Victoria
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Although every man at any time is saved by the grace of God through faith, the content of faith differs from one dispensation to the next. That is, the message that is offered and believed for righteousness and salvation varies according to God’s progressive revelation.
These different gospels can be understood by a careful study of Scripture making sure to rightly divide according to what had been revealed (2 Tim 2:15).
Noah and righteousness
In Genesis, Noah was counted righteous because of his obedience to God and was saved through the building of the ark in a world without rain. His faith and obedience was not based upon the knowledge of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but in the living God and his promise of a flood.
While Peter explains that Noah’s salvation was a figure of the salvation found in the resurrection of Christ, there is no mention of Noah’s understanding of this truth. Peter reveals that no prophet understood such a salvation through Christ until after his death:
Abraham and righteousness
It cannot be ignored that Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith in God’s word for a mighty nation, not the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Genesis 15:6). Although we now know that Abraham could be justified based upon the then-future propitiatory work of Christ, the message that counted him faithful was the promise of a mighty nation.
As Paul explains, Abraham was ‘strong in faith’ (Romans 4:20).
The specific promise that God made to Abraham was not that a messiah would die for his sins, but that his wife would produce a son although she was barren and beyond her age.
Moses and righteousness
While Moses was able to have personal communion and conversation with God, he wrote about a righteousness gained from the obedience of faith in the law.
Paul expounds upon the understanding of Moses when he quotes Leviticus 18:5:
This righteousness and the faith that Moses and his followers had of God’s law was not faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:2-9).
John the Baptist and righteousness
After a four century silence in God’s plan with Israel, John the Baptist appears on the scene preaching the ‘baptism of repentance for the remission of sins’ (Mark 1:4).
The message he taught was the soon coming of the promised kingdom to Israel and the Messiah. Those who believed his message accepted his baptism, and those who were unfaithful to God’s promises rejected his testimony of faith.
The result of accepting John’s baptism was a remission of sins and righteousness by the obedience of faith. Jesus demonstrated this by taking part in the baptism, although John declared that he didn’t need it:
Jesus and righteousness
During his earthly ministry Jesus also taught the ‘gospel of the kingdom’ as John did:
However, Jesus also taught the righteousness of the new covenant law.
Although this standard of righteousness seemed to be stringent, there were abundant rewards for those who ‘endured to the end’
(Matt 10:22).
It should be noted that even though Jesus taught the law, coming kingdom, and even his identity as the son of God, belief in his atoning death and resurrection was not required for righteousness or salvation during his earthly ministry.
In fact, when he did try to explain that he had to die to his disciples, they were ignorant of the matter:
The Disciples and the New Covenant righteousness
After the institution of the New Covenant and empowerment by the Holy Ghost, the disciples Peter and John wrote about a faith in Jesus as the Messiah and his resurrection.
Peter explains that remaining faithful to God and his Son through the immediate trials of tribulation would secure salvation and righteousness for believers in the end:
The content of the faith that they had to believe was preached by Peter at his Pentecostal debut:
John also writes that their faith rested in the message that Jesus was indeed the son of God, the promised Messiah.
This message of faith in the name of Jesus as Christ and Messiah was essential to entering the kingdom and achieving the righteousness as promised by God.
Conclusion
Listed here is a simple summary of different gospels found in the Bible, yet is not exhaustive. It does not include the glorious gospel of grace and imputed righteousness through Jesus Christ revealed to Paul. However, it should be evident that there were separate messages offered for righteousness and salvation as God’s word was progressively revealed.
It is only when we come to God’s word as skilled workman ‘rightly dividing the word of truth’ that we can understand the actions of the just down through history as they seek the righteousness of God by faith.
By: GraceAmbassadors.com
The Many Gospels of the Bible
These different gospels can be understood by a careful study of Scripture making sure to rightly divide according to what had been revealed (2 Tim 2:15).
Noah and righteousness
In Genesis, Noah was counted righteous because of his obedience to God and was saved through the building of the ark in a world without rain. His faith and obedience was not based upon the knowledge of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but in the living God and his promise of a flood.
While Peter explains that Noah’s salvation was a figure of the salvation found in the resurrection of Christ, there is no mention of Noah’s understanding of this truth. Peter reveals that no prophet understood such a salvation through Christ until after his death:
Abraham and righteousness
It cannot be ignored that Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith in God’s word for a mighty nation, not the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Genesis 15:6). Although we now know that Abraham could be justified based upon the then-future propitiatory work of Christ, the message that counted him faithful was the promise of a mighty nation.
As Paul explains, Abraham was ‘strong in faith’ (Romans 4:20).
The specific promise that God made to Abraham was not that a messiah would die for his sins, but that his wife would produce a son although she was barren and beyond her age.
Moses and righteousness
While Moses was able to have personal communion and conversation with God, he wrote about a righteousness gained from the obedience of faith in the law.
Paul expounds upon the understanding of Moses when he quotes Leviticus 18:5:
This righteousness and the faith that Moses and his followers had of God’s law was not faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:2-9).
John the Baptist and righteousness
After a four century silence in God’s plan with Israel, John the Baptist appears on the scene preaching the ‘baptism of repentance for the remission of sins’ (Mark 1:4).
The message he taught was the soon coming of the promised kingdom to Israel and the Messiah. Those who believed his message accepted his baptism, and those who were unfaithful to God’s promises rejected his testimony of faith.
The result of accepting John’s baptism was a remission of sins and righteousness by the obedience of faith. Jesus demonstrated this by taking part in the baptism, although John declared that he didn’t need it:
Jesus and righteousness
During his earthly ministry Jesus also taught the ‘gospel of the kingdom’ as John did:
However, Jesus also taught the righteousness of the new covenant law.
Although this standard of righteousness seemed to be stringent, there were abundant rewards for those who ‘endured to the end’
(Matt 10:22).
It should be noted that even though Jesus taught the law, coming kingdom, and even his identity as the son of God, belief in his atoning death and resurrection was not required for righteousness or salvation during his earthly ministry.
In fact, when he did try to explain that he had to die to his disciples, they were ignorant of the matter:
The Disciples and the New Covenant righteousness
After the institution of the New Covenant and empowerment by the Holy Ghost, the disciples Peter and John wrote about a faith in Jesus as the Messiah and his resurrection.
Peter explains that remaining faithful to God and his Son through the immediate trials of tribulation would secure salvation and righteousness for believers in the end:
The content of the faith that they had to believe was preached by Peter at his Pentecostal debut:
John also writes that their faith rested in the message that Jesus was indeed the son of God, the promised Messiah.
This message of faith in the name of Jesus as Christ and Messiah was essential to entering the kingdom and achieving the righteousness as promised by God.
Conclusion
Listed here is a simple summary of different gospels found in the Bible, yet is not exhaustive. It does not include the glorious gospel of grace and imputed righteousness through Jesus Christ revealed to Paul. However, it should be evident that there were separate messages offered for righteousness and salvation as God’s word was progressively revealed.
It is only when we come to God’s word as skilled workman ‘rightly dividing the word of truth’ that we can understand the actions of the just down through history as they seek the righteousness of God by faith.
By: GraceAmbassadors.com
The Many Gospels of the Bible
