DEAR reader, I am wondering if the significance of this phrase, "my evangel [or
gospel]" ever gripped your heart long enough to make inquiry as to why Paul
ever made use of such an expression? To develop the thought further, did it ever occur to
you that the Scriptures could set forth more than one gospel? Then, again, if
Paul's gospel be the same as that dispensed by Peter, James, and John, is it not rather
presumptuous on the part of Paul to come along after them, and call it his gospel?
Did it ever occur to you that one could preach and urge people to "obey" a
gospel that is in abeyance for the present, or which will be in force in the future?
With these questions operating in your mind, I desire to present a study concerning one
of the most important subjects in all the Book of God, yet the most neglected and
confused, that we may know assuredly the gospel which God has ordained for the
present secret administration, and through which we may be strengthened in the realization
of His righteousness, and be established in His peace.
THE WORD "GOSPEL"
The word "gospel" or "evangel" means, literally, WELL- MESSAGE,
glad tidings, or good news. It is so familiar to us all that we have come to accept its
application as uniform to us, without question. This is a source of serious confusion, and
a form of teaching by which Christendom has suffered untold spiritual loss.
In the Scriptures we read of "the gospel of the kingdom," "the gospel of
the kingdom of God," "the gospel of the Circumcision," "the gospel of
the Uncircumcision," "the gospel of the grace of God," "the gospel of
God," "the gospel of the glory of the happy God," Paul's "my
gospel," "the gospel of Christ," "the gospel of the glory of
Christ," "the mystery of the gospel," "a different gospel, which is
not another," and "the everlasting [eonian] gospel."
To the majority of God's saints, preachers, and teachers included, it is taken for
granted that all these expressions refer to one and the same thing--simply the
gospel! I humbly acknowledge that, for a long time it was my portion to exercise just such
poor workmanship in the service of the Lord, and all due to blindly following traditions!
But when, by His grace, I was led to make a conscientious study of the Scriptures through
a "pattern of sound words," giving heed to the significance of every expression,
my entire ministry was changed.
By not giving consideration to the admonitions of the Scripture to distinguish the
things which differ and "rightly divide the word of truth," we find many
preaching a gospel which is now in "abeyance," or for the future,
or they mix the teachings of two or more, thereby producing "a different gospel,
which is not another"--a perverted gospel, the teacher of which, though he be
an angel from heaven, lies under the double anathema of the Scriptures!
THE DIFFERENT GOSPELS
The various references in the Scriptures to the evangels find expression under five
different headings: (1) The Gospel of the Circumcision, (2) The Gospel of the
Uncircumcision, (3) The Mystery of the Gospel, (4) A Different Gospel, which is Not
Another, and (5) The Everlasting (Eonian) Gospel. We now propose to carefully consider
each of these gospels in our study, partitioning them to those whom the Scriptures clearly
designate.
I. THE GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION
The Scriptures speak of "the gospel of the Circumcision," and, to make no
mistake here, we will appeal to the Scriptures for information as to who the Circumcision
are, then we shall ascertain the gospel which belongs to them. The first mention of the
subject should settle the matter for one and all.
And God is saying to Abraham: "Now you shall keep My covenant, you and your
seed after you for their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me
and you and your seed after you: Every male of you is to be circumcised. And you are to be
circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin: it becomes a sign of the covenant between Me
and you. And a son of eight days shall be circumcised by you--every male of your
generations, he who is born of the house and he who is purchased with money from a
foreigner, who is not from your seed. He who is born in your house and he who is purchased
with your money shall be circumcised to be circumcised, and My covenant comes to be in
your flesh for an eonian covenant. And the uncircumcised male who shall not be circumcised
in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul is cut off from his people: he frustrates My
covenant" (Gen.17:9-14, tentative C. V.).
Let us hear Paul:
Wherefore, be remembering that once you, the nations in flesh--who are being termed
Uncircumcision by those being termed Circumcision, in flesh, made with hands--that in that
era you were apart from Christ, being alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and guests
of the promise covenants, having no expectation, and without God in the world
(Eph.2:11,12).
These scriptures will suffice to show that the seed of Abraham according to the flesh,
every male of which is circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, is the Circumcision.
