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One Kingdom, One Gospel
April 30, 2017
Some erroneously preach that there are two kingdoms and two gospels -- one for the Jews and one for the rest of us. There is only one kingdom and only one gospel.. It is the kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven and the gospel of Jesus Christ as savior of the world. - Bernie Parsons
One Kingdom, One Gospel
a sermon by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 04-30-2017
Presented to Load church of Christ on 05-07-2017
Today, there are people who teach that God has two kingdoms and two
gospels – one for those of the bloodline of Abraham, and another for
those who are not. This is not true.
Matthew 3:7 "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to
his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned
you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father:
for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up
children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore
every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and
gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire."
God dispenses reward and contingent upon our willingness to repent and
follow Him, or not.
Romans 2:25 "For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law:
but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made
uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law,
shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the
law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the
law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of
the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of
men, but of God."
The apostle Paul stated that God had united the world in one blood, one
nation.
Acts 17:24 "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that
he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any
thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the
face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and
the bounds of their habitation;
27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him,
and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:"
The same lesson is presented to Ephesian believers in similar words.
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto
good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision
in the flesh made by hands
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh
by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the
middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain
one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them
that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy
temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through
the Spirit."
The apostle Paul wrote the Colossian church regarding this same truth.
Colossians 2:13 "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision
of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you
all trespasses;
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them
openly, triumphing over them in it."
Before Jesus died, He taught His disciples this prayer:
Matthew 6:9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art
in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine
is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen"
His kingdom was coming, and it would be forever, fulfilling the prophecy
in Daniel.
Daniel 7:13 "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son
of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days,
and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all
people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed."
All the nations – which includes all Gentiles – would be a part of that
everlasting dominion.
Acts 13:45 "But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with
envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul,
contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that
the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put
it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we
turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a
light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the
ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the
word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed."
Acts 26:21 "For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went
about to kill me.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day,
witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those
which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that
should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to
the Gentiles."
This is one account of the handiwork of God, from Genesis through the
Revelation. There is one eternal kingdom, Jesus is its king, God reigns
over Christ, and the Jews and Gentiles are all a part of the same
kingdom. There is one gospel, the good news about the eternal kingdom!
Ephesians 4:4 "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called
in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in
you all."
Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned."
Either the Holy Bible is the word of God, or not. If it is, then we must
believe and obey it. If not, we are only following the instructions of
men, and the word of one is just as good as another.
