The Gospel 6

The Gospel 6

By Apostle Felix

17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3: 17, 18

The gospel is the voice of Christ, whose purpose is to justify, not condemn. It is the voice that accepts and never rejects. It’s sets free, empowers and blesses. The voice of Christ is supreme to any other voice, including Moses’ and Elijah’s. There is no other voice that is above the voice of Christ. All other voices are subject to the Lord’s voice. The voice one listens to determines one’s ideology and hence behavior. You should not underestimate the influence of the voice you listen to upon your life. Last year in Kenya, a group of people were convinced by their cult leader to starve themselves to death. The victims had chosen to listen to a psychopath hence faced their fate. Jim Jones, a cult leader had brainwashed his followers and convinced them to commit suicide. The victims were men, women and children who had dreams and aspirations to be somebodies in life. But a voice of a man interrupted all their dreams and aspirations. Oftentimes, believers tend not to pay attention to whether the doctrine that they have been listening to is correct or not. The Bereans were a different breed of believers. The examined every teaching they received with scripture.

11  The people of Berea were more open-minded than the people of Thessalonica. They were very willing to receive God’s message, and every day they carefully examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was true.
Acts 17: 11

These Bereans were regarded to be more open-minded than the Thessalonians. Most likely, the Thessalonians did not bother to verify the authenticity of the doctrine they received. They were like the believers of our time, who receive what ever doctrine is given to them. Every believer has the right to interrogate the doctrine taught with the word of Christ. Every voice is answerable to the voice of God. Today, horrible prophecies are given to the people and they receive the prophecies as the word of God. Why? Believers do not know the voice of Christ. They do not know the gospel of Christ.

What believers do not understand is that not everything Moses did was led by God. Moses hit the rock twice when God had commanded him to speak to the rock. He had hit the rock earlier in their journey and that spoke of Jesus’ sufferings and death.

10  And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 
11  And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 
12  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 

Numbers 20: 10 – 12

Just because there were manifestations of power does not mean God has endorsed the doctrine delivered. Moses struck the rock twice when God had asked him to speak to the rock, but yet the water gushed out. God did not endorse the doctrine but He allowed water to come out for the sake of the thirsty nation. The act of Moses dishonored God and it was a demonstration of unbelief before God. God was preaching the gospel of Christ, which says Jesus cannot be crucified twice for He died once and for all.

9  Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

Romans 6: 9, 10

26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Hebrews 9: 26

Miracles can happen even when the doctrine is wrong. This is the reason why Jesus had attached so much importance to the preaching and teaching of the word of God. And His teachings were misunderstood because He subjected Moses and all the prophets to His voice.

38  “Your ancestors have also been taught, ‘Take an eye in exchange for an eye and a tooth in exchange for a tooth.’
39  However, I say to you, don’t repay an evil act with another evil act. But whoever insults you by slapping you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 

Matthew 5: 38, 39

Through the law, Moses had given Israel right to revenge, an eye for an eye. However, Jesus came and introduced another law superior to the law of Moses which is forgiveness and love. Jesus’ voice is the voice of forgiveness and not revenge. If it was so, God was going to wipe out man for his participation in the death of Christ. But He chose to forgive. The gospel of killing enemies is of devils. Only the devil can support such. Whether witches or not, you and I do not have any right to hurl curses on them to die. Jesus was denied passage through Samaria and the disciples were infuriated by the Samaritan’s behavior, then the disciples asked Jesus to call fire upon them as Elijah did. But Jesus rebuked them because He did not come to kill, but to give life.

54  When the disciples Jacob and John realized what was happening, they came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if you wanted to, you could command fire to fall down from heaven just like Elijah did and destroy all these wicked people.”
55  Jesus rebuked them sharply, saying, “Don’t you realize what comes from your hearts when you say that? For the Son of Man did not come to destroy life, but to bring life to the earth.” 

Luke 9: 54, 55

Jesus disagreed with Elijah. Why? Because is the ultimate voice of the gospel. Before one misunderstands me. Jesus did not disagree with everything Moses and Elijah did and said. The point is that Jesus’ voice should be regarded more than any other voice. He quoted Moses and Elijah. By the way, Moses represents the law, while Elijah represents the prophets.