op: More than
one gospel?: [
credit goes to K. Lawson ]:
Point 1,
Point 2...
Sure we can go through your points if ya want as long as there is give and take, you answer or address some of my points as well?
Precious friend, no problem at all
sorting all of this out with kind and civil
discussion...
Yet, John the Baptist, was a Levite through and through, one of the Jobs of the Levite priest was to certify the sacrifice was indeed suitable, without blemish. he said "Behold the Lamb of God whom taketh away the sin of the world" He Identified Jesus Christ at the start of His ministry as the perfect sacrifice, not only for the people of Israel but for sins of the whole world.
So yes he was preaching "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" for the one who came to take away our sins and the cross was now at hand.
No problem, we see that
preaching, at
that time, under covenants / law for
Israel, but who, pray tell, preaches "the
kingdom of heaven is at hand," with
[ what
some '
think is for us ] "Repent, and be baptized
for the remission of sins"...
...today, under The
New and
Different "Dispensation Of The Grace Of God"?
How can "the kingdom be at hand" on
earth, for Israel, when
their "King is in
exile," seated in
Heaven?
Which, btw, is
Exactly Where Paul says the 'members Of The Body of Christ,
Are "
Seated, With Him, In The
Heavenly Places" (
Ephesians 1:20,
2:6)
, being
spiritually Translated Into The Kingdom." We can
Certainly "thank The
Father" For It Is
He:
"Who Hath Delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated
us Into The Kingdom of His Dear Son: In Whom we have Redemption
Through His Blood, even the Forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14).
Under The Gospel Of Grace, Today, Correct?
However, the
same Cannot be said for Israel, and
their earthly kingdom,
because of "what Peter
preached in the gospel of the kingdom":
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the
Presence of the Lord;..."
[ We
disagree with those
allegorizing this as "spiritual" Presence, as
this is Physical Presence, 'Same As His First Advent'! ]:
"...And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto
you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy
prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21 cp Matthew 25:34)
[ also compare that to the earthly judgment of "sheep
for entrance Into the kingdom" (Matthew 25:31-40) ]
Thus, there is a Big
Difference between:
The (
earthly ) gospel of the kingdom, for
Israel and repentance/baptism
for '
remission' of sins to be "blotted out" at the Second Coming and...
Rightly Divided (
2 Timothy 2:15) From “
Things That Differ!” (
online):
Which God Had "Kept
Secret since the world began" (Romans 16:25):
...The Gospel of Grace, with forgiveness of sin, and "translation In The
(
Heavenly ) Kingdom (
Currently Vested In Christ ), as Paul says 21x:
↑ "But Now"! ↑
Amen?
Now, on to Even Further
Clarification, with:
[ K. Lawson ]: Point 3:
The Gospel of the Kingdom centered in the Person of Jesus Christ, that is, Who
He was. That is why the emphasis was always on The Name of Jesus Christ, The
Fact That He was the Christ, The Son of The Living God (Matt. 16:16; John 20:31).
The Gospel of the Grace of God
Confirms The Person of Christ but centers in
His Work On The Cross for our Redemption (Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:2).
It is [
Very ] significant that the twelve apostles preached the Gospel of the
Kingdom
for several years but did not even know that Christ was going
to die, much less what that Death would accomplish for our Redemption
(Luke 9:1-2,6; 18:31-34; Matt. 16:21-23).
Amen.