What is the true ‘Gospel of Yahshua’?
All churches claim to preach the true gospel. We have churches preaching the gospel of grace, the gospel of salvation, the gospel of the cross, gospel of peace and also the gospel of prosperity. But most of them have lost sight of the true gospel. We think that the true gospel is that we go to heaven because of the death of Yahshua on the cross. We believe that Yahshua Messiah died in our place so that we do not have to die an eternal death. We believe the gospel is the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Yahshua Messiah that provides full and free deliverance from the power and penalty of sin according to the grace of God alone through faith in Yahshua Messiah alone. We also believe that the gospel of grace frees us from ALL the laws contained in the Old Testaments. But is this really so?
The Bible says that Yahshua Messiah has preached the gospel. So the true gospel must come from the messages he has preached. Yahshua Messiah never preached his death on the cross as the gospel. He mentioned the fact privately to his disciples that he will die on the cross and he will be raised in three days.
Yahshua Messiah preached his gospel and that is the true gospel. So what was the gospel that he preached? Read in Matt 4:23,” And Yahshua went about all Galilee … preaching the gospel of the kingdom…" His gospel was about the kingdom of God. John 1:17,’ the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Yahshua Messiah." His gospel is mentioned as "grace and truth" in the above verse. "The truth" is the will of the Father and grace is the unmerited pardon of past sins and forgiveness through which the humble and obedient believer does the will of the Father.
Luke.4:43. He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
This is exactly what Yahshua did. He went about all the cities and villages in Israel preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 9:35). Yahshua also instructed His disciples to preach the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:2). Apostle Paul also preached the Kingdom of God (Acts 19:8).
Just as Satan deceived Eve at the Garden of Eden saying ‘you will be as gods’, even now, many evangelists preach a false gospel in the place of the true gospel. 2 Cor 11:14-15,’ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.’ So, it is good to study the word of God properly to serve the true God. We should be like the Bereans who ‘searched the scriptures daily’. John 8:31-32,” Then said Yahshua to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
The Gospel means GOOD NEWS. The Gospel of Yahshua Messiah is the Good News of the Kingdom of God, of how we will all enter God’s Kingdom through the gift of God's Righteousness. Matth.6:33,’ But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’ It is important for us to clearly understand what the Bible means by the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness so that we can seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness as instructed by Yahshua,
What is the Kingdom of Elohim?
The kingdom of God is the rule of an eternal sovereign God over all creatures and things (Psalm 103:19; Daniel 4:3). The kingdom of God is also the designation for the sphere of salvation entered into at the new birth (John 3:5-7), and is the same as the “kingdom of heaven.” The kingdom of Elohim is universal, it includes men and angels, it is eternal and spiritual. We enter into the kingdom of Elohim when we are born again. (John.3:3-5).
God's Kingdom—foretold repeatedly in Daniel—is the same Kingdom Yahshua Messiah preached about. The nature of this Kingdom is clear. The four kingdoms described in Daniel 2, 7 and 8 ruled over people and lands they were great world empires with dominion and power to rule, warring against and conquering other nations. They had kings, governments, laws and subjects. Their ruins are visible to this day.
‘And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44).’
Similarly, the kingdom of Elohim will be a literal kingdom ruling over the whole earth. Dan.7:27. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.
The governments of this world are unsuited and unable to solve human problems because of our inability to choose the right way to live (Prov.16:25). The kingdom of Elohim will at last solve those problems because Yahshua Messiah Himself will rule the nations of the earth!
What does seeking his kingdom mean?
We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world. We should seek the salvation that is present in the kingdom of God because it is of greater value than all the world’s riches. It does not mean that we should neglect the reasonable and daily duties that help sustain our lives. If we are taking care of God’s business as a priority—seeking His salvation, living in obedience to Him, and sharing the good news of the kingdom with others—then He will take care of our business as He promised. God has promised to provide for His own, supplying every need (Phil. 4:19), but His idea of what we need is different from what we believe. Our long prayers are only wish lists, but he knows what we are really in need of.
We must repent and forsake our sins, and by faith we will receive the forgiveness of our sins. Without faith there can be no repentance. Repentance and faith must both be sincere. This sincerity will be evident by a conscious obedience to Elohim’s commandments. This is how the preaching of the gospel began and will continue. Repent, and believe, and live a life of repentance and a life of faith.
These aspects of the kingdom of Elohim run counter to a heresy which is very popular these days, the so-called "prosperity" gospel. A growing number of false teachers are gathering followers under the message “God wants you to be rich!” This is not the advice of the Bible and it is certainly not the meaning of Matthew 6:33, it is not a formula for gaining wealth. Yahshua taught that our focus should be away from this world, and focused upon the things of Elohim’s kingdom.
This is the gospel, the good news that Yahshua Messiah taught. Yahshua Messiah's message was the announcement of a coming world government (Luke 21:31). This government will not be ruled by selfishly motivated humans but by Yahshua Messiah Himself, and it will continue forever! |