Question # 3.1 - What message in the Bible is taught as the power of God unto salvation?

2 Timothy 1:10 says "...Our Saviour Jesus Christ...hath abolished death, and hath brought immortality to light through the gospel".

Mark 1:14-15 says that "Jesus came...saying...repent ye, and believe the gospel".

Colossians 1:21-23 says "And you, that were...alienated and enemies... yet now hath He reconciled...if ye continue in the faith...and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel".

2 Thessalonians 2:14 says "...He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ".

Romans 1:16 says "The gospel of Christ...is the power of God unto salvation..."

Before going into the scriptures on this, I'd like to illustrate the importance of this question. Once when I was an apprentice carpenter, I asked a certain individual for a job. He asked me (what I recognized after our conversation) a "trick" question. He asked me if, when making my three cuts on the end of a piece of 4 x 4 lumber, if I could make all three cuts perfectly flush the first time. My mind focused on the times I had been able to make the cuts flush, and I answered yes. Moments after our conversation was over I realized my mistake. You see, anyone who makes a day-to-day living at carpentry should instantly realize that it only takes two cuts! A third cut would actually increase the chances of error. Of course it was obvious to the man that I was not yet thoroughly practiced at carpentry, and if he were to hire me, he could expect that I would need more training.

The above question about the gospel is, in a manner of speaking, a trick question. Most people, when asked that question, answer with either "It's the good news", or "It's the first four books of the New Testament". Although the word gospel does literally mean "good news", it still doesn't answer the question of "What is the good news?" In a like manner, the first four books of the New Testament contain the gospel, but they alone do not declare, define, or spell out exactly what the gospel is, or how it is obeyed.

It is surprising to me how many people who claim to be preaching the gospel can't quote the scriptures that declare, and define exactly what the good news is, and how it is obeyed.

The reason this question is so important is because of what God has to say about it in His Word-

"...Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel... By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain..." -1 Corinthians 15:1-2.

"Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them... that obey not the gospel... who shall be punished with everlasting destruction..." -2 Thessalonians 1:6-9.

Question # 3.3 - What do the scriptures declare the gospel (or literally- "good news") of Jesus Christ to be?

In 1 Timothy 1:11 Paul wrote "...The glorious gospel of the blessed God...was committed to my trust".

In Galatians 1:11-12 Paul writes "...I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ".

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul states "...Brethren, I declare unto you the gospel...that which I also received, how that...

Question # 3.4 - What will happen to those who do not obey the gospel, will they be saved??

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" -Galatians 1:6-9.

"For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel...?" -1 Peter 4:17.

"...God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel" -Romans 2:l6.

"...It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you...and obey not the gospel..." -2 Thessalonians 1:6-9.

In Matthew 16:19 Jesus told His disciple Peter "...I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou bound on earth shall be bound in heaven...".

In Acts 2:14-39 to the people whose hearts were pricked with conviction from the first preaching after Christ's ascension, and were moved to ask the apostles "...what shall we do?" Peter answered-

And BE BAPTIZED EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS Christ for the remission of sins,

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off...".

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" -Romans 8:13.

"...Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it" -Mark 8:34-35.

"It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with him..." -2 Timothy 2:11.

"...Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin" -Romans 6:6-7.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" Galatians 2:20.

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" -Romans 6:11

"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness..." -1 Peter 2:24.

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds..." Colossians 3:3-9.

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" -Galatians 5:24.

"For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh" -2 Corinthians 4:11.

Question # 3.7 - Is repentance necessary for salvation? Can a person be saved without repenting?

"...If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes... he shall surely live, he shall not die" -Ezekiel 18:21.

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out..." -Acts 3:19.

"Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism..." -Romans 6:3-4.

"...Give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins" -Luke 1:77.

"...Peter said...be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS..." -Acts 2:38.

Question # 3.10 - But the Bible says "by grace are ye saved through faith...not of works..." (Eph. 2:8-9). If baptism is necessary for salvation how is salvation through faith and not of works?

"...Naaman...was a leper... And... when Elisha... heard... he sent to the king saying... let him come now unto me... So Naaman came... And Elisha sent a messenger unto him saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh... shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away... And his servants came... and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times... and his flesh came again..." -2 Kings 5:1-14.

