Lesson 13 / The Everlasting Gospel / 12/20– 12/26/27
Memory Text: The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you (Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV).
In our study of James, we have looked at a number of issues connected with the gospel and made some comparisons with other biblical authors. It is not always easy to understand clearly how what James says fits with other parts of Scripture, especially when it comes to something as central as the gospel itself, but as we saw, it does. And this is very important, too, because the gospel is the foundation of our last-day commission to preach the everlasting gospel . . . to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people (Rev.14:6).
In this, our final week, we will focus on basic questions regarding the everlasting gospel, which is salvation by faith, a belief taught all through the Bible, including James.
The crucial point to remember is that the Bible does not contradict itself, especially on something as basic as salvation. By finishing the quarter with a look at how the gospel appears in the Bible, we can better see how James fits this larger picture of God's plan of redemption.
Sunday December 21 The Gospel in the Old Testament
For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith (Heb. 4:2, NIV).
This verse is startling in its implications. Foremost is that the gospel, not simply good news but the good news, was preached in the Old Testament. Second, it was preached then just as in New Testament times. There is no hint that there was any difference in the message itself. The problem, therefore, was not with the message but with the way it was heard. Today, too, different people can hear the same gospel message very differently. How crucial, then, that we surrender ourselves in utter faith to the teaching of the Word so that when the gospel is preached, we hear it correctly.
Look at the following verses and summarize the gospel message in each:
Gen. 3:15 15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. A POSSIBLE ANSWER: In this pronouncement is compressed the record of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, a battle that began in heaven (Rev. 12:7–9), was continued on earth. The good news revealed here is that Christ will defeat (Heb. 2:14), and will terminate Satan at the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:10). Thought Christ will not emerge from this battle unscathed for the nail marks in His hands and feet and the scar in His side will be eternal reminders of the fierce strife in which the serpent bruised the woman’s seed (John 20:25; Zech. 13:6; EW 53). Divine justice required that sin should meet its penalty, but divine mercy had already found a way to redeem the fallen human race—by the voluntary sacrifice of the Son of God (1 Peter 1:20; Eph. 3:11; 2 Tim. 1:9; Rev. 13:8).[1]
Exod. 19:4-6 4Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.5Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. A POSSIBLE ANSWER: Here that Gospel is prefigured in God extending to the Israelites, a fallen and enslaved nation, the opportunity to be His chosen people.
Ps. 130:3-4 ; If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. A POSSIBLE ANSWER: The Gospel or good news is seen in our being able to rely wholly upon God’s pardoning mercy and forgiving love and plead the righteousness of Christ in order to stand in the great day of scrutiny.
Ps. 32:1-5 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.2Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.3When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.4For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.5I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. A POSSIBLE ANSWER: The good news is that God demonstrates His love and mercy towards repentant sinners when He forgives us when we ‘sin’ through weakness, ‘transgressions’ through ignorance and even that of ‘iniquity’, being deliberate sin.
Isa. 53:4-11 4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.10Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. A POSSIBLE ANSWER: The gospel is seen in the account of the humiliation and exaltation of Messiah, the Lord’s Servant (see on ch. 52:7, 13–15)! The story of the Saviour’s selfless love and His vicarious sacrifice—the theme of chs. 52:13 to 53:12—is the most amazing message, the greatest “good tidings” (see on ch. 52:7), of time and eternity.
Jer. 31:31-34 31Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. A POSSIBLE ANSWER: The good news is seen in God making a new agreement with His people where He writes the principles of the law in their hearts and forgives them.
Did you notice a common refrain? God intervenes to save us; He forgives our sins and puts enmity in us toward sin so that we can be willing and obedient (Isa. 1:19). One (Jesus) died for the many, bore their (our) iniquities, and justifies the undeserving. The new covenant is different from the old covenant because the law is written in the heart, and sins are remember[ed] no more (Heb. 8:12). In short, forgiveness and the new birth are a package: justification and sanctification represent God's solution to the sin problem. These passages could be multiplied, for the message is the same throughout the Bible: DESPITE OUR SIN, GOD LOVES US AND HAS DONE ALL THAT IS POSSIBLE TO SAVE US FROM IT.
How can we, as people who believe in the importance of keeping the law, protect ourselves from the error of believing that law-keeping is what justifies us? A POSSIBLE ANSWER: We can protect ourselves by remembering and accepting the fact that... A) We are saved by grace and that not of ourselves, it is a gift of God... B) It is His imputed and imparted righteousness and not by our works that we are made right.
Why is that not always so easy to do? A POSSIBLE ANSWER: Because we are so blessed with capabilities and powers that we tend to rely on ourselves. Plus, it is not easy because we tend to look to outward performance for indications of growth and our connection with God. We tend to demonstrate our love by ‘doing’ things instead of ‘being’ like Him first and foremost in heart.
Monday December 22 The Gospel Made Flesh
Some have a very hard time finding the gospel in the Gospels! The teachings of Jesus can seem legalistic but only if we fail to hear the rest of the story. Most people in Israel at the time of Jesus considered themselves to be in a good position before God. They supported the temple by paying the required tax and offering the appropriate sacrifices. They abstained from unclean food, circumcised their sons, kept the festival days and the Sabbaths, and generally tried to keep the law as taught by their religious leaders. Then John came and cried Repent, and be baptized. Furthermore, Jesus said a new birth was needed (John 3:3, 5) and that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20). In other words, Jesus was saying, You need what you do not have. Your works are not good enough.
Read Luke 15:11-32, 18:9-17. How do these parables illustrate the gospel? Luke 15:11-32 11And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Luke 18:9-17 9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.15And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.16But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.17Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. How do these parables illustrate the gospel? A POSSIBLE ANSWER: the Gospel is seen both in the welcoming and accepting back into the family those who have made intentional choices to depart, pronouncement of being righteous or justified for those who do not trust in their own righteousness and the acknowledgement that God accepts anyone who comes to Him in childlike innocence, trust and simplicity.