The Gospel From Abraham to Paul

Do you understand what the gospel really is? Many have never comprehended this most important truth.

A gross misunderstanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ has kept sincere students of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. from comprehending other biblical teachings for centuries. A proper understanding of the message Jesus brought is necessary for an accurate understanding of the whole BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ..

The apostle Paul not only pronounced a curse on anyone who would teach a gospel different from the one he taught; he pronounced a double curse. Obviously important to Paul was that people correctly understand the gospel; he felt it vitally important that it not be misunderstood, twisted or distorted.

To help our understanding of the gospel, which is simply an old word for "good newsThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament .," let's take a journey through God's Word, beginning with God's promise to Abraham and ending with Paul's experiences while in jail. This excursion through the ScripturesThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18). will show us the undeniable meaning of the gospel.

Four verses only

The gospel is best understood when the rest of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. is used to describe it. Yet some insist on defining it through only one brief passage of four verses: "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you-unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the ScripturesThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18)., and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the ScripturesThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18)." (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 [1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

See All...).

Paul stresses that he is declaring the gospel to the church in Corinth, that he preached that same gospel to them before and that they received it from him. Paul had heard the gospel from Christ personally (Galatians 1:12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
See All..., 15-18). What the Corinthians received, and what Paul received, is the gospel.

Which gospel did Paul receive?

Did Paul teach the entire gospel in these four verses of 1 Corinthians 15? Is the gospel only a message about the death of Jesus Christ for our sins, His burial and His resurrection?

In writing to the Galatians, Paul said he marveled at how quickly they had turned from the grace of Christ to a different gospel, a perverted gospel. He twice pronounced a curse on any, including even angels from heaven, if they taught any gospel other than that "received" by the Galatians from himself (Galatians 1:6-9 [6] I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
[7] Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
[8] 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.
[9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

See All...).

A cursory biblical search of the word gospel can be confusing. The "gospel of God" or the "gospel of the grace of God" is used nine times in the New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation.. We find "gospel" used by itself on more than 60 occasions, connected with Jesus Christ more than a dozen times and as part of the terms "gospel of the kingdom" or "gospel of the kingdom of God" five times.

Paul used gospel in every letter he wrote to the churches and to the ministry, except his letter to Titus. The writers of the GospelThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament . accounts—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—used the word only some 17 times. The books of Hebrews and RevelationThe disclosure of God's Word and plan to mankind. In the Bible this refers to making obscure things clear; bringing hidden matters to light; causing especially called individuals to see, hear, perceive, know and understand the things of God; the unveiling of biblical mysteries (Romans 16:25). and the general epistles combined use the term only six times. If we want a solid understanding of what the gospel is, we certainly have to refer to Paul's writings, in which he used the term more than 70 times.

To grasp the full story, we need to begin with the first record of the gospel being taught. We find this information in a New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation. quote from an Old TestamentThose books that make up the Hebrew Bible generally accepted by Christians, Jews and to some extent Muslims. It contains a threefold division: the Law (the five books of Moses), the Prophets and the Writings. passage appearing in Paul's letter to the Galatians. As a percentage of the book's size, the term gospel is used more often in Galatians than in any other book in the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ..

The gospel to Abraham

"And the ScriptureThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18)., foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, 'In you all the nations shall be blessed'" (Galatians 3:8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
See All...).

Did you catch what this says? The gospel was preached to Abraham. As a foundational statement for the gospel, this is significant, since it shows that the gospel was known from an early time, and it was spoken to Abraham directly by God.

As we study this subject, we find two elements frequently repeated:

• Nations will be blessed.
• The blessing of the nations comes through Abraham.

The quote we just read in Galatians comes from Genesis 22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
See All...: "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." The blessing was not to come from Abraham himself, but from the "seed" of his body, his offspring.

This passage records a second time that God appeared to Abraham through an angel. The first occurrence is found in Genesis 12, when God told Abraham to leave his father's country and go to a land He would show him. God promised He would make of Abraham a great nation and that through him all the families of the earth would be blessed.

The gospel was the promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed. So far we don't know what the blessing is, and we don't know who the seed is. But let's take one step at a time.

