Gospel
How would you answer this question, “Is the cross the true gospel of Christ?” Before you give your answer let a second question be asked similar to the first but different, “Is the cross a part of the true gospel of Christ?” The Apostle Paul gave a definitive and unambiguous declaration to the Corinthian believers of what he knew was the true gospel of Christ. Read his words before deciding on the correct answers to the above questions.
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you….For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins (the Cross of Christ (CC)) according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day (the Resurrection of Christ (RC)) according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4)
The cross and resurrection are inclusive of the gospel in the New Testament. There are passages in the NT that focus on the cross and what was accomplished there but both are essential and must be united if the gospel is going to be faithfully presented. Consider the following occasions from the book of Acts where the gospel is declared.
"Men of Israel, listen to this...Long ago God planned that Jesus would be handed over to you. With the help of evil people, you put Jesus to death. You nailed him to the cross (CC). But God raised him from the dead (RC).” Peter preaching to the crowd, Acts 2:22-24.
“Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit. He said to them…‘Then listen to this, you and all the people of Israel! You nailed Jesus Christ of Nazareth to the cross (CC). But God raised him from the dead (RC).’” Peter addressing the Sanhedrin, Acts 4:8, 10.
“Peter and the other apostles replied, ‘We must obey God instead of people! You had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross (CC). But the God of our people raised Jesus from the dead (RC). Now Jesus is Prince and Savior. God has proved this by giving him a place of honor at his own right hand. He did it so that he could turn Israel away from their sins and forgive them. We are witnesses of these things. And so is the Holy Spirit.’” Peter and the apostles addressing the Sanhedrin, Acts 5:29-32.
“Then Peter began to speak…‘You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil's power. God was with him. We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross (CC). But on the third day God raised him from the dead (RC).’” Peter instructing Cornelius and his family on salvation, Acts 10:34, 38-40.
“Paul stood up and motioned with his hand. Then he said, ‘...Listen, brothers, you children of Abraham! Listen, you non-Jews who worship God! This message of salvation has been sent to us. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus. By finding him guilty, they made the prophets' words come true. These are read every Sabbath day. The people and their rulers had no reason at all for sentencing Jesus to death. But they asked Pilate to have him killed. They did everything that had been written about Jesus (CC). Then they took him down from the cross. They laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead (RC).’” Paul preaching in Pisidian Antioch, Acts 13:16, 26-30.
“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered (CC), and risen again from the dead (RC); and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.” Paul preaching to the Thessalonians, Acts 17:1-3.
“Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You may now speak for yourself.’ So Paul motioned with his hand. Then he began to stand up for himself….‘But God has helped me to this very day. So I stand here and give witness to both small and great. I have been saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses said would happen. They said the Christ would suffer (CC). He would be the first to rise from the dead (RC).’” Paul preaching to Agrippa, Acts 26.
The consistency of the Scriptures, thus of the Holy Spirit, presented these two truths together in the evangelizing work of the early church. Both are necessary for the preaching and teaching of the gospel. The emphasizing of the cross while minimizing or ignoring the resurrection cannot be due to the leading of the Holy Spirit because he is not in opposition to himself. The Holy Spirit would become his own worst enemy if he started moving souls away from the full gospel instead of towards it like he did in the early church. Thus, it behooves us to press in and discover why both the cross and resurrection are essential to the truth of the gospel.
What really transpired at the Cross of Calvary? What does the cross mean to God and fallen man? Consider the above Scriptures, Acts 2, 4, 5, 10, 13 and also to the words of Stephen, full of faith and power, as he addressed the Sanhedrin, “Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.” (Acts 7:52) In each of those instances the religious leaders of Israel were being accused (thus charged) with killing Christ on the cross. When it came to a proper understanding of the cross neither the Jewish religious leaders or rulers nor the ordinary Jews in Jerusalem, including Christ’s own disciples, were able to correctly discern its meaning.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians that natural man was unable to grasp the hidden things (mysteries) of God’s wisdom. “No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.” (1 Corinth 2:7-8) Even Jesus acknowledged that his disciples would not be able to understand the truth of what was about to happen until they had the Holy Spirit within, “I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now. But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth).” (John 16:12-13)
Man believes or acts primarily from a self judgment of events or happenings around him. He walks by sight. This fact makes it imperative to understand that two different perspectives on the Cross of Christ exist. One is earthly, man’s perspective (MP), the other is heavenly, God’s perspective (GP). A definition of the word perspective is the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it. Man’s perspective is flawed due to his human limitations including sin. God’s perspective is proper and accurate due to his infinite ability.