In the second place, the gospel which concerned them, their promise covenants, Messiah and
kingdom, most assuredly was "the gospel of the Circumcision." Scriptural
affirmation on this is made by Paul to the Galatians, saying:
But on the contrary, perceiving that I have been entrusted with the evangel of the
Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision (for He Who operates in Peter for
the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me for the nations) (Gal.2:7,8).
Here we learn that Peter was entrusted with the gospel of the Circumcision, and that
God operated in Him for the apostleship of the Circumcision. But where did this take
place? The answer is found back in the closing days of our Lord's earthly ministry to the
Circumcision (Rom.15:8). As we have pointed out before, in the thirteenth of Matthew, when
the nation of Israel the elders and chiefs of the people, the rulers and
builders--rejected Messiah's message, He quotes Isaiah's solemn words and closes
the door of the kingdom against them. He then tells the disciples the "secrets of the
kingdom of the heavens," events which are to transpire after His crucifixion and
resurrection. This is followed by a significant event in the sixteenth chapter of Matthew,
which is little understood unless we strictly apply it to whom it belongs. Bear in mind
that Christ was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, that He became a
servant of the Circumcision for the sake of the truth of God, to confirm the patriarchal
promises, and, that He went everywhere preaching the gospel of the kingdom. After His
proclamation is rejected and the door is locked, we find Him committing to Peter
the "keys of the kingdom of the heavens," with the authority of unlocking
and binding and loosing with the assurance that his acts will be ratified in heaven
(Matt.16:18,19). It is amusing, were it not so lamentably serious, the way preachers of
today assume that this declaration of the Lord Jesus to Peter applies with equal force to
them!
The Lord committed the keys of the kingdom of the heavens to Peter, and with him
"the eleven" (Matt.18:18), but to no others. This is the time when Peter was
entrusted with the gospel of the Circumcision. This can be none other than "the
gospel of the kingdom of the heavens" (Matt.3:2; cp 4:23), which was originally
heralded by John the baptist:
Declaration came down the whole of Judea, beginning from Galilee with the baptism
which John proclaims: Jesus from Nazareth, as God anoints Him with holy spirit and
power, Who passed through as a benefactor and healer of all those who are tyrannized over
by the Slanderer, seeing that God is with Him (Acts 10:37,38).
It is the good news that the God of the heavens has purposed to set up a kingdom, right
here on earth, both political and spiritual, embracing all the kingdoms of men "under
the whole heavens," Messiah ben David to sit on the throne of His father according to
the Davidic promise (2 Sam.7:1-16), Jerusalem to be the capital city, rebuilt with
gloriously resplendent beauty, the sons of Israel possessing the kingdom, with all
peoples, lands, and countries subject to them as priests of Jehovah and ministers of God,
when they shall reign until the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah shall cover the earth as
the waters form a covering for the sea. It concerns the good news that Jehovah is going to
fulfill the patriarchal promise and restore the kingdom to Israel, the political
sovereignty of which was taken away from them and given to the gentiles, beginning with
Nebuchadnezzar, "until the eras of the nations may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).
THREE PREACHINGS OF THIS GOSPEL
The Scriptures set forth three proclamations of this gospel of the kingdom"--two
past and one future. The first began with the "pre-proclamation of John the baptist
from Galilee" (Acts 10:37), and continued with the ministry of Christ and His
disciples, ending with His transformation on the holy mount, after He had been rejected by
the builders of the nation (Matt.13:14,15; Acts 13:23-27).
The second began on the day of Pentecost, when Peter, using the keys which had
been entrusted to him, standing up with the eleven, proclaims to the whole house of
Israel...that God makes Him Lord as well as Christ--this Jesus Whom they
crucify!" (Acts 2:36). The twelve begin the ministry in Jerusalem, and it goes to
entire Judea and Samaria, then to the limits of the land. This is as far as the
Pentecostal commission (Acts 1:8) through the twelve extended, the full account of
which we have given in the eighth chapter. Paul was called outside the land and
commissioned to carry it to those of the dispersion. But, like that of Messiah and the
twelve in the land, it was rejected. The door of the kingdom is once again swung
shut for the second time by Isaiah's solemn message, at the close of the book of Acts
(28:26-28), and the kingdom and kingdom proclamation go into abeyance.
