The Gospel

Douglas W. Kennard

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781532632648
• eBook ISBN: 9781532636974
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

This book is about stating gospel, especially in the Bible. After surveying historical statements of gospel within their respective soteriology, biblical contexts are explored that identify either: 1) as gospel; 2) promise forgiveness; 3) promise everlasting life; 4) promise kingdom; or 5) promise resurrection with Christ. These five statements indicate the outcomes that are normally associated with the gospel across Christendom. This framework provides legitimate biblical gospel statements within exclusive salvation in Christ. This volume presents and appropriates biblical gospel patterns as a new reformation for fullness of salvation in Christ and His earthly kingdom. This variety of biblical gospel statements provoke: 1) unity around Jesus Christ and God's gracious salvation; 2) toleration concerning rival statements of Christian gospel; and 3) jettisoning unsupported traditional frameworks. For example, ticket Christianity with little or no life change except past faith and an experience prepare Jesus Christ to say to a major section of the church, "Depart from Me, I never knew you!" Better to hear the eschatological Christ say, "Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world... because to the extent that you did to these brothers of Mine, even the least, you did to Me."

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Introduction

This book is about the statement of the gospel, especially in the Bible. This first chapter surveys historical statements of the good news and their respective soteriologies. However, subsequent chapters will explore any biblical statement that either (1) identifies itself as gospel, (2) promises forgiveness, (3) promises everlasting life, (4) promises the kingdom, or (5) promises resurrection with Christ. These five statements indicate the outcomes that are normally associated with the gospel across Christendom. However, some traditions emphasize other aspects than these.

Often Christian salvation strategies argue for one gospel perspective to the exclusion of other options. One example of such an exclusive strategy is Simon Gathercole’s recent Defending Substitution.1 However, defending one element for inclusion within the gospel does not defend that all gospel statements must include that element, as though there is only one way to say the gospel. While Gathercole defends substitution as within Paul’s salvation gospel strategy, he does not argue that if substitution is not mentioned other options cannot also be soteriologically Pauline. This present volume takes a different trajectory in drawing out all the ways that the Bible says the gospel message to bring the individual to the recognized outcomes of salvation. Of course, substitution is among them, but above I identified five ways to describe the goal of salvation. If these five statements indicate identifiers for biblical gospel statements, then the gospel can be said in varied ways and different traditions have focused on part of this statement.

This book is about soteriology but is more narrow than a discussion of everything that God accomplishes in the process or mechanism of salvation. That more expansive view of salvation has already been published in my books Biblical Covenantalism in Prophets, Psalms, Early Judaism, Gospels, and Acts. Volume Two Judaism, Covenant Nomism, and Kingdom Hope and Biblical Covenantalism: Engaging the New Perspective and New Covenant Atonement. Volume Three Biblical Covenantalism in New Testament Epistles.2 So this book focuses on the more restrictive task of identifying the legitimate gospel message that, if implemented, includes one in the benefits of this salvation.

The word εὐαγγελίου means “good news” or “joyous news” declared to others.3 In classical Greek and Jewish contexts the word is used to describe the good news of announcing victory in battle (LXX: 1 Sam 31:9; 2 Sam 1:20; 4:10; 18:19–20, 27, 31; 1 Chr 10:9; Ps 67[68]:11).4 By extension, the word announces the Lord’s victory (LXX: Ps 95[96]:2). This victory might be that of spiritual cleansing and declared righteous by the priest through sacrifice (LXX: Ps 39[40]:9). The word announces entrance into the Lord’s eschatological kingdom with peace (LXX: Isa 40:9; 52:7; 60:6; 61:1; Joel 2:32; Nah 1:15).5 The word also announces the good news of who will be the next king, such as “David is lord” (LXX: 2 Sam 4:10; 1 Kgs 1:42).6

One expression of this gospel in the NT is the belief or confession that Jesus is Lord, who provides true knowledge in his teaching and everlasting life.7 Those who confess Jesus is Lord and believe God raised him from the dead are saved because such a commitment can only be accomplished by the transformation the Holy Spirit brings (Rom 10:9–10; 1 Cor 12:3). The gospel statements in the book of Acts ...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: The Servant’s Atonement in Isaiah
• Chapter 3: Mark as Narrative Gospel
• Chapter 4: Beatitudes to the Kingdom
• Chapter 5: Following Jesus’ New Covenant Teaching of the Law in the Narrow Way
• Chapter 6: Keep the Law of Love
• Chapter 7: Kingdom Parables
• Chapter 8: Forgiveness in the Synoptics
• Chapter 9: Matthew 19:16—20:16: 
Standard and Poor
• Chapter 10: Eschatological Reversal
• Chapter 11: Sheep and Goats
• Chapter 12: John 3: Believing Jesus Begets Everlasting Life
• Chapter 13: Messiah unto Everlasting Life
• Chapter 14: Believe in Jesus as Sent from God to have Everlasting Life
• Chapter 15: Jesus Is the Resurrection and the Life
• Chapter 16: Jesus as Gospel
• Chapter 17: Christ’s Vicarious Atonement
• Chapter 18: Gospel as Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
• Chapter 19: Christ’s Imputation
• Chapter 20: Mystical Justification by the Spirit
• Chapter 21: Paul Identifies that Jesus Is Lord
• Chapter 22: Redemption Victory Procession
• Chapter 23: Paul’s Narrow Way to Everlasting Life
• Chapter 24: Christ’s Atonement in Hebrews
• Chapter 25: Petrine Redemption unto the Narrow Way to the Kingdom
• Chapter 26: Christ’s Propitiation in 1 John
• Chapter 27: The Overcomer in Revelation
• Chapter 28: Putting it all Together
• Appendix: A Critique of Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo (Why the God-Man?)
• Select Bibliography