The crucifixion of Jesus, from an earthly perspective, was the culmination of man’s estimation of Christ and his value as a human being. The religious Jews saw Christ as a threat. He was an outsider, a usurper of their religious domain and had to be eliminated. So they conceived a plan to arrest, try and execute this thorn in their flesh. But sadly some of the ordinary Jews who once welcomed Christ shouting “Hosanna to the Lord” followed the lead of their religious leaders and ended up screaming “Crucify Him.” Why? Isaiah 53:4 exposes the judgmental mindset of those Jews who may have participated in, witnessed or known of the crucifixion and death of Christ; “yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy].” Any Jew could have justified this assessment from the Law of Moses. Deuteronomy 21:23 states “anyone whose body is hung on a pole is cursed by God.” Matthew Henry commented on this verse. “He that is hanged is accursed of God; that is, it is the highest degree of disgrace and reproach. Those who see a man thus hanging between heaven and earth, will conclude him abandoned of both, and unworthy of either.” It is possible those Jews who were near the cross heard Jesus cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This would have validated their assessment that Christ had been abandoned by God. The reason for this is found in 1 Samuel 16:7: “People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” This judging by what is seen has been a malady throughout the history of man and should cause every true believer to proceed with great caution. What we judge with our eyes and corroborate with the Word of God is not a guarantee we have arrived at truth.
What happened on the cross in the minds of men was far removed from what actually transpired. The Lord spoke these words through Isaiah. “My thoughts, says the Lord, are not like yours, and my ways are different from yours. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.” So what does Isaiah 53 reveal to us about God’s perspective of what took place at the Cross of Christ that fateful day?
“He suffered and endured great pain for us (GP), but we thought his suffering was punishment from God (MP).” Verse 4
“He was wounded and crushed because of our sins; by taking our punishment, he made us completely well (GP).” Verse 5
“All of us were like sheep that had wandered off. We had each gone our own way, but the LORD gave him the punishment we deserved (GP).” Verse 6
“His life was taken away because of the sinful things my people had done (GP).” Verse 8
Verses 10, 11 and 12 are important in that the cross and resurrection are referenced together. “The LORD decided his servant would suffer as a sacrifice to take away the sin and guilt of others (GP) (CC). Now the servant will live to see his own descendants (GP) (RC).” Verse 10
“Although he is innocent, he will take the punishment for the sins of others (GP) (CC), so that many of them will no longer be guilty (GP) (RC).” Verse 11
“The LORD will reward him with honor and power (RC) for sacrificing his life (GP) (CC). Others thought he was a sinner (MP), but he suffered for our sins (GP) (CC) and asked God to forgive us.” Verse 12
Man believed that God’s hand had struck down Jesus. And verse 10 of Isaiah 53 states this was the case: “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief.” But man believed it was due to Christ’s own sin when, in fact, it was due to the sins of all mankind. The just penalty of sin, being death, was laid on Christ at the cross: “that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9) God’s perspective was this: Christ, as the innocent Lamb of God, bore the sins and punishment (death) due to mankind. In laying down his life for man Christ made the way for sinners to be fully forgiven and accepted into the Family of God. But this incredible reality (truth) could never be comprehended, and therefore believed, by man on the basis of what he saw at Calvary (judging by appearance). What man saw was a crucifixion, death and burial. Man’s observation of the cross rendered this judgment: Christ was abandoned and killed by the hand of God, his ministry suddenly ended, and the hopes of his disciples and followers dashed forever.
But here is the greatness of God. He would not leave man in a hopeless state of ignorance and thus, unbelief. God condescended to accommodate man’s limitation, the need to see in order to believe. Christ repeatedly had told his disciples about his approaching crucifixion, death and resurrection. But who amongst the disciples, after Christ’s death and burial, confidently encouraged his fellow disciples to be of good cheer because Jesus would rise up from the tomb in three days? None! What they judged (believed) was based on what they saw, the death and burial of Christ. Darkness and despair flooded their souls leading to an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Even when Mary Magdalene, Peter and John saw the empty tomb (appearance) they still did not understand or believe that Christ was alive but only that his body had been moved. Even when Mary Magdalene came to the disciples and told them Christ was alive and had appeared to her the disciples did not believe. “She went and reported it to those who had been with Him, as they grieved and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.” (Mark 16:10-11) Why? Man judges by appearance and they had not yet seen Christ alive with their own eyes. Then what happened?
In John 20:19-21 we are told: “That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw (appearance) the Lord!” It was not until the disciples saw Christ that they believed and rejoiced. But one disciple was missing. “One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he replied, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see (appearance) the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.’” (John 20:24-25)
Several days later Jesus appeared to the disciples again and in particular to Thomas. Verse 27 of John 20 tells us: “Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look (appearance) at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” Thomas declared Jesus his Lord and God to which Christ replied: “You believe because you have seen me (appearance). Blessed are those who believe without seeing me (appearance).” It is important to understand what Christ was indicating by his words to Thomas.