Just here it will not be out of place to emphasize the truth that Israel is still
set aside as a nation, until the full measure of the nations be come in
(Rom.11:25-27). Paul says, "...judging this, that if One died for the sake of all,
consequently all died" (2 Cor.5:14). Upon the same basis we press the fact that if
the nation of Israel, as such, is broken off, calloused, blinded, in the purpose of God,
until the full complement of the nations may be entering, then, all that pertained to
them--their promise covenants, priests, King and kingdom, the gospel of the kingdom,
the epistles written directly to them, as such, are all, most assuredly held in
abeyance with them. Therefore, to preach the Circumcision gospel of the kingdom today
is to preach a gospel which is strictly concerned with Israel and their kingdom, and now
set in suspense until other purposes are fulfilled in God's eonian administrations. The
truth of all this is markedly demonstrated to all who will give conscientious attention to
what is written.
There is to be, however, a third proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom in
the future, after the ecclesia which is the body of Christ has been completed and
assembled unto our Lord, Life, and Head among the celestials. It will be during the
administration of "future indignation" (Matt.3:7), and "the great
affliction" (Matt.24:10-22), which covers the last half of the seventieth seven of
Daniel's seventy-sevens prophecy (Dan.9:24-27). See chart in Chapter VI. The proclamation
will be carried on by a faithful remnant of Israel, to whom faith and mercy will be
shown after the full complement of the nations may be entering (Rom.11:29-32). The
Lord Jesus told of it in connection with the great affliction of Israel, by the nations,
in the end-time, saying,
And this evangel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole inhabited earth for a
testimony to the nations, and then the consummation shall be arriving
(Matt.24:3-14).
The entire context shows the Lord's message here is concerned with the sons of Israel
in contrast with the nations; the nations hating, persecuting and killing, them because of
Christ's name, yet a faithful remnant in the midst of the great affliction proclaiming the
evangel of the kingdom for a testimony to all the nations, then "the end of the
world" or the "present wicked eon" shall be arriving, when Messiah shall
come and bring deliverance to Israel, usher in the coming eon and confirm the covenant and
kingdom to them according as it is written.
The loud and persistent cry of "back to the old Jerusalem gospel" as a
standard motto of fidelity to the truth today, is little realized to be, in reality, a
slogan for apostasy! It may sound good to those who emphasize it, but it ignores what is
written and goes back and pillages from the promises of others!
II. THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION
No doubt the question pressing for attention now is, How can we know the gospels for
today? To this, we propose to let the one divinely chosen, called, severed by the holy
spirit and commissioned with a peculiar message for the nations in this administration of
the secret, give the answer. Some twenty times the Scriptures speak of Paul as a herald
and an apostle and a teacher of the nations in knowledge and truth (2 Tim.1:11).
After his conversion, as Saul, he was associated with those apostles who were called
directly from Judaism--the twelve--and, for the Acts period, he proclaimed the gospel of
the kingdom in the synagogues outside the land to those in the dispersion--Jews and
proselytes.
In the thirteenth chapter of Acts, we read of his severance for the work whereunto he
was called; and, as Paul, he goes to the nations, preaching his first message direct
to the nations at Psidian Antioch, where he makes the first mention of his
grand doctrine of justification, the peculiar gospel for which he was severed, and
which he delighted to call "my gospel." However, it must be borne in mind
that Paul, as we have pointed out in Chapter VII, from his severance in Acts thirteen,
carried on a two-fold ministry until the conclusion of the Acts period. In the synagogues,
outside the land, he proclaims the evangel of the kingdom as a witness to the Jews
and gentile proselytes gathered there. After being driven out, he preached the gospel of
God-- justification by faith--to all who would listen to him, Jew and gentile alike (Acts
13:2; Rom.1:2; Gal.1:11,12; Rom.1:16,17; 3: 21-26; and 4:25-5:1,2).
Let it be remembered, however, that this gospel-- justification by faith--was never
preached by the twelve. At this point, comes all the confusion. By mixing the gospel of
the kingdom (which carries pardon, or forgiveness), with the gospel of the grace of
God (which carries justification, acquittal, and vindication), there is produced "a
different gospel, which is not another," an adulterated gospel with an
anathema for all who preach it!
