I believe
that among Christians there is a great misunderstanding about what “the gospel”
is. Most scholars, theologians, and even lay people know the term means “good
news,” but what the good news is, is where the confusion comes in. Checking
church doctrine across denominational lines you will find most Christian
institutions define the gospel message as salvation through Christ. Oh they may
get fancy with their descriptions and call it saved by faith through grace, or
Jesus died for our sins. All of which is true, but that is NOT the gospel.
The gospel
Jesus proclaimed is the kingdom of God is at hand. Salvation is an entrance to
that kingdom, but salvation is not the good news Jesus came with.
Think about
it. When Jesus sent the disciples out what did He tell them to say? Matthew 10
tells us it was, “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at
hand.” (Matthew as a devout Jew would not say or write “God” so he substituted
heaven, but the term kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God are one in the same.)
Jesus did not say go and declare salvation through me. He did not say go and
preach, ‘love one another.’ On the contrary He was very clear… “the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.” It is close, it is here. That was Christ's message. His good
news is the kingdom of God is at hand and you are about to have individual
access to it.
Think about
the parables. What were they about? They were about the “kingdom of God.” So
many of them start the kingdom of God is like… Why? So that post salvation when
you experience the kingdom you will have a reference. Jesus was saying this is what the
experience is when you are in the kingdom of God.
Some might
argue, and I use to even think that by Jesus saying the kingdom of God is at
hand that He was referencing Himself. But I do not believe so anymore. Jesus said, "I am
the way, the truth, and the life." These were references to the gates into
Jerusalem, and He was saying, ‘I am the way into the kingdom of heaven.’ Even
more, this kingdom of heaven, this good news was not about some experience post
mortality. It is about today. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as
it is in heaven," was not a hope for tomorrow, but a command for today. An
invitation to kingdom awareness. Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God coming upon
us. He said that the kingdom has to be received and entered. Over and over and
over He talks about the kingdom of God.
Yes Christ
died for our sins and believing in Him is salvation by faith through grace. But
it is most importantly the entrance to the kingdom of God. And the kingdom of
God is that place of awareness of Him. It is awareness of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. From inside the kingdom the commandment of love flows out.
Did you know that Jesus referenced the kingdom of God nearly 100 times more
than He did love? Salvation is mentioned 100 times less that the kingdom as well. Power and miracles
too, 100 times less than the kingdom. All of which are important. All of
which are part of the Christian experience. But the gospel, the good news is
that you have access to the kingdom of God today, right here, right now.
What it is,
how it works, that part… it’s the mystery for you to discover. Just ask to
enter, and see where your spiritual life goes.
I can tell you this. The kingdom of God is not a republic, a democracy, or any other form of top down or bottom up organization concocted by man. The kingdom of God is a center out organism. It is God is, and everything else exists in Him and because of Him. His kingdom boundary is where He ends, as if He had an end, which He does not. To be in His kingdom is to be in Him, and to know you are in Him, and He is in you. It is the place where your soul is at home.
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