Land, inheritance, world

Thousands of years later, in the early days of the Church, Stephen was on trial before the Sanhedrin. There he related the story of Abraham, and the promise given to Abraham becomes clear in Stephen's narrative:

"The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, 'Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.' Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell. And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it [the land] to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him" (Acts 7:2-5 [2] And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
[3] And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
[4] Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
[5] And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

See All...).

Although Abraham had no child, no seed through whom the promised blessing could come, God promised the land to him as his inheritance. Abraham was to inherit and possess the land God allowed him to live in, through Abraham's promised seed. Paul told the congregation in Rome that Abraham was promised to be "heir of the world" (Romans 4:13For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
See All...).

These verses make it clear that the blessing promised Abraham included the inheritance of land, a heritage ultimately circling the world.

But, while Abraham lived, he didn't inherit one square foot.

Another passage that clearly concerns this blessing can be found in Hebrews 11:8-13 [8] By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
[9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
[10] For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
[11] Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
[12] Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
[13] These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

See All...: "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance . . . By faith he dwelt in the land of promise . . ." Abraham, along with Isaac and Jacob, "died in faith, not having received the promises." They "waited for the city" whose "builder and maker is God."

The gospel message is in part about land; it's a message about inheriting the world. And it's good newsThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament . about a world whose builder and maker is God.

Through Abraham's seed

Now we come to a seemingly insoluble difficulty. Abraham has an inheritance coming, but he's dead. How, then, can he possibly receive this inheritance, of which he never in his lifetime received "even enough to set his foot on"? (Acts 7:5And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
See All...).

Let's look more closely at the promise of Abraham's seed. What is this seed, and why was it necessary? How would this promised seed bring about an inheritance to a dead Abraham?

First we need to establish who is the seed of Abraham. The line of Abraham has spanned 42 generations by the time we come to the New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation.. Galatians 3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
See All... makes clear that the promises were made to Abraham and to one seed, "who is Christ." Christ is the seed of Abraham.

Jesus Christ is the "heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
See All...). When we become Christ's, "then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
See All...).

In Galatians 3:18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
See All... we find that God gave the inheritance to Abraham as a promise, not because of a law. God looks at an inheritance the same way we might look at an inheritance from our earthly parents. Their property was theirs—they earned it—yet they are pleased to give it to their children. They may have specified certain conditions in their will, but the inheritance was not earned through any efforts of the children.

Our inheritance from God differs from an earthly inheritance in two significant ways:

• We will perish, never to live again, unless God forgives our sins.
• Unless God resurrects our mortal bodies to immortality, our spiritual inheritance is of little benefit.

Problems solved

Paul explained to the Galatians how these problems can be overcome—how the penalty of death has been nullified and how we can become inheritors forever. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us . . ." Paul explains that this "curse" is the death penalty, which Christ freely took on Himself for us (Galatians 3:13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
See All...).

Why did Jesus Christ do this? Paul explains that our Savior assumed the death penalty so that "the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles [all nations] in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (verse 14).

Paul describes the prospect of our living again because Christ took our death penalty upon Himself. Because of this, he writes, we can be raised to immortality because we receive, through faith, the promised Holy Spirit.

Paul added when he later wrote to the Ephesian church that we are marked "with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [which] is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance . . ." (Ephesians 1:13-14 [13] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
[14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

See All..., New International Version).

To the congregation in Rome, Paul explains that we are Christ's if we have the Holy Spirit—that, just as Christ was resurrected from the dead, we will be raised to immortality through that Spirit (Romans 8:9-11 [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
[10] And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
[11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

See All...).

No wonder Jesus Christ said Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing His day (John 8:56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
See All...). Christ fulfilled the promise to Abraham.

Back to Corinth

Paul's definition of the gospel didn't change when he wrote to the Corinthians. In the letter to Corinth Paul describes the good newsThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament . using different phrases but conveying the same message, the same two elements that he wrote about to the Galatians. First, Christ (the seed of Abraham) died for our sins. Second, He rose from the dead to receive the blessing of His inheritance, the Kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

See All..., 20-24).

