A Half-Gospel

[jeremiah1five]

What is half a gospel?
Well, first, what is the full gospel?
The full gospel begins in the Garden of Eden when God promised a Redeemer to the man and the woman.

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. 3:15.

This good news continued with the prophecy of Moses:

15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Dt 18:15.

This gospel "good news" was continued in 2 Samuel:

12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
2 Sam. 7:12–13.

Daniel, Isaiah, Zechariah all spoke of this good news of Israel's covenant Redeemer. In every book of the Hebrew Scriptures there is more good news about Israel's Redeemer and Savior, and King.

Yet, many Christians only begin their understanding of Israel's Messiah and Savior from Matthew's gospel. And by focusing on the New Covenant writings, they lose out on the richness and depth of all the covenants and prophecies in the First Testament that tell a great many more things about the Lord and Savior. Every Hebrew looked forward in their lives to the day they hoped they would be alive when their Messiah arrived. They were the first Christians. They were the true and original Church. They were the LORD'S Bride. He is betrothed to Israel.
Taking all your doctrine from Matthew onward leaves a Christian with a half gospel, maybe even a quarter gospel for if one cannot connect the Lord to everything written about Him before in the Hebrew Scriptures then they will end up with a half gospel, even no gospel at all for if there is no foundation from which to proceed forward in their understanding of Israel's Redeemer then one is left without great opportunity from which they understand His origins and what is said about Him. Not only that but severing Israel's Messiah from Israel's covenants and prophecies gives a Christian only a partial understanding of His Person and Work towards His purpose and ultimate destiny. It's not enough to say, "I believe in Jesus, and I am saved." Or I run into many Christians that only hold to that statement and fail to study further and deeper regarding the Savior. Theirs is a gospel of the New Testament and no further.
It's a shame Christians do not study the First Testament but only take their doctrines and beliefs from the Second Testament thus leaving them with one-third gospel. There is more good news about Israel's Redeemer, Savior, and Lord in the Hebrew Scriptures that if Christians would read and study would give them a full picture about Jesus the Christ and the good news about His life and what that life means to us today. And what His life means to Israel. When Christians sever Israel's Messiah from Israel then they are left with at least half a gospel.
And that's the full truth.

 

[jeremiah1five]

When you get into the Hebrew Scriptures you can be sure to find the following about Israel's Redeemer, Messiah and King:

Genesis: Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman.
Exodus: He is the Passover Lamb.
Leviticus: He is the High Priest.
Numbers: He is the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night.
Deuteronomy: He is the Prophet like unto Moses.
Joshua: He is the Captain of our salvation.
Judges: He is Judge and Lawgiver.
Ruth: He is the Kinsman-Redeemer.
1 & 2 Samuel: He is the trusted Prophet.
Kings and Chronicles: He is the Reigning King
Ezra: He is the Builder of the broken-out walls.
Esther: He is our Mordecai.
Job: He is the ever-living Redeemer.
Psalms: He is the Great Shepherd.
Proverbs & Ecclesiastes: He is Wisdom.
Song of Solomon: He is Israel's loving Bridegroom.
Isaiah: He is Israel's Prince of Peace.
Jeremiah: He is Israel's Righteous Branch.
Lamentations: He is the Weeping Prophet.
Ezekiel: He is the wonderful Four-Faced Man.
Daniel: He is the 4th Man in life's fiery furnace.
Hosea: He is Israel's Faithful Husband.
Joel: He is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Amos: He is Israel's burden-bearer.
Obadiah: He is Mighty to save.
Jonah: He is the Great Foreign Missionary.
Micah: He is the Messenger with beautiful feet.
Nahum: He is Israel's Avenger of God's Elect.
Habakkuk: He is God's Evangelist's cry (Revive thy works in the midst of the years.)
Zephaniah: He is Israel's Savior.
Haggai: He is the Restorer of Israel's lost heritage.
Zechariah: He found and opened up in the House of David for sin and uncleanliness
Malachi: He the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in His wings.

Matthew: He is King of the Jews.
Mark: He is the Servant.
Luke: He is the Son of Man.
John: He is the Son of God.
Acts: He is the Savior of Israel.
Romans: He is the Righteousness of God.
1st Corinthians: He is the Rock of all Israel.
2nd Corinthians: He is the Triumphant One giving victory.
Galatians: He is Israel's liberty Who set them free.
Ephesians: He is the Head of the Church which is Israel.
Philippians: He is Israel's joy.
Colossians: He is Israel's completeness.
1st & 2nd Thessalonians: He is the hope of Israel.
1st Timothy: He is Faith.
2nd Timothy: He is stability.
Philemon: He is Israel's Benefactor.
Titus: He is Truth.
Hebrews: He is Perfection.
James: He is Power behind Israel's faith.
1st Peter: He is the Example.
2nd Peter: He is Purity.
1st John: He is Life.
2nd John: He is the Pattern.
3rd John: He is the Motivation.
Jude: He is the Foundation of Israel's faith.
Revelation: He is Israel's Coming King. The First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Keeper of Creation and the Creator of all. He is the Architect of the universe and the Manager of all Time. He always Was, He always Is, and He always Will Be, unmoved, unchanged, undefeated, and never undone.

And this is a summary of the full gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Unspeakable Gift.

 

[koberstein]

What is half a gospel?
Well, first, what is the full gospel?
The full gospel begins in the Garden of Eden when God promised a Redeemer to the man and the woman.

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Gen. 3:15.

This good news continued with the prophecy of Moses:

15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Dt 18:15.

This gospel "good news" was continued in 2 Samuel:

12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
2 Sam. 7:12–13.

Daniel, Isaiah, Zechariah all spoke of this good news of Israel's covenant Redeemer. In every book of the Hebrew Scriptures there is more good news about Israel's Redeemer and Savior, and King.

Yet, many Christians only begin their understanding of Israel's Messiah and Savior from Matthew's gospel. And by focusing on the New Covenant writings, they lose out on the richness and depth of all the covenants and prophecies in the First Testament that tell a great many more things about the Lord and Savior. Every Hebrew looked forward in their lives to the day they hoped they would be alive when their Messiah arrived. They were the first Christians. They were the true and original Church. They were the LORD'S Bride. He is betrothed to Israel.
Taking all your doctrine from Matthew onward leaves a Christian with a half gospel, maybe even a quarter gospel for if one cannot connect the Lord to everything written about Him before in the Hebrew Scriptures then they will end up with a half gospel, even no gospel at all for if there is no foundation from which to proceed forward in their understanding of Israel's Redeemer then one is left without great opportunity from which they understand His origins and what is said about Him. Not only that but severing Israel's Messiah from Israel's covenants and prophecies gives a Christian only a partial understanding of His Person and Work towards His purpose and ultimate destiny. It's not enough to say, "I believe in Jesus, and I am saved." Or I run into many Christians that only hold to that statement and fail to study further and deeper regarding the Savior. Theirs is a gospel of the New Testament and no further.
It's a shame Christians do not study the First Testament but only take their doctrines and beliefs from the Second Testament thus leaving them with one-third gospel. There is more good news about Israel's Redeemer, Savior, and Lord in the Hebrew Scriptures that if Christians would read and study would give them a full picture about Jesus the Christ and the good news about His life and what that life means to us today. And what His life means to Israel. When Christians sever Israel's Messiah from Israel then they are left with at least half a gospel.
And that's the full truth.

Amen and Shalom!