The Actual Gospel of Jesus Christ (Part 5 of 5)
as presented by the early church

The gospel of God’s Grace.

Acts 20.24: “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (N.I.V.)

The English word grace translates the Greek word ‘charis’ which means ‘undeserved and unmerited favor’. However, more than merely God viewing mankind’s failings and saying ‘I forgive them’, charis denotes God acting to set things right, regardless of man’s sins. It is the hand of God extended in love to personally execute each stage of redemption, with the exception of forcing man to believe. Why, even the faith is a gift from God. (Eph. 2.8)

For the purposes of our study, we will limit ourselves to the relationship between the gospel message and God’s revelation of His grace.

In Acts 20, Paul is addressing the church in Ephesus before going on to Jerusalem. Verse 21 states, “…solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus verse we opened with, showing that he understood ‘the gospel of God’s grace’ to be almost solely concerned with tearing down the wall of division between the Jews and gentiles for the purpose of extending salvation to all peoples.

In the book of Romans, Paul expands and clarifies this issue throughout the first 11 chapters. It doesn’t take a degree in theology or 4 years of New Testament Greek to follow Paul’s logic; only to twist it to read the way dispensationalists force it to read.

If you can read English and have at your disposal a reputable translation of the Bible (or preferably several) then you will be able to understand exactly what Paul is trying to say.

Right off Paul states the issue clearly. In Chapter 1 verse 16, Paul says:

“For I am not ashamed of the good news (gospel), for it is God’s power for the salvation of everyone who has faith, of the Jew first and then of the Greek.” (Goodspeed) (also 2.7-16)

Romans 3.22-24 states:

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Christ Jesus to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justifies freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (N.I.V.)

Furthermore, 4.16 says:

“Therefore, the promise (verse 13) comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring – not only to those who are of the law (2.17-24) but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.” (N.I.V.)

Please notice; Paul is stating that the promises to Abraham, which were given before the law was given through Moses, were meant for the Jews AND the gentiles and found fulfillment ONLY through Christ and ONLY in the church of God. This is not meant to sound anti-Semitic, which has been a term used against the Amillenialists form time to time. God has clearly included everyone under His condemnation as being sinful, Jew and gentile. He ahs also included everyone under His canopy of grace, Jew and gentile. The only requisite for inclusion in this grace is faith in Christ. Not bloodline, not national origin or religion; only faith in the resurrected Messiah.

I have touched only briefly and lightly in Romans. In order to receive the full brunt of the weight of what I am saying you will need to read the first 11 chapters, carefully and more than once. Not because the truths are hard to come by but because a faulty mind set is difficult to dispel. When I was introduced to this concept it was slow work, wading through the ocean of misconceptions I had learned in the 18 years I had been a believer. But once I realized I had been led astray of the full truth by the many (so called) Bible scholars I had trusted to teach me, the scriptures no longer held any mysteries or seeming contradictions. And you, too, will find it richly rewarding, if you take your blinders off and allow the scriptures to be their own interpreter.

We find an interesting statement in Galatians 5.4:

“You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” (N.I.V.)

From this verse, as well as those studied in Romans, we see that the Jewish legal system, the Mosaic Law, is the antithesis of God’s grace. The law was given to the Jews through Moses; grace was given to the whole world through Jesus Christ.

According to Galatians:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law…in order that the blessing to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” (3.13, 14 N.I.V.)

“What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.” (3.19)

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (3.29)

Listen to what Paul has said. Christ redeemed us in order that the blessing to Abraham might come to the Gentiles! Did Jesus fulfill all he set out to accomplish? Did Jesus leave some portion of his work of salvation to be consummated at some future date? Paul certainly didn’t think so.

· The gospel of the grace of God can be summed up like this.

· God revealed Himself to mankind through a few men in ages past.

· He chose a lineage for His son, the Messiah, to proceed through.

· In Abraham God found the blood line of the savior (Isaac, Judah, David, etc.) as well as the qualifying factor for salvation: Faith.

· The law was enacted to show how wicked the sinfulness of man was and to lead the Jews to Christ, and mankind with them.

· The grace of God was revealed in the act of God sending His son to die as penalty for our sins; the sins of all mankind, Jew and gentile.

