all men to become part of Jesus' victory procession. He led captivity captive. (Eph. 4:8; 2 Cor. 2:14)
Jesus lifts us above the dominion of the spirits that oppress the people of earth and brings us into the realm of His light and blessing. We are no longer oppressed we are blessed. (Col 1:13, Ephesians 1:21)
The Apostolic gospel tells us that through Jesus' Ascension we are lifted above the dominion of the principalities and power and receive dominion and authority over all the works of the enemy.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL -THERE'S MORE!
7. Commissioned With Authority & Power
The apostolic gospel declares that everything the first disciples received can be received by us and passed on to all future disciples.
We are commissioned to release the world from its estrangement from God, from the curse that has come through the Adam line; from the penalty and from the power of sin, and to bring them back to the love, fellowship and presence of God and His ways.
We are commissioned with AUTHORITY over oppressive spirits by the use of HIS NAME. (Matt. 28)
We are commissioned with POWER to do all these things through the gift of the Spirit (Acts 1:8)
Many try to reach the world with a weak and partial gospel. Because we have failed to proclaim m the fullness of this eternal apostolic gospel we often advocate other practices beliefs and teachings not in the word of God.
However we believe these days are coming to an end. This eternal gospel in all its FULLNESS will be proclaimed through ordinary people - the Body of Christ - to every nation as never before in world history. This proclamation of the fullness of the apostolic will usher in the King and His Kingdom.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL -THERE'S MORE!
8. The King & His Kingdom
Jesus' rule is REAL and available TODAY to all who come to Him. We do not wait in hope for the political order of the world to improve - we find refuge in Him TODAY. The present kingdoms of this world are shaky and corruptible. His kingdom is unshakeable and incorruptible. He is returning soon, not to fix the systems of this present world, but to REPLACE them, and bring the world under His benign, wise and redemptive rule. He will occupy the throne of David, in Jerusalem and extend its blessings over the whole earth.
Let us prepare the way of the Lord by the proclamation of the FULL apostolic gospel