Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The word "gospel" is a common one bandied about by almost everyone. It has come to cover all kinds of ideas.
But what the apostles actually preached is the only valid, authentic idea. What they said must be read in their own context, fully, not partially read and distorted to a wrong definition of that word.
Paul said that a correct understanding of the word "gospel," if it is believed, "is the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). It converted very "difficult" people when Paul preached it (1 Cor. 6:9, 10).
What happened at Corinth under Paul's preaching will happen again on a worldwide scale in the proclamation of the Loud Cry of Revelation 18. So, let us inquire--what was the "gospel" Paul preached there?
He tells us: "When I came to you, [it] was not with excellence of speech or of wisdom, … I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:1, 2). I used to wonder: was that a fanatical, monomaniacal trip he was on: preaching boring sermons?
If so, why did the people crowd in to hear him, and then embrace his "gospel" with "power"? There's an answer: there is something in "the truth of the gospel" (Gal. 2:5, 14) of the cross that triumphs over all the imitation, false "gospels" Satan can invent.
"Christ crucified" meant infinitely more than anything the world's great thinkers could come up with: the apostles' idea was that He died the world's second death. That was an idea no one had ever thought of at that time; no one had imagined that there was a love anywhere in the universe so great as that.
Even today, among the vast concourse of professed Christians, there are precious few who conceive of such an idea; and Muslims have not thought of it, or Hindus, or anyone. Even Jews have had great trouble embracing the idea. But it moved hearts and motivated people to take up their cross and follow Him "whithersoever" He led.
What about you?
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 1, 2007.Copyright © 2010 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
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Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
The word "gospel" is a common one bandied about by almost everyone. It has come to cover all kinds of ideas.
But what the apostles actually preached is the only valid, authentic idea. What they said must be read in their own context, fully, not partially read and distorted to a wrong definition of that word.
Paul said that a correct understanding of the word "gospel," if it is believed, "is the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16). It converted very "difficult" people when Paul preached it (1 Cor. 6:9, 10).
What happened at Corinth under Paul's preaching will happen again on a worldwide scale in the proclamation of the Loud Cry of Revelation 18. So, let us inquire--what was the "gospel" Paul preached there?
He tells us: "When I came to you, [it] was not with excellence of speech or of wisdom, … I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:1, 2). I used to wonder: was that a fanatical, monomaniacal trip he was on: preaching boring sermons?
If so, why did the people crowd in to hear him, and then embrace his "gospel" with "power"? There's an answer: there is something in "the truth of the gospel" (Gal. 2:5, 14) of the cross that triumphs over all the imitation, false "gospels" Satan can invent.
"Christ crucified" meant infinitely more than anything the world's great thinkers could come up with: the apostles' idea was that He died the world's second death. That was an idea no one had ever thought of at that time; no one had imagined that there was a love anywhere in the universe so great as that.
Even today, among the vast concourse of professed Christians, there are precious few who conceive of such an idea; and Muslims have not thought of it, or Hindus, or anyone. Even Jews have had great trouble embracing the idea. But it moved hearts and motivated people to take up their cross and follow Him "whithersoever" He led.
What about you?
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: April 1, 2007.Copyright © 2010 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/dailybread/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