The clear teaching of scripture is that salvation was always meant for all peoples, but God chose the children of Israel, Abraham’s descendants, to proclaim that good news. As Galatians 3.7, 8 says:

“Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”” (N.I.V.)

By the grace of God the ‘dividing wall of hostility’ was destroyed, Jew and gentile reconciled to God and a ‘new man’ created in Christ. (Eph. 2.11-18) This was God’s eternal purpose, (1.4, 5) and the Jews of Jesus’ time rejected it and bore the condemnation of Christ and the judgment of God.

“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute form city to city, that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechia, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.” (Matt. 23.34-39 N.A.S.)

Now, and for the remainder of history, only a remnant of the Jewish nation will be saved, and that only through faith, just as the gentile nations.

“In the same way then, there has come to be at the present time a remnant according to God’s gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” (Romans 11.5, 6 N.A.S.)

The Actual Gospel of Jesus Christ (Part 4)
as presented by the early church

The promises fulfilled.

Acts 13.23, 33 read, “WE tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” (N.I.V.)

As gentile believers in the 20^th century, 2000 years removed from the incarnation of Christ, steeped in history and traditions far removed from the simpler Jewish lifestyle of that time, it doesn’t really surprise me that we tend to relegate most of the Old Testament scriptures to a time and a people either long gone or still in the future.

Deeply embedded in dispensational thinking is the idea that God had done something unique, almost unheard of, in building His church. One would get the impression from talking to them that the church was almost an afterthought, something God was pressed into because His chosen ones, the Jews, were rejecting His Messiah. Or that God, because of their rebellion, was forced to set them aside for a while to concentrate on the church, only to return to them after he was finished with the gentiles.

This simply is not true. This is contrary to the clear teaching of scripture and takes some pretty fancy footwork to make the Bible even LOOK like this is what is taught.

Using Acts 13 as a springboard, lets see what scripture has to say on the subject of the church and the Jewish nation, and what part this plays on our study.

Beginning at verse 13 we find Paul preaching on the Sabbath in the Synagogue in Pisidian Antioch. He addresses himself to the ‘men of Israel’ (v.16) and ‘children of Abraham’ (v.26) as well as the gentile converts to Judaism. He begins with an encapsulated history of the nation of Israel up to the advent of the Savior, his death at the hands of the people of Jerusalem and their leaders, and his being raised by God from the dead.

Verse 39 sums up the point of Paul’s message:

“Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses.” (N.I.V.)

Paul and Barnabas are invited back to speak on the following Sabbath, which is recorded in verses 44-48. This time news of Paul’s preaching had spread and almost the entire city came to hear him. This angered the Jews because this was a predominately gentile city in a gentile country, Galatia in Asia Minor.

Verses 45-47 read, “But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were very jealous, and they contradicted what Paul said and abused him. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out plainly, and said, “God’s message had to be told to you first, but since you thrust it off and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the heathen. For these are the orders the Lord has given us: I have made you a light for the heathen, to be a means of salvation to the very ends of the earth!”” (Goodspeed)

The message of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection as fulfillment of prophecy is the good news, the gospel; but no less is the message that the good news of salvation was to be extended to the Gentiles as fulfillment of prophecy. All inclusive salvation, complete with birthrights and full privileges of sonship.

Acts 3.25, 26 reads, “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, God, having raised up his Servant Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you you’re your iniquities.” (N.K.J.V.)

Peter here was addressing the Jews in Jerusalem long before his dealings with Cornelius and his revelation concerning calling anything unclean that God called clean. This is true. However, this narrative was compiled by Luke, a Gentile believer and close companion of Paul. Furthermore, although Peter may not have understood all the implications, he certainly knew God was desirous of somehow extending salvation to the Gentiles as he had surely heard the stories of the prophecies regarding the Christ (Luke 2.32, 3.6), his ministry before meeting Peter (Luke 4.24-27), as well as the years he spent physically traveling with Jesus, listening to his teachings (Matt. 8.10-13, 21.42-44, 23.35-39).

The importance of Acts 3.25, 26 is expanded in the teaching of Paul, not only in Acts, (26.6, 28.20, 28) but in nearly every epistle or letter he wrote he deals with this truth. However, possibly nowhere does he deal with it more bluntly or forcefully than in Galatians, written to the same people he was addressing in Acts 13.

