Which Is the True Gospel?

Jesus and the apostles preached the “gospel”! But what is it? Do you know? Was it the same gospel that Paul preached to the gentiles? What does “gospel” mean anyway? Here are the answers from your Bible!

Jesus commanded, “Repent you, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). But exactly what is it that we—YOU—are supposed to believe? Just what is the true gospel? Do you know? Are you certain? Be careful of assumptions. For instance, did Christ teach the same gospel that Paul preached to the gentiles? And what does the word “gospel” mean anyway?

The vast majority of professing Christians do not know the vital—all-important—answers to these most basic questions, and many others related to the true gospel of the Bible! This is because the knowledge of what the gospel really is has been hidden from the world for centuries!

Christ, at His First Coming, came as a first-century newscaster, bringing advance good news of staggering events to occur just beyond the horizon, and all the bad news occurring throughout today’s world. This climactic news involves you—and eventually every human being on earth!

Six new books on religion are published every day in America! And there are over two thousand separate religions in America! Yet there has never been more confusion and disagreement about the answers to humanity’s problems. Troubles, woes, evils and human difficulties of every kind are multiplying. World peace is more elusive than ever. Why?

Why is there so much knowledge available to mankind, yet so much ignorance of the truth of the answers to life’s BIG questions?

All this has everything to do with the gospel!

Revelation 12:9 reveals, “Satan…deceives the whole world.” What a staggering statement! Do you believe it? If this is true, then it would certainly apply to the truth of a matter so crucial as the meaning and correct understanding of the gospel!

Almost everyone believes that the gospel is about the Person of Jesus Christ. Certainly, Christ plays an extremely important and central role to Christianity, but He is not the gospel. The Bible shows that Jesus is preached in conjunction with the gospel. Again, His role is enormous. But He is not the gospel. Some proclaim a “gospel of salvation,” others a “gospel of grace.” Still others believe a “gospel of miracles” or a “social gospel.” Yet others think of the “gospel of foods” or of “healing” or of “faith.” And there are some who merely think of “gospel music” when they hear this word. These man-made ideas all ignore the truth of the Bible!

Notice Mark’s account again: “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” This is the gospel that Jesus preached. It was in this same context that He said, “Repent you, and believe the gospel.” Which gospel?…of the “kingdom of God.” Mark 1:1 refers to this message, when it states, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The gospel of Jesus Christ was about the KINGDOM OF GOD—not something else! One must believe that gospel—not a humanly-devised counterfeit or substitute.

Strong Warning Not to Pervert It

This subject is so important that God inspired the apostle Paul to warn the Galatians then and to us now: “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:6-9).

This is a very blunt statement—and a strong warning to all who will heed! A little later, Paul stressed his hope that the “truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal 2:5). So there is one true gospel—with all others false!

Although some assert that Paul taught a different or additional gospel, it is plain that he never did. Ironically, God used Paul to warn against ever allowing such false teaching by pronouncing a curse on any man, angel or even any apostle—“But though we [apostles]…preach any other gospel…let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8)—who violates this command.

What a powerful scripture—and WARNING!

Paul explained that the apostles were entrusted by God to preserve the true gospel. Notice I Thessalonians 2:4: “But as we [apostles] were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts.” This is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. True ministers must always teach what God commands—not what pleases men (including Bible “scholars”). So any claim that Paul taught a different or second gospel (usually thought to be about Christ or of “peace”) is impossible. Had he done this, he would literally have been pronouncing a curse on himself!

Jesus Was Prophesied to Bring the Gospel

In the Old Testament, Jesus was prophesied to come as a messenger. Notice Malachi 3:1: “Behold, I will send My messenger [John the Baptist], and he shall prepare the way before Me [Christ]: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in.” Christ was the “messenger” of the gospel, not the message itself. And His message is actually the very core—the centerpiece!—of the entire Bible.

Now compare the passage in Malachi with another: “The law and the prophets were until John [only Old Testament scriptures had been preached previously]: since that time the kingdom of god is preached, and every man presses into it” (Luke 16:16). Recall that in Mark, Christ preached the “kingdom of God,” and called it the gospel.

Meaning of “Gospel”

The word gospel is an old English word meaning “god spell” or good news. The word kingdom is also an old English term, simply meaning “government.” Therefore, it is accurate to say that Christ preached “the good news of the government of God.” We will learn the who, what, where, when, why, and how of this good news, and how it relates to the Bible’s greatest prophecy.

The kingdom of God is the dominant theme of not only the New Testament, but of the whole Bible. Yet, incredibly, most know little or nothing of it. This world’s ministers are oblivious to this gospel, and never preach about it. Therefore, virtually the whole world stands in complete ignorance of the single greatest truth in God’s Word!

How Many Times Mentioned?

The word gospel is found over 100 times in the Bible. Sometimes it is found alone, and sometimes “of the kingdom” follows it. Other times, it includes “of the kingdom of God,” or the equivalent phrase “of the kingdom of heaven.”

Note that it says, “of heaven,” not “in heaven.” It is heaven’s kingdom, and there is a big difference between the two. Just as kingdom of God means God’s kingdom—not the kingdom in God—the same is true of the kingdom of heaven or heaven’s kingdom.

Grasp this crucial point!

Throughout the New Testament, the word “kingdom” is found 27 times, “kingdom of God” 75 times, and “kingdom of heaven” 34 times. All are clearly one and the same.

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