One of the most important, if not the most important, pieces of jurisprudential evidence that can be presented is eye-witness testimony. Second hand or hearsay testimony is almost never allowed to be presented as evidence because of the inherent corruptibility, distortion and/or prejudice dynamic present when information is being passed from one individual to another. Therefore, it was absolutely necessary that Christ’s disciples be able to testify as eye-witnesses to his resurrection. Otherwise their testimony would most likely have been perceived as a self serving fairy-tale to justify their continuation as a band of disciples. Paul emphasized the appearances of Christ in his letter to the Corinthians: “He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.” (1 Corinth 15:4-8)
Luke wrote to Theophilsus about the appearances of Christ to his disciples: “To them also He showed Himself alive after His passion (His suffering in the garden and on the cross) by [a series of] many convincing demonstrations [unquestionable evidences and infallible proofs], appearing to them during forty days and talking [to them] about the things of the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) The reason for these many appearances is found in verse 8 of Acts 1: “you shall be My witnesses (eye-witnesses) in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.” It is not difficult to understand how these disciples could be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. These areas were very near to one another and reachable during the lives of the disciples. But to the ends of the earth, how could that be possible?
Again, in the legal system, a deposition is the giving of testimony on oath. It is the sworn statement of a witness used in court in his absence. A deposition is considered having the same weight as live testimony. An individual who by live testimony in court contradicted his earlier submitted deposition would be perceived as having given false testimony. And he would be subject to the laws of perjury if it were proven his intent was for the purpose of deceiving the court. This is important because the New Testament is, in a most viable sense, the depositions of eye-witness testimonies to the resurrection of Christ. It is clearly made known in the NT that Peter, John, James, Jude and Paul were eye-witnesses of a risen Christ. Therefore their writings are, in a sense, sworn testimonies (depositions) to the resurrection of Christ. Old Testament law required two or three witnesses to establish the truth. “A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” (Deut 19:15) Five of the NT writers are unquestionably declared as being eye-witnesses to the resurrection.
This is why Jesus told his disciples they would be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Their sworn testimonies (the New Testament) would spread throughout the entire world. The New Testament is believed and accepted to be the inspired word of God by all true believers. It is the eye-witnessed testimony of men who were moved upon by the Holy Spirit. It is the God breathed, God inspired revelation of God’s perspective of the cross and resurrection. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 10:40: “Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.” Therefore, those who will not believe and receive the testimonies of the Christ’s witnesses are not just rejecting men but God himself. “Since we believe human testimony, surely we can believe the greater testimony that comes from God. And God has testified about his Son. All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son.” (1 John 5:9-10)
Man must still see with his eyes to believe. However, his belief in Christ is no longer by what he sees with his physical eyes but with the eyes of his spirit (his understanding). And this can only happen when God gives him spiritual sight. Paul testified to Agrippa that Christ had sent him with this calling: “I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.” (Acts 26:17-18) Spiritual sight is not the result of man’s efforts but of God. So is the faith that brings salvation not of man but of God: “For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it.” (Ephesians 2:8) It is from beginning to end the work of God in man to give spiritual sight of the resurrected Christ. In this way God brings sinful man to trust completely in Christ and fully depend on him for salvation and eternal life.
Many were eye witness to the death of Christ but that never saved them. It is not belief in Christ’s death on the cross that saves man. It is the belief in his resurrection: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The cross of Christ obtained for man the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God. The resurrection of Christ testifies to that completed work and empowers the true believer to overcome sin and manifest the indwelling life of Christ. The cross of Christ is a finished work: “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30) The resurrection life is an ongoing work of Christ in the believer. Paul’s heartfelt cry was this: “[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers].” (Philippians 3:10) What happened at the cross is done and must be understood and appropriated by faith. What is happening now in the life of a true believer is the resurrected Christ pouring out his life into that child of God who is receiving it by faith. That is why we are now to go to the throne of grace for help with overcoming sin and not to the cross of Christ. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16)
Something wonderful happened at the cross of Christ 2000 years ago. The penalty of sin was paid and the forgiveness of sin was obtained for man by Christ. It is a part of the gospel that has been accomplished. The resurrection is God’s validation of that truth and his means for man of entering into the Kingdom of God and all the free blessings available in Christ. As true believers we are now to set our minds on things above (God’s perspective) and not on things of the earth (man’s perspective). Christ is to always be our focus: “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) To God be the glory forever.
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