Paul begins his letter by making sure the Galatian believers (most of whom were gentiles) understood how thoroughly believing his gospel and following Christ were intertwined. If you followed another gospel, a different gospel than taught by Paul in the beginning, you were turning away from Christ (1.6-9).

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an angel form heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” (N.A.S.)

He goes on to state that the gospel he taught had not come to him through learning, not taught to him by men, but came to him be revelation of Jesus Christ (1.11, 12) with the purpose of outreach to the gentiles (v. 16).

Chapter 2, verses 11-21, give us not only an example of the deception of not being ‘straightforward about the truth of the gospel’ (v. 14), but also gives us some indication of the problem the Galatian churches were facing: Jewish legalism.

Paul destroys the arguments for legalism with his gospel, which in brief states:

· We have died to the law to live in Christ. (2.19, 21; 3.19)

· We are saved by faith and heirs of the promises of God through Abraham. (3.6, 8, 14-18)

· We, as believers, ‘are sons of Abraham’ (3.7), ‘sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus’ (3.26), ‘Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise’ (3.29)

What an incredible revelation. We, as gentile believers, are joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8.17), but even more:

“…as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” (Rom. 8.14) “…those who are the children of the flesh (the Jews), these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” (Rom. 9.8) “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.” (Gal. 3.7) “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal.3.29)

I hope you can see the importance of what Paul is saying. There are no promises or salvation for the nation of Israel outside of Jesus Christ! God has taken the believing Jews (the remnant) and believing gentiles and, through Jesus, has made a new man of the two, reconciling us both in one body through the cross. (Ephesians 2.14-22)

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” 14-18 (N.I.V.)

The Actual Gospel of Jesus Christ (Part 3)

as presented by the early church

The gospel of peace through Jesus Christ.

Acts 10.36 reads, “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” (N.I.V.)

Without delving deeply into the similarities between the Greek word ‘eirene’ and the Hebrew ‘shalom’, I will comment briefly.

According to the book “Christian Words” by Nigel Turner, “In the LXX…eirene was ‘health’ and ‘well being’, in the sense of abatement of Gods wrath, with spiritual security. Almost always it rendered shalom, peace, welfare, prosperity – especially peace with God.” He goes on the say, “Christian Greek takes a step forward when eirene becomes personalized as no less than our Savior Himself, who is our peace, reconciling Jew with Gentile, and both with God.” (Eph. 2.14)

This is the aspect of peace we will pursue now; how this relates to the gospel. To put the passage we opened with in context, Peter was praying and received a vision of unclean animals (animals the Jews by tradition were not allowed to eat), mingled with clean animals, being lowered from heaven in something like a sheet. When told to take and eat he responded, “Surely not, Lord…I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” The voice speaking to him replied, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” This happened three times, and as Peter was reflecting on this, three men form a gentile centurion, Cornelius, came to the house seeking Peter. The Holy Spirit instructed Peter to go with them for he had sent them, himself.

The remainder of the story, as well as the message preached, are contained in Acts 10.9-48 and repeated in 11.1-18. The importance of the story for our study les in the fact that this was the beginning of God’s direct revelation to the Jewish believers that God’s purpose in Christ was:

“…through him to reconcile to God all things on earth or in heaven, making this peace through his blood shed on the cross.” (Colosians 1.19,20 – Goodspeed)

How this relates to the gentiles is stated in Col. 1.21-23.

“Once you were alienated from God…But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight…” (N.I.V.)

In the book of Ephesians Paul gives us the clearest presentation of this truth. Chapter 2, beginning at verse 22, reads:

“…therefore, remember that formerly you who are gentiles…were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world, but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away (gentiles) and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…” (N.I.V.)

This had been one of those verses in scripture that troubled me as a pre-millennialist; that I just wasn’t able to justify with my pre-tribulation theology concerning the plan of God for the nation of Israel. How is it possible that this means anything other than exactly what it says? All those areas that we as gentiles, non Jews, were missing out on concerning God, we are included in because of the loving grace extended through Christ. All the blessings, all the promises, all the freedom of access to God of the chosen people, these are amplifies and extended to all people, regardless of national, social or sexual barriers. (Gal. 3.28)

Please, let me clarify this point. I am not calling anyone ignorant for believing in the current Millennialism. It’s not a matter of intelligence, but rather of perception. It’s a known fact that there are primitive tribes of people who were unable to ‘read’ a photograph simply because they had never been exposed to one. In much the same way, we have our perceptions structured by the input we receive from the people we put our trust in to teach us the truth. The greater the trust, the less likely we are to verify the facts for ourselves and the more vehemently we will safeguard THEIR truth.