Which of us, by our own power and devices, by dipping into a body of water, could possibly wash our souls clean of all sin and iniquity? But if we are baptized in response to God's call, isn't our action then an act of faith in the operation of God?

"...God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein... souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but of the answer of a good conscience toward God)..." -l Peter 3:20-21.

"...By faith Noah prepared an ark to the saving of his house... -Hebrews 11:7.

(We will be looking at the subject of water baptism in depth in Chapter 4, entitled Baptism in Jesus Name)

Question # 3.12 - HOW DOES RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST RELATE TO CHRIST'S RESURRECTION?

"...The Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit...dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" -Romans 8:9-ll.

Question # 3.13 - Must a person receive the Holy Ghost in order to be saved?

"...Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His..." -Romans 8:9-ll.

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" -John 3:5.

(We will be looking at the subject of receiving the Holy Ghost in depth in Chapters 5 and 6)

The Old Testament law is called the schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24) to bring us to Christ. It is also called a pattern, example, and shadow (Heb. 8:5). We will now take a look at a few of these "patterns"-

"...Behold...saith the Lord...I will make a new covenant... Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them...out of the land of Egypt... For this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts..." -Hebrews 8:8-10.

"Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ...written...with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart" -2 Corinthians 3:3.

Unto Moses God said- "Make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount" -Hebrews 8:5; Exodus 25:40.

"For there was a tabernacle made; the first... Which was a figure for the time then present..." -Hebrews 9:2,9.

But unto those who consider Jesus their High Priest (Heb. 3:1), it is written- "...We have such an high priest...a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle... also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises... Verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service..." -Hebrews 8:1,2,6, 9:1.

Now let's look at some outlines of how certain Old Testament patterns foreshadowed the death, burial, and resurrection, and/or our repentance, baptism, and gift of the promised Holy Spirit-

Death &/or Repentance	Burial &/or Water baptism	Resurrection &/or Gift of the Holy Ghost
The law...a shadow of good things to come...with those sacrifices which they offered...We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus -Heb.10:1,10 & 9:13-14.	A laver of brass...between the tabernacle...and the altar...for Aaron and his sons... shall wash with water that they die not -Exod.30:18-20. A new & living way...having...our bodies washed with pure water-Heb.10:19-22. Also Eph. 5:26-27.	The second veil...the Holiest...into the second went the high priest alone once every year...the Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of of all was not yet made manifest -Heb.9: 3,7-8. Through (Jesus) access by one Spirit unto the Father. -Eph. 2:18. Also Eph.2:5-6; Rom.6:4-5, 8:11; John 7:38-39.
Take a lamb...and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you -Exod.12:3,7. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us -1 Cor.5:7.	All our fathers... passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea...these things were our examples -1 Cor.10:1-6.	Ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire... but ye are come to mount Sion -Heb. 12:18-22. If the ministration of death.....was glorious...which glory was to be done away; How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?... Much more that which remaineth is glorious -2 Cor. 3:7-8,11.
Death reigned from Adam...the figure of Him that was to come -Rom. 5:14. For as in Adam all die...in Christ shall all be made alive -l Cor. 15:21-22,45.	In the days of Noah...souls were saved by water. The like figure...baptism doth also save us...- l Pet. 3:20-21.	The blessing of Abraham... (came) through Jesus... that we might receive the promise of the Spirit -Gal.3:14 -18. Glad tidings... the promise... fulfilled in that He raised up Jesus - Acts 13:32-33.

Question # 3.14 - Some say there is nothing we can do to help ensure our salvation. If that's the case, why does the scripture say-

"...Verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service..." -Hebrews 9:1.

"...Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" -Hebrews 12:28.

Repent! and Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost -Acts 2:38.

Some will try to tell you this message was only for those Jews at that time. But the scripture says-

"There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call on Him" -Romans 10:12.

The promise (The promise of the Holy Ghost...which ye...see and hear -Acts 2:33) Is unto you, And to your children, And to all that are afar off, Even As many as the Lord our God shall call-Acts 2:39.

"...Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance" -1 Thessalonians 1:5.

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost..." 2 Corinthians 4:3.

CHAPTER THREE

I DECLARE UNTO YOU THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Tom Raddatz