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"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1).
The word gospel means "good news". God's good news to mankind is found in the Bible which is God's power to save:
"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." (Romans 1:16).
We cannot limit the use of the word gospel to the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, nor the entire New Testament for that matter. The Bible tells us that all scripture is profitable for teaching; therefore the entire Bible including the Old Testament is good news from God!
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:20,21).
The Old Testament tells us details of how God created the universe, our need for a Saviour, gives prophecies about Jesus and contains historical and moral teachings as well. The Old Testament looked forward to Christ. When Jesus came to earth He would abolish ceremonial laws and give His people a New covenant and thus the New Testament as we have it. It was about 400 years since Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament was written until Jesus was made flesh. The nation Israel had gone apostate again and God did not send them any prophets until the birth of our Anointed Saviour Christ at the time so appointed before the foundation of the world. John the Baptist would first prepare a way for Jesus as was prophecied in Malachi:
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD" (Malachi 4:5).
Jesus is the Saviour mankind is in need of and died on the cross to pay for the sins of a people to whom He would have for Himself:
"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The physical death of Jesus was not the end, only the beginning. Jesus would rise from the dead giving further proof He is our Saviour and that His gospel is true. But again, the gospel does not end here. Jesus is coming again in the clouds to gather His childen and punish evil. The second coming of Christ, His glorious resurrection and His life are all beautiful jewels found in the gospel. Jesus commanded His believers go forth into all the world with the gospel in many places. As believers we cannot of course save anyone, only God can do that. Believers must witness the gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to work through the Word in redemption and sanctification.
Finally, God tells us that the gospel is everlasting -
"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." (Revelation 14:6,7).
The child of God knows for certain that the gospel is God's power to save no matter what the unsaved world may claim -
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Corinthians 1:18-21).
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