Paul, here, is stating clearly, emphatically, that the Jews and the gentiles are part of a new work of God, and yet a work whose beginning actually predated the Mosaic Law. As Eusebius, the early Church historian, has stated; “Should anyone, beginning from Abraham, and going back to the first man, pronounce those who have had the testimony of righteousness Christians in fact, though not in name, he would not be far from the truth. For as the name Christians is intended to indicate this very idea, that a man, by the knowledge and doctrine of Christ, is distinguished by modesty and justice, by patience and a virtuous fortitude, and by a profession of piety towards the one and only true and supreme God; all this was not less studiously cultivated by them than by us. They did not, therefore, regard circumcision, nor observe in types and symbols, because these things do not belong to Christians.”

Through Christ, God no longer limits His election to the Jews but had taken the steps necessary to include the gentiles in His election.

But it goes farther than that. He actually destroys everything that stood as a barrier between the two; alienation from citizenship, exclusion from the promises and denial of relationship with God. Each of these areas are dealt with in Christ, opening up salvation to the gentiles on exactly the same level as the Jews. But instead of the gentiles being required to convert to Judaism as they had in the past, God placed salvation on a new level; faith in the good news of Jesus Christ. The gentiles needed faith, the Jews needed faith. The same faith was required for the salvation of all nations, peoples and tribes.

But was this new? Did God do something unheard of and totally unexpected? The early church evidently didn’t believe so. Again Eusebius states, “…we should plainly suppose, that the first and most ancient religion known, that of those pious men that were connected with Abraham, is the very religion lately announced to all in the doctrines of Christ.”

In Ephesians 3, from verse 5 on, Paul states there is a mystery that God has revealed to him. That this mystery had been revealed to men in other generations but not as fully as to Paul and his fellow apostles and prophets, because their knowledge was through revelation by the Spirit of God at the fullness of time. Jesus had said on the cross, “It is finished.” This was the time for the mystery to be revealed, brought to light. What is this mystery?

“This mystery that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise of Christ Jesus.” (v.6 N.I.V.)

Please note, we are not sharers together of the promise of Christ, in the plural, but rather we are joint participants in the many facetted promise of God, which finds its culmination in Christ Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament we find figures and symbols of Christ and glimpses of the glory of the age he would usher in. But these were merely shadows. The reality is in Christ. God’s promises find their completion in Christ Jesus.

How can we think or say we are preaching the gospel if we don’t mention this incredible truth? This IS the gospel, part and parcel. And what’s more, though this was ‘kept hidden in God,’ (v.9) nevertheless it has always been part of God’s eternal purpose (v.11).

Jesus Christ is our peace, and “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”

GENTILES AS HEIRS

Acts 15.9, 14-18; 26.22, 23; 28.28

Romans 2.28, 29; 3.21, 22, 28, 29; 4.3, 11-17, 23, 24; 8.16, 17; 9.24-26, 30-32; 10.12; 11.7, 11, 19, 20; 15.8, 9, 12, 16, 25, 26

1 Corinthians 2.7; 12.12, 13

2 Corinthians 6.16

Galatians 3.7, 8, 13, 14, 26-29; 5.6

Phillipians 3.2, 3

Colossians 1.19-22

JESUS, OUR PEACE

Romans 5.1, 2

Colossians 3.15

John 14.27; 16.33

Phillipians 4.7

The Actual Gospel of Jesus Christ (Part 2)

as presented by the early church

The nearness of the Kingdom.

Matthew 4.17 reads, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘repent for the kingdom of heaven is near’.” (N.I.V.)

Schofield in his notes remarking on this verse states, “The biblical term ‘near’ is never a positive affirmation that the person or thing said to be near will immediately appear, but only…has the quality of immanency.” This was meant to show that the kingdom of God was not established on earth with the first advent of Christ, but rather was still a future hope, to be established at his second coming. However, the Emphatic Diaglott (a Greek interlinear New Testament) reads, “Reform; for the Royal Majesty of the Heavens has approached.” And further, J.N. Darby, C.I. Schofield’s mentor and the father of the modern day dispensational thinking, translates the verse, “…the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh.”

