Definitions of the Gospel in Christianity - Research Paper Example

Religion and Theology 5 November What is Gospel? There are several definitions of Gospel in Christianity although, in the simplest words, it is known as the good news. According to (New King James Version, Mark 1: 14-15), gospel may refer to the good news about the coming of God’s Kingdom as was the preaching of Jesus. The term “gospel” has also be used to refer to the life of Jesus Christ and the happenings that followed in his life (Dunn 36). It includes his death on the cross that was followed by his resurrection. Christians, therefore, take that as good news as it was the only way that helped to reinstate their association with God. Gospel to Christians, is described as the saving acts of Jesus on the cross and through his resurrection which acted as a reconciliatory bridge to bring back the initial relationship that existed between God and the people (Dunn 37). The discussion below will try to expound more on what the gospel means, taking into account several publications by various authors and the Bible. It is meant to give an insightful discussion into the topic and will culminate into an argument on the comparisons between the gospel of Jesus and that of Paul. In the discussion, Biblical referencing will largely rotate around the four main books that outline the life of Jesus: Mathew, Luke, Mark and John. Alongside these books will be the authorship works of Paul which will also be considered to bring out the meaning of the topic from Paul’s perspective. Publications from other authors who have already dug into the topic of gospel will also be consulted. At the end of the research, I will also discuss my opinion of why the gospel is good to Christianity and how it has helped to make a difference in my life. Before proceeding to the topic, however, I will provide a brief overview of the lives of both Jesus and Paul as it will help to set the basis of our discussion. The life of Jesus According to the lines in (Mathew 2:1), Jesus was born in Jerusalem, Judea during the rule of King Herod. He began his life in Nazareth and only started his gospel ministry after 30 years. (Luke 3:1). The commencement of his ministry followed his baptism by John the Baptist and this set way for his Divine Mission of spreading the good news. He then withdrew into the desert where he took a 40-day fast. After overcoming temptations by the devil, He went back to the neighbourhood of his Baptist’s ministry from where he won his first disciples (Mathew 3:4). It is during this time that Jesus performed his maiden miracle and where prepared wine from water at a nuptial party at Cana, Galilee (John 2:1-11). The miracle helped him to kick off his ministry, as what followed were a series of miracles while spreading the good news about the Kingdom of God (His Father). After three years of service to people and spreading the gospel, Jesus was crucified at the cross. Three days later, he resurrected and shortly after, rose to Heaven. The life of Paul Paul was born in the City of Tarsus (Acts 22:3) approximately 700 years after a proclamation by Prophet Isaiah. The prophet has prophesied that there would rise a man who would spread the gospel based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Bird and Joel 14). According to (Isaiah 42:10), Paul would spread the good news to the whole of the western part of the world. He would spread the gospel in a quest to reach God’s people with a message of restoration. Paul was an Israelite from a lineage of Benjamin and spoke in both Hebrew and Aramaic languages. He was a scholar of Pharisaic Law and followed Torah strictly. Initially, Paul was referred to as Saul, and it was until he had an encounter with Jesus on his way to Damascus that everything in his life changed. The change involved a conversion from someone who persecuted Christians to one who would later (14 years after conversion) engage in missionary activities to serve Christ and spread the Gospel. The conversion earned him a change of identity from Saul to Paul (Acts 9:17-23). Paul travelled most of the Mediterranean region for most of his missionary activities despite facing a lot of opposition and rejection which included two occasions of imprisonment. Similarities between Paul and Jesus in spreading the gospel Over time, various critics of the Christianity doctrine allege that Paul’s mission in a way showed a contradiction to Jesus teachings in several ways. Some of them base their claims on what they term as a continued reference to the teachings of Jesus by the present-day Christians as opposed to the low popularity of Paul’s teachings (Barnes 17). However, such can only be said to be unjustified especially if consideration is to be placed on the direction of their preaching and teachings. Paul might have been more theological, which can be understood due to his rich background in matters of law, but a close analysis of his teachings evidently shows that he taught nothing contrary to those of Jesus (19). In his book (Acts 9), Luke records all the events that followed after the conversion of Paul where he quotes Jesus as calling and sending Paul as his Apostle. The act was a clear indicator that both were indeed working together in their assignment of spreading the gospel. Some of the evidence that shows the similarities shared in their teachings are discussed below. For example, on the subject