Gospel:  Is ours in the gospels? II

Most people believe there’s just ONE “gospel” in the Bible.  But does that coincide with what is taught there? Most people believe it does. But in thinking about this, let’s look at the very important comment the apostle Paul makes about this—

Galatians 2:7

⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; [Emphasis added]

What you’ve just read is from the King James Version of the Bible.  If you’ve spent much time on my website, you may recall that I’ve written about this and the different aspects of this before.  In fact, here are the names and links to some of those articles—

Bible:  What are The Two Programs?

Gospel:  Where did Paul get the one he preached?

Gospel:  Which gospel did the 12 apostles preach after the ascension?

Gospel:  Which one is ours today?

Gospels:  Did Peter & Paul preach the same gospel?

The reason I’m writing about this again is because of the extreme importance of people having a clear and correct understanding about this.  That’s why I’m now writing another article about this.  I just don’t believe I can over emphasize the importance of understanding this because of all the confusion and misunderstanding about this subject.  Over the years of studying the Bible, I’ve come to realize that when people don’t understand this one thing, they’re prone to misunderstand so many other things, even the means to their own salvation.  So, what IS the sole means to anyone’s salvation today? If someone were to ask you how they can be saved to someday end up in Heaven, exactly what would you tell them? Many people would refer them to John 3:16 or some similar text. But is there anything in that verse or even in that passage about Christ dying for our sins and being raised for our justification.  Therefore, that passage does not contain what someone needs to learn and believe if they’re to be saved to someday end up in Heaven.  For more information about that, please go to one or more of my articles about it.  Here’s a good one to start with—

Gospel:  Is OUR gospel in “the four gospels?”

If you’ve spent much time on this website, you probably already know what I’d refer them to in their Bible for a clear explanation of how to get saved.  The apostle Paul clearly explains it—

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

¹ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel [EUANGELION = good news] which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

He writes that last phrase because some false teachers had come in since he was there with these people and taught that there is no resurrection.  He’s saying that if they’re correct about that, there can be no salvation, they’ve “believed in vain.”

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

For information about how it was in “the scriptures,” please see my article about this—

Gospel:  How did the prophets know our gospel?

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]

A passage with further explanation about what God accomplished through Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection is explained here—

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

Many other Bibles don’t translate Galatians 2:7 the way the King James Version does.  As an example of that, let’s look at how the New International Version translates it.

Galatians 2:7

⁷ On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel TO the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been TO the circumcised. [Emphasis added]

Now let’s look again at how the King James Version translates it—

Again, Galatians 2:7

⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel OF the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel OF the circumcision was unto Peter; [Emphasis added]

Do you see the difference? Those little prepositions, OF and TO make a huge difference in what is being said.  The reality is that the NIV translation of it is not correct.  If the word in the Greek text from which this was translated was in what is called the dative case, it would be.  But instead, it is in what is called the genitive case.  That means it should be translated OF as it is in the King James Version.  You may think I’m knit picking and that this doesn’t make any difference, but it certainly does! It makes a huge difference.  Peter and Paul preached different gospel messages.  They didn’t both preach the same gospel.  This verse isn’t just talking about different audiences for their gospel message, but different messages, different gospels.  Let’s look at what they said.  Here’s what Peter was preaching about.  We’ll even look at the context in which he says this—

Acts 2:36-47

³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

What you’re reading is all to do with salvation as it was presented to “the house of Isarael.” It is the gospel message they were commissioned to proclaim.  Not until the time of Acts 15 would they learn of the gospel God had given to the apostle Paul, the thrust of which was to the Gentiles, not Israel.

³⁷ Now when they heard this [the gospel Peter preached, the gospel of the circumcision], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then notice what they were then told as to the means to their salvation.

³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The repentance was to be a change of their minds about the identity of this Jesus of Nazareth that they had crucified.  They’re being told that even though they had rejected Him, He WAS who He claimed to be—the prophesied and promised Messiah for Israel.  They were to believe in His name, that is, His identity as their promised Messiah.  I even have an article about this on this website—

Jesus Christ:  What does it mean to believe on His NAME?

Acts 2 continued—

³⁹ For the promise is unto you [Israel], and to your children, and to all that are afar off [a reference to Jews who lived in other countries], even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then notice what he tells them.  Is this OUR gospel message for us today? Is this what a person must believe and DO to be saved today?

⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

In accordance with Peter’s gospel, baptism was by no means optional; it was required as what people had to do as an expression of their faith.  But is this what Paul tells us about his gospel? The record tells us he did some baptizing in the early part of his ministry.  But notice what he says about this later—

1 Corinthians 1:17

¹⁷ For Christ sent [or commissioned] 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. [Emphasis added]

He even tells us there’s now only one baptism that is authorized for our time—

Ephesians 4:5

⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

This one baptism being a dry baptism known as the baptism of the Holy Spirit—

1 Corinthians 12:13

¹³ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. [Emphasis added]

Acts 2 continued—

⁴² And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

“The apostles’ doctrine” is the message Christ had given them in the time of His earthly ministry.  At this point our apostle, the apostle Paul hadn’t even been saved yet, let alone commissioned with OUR gospel message and all the other doctrine that’s directed to us today.

⁴³ And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Are ANY “wonders and signs” being performed today? They are not!

⁴⁴ And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Are we to have “all things common” today? Is that God’s policy for all His people today? For more information about this, please watch my video about it—

#42 ~ Are God’s people to sell all their possessions as Jesus told “The Rich Young Ruler?”

Here we have the record of what all believers then did.

Acts 2 continued—

⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

⁴⁶ And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

⁴⁷ Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. [Emphasis added]

Does all this represent what God is doing today? It does not! We’re under a different program that God introduced through new revelation that was given to the apostle Paul who is said to be OUR apostle, the apostle to the Gentiles.  He even speaks of the gospel message he presented as HIS because it was not the same as Peter’s and the eleven.  One of the reasons Paul says it the way he does is to distinguish it from Peter’s gospel.  But please also notice what Paul says about his gospel.

Romans 2:16

¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. [Emphasis added]

Paul even mentions this a second time in this same letter—

Romans 16:25

²⁵ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, [Emphasis added]

When we present the gospel to someone today, do we speak of it as OUR gospel? There’s a very important reason for why Paul speaks of it as HIS gospel.

2 Timothy 2:8

⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: [Emphasis added]

Paul’s gospel is also called “the gospel of the grace of God.”

Acts 20:24

²⁴ But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. [Emphasis added]

Here it is called this because instead of providing or dispensing judgment on mankind for rejecting His Messiah, God dispensed grace.  What a blessed people we are for Him having done that!