The resurrection to an inheritance is a major theme of 1 Corinthians 15. Note how often the words resurrection, rise, rose, risen, raise and raised appear—a total of 23 times. Paul goes to great lengths to describe how many people witnessed Christ's resurrection (verses 5-8), the importance of Christ's resurrection (verses 12-19), the order of the resurrections (verses 20-28), the moral implications of Christ's resurrection (verses 29-34) and the bodies of the resurrected dead (verses 35-49).

Confirming and defending the resurrection

Let's approach the study of the gospel from an entirely different standpoint to prove that the gospel is really about a resurrection through Jesus Christ to inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul told the Philippian church that he was in prison because of the gospel, that he was defending and confirming the gospel while in chains (Philippians 1:7, 16-17). ScriptureThe divinely inspired writings of both the Old and New Testaments. The term Scripture is used in the New Testament to refer to both the Hebrew Bible (Luke 24:44-45) and the new apostolic writings accepted as inspired (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Timothy 5:18). records why Paul was being judged. What did he defend and confirm? Did his defense have anything to do with the hope of the promise to the fathers, an inheritance or a resurrection through Christ?

Before Ananias he said that "concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!" (Acts 23:6But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
See All..., emphasis added throughout).

Before Felix he said, "Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me . . . I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead . . . Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day" (Acts 24:13Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
See All..., 15, 21).

Before King Agrippa, Festus said concerning Paul's accusers: "When the accusers stood up, they . . . had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive" (Acts 25:18-19 [18] Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
[18] Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
[19] But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
[19] But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

See All...).

Before the king, Paul said, "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers . . . For this hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?" (Acts 26: 6-8).

Inheritance in God's Kingdom

Continuing with King Agrippa, Paul recounts his conversion and the mission Jesus Christ gave him. Paul was told "to turn [the gentiles] from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God" (verse 18). Paul told the Colossians the same thing, that he prayed they would receive knowledge, wisdom and spiritual understanding by God's power since they had been delivered from the "power" of darkness and were then subject to the power of the Kingdom of the Son of God (Colossians 1:9-13 [9] For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
[10] That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
[11] Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
[12] Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
[13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

See All...).

We are not already in the Kingdom of God. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom. But we do have the power of God's Kingdom within us, the Spirit of God, by which He will raise us to eternal life.

Again to Agrippa, Paul explained that the repentant could "receive forgiveness of sins [the first element] and an inheritance [the second element] among those who are sanctified by faith in [Christ] . . . To this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come-that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead . . ." (Acts 26:18To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
See All..., 22-23).

The whole of the BibleThe books (Greek, "biblia" ) that are acknowledged as canonical (authoritative) by the early Christian Church. It includes both the books of the ancient Hebrew prophets and those of the apostolic witnesses to Jesus Christ. confirms the story of the gospel. The Law details the account of the gospel given to Abraham. The Prophets foretell the coming of the Christ to fulfill the promises. The Writings proclaim Christ's return to restore the Kingdom to spiritual Israel.

The books of the New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation. likewise record witness of His message as well as His death, burial and resurrection so we can also inherit the Kingdom of God. From the beginning and throughout the book of Acts, Christ told His apostles to proclaim their witness of His resurrection so the world would understand that He brought the fulfillment of the promise to the fathers (Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
See All...; 4:2, 33; 13:31-33).

What the gospel is

Paul received the gospel; in turn he gives it to us. Polluting or wresting the gospel twists our thinking. A distorted gospel teaches that repentance is not really necessary because Christ did everything for us and nothing other than belief is required of us. A twisted gospel teaches that the Kingdom of God is already here and our reward is to go to heaven when we die. Perverting the gospel brings a double curse because it robs us of for-giveness of sins and our inheritance of God's Kingdom.

The gospel is the promise of an inheritance to Abraham through his seed, Jesus Christ. It is the gospel of God, Jesus Christ, grace and the Kingdom of God knit together in one beautiful package: grace through Jesus Christ so that we can inherit the Kingdom of God for eternity when we are resurrected.

Let's all praise God for His promises and, as Paul wrote in Philippians 1:27, let our conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. GN