Different Gospel Requirements
Let's now compare the clearly delineated requirements of the two Biblical gospels for salvation. Both being found in the so-called New Testament of our Bibles and apply to two different peoples in two different ages.
· The "gospel of the kingdom" (Matt 4:23, 9:35) under the dispensation of the "the Law" (Matt 5:18) was preached by Jesus to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" only.
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 10:5-6 (KJV)· By contrast, "the gospel of the grace of God" (Act 20:24) under "the dispensation of the grace of God" (Eph 3:2) was preached by Paul to and for "all men" (Tit 2:11) as if all men were lost Gentiles (cf., Eph 3:1, Rom 11:13), standing needy; on level ground at the foot of the cross. 23 For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 (KJV)
1) The "Gospel of the Kingdom"
John the Baptist came declaring "the kingdom of (from) heaven is at hand." Jesus repeated the same declaration and said "this gospel of the kingdom" was to be preached by the Twelve Apostles to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" only, telling them to "go not into the way of the Gentiles" (Matt 10:5-6).
So clearly there was at that time a distinction between Jews and Gentiles in the matter of the preaching of "the gospel of the Kingdom." The "kingdom" had been long promised to Israel, not the Gentiles. This means the so-called great commission with "the gospel of the Kingdom" is a Jewish commission and not a church commission for us today. Paul gives "the church, which is the body of Christ," a different commission as seen in 2Cor 5 as being Christ's ambassadors on earth. This is another subject to discuss in another paper.
When John the Baptist appeared as Christ’s forerunner, God’s chosen people, Israel, had lived under "the law of Moses" for fifteen hundred years but had not kept it. Hence, John’s call to them was to "repent and be baptized for the remission of sins" (Mark 1:4). This was the initial requirement for salvation. After all, for Israel only, "faith without works is dead." Thankfully, we today are "saved by grace alone, though faith alone, in Christ alone, not of works" (Eph 2:8-9). Under grace, our good works are simply the fruit and not the root of our salvation. After all if it were of works at all then it is not grace at all.
6And if By Grace, then is it NO More of Works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Romans 11:6
John was so serous that when the thoughtless multitude came to him to be baptized, he sent them back, saying: “Bring forth fruits (your works) worthy of (deserving to be counted as) repentance” (Luke 3:7-8). These Jews had to show forth the product of their commitment to establish their repentance. Their lives were to be changed and they were to show it. This repentance standard was a high criterion that nobody but the Lord really could keep.
When the people asked: “What shall we do, then?” John told them to live for others rather than for self (Luke 3:10, 11). When the tax collectors asked: “What shall we do?” he demanded that they stop cheating the tax payers and live honestly (Luke 3:12,13). When the soldiers asked: “What shall we do?” he told them to forbear violence, false accusation and bribery (Ver. 14).
Clearly, righteousness was demanded under John’s message. John's hearers were to "repent, be baptized, and bring forth the fruits of true repentance".
When our Lord Jesus appeared, He proclaimed the same message as John (Matt. 3:1, 2; 4:17). A lawyer asked Jesus: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” and He replied: “What is written in the law?” When the lawyer recited the basic commands of the Law, our Lord answered: “This do and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:25-28). God was still demanding righteousness. They were all under the Law (Gal. 4:4, 5; Matt. 23:1,2; etc.).
Some suppose this was all changed right after Calvary by the so-called “great commission.” But this is not so. When, at Pentecost, Peter’s hearers were convicted of their sins and asked “What shall we do?” Peter still commanded them to “repent and be baptized… for the remission of sins” just as John had done (Mark 1:4; cf. Acts 2:38). He did not tell them that Christ had died for their sins.
2) The "Gospel of the Grace of God"
Paul, as "the Apostle to the Gentiles" (Rom 11:13) was the first to say:
21 But NOW the righteousness (that is) of God WITHOUT THE LAW is manifested… [We] declare His (Christ's) righteousness for the remission of (our) sins” Romans 3:21-26.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for Ye Are Not Under The Law, But Under Grace. Romans 6:1
Praise God Christ's blood paid fully, once and for all, for our sins and His righteousness speaks of us today and forever.
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his (Christ's) own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:12
When the Gentile jailor fell on his knees and asked: “What must I do to be saved?” Paul replied:
30Believe on (trust in, cling to, and rely upon) the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:30-31.
This is God’s message for all men today, for;
“we have redemption through [Christ's] blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace” Eph. 1:7.
Seeing the foregoing, it should be quite clear to any thinking person that these are two distinctly different gospels we've discussed herein. Today our salvation is not under "the gospel of the kingdom" with "the Law," but rather under the grace-filled "gospel of the grace of God."
