Photo by ForestWander 2011 |
Even in Florida, cooler mornings remind me to thank God for
changing seasons. These evoke memories of admiring majestic mountains painted
so vividly from autumn’s palette, as I breathe in the aroma of crisp leaves crunching
underfoot and hickory smoke from a wood-burning stove, and savor warm apple
cider spiked with cinnamon, cloves and honey. God designed man in His own Triune image, to seek Him, to know Him, and to love Him as our Savior, Father and Creator of all. How can so many fail to realize this basic truth?
He equipped our body
with senses, working together so perfectly to perceive all the beauty of His
universe. These cry out to our mind
that only a Supreme Designer could do this. And in our spirit, the seat of our emotions and soul, we long for the love, joy and peace (Galatians 5:22) found only in
fellowship with Him. Only the fool says in His heart there is no God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1), for the
universe declares His glory (Psalm 1:11),
and all who deny it are without excuse (Romans
1:18-25)
God is unchanging, for Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Yet He has
revealed the specifics of His plan for mankind in different ways to different
peoples throughout Bible history. Scripture
speaks of three true Gospels, or Good News of salvation, given by God’s grace
as a freely given, unmerited gift that sinful man does not deserve and cannot
earn (Ephesians 2: 8-9).
The Gospel of the Kingdom
(Matthew 24:14), directed to
the Jews and the nation of Israel (Psalm
98:2-3), tells of Jesus Christ as the coming King of His Kingdom. The Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24) allows Gentiles as well as Jews to be saved by
their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only
way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4;
John 14:6). And the Everlasting
Gospel (Revelation 14:6-7)
warns of judgment by the One True God Who is to be worshipped as the Creator.
The basis of the Everlasting Gospel, as well as of the other
two true Gospels, is faith (Romans 1:17)
that God is the Creator, Who is Who He says He is. and Who will do what He has said He will
do. The Gospel is Good News to those who believe it, but judgment to those who
reject it. Faith in the One true God results in eternal, abundant life with Him
(John 3:16; 5:2410:10),
but disbelief results in eternal damnation in hell (John 3:18), forever separated from His light and love (Luke 16:23-26).
The Everlasting Gospel was first revealed to Adam and Eve, and it
will be confirmed shortly before Christ returns as Righteous Judge, King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. Even before
Christ revealed the Gospel of Grace to Paul, allowing Gentiles who placed their
faith in Him to share in salvation, there were occasional Gentiles throughout
preceding Bible history who were saved by faith in what was known about God at
that time. These included Rahab (Hebrews 11:31), Ruth (Ruth 1:16), and the Roman
centurion (Mark 15:39). Jews
as well as Gentiles were saved by faith that God was Creator of all, worthy of
our praise, worship, and obedience (Hebrews 11).
The Gospel of the Kingdom is the Good News of salvation to Jews who trusted in Jesus as their
promised Messiah during His earthly ministry and those who will do so during
the Tribulation. And the Gospel of Grace is the Good News of salvation to Gentiles (and Jews) who placed their
faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only way to
Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Although the third Gospel, the Everlasting Gospel,
promises judgment rather than salvation, it is still Good News to the nation of Israel and to the faithful remnant who
refuse to worship the beast during the Tribulation, because it means that their
ordeal will soon be over as Christ returns to defeat the Antichrist and the
enemies of Israel at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16).
Just before the Vial Judgments of the Tribulation, the
angel will preach the Everlasting Gospel to people of every nation, kindred, and tongue. The
message will be a warning to fear God,
give Him glory, and worship Him, as the hour of His
judgment is come. God is to be feared, glorified and worshipped as the Creator
of Heaven, earth and sea, making
this an Everlasting Gospel known since Adam and Eve. (Revelation 14:6-7). Those who follow this warning and die in
the Lord will be blessed forever
more, resting from their labors and honored thereafter by their works (Revelation 14:13).
Praise God that all who have been saved before the Tribulation will have a heavenly perspective on these events, viewing them unfold from above, for God will spare us from the wrath to come! Meanwhile, may we have the patience of the saints, keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
© 2013 Laurie Collett