***A Simple Gospel Test: How would you answer?***
1. If God had sent you a message in order to save your life, how do you think you would receive it? Would you take that message seriously, or as a joke? Would you take that message literally, or figuratively? Would you be willing to take the Word of God literally? As plainly as the Word reads?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." (1 John 4:14).
"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9).
2. We all know by definition what a father is and what a son is. In fact, God is the one who made fathers and sons. So when God calls Himself a Father and says Jesus Christ is His Son, are we to take God literally as His Word reads? Or are we to take God to mean something other than what His words plainly reveal? If we take the latter position, are we not making God a liar?
"He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." (1 John 5:10).
3. Are a father and son "twins" or "co-eternals"? Or must a son necessarily originate from his father, hence being younger than his father in order of existence?
4. So then, if we agree to take God at his Word, to take Him literally, what is He saying to us?
God is saying He gave up His own, solitary divine offspring to die for finite disobedient humanity! God is saying that the Son whom He said gave was really a Son, just as how human fathers and sons are after His own image! (Gen.1:26-27; Rom.1:20). Yes: Jesus Christ was literally born from God before the world was; that is how He is the Son of God (Prov.8:22-30; John 8:42, 16:27-30). Christ is the first-begotten and the only-begotten Son of God (Heb.1:6; John 3:16). Christ was the Son who made the worlds, and in consequence of the fall, Christ was that same Son who was then sent into the world to redeem us (Heb.1:1-2; John 3:17; 1 John 4:14).
5. Do you believe in the true Son that God said He gave to save you? Do you believe the record of God's Word?
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John 5:11).
6. Will you take God's Word as it reads? Will you accept the literal record which God the Father gave about his Son Jesus Christ? Will you accept God's plain message which is being sent to save your life? Yes?..........Amen! You have just accepted the beginning and very foundation of the everlasting gospel!
"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mark 1:1).
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. . .upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:16-18).
7. Eternal life is the promise for those who truly believe in the divine, literal Father and Son. We embrace the Father-Son foundation of the gospel and encourage you also to continue in this fellowship unto eternal life!
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:1-3).
***Blessings!***
1. If God had sent you a message in order to save your life, how do you think you would receive it? Would you take that message seriously, or as a joke? Would you take that message literally, or figuratively? Would you be willing to take the Word of God literally? As plainly as the Word reads?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." (1 John 4:14).
"God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9).
2. We all know by definition what a father is and what a son is. In fact, God is the one who made fathers and sons. So when God calls Himself a Father and says Jesus Christ is His Son, are we to take God literally as His Word reads? Or are we to take God to mean something other than what His words plainly reveal? If we take the latter position, are we not making God a liar?
"He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." (1 John 5:10).
3. Are a father and son "twins" or "co-eternals"? Or must a son necessarily originate from his father, hence being younger than his father in order of existence?
4. So then, if we agree to take God at his Word, to take Him literally, what is He saying to us?
God is saying He gave up His own, solitary divine offspring to die for finite disobedient humanity! God is saying that the Son whom He said gave was really a Son, just as how human fathers and sons are after His own image! (Gen.1:26-27; Rom.1:20). Yes: Jesus Christ was literally born from God before the world was; that is how He is the Son of God (Prov.8:22-30; John 8:42, 16:27-30). Christ is the first-begotten and the only-begotten Son of God (Heb.1:6; John 3:16). Christ was the Son who made the worlds, and in consequence of the fall, Christ was that same Son who was then sent into the world to redeem us (Heb.1:1-2; John 3:17; 1 John 4:14).
5. Do you believe in the true Son that God said He gave to save you? Do you believe the record of God's Word?
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John 5:11).
6. Will you take God's Word as it reads? Will you accept the literal record which God the Father gave about his Son Jesus Christ? Will you accept God's plain message which is being sent to save your life? Yes?..........Amen! You have just accepted the beginning and very foundation of the everlasting gospel!
"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mark 1:1).
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. . .upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:16-18).
7. Eternal life is the promise for those who truly believe in the divine, literal Father and Son. We embrace the Father-Son foundation of the gospel and encourage you also to continue in this fellowship unto eternal life!
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:1-3).
***Blessings!***