of Law, Jesus told His audience that He was on earth to advocate for the rule of law and not to break it (Mathew 5:17). On the same topic, Paul is quoted in (Romans 3:32) as saying “Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” He is further recorded explaining that a covenant that has been authorized by God cannot be annulled by law as a reason to nullify a promise (Gal. 3:17). On the issue of Jesus being the sole way of reaching God in Heaven, Paul refers to Jesus as the mediator between God and men, also referring to Him as God (1 Tim. 2.5). Jesus confirms this in (John 14:6) referring to self as a way, the truth and the life. Both Jesus and Paul share a similar stand on how Christians should handle anxiety. Both of them agree in unison and have strong words to encourage Christians why they should always seek refuge in God during anxious circumstances. Jesus tells Christians to avoid being anxious over their lives and bodies and instead submit their worries and needs to God instead (Mathew 6:25). In mirroring this teaching, Paul on his part teaches in (Phil. 4:6) that Christians can overcome anxiety through prayers, supplication and earnest thanksgiving. Both Jesus and Paul place in high regards, the act of seeking forgiveness among Christians. Jesus promises every Christian, who forgives others that they too will be forgiven by God (Mathew 6:14). Paul echoes these sentiments in (Eph. 4:32) teaching the Christians that to be kind enough and forgive their counterparts as Christ will also forgive them. These and many more examples are a vivid evidence of the similarities that Paul and Jesus shared in their respective Gospel ministries. Differences between Paul and Jesus in spreading the gospel I am aware that this sounds contradictory to the discussion above on the similarities. However, as a rejoinder, this paper will investigate why those critics of the Christianity take their stand in regards to the preaching and teachings of Jesus and Paul. My argument on this is that the criticism by the said critics emanates from factors other than the differences in the messages of the both preachers. For example, Jesus concentrated much on the audience of his native land, and this meant that his primary audience were normally the Jews. On the other hand, Paul, in his mission work, was able to spread the word further to people who had not known of Christianity- commonly referred to as the Gentiles. Conversely, Jesus based his preaching more on the existing Mosaic Law while Paul, who had been converted by God, operated under God’s grace. This formed the basis of his teachings thus his usual gospel of the grace of God. Jesus mainly preached on the gospel of the kingdom instead. How good is the gospel and how does it affect my life? Gospel can best be described as the resultant concept of the whole Bible. There are no proper words or actions that can overemphasise its importance. In his definition of the Gospel, Aune refers to it “as the chief communication of God to his people” (6). God planned the gospel, and as Paul says, it was by no accident that Jesus died for the sins of the people (Gal. 1:4). God permitted His lone son, Jesus, to give away his life on the cross so that the race of mankind could be delivered from eternal doom. Jesus and Paul were the instruments which helped start that journey, and it is through their sacrifice that Christians were rescued and transformed to a race who can now be accepted by God. Gospel has greatly influenced the person I am today. Like Paul, it has helped to change me and collectively, my way of living. In the case of Paul, the gospel transformed him from a persecutor to a known missionary and preacher (Gal. 1:18-24). It is through the gospel that I am closest to God, and that is exactly what happens when one obeys its teachings. There has been evident makeover in my relationship with God since I admitted my sins and accepted to be cleansed by the blood of Christ. I can also comfortably say that my behaviour and actions towards other people and God have changed as specified in (1 Cor. 6:11). Without the gospel, and consequently lack of changed behaviour, I am certain that I would be lost and ultimately cause grieve to God. Additionally, gospel has greatly increased my faith in God. As stated in (Gal. 3:2-14), Faith comes by hearing the word of God. The power of God unto salvation is what has been on my life. The same power of the gospel has allowed God to manifest Himself fully in my life through humbling my otherwise would have been egotistical nature. It allows the Holy Spirit Himself to be seen in place of me for all the changes that God has engineered in my life. In conclusion, gospel matters on a personal level and thus it is always important to keep check on how to respond to it. It is also good that Christians remain grateful for the acts of the gospel in their lives. Works cited Aune, David. Jesus, Gospel Tradition and Paul in the Context of Jewish and Greco-Roman Antiquity: Collected Essays Ii. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2013. Print Barnes, Peter. The Gospel: Did Paul and Jesus Agree?Darlington: Evangelical Press, 1994. Print. Bird, Michael and Joel, Willitts. Paul and the Gospels: Christologies, Conflicts, and Convergences. London: T & T Clark, 2011. Print Dunn, James. Jesus, Paul, and the Gospels. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 2011. Web.   Read More