What is the Everlasting Gospel?
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- Dr Eliezer Gonzalez
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- New Testament
Jan 12, 2015 10239
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – Rev 14:6, NKJV
The “everlasting gospel” is not a new gospel. It is not an augmented gospel. It is not the gospel in a new context so that the message is changed in any way. It is not the gospel explained in a different way.
Revelation 14:6 is essentially a restatement of the great gospel commission given by Christ in Matthew 24:14:
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. – Matthew 24:14
The Everlasting Gospel Preached to Every Nation
The “everlasting gospel” is the gospel that is to be preached to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Rev 14:6). This is simply an expansion of the gospel being preached “in all the world… to all the nations” from the words of Christ in Matt 24:14.
It is right to see that in Revelation 14, the gospel is preached in the context of an end-time message. But that is nothing new. Christ commissioned his apostles to preach it in just such a context in the first century. He told them to preach the gospel… “and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14). In Revelation 14, the gospel is presented in the context of the apocalyptic prophecies of the book of Revelation, but that in no way alters the message of the gospel.
It is also right to see that in Rev 14:6, the “gospel” is presented in the context of a message of judgement (see v.7). However, this was also the case when the commission was first given by Christ to his first followers to preach the gospel. It is implicit in the version of the Great Commission found in Matt 24:14 quoted above, and explicit in the version in the gospel of Mark:
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. – Mark 16:15–16, NKJV
The writers of the New Testament are at pains to point out that the gospel that must be preached is the same identical gospel as preached by Christ and the apostles:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures – 1 Cor 15:3
There it is – Scripture’s own definition of the gospel! The gospel is that “which you heard from the beginning” (1 John 2:24). This special message cannot be changed, redefined or added to. Note how strongly Paul makes this point in Galatians 1:8–9, where he says that it cannot be altered even by divine revelation (‘an angel from heaven”).
The everlasting gospel was first announced by the apostles on the basis of the cross and resurrection of Christ, and it remains until the end of the world, for it is the means by which God has chosen to save sinners.
The Everlasting Gospel Needs No Fine-Tuning
There are no adjustments, no fine-tuning – the everlasting gospel is it – the good news for every sinner in every circumstance, and for all time.
We can restate it but never redefine it, we can magnify it but never augment it, we can reclaim it but never claim to own it – that’s the everlasting gospel! And we must always confess that we are the ones who need it most.
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Tom Ference
Jan 24, 2021
Oh, that we who profess to believe, would be able to stand up for that truth in boldness. Rather, we shy back and watch without crying out. The prophets and servants of the Almighty who were sent out early endured a greater challenge as Paul had attested to. They hundreds of thousands of websites that preach what they understand is the gospel and chance someone will hear and repent and turn back to our Creator. A way was indeed provided through His anointed, and indeed the directive was given to preach the gospel to all the world,..and many were called. The means of communications today would leave the apostles in awe. They indeed suffered persecution and were hated for the gospels sake. These are they that cry out from under the alter saying "How long..." and were told "..to rest a little season,..". We are not too far away from what happens next. Would the Almighty stir us as He did His called out ones to cry out more vocally and boldly against the evil around us, and not quietly use today's technology to profess the truth shown those who believe. Where does the "much persecution" come in? Somehow, while believing that the gospel must be preached, technology only enables it behind the seens quietly, reaching only those searching, perhaps called, and not necessarily chosen. I am of the opinion today, that the gospel has been preserved and will be used as a testimony against those who have been given the understanding and failed to 'stick their necks out', so to speak and become visible to those being warned and preached to. Maybe we're just not there yet,..but time is fast running out. Take care.