Schofield continues, using as his justification for his argument, “When Christ appeared to the Jewish people, the next thing, in the order of revelation as they understood it, should have been the setting up of the Davidic kingdom.”

In the Messianic tradition there were several verses that described the relationship between David, the King, and the son of David, the coming heir. In Amos 9.11,12 we find a verse of scripture no scholar will deny as being a Messianic prophecy. Schofield’s heading reads, “The Final Restoration of Israel” with the subheading, “The Lords second advent and the establishment of the Davidic kingdom.”

“In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair it’s broken places, restore it’s ruins, and build it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name…” (N.I.V.)

Schofield has this referenced to Acts 15.16,17, wherein James is quoting from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament used freely by the early church), and reads, “…that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name…” (N.I.V.)

Here James is quoting Amos to show that, “…God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name…” And that, “with this the words of the prophets agree.”

Is it possible the scriptures could declare Christ has ‘set up’ the Davidic kingdom, that the early church saw that kingdom as being a present reality in some way, and Schofield simply ignored it? And the editors of his Study Bible ignored it as well?

Misunderstanding the Bible is easier than one would think. Just ask anyone who has come out of a Christian cult (Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, etc). All Christian cults specialize in twisting the scriptures, and millions follow those teachings primarily because this was what has been drummed into their heads as truth. Unfortunately, it’s no different with the church. If the people we respect and trust to teach us the truth have been taught a lie and accepted it as truth and we accept their word as truth without searching the scriptures ourselves, then we find ourselves being sent into battle with a bent and rusty sword.

It is quite clear that the New Testament interpretation of the Old Testament scripture is the correct one, and according to Acts the verses in Amos were in reference to God’s future plan spoken of by Peter in Acts 15.7-9:

“…God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe, so God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” (N.K.J.V.)

Since this is the only New Testament reference to Amos 9.11,12 we should draw all interpretive conclusions from Acts 15. The apostle James is clearly claiming this prophecy has been fulfilled at the first advent of Christ and therefore, to look for a future fulfillment is to go beyond proper biblical exegesis.

Schofield, in his notes, attempts to relegate this prophecy to ‘the time after the world-wide witness when Christ will return’. However, scripture is very clear that Peter viewed this prophecy as being fulfilled at the first advent, not some future day when Christ comes in judgment.

Isaiah 16.5, as cross-referenced from Amos 9.11, reads:

“A throne will even be established in loving kindness, and a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David…” (N.A.S.) Also, Isaiah 9.7 states, “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom…” (N.A.S.) (see Luke 1.32,33 for the fulfillment of these verses)

Now, as to the time when God would ‘restore David’s fallen tent’ and establish the throne of David, can we ascertain from scripture when this will take place? If the prophecy is still future we are left with no clue, aside from other verses that predict the same event. As these verses are drawn together we begin to gain some insight as to a possible timetable. However, if the prophecy has already come to pass, the New Testament writers were always very careful to make that fact known.

In Acts 2, verses 29-36, Peter is preaching to the multitude on the day of Pentecost. After quoting from David in Psalm 16.8 concerning the resurrection of Christ, Peter states:

“Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him with an oath, of the fruit of his loins to set upon his throne; he seeing {it} before, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that neither has he been left in Hades nor his flesh seen corruption…Having therefore been exalted to the right hand of God…Let the whole house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him, this Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (30, 31, 33, 36 from J.N. Darby)

This clearly states that Jesus HAS ascended the throne of David, having been exalted to the right hand of the Father. God HAS MADE him Lord, indeed Lord of lords and the Messiah of Israel.

Furthermore, in Acts 13.32-34, we find this truth to be intrinsically embedded in the gospel message.

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus…The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.” (N.I.V.)

What I have set out to prove, in brief, is that scripture teaches Christ did indeed establish the Davidic kingdom, at his resurrection, and therefore Schofield’s prerequisite to Christ’s return has already been met. But even more importantly, that the gospel message intrinsically contains the fulfillment of prophecies concerning the kingdom of heaven as having drawn near, as being a present reality. It’s up to us to search the scriptures, with the aid of the Spirit of truth, and find how God expects us to live until Christ returns to bring all things to completion.

Mark 1.15 “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn nigh; repent and believe in the glad tidings.” (J.N. Darby)