After Paul and Barnabas had preached the evangel in Lystra and Derbe and the country
round about, "Some coming down from Judea, taught the brethren that, `If you should
not be circumcised after the custom of Moses you cannot be saved'" (Acts 15:6). After
quite a commotion and questioning with them, in accord with the decision of the brethren
in Antioch and a special revelation, Paul goes up to Jerusalem and submits to those of
repute the evangel which he is proclaiming among the nations (Gal.2:2).
From Paul's account of this meeting, in his Galatian epistle, we learn that
not even for an hour do we simulate by subjection, that the truth of the evangel may
continue with you (Gal.2:5).
On the other hand, Paul obtained the fullest recognition of his apostleship from those
of repute, as he recounts to the Galatian brethren:
Now from those reputed to be somewhat (what kind they once were is of no consequence at
all to me--God is not taken up with the human aspect) for those of repute submitted
nothing to me. But, on the contrary, perceiving that I have been entrusted with the
evangel of the Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision (for He Who operates
in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me also for the nations), and
knowing the grace which is being given to me, James and Cephas and John, who are supposed
to be pillars, give me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we, indeed, are to
be for the nations, yet they for the Circumcision (Gal.2:6-9).
At this meeting, James (not the apostle), the Lord's brother, having assumed headship
of the Jerusalem ecclesia, decides to make decrees and send them to those among the
nations who have believed (Acts 15:19-32). Paul and Barnabas with others are sent forth
with these decrees. Presently a sharp dissension arises between Paul and Barnabas. Paul
chooses Silas, and being given over to the grace of God by the brethren (Acts
15:40), soon hears the Macedonian call and goes to new fields.
From this time until the close of the Acts period, there is on ever-widening
distinction between the ecclesia (out-called) from the Circumcision and the ecclesia from
among the Uncircumcision. Paul, as we learn from his epistles, is preaching "the
evangel of God...concerning His Son" for which he was severed "for faith
obedience among all the nations for His name's sake" (Rom.1:1-6), which he, terms
"the evangel which is being preached by me" (Gal.1:11), "the evangel which
I preach among the nations" (Gal.2:1), "my evangel" (Rom. 2:16; 16:25; 2
Tim.2:8).
This is, of course, "the evangel of the grace of God" given only to
the apostle Paul to certify. It is the good news that Christ, rejected and crucified, was
made a sin offering for the world, that He was roused from among the dead because of our
justification, and through the deliverance which God wrought in Him, through faith in His
blood, we are justified from all things, and may be having peace, and may glory in
expectation of the glory of God. Nothing like this is found in the writings of the
Circumcision.
This evangel is described in many ways. It is called "the evangel of God" in
Romans 1:1, because it originates in His love; "the evangel of Christ" in 2
Corinthians 10:4, because it flows from His sacrifice, and because He is the sole object
of gospel faith. It is called "the evangel of the grace of God" in Acts 20: 24,
because it saves those whom the law curses, and justifies those to whom no promises or
covenants were ever made. It is called "the evangel of the glory of Christ" in 2
Corinthians 4:4, because it concerns Him Who left His preeminent place in glory, emptied
Himself, took on the form of a slave, coming to be in the likeness of humanity, humbles
Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore, God has
exalted Him at His right hand in glory
up above every sovereignty and authority and power and dominion and every name that is
named, not only in this eon, but in that which is future, also, and subjects all under His
feet, and gives Him the headship over all to the ecclesia which is His body, the
complement which is completing the entire universe (Eph.1:21-23).
It is called "the evangel of our salvation" (Eph.1:13), because it is God's
"power for salvation to every one who is believing" (Rom.1:16). It is called
"the evangel of the Uncircumcision" (Gal.2:7), because it saves wholly and apart
from all works, forms, and ordinances--Paul being the called apostle and chosen dispenser
of it "for faith obedience among all the nations, for His name's sake"
(Rom.1:5).
The "gospel of the Uncircumcision" together with the "mystery of the
gospel" is the evangel that should be preached today.
III. THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL
This secret phase is almost totally lost in Christendom today. In fact, outside of
those acquainted with the CONCORDANT VERSION OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, very few know
anything about it, and fewer still are preaching it. When Martin Luther broke the shackles
of Romanism, he restored to the world Paul's grand doctrine of justification by faith. We
emphasize again, that this is "the gospel of God" for which Paul was severed,
and which he called "my gospel," and was never preached by Peter, James,
John, or any of the twelve, and neither is it to be found in any of the Circumcision
writings.
The scriptural doctrine of justification is not very well understood by the saints
today. Usually it is degraded to a mere pardon or forgiveness, which is very poor
workmanship, to say the least! We must use care and clearly sever it from "the
gospel of the Circumcision" if we hope to get the heart-satisfying message God has
been pleased to give forth through it. Justification is God's own righteousness, which He
lavishes upon the sinner for faith (Phil.3:9). But "the mystery of the gospel"
was a secret until made known through the apostle Paul by revelation. It is termed by the
Scriptures the "conciliation," and is concerned with peace.
Our common, or King James version has completely glossed over this glorious truth,
until it is indeed a "mystery" in Christendom! We find that in the original, God
used two words to express the different aspects of this evangel, but our translators
ignored the fact and rendered both "reconciliation." Consequently the blessed
truth of the "conciliation" was lost to the saints.
In the Greek we have two words: katallassoo, meaning DOWN-CHANGE, or
"conciliate," and apo-katalassoo, meaning FROM-DOWN-CHANGE, or
"reconcile." Consequently it should be evident to all that God was expressing
two different ideas by using two words, and furthermore, the truth is clearly borne out by
the contexts in which the words are used. Conciliation is a one-sided affair always.
Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ (2
Cor.5:18).
Being enemies, we were conciliated to God through the death of His Son
(Rom.5:10).
In the "secret of the evangel," we find that "all is of God," Who is
conciliated Himself, and is beseeching the sinner to be conciliated. When the sinner lays
down his arms, puts away his enmity, and receives God's conciliation, made by the death of
His Son on the cross, there is mutual reconciliation and peace.
Let us remember that
| Christ Died for Sinners: |
God's Son Died for Enemies: |
Yet God is recommending this
love of His to us, seeing that
while we are still sinners,
Christ died for our sakes
(Rom.6:8,9). |
For if, being enemies, we were
conciliated to God through the
death of His Son, much rather,
being conciliated, we shall be
saved through His life (Rom. 5:10). |
Justification,
Righteousness
Salvation! |
Conciliation,
Love,
Peace! |
"Many of the saints have never known the stability, the solid
satisfaction, the exultant joy which justification itself cannot produce, but which comes
to those who use the Way God has provided--Christ Jesus--not only to unburden their sins,
but as the road leading to His very presence, giving admission to this far greater
grace--the reconciliation.
"Justification flows from that which God has done; but the basis of peace
is what He is. We point to the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus as the ground
of our justification, righteousness, and salvation. But we must look up to the Son of God,
exalted to the highest glory, beyond the reach of death, and to God Himself, Whose Image
He is, and find in Him the living, heart-satisfying, everlasting ground of
conciliation, love and peace.
"The Son of God, though the same Person as Christ, presents Him in a distinct
exalted light. Messiah is the Man Who can; He is the power of God, His strong right arm.
His anointing fits Him to do things. The Son of God speaks not so much of God's
Executive as His Image. What God is shines forth in Him. Dwelling in the bosom of
the Father, He reveals His affections toward His creatures.
"Unless we distinguish between the various glories of our Lord Christ, we shall
lose much, very much, indeed.
"As the Son of God, His death does not furnish either strength or righteousness,
but supplies the long-lost love link which was left behind in the gloomy retreat
from Eden. By all means let us exult in our justification by the death of Christ and the
security sealed by His blood. But this is only a means to a glorious end. If we stop here,
we fail to reach God's purpose in it all.
"We were conciliated through the death of His Son! This speaks not of our weakness
or our sins or anything of ourselves. It tells us of God's side of that wondrous
transaction on Calvary. When men killed God's Son, He reckoned not their offenses against
them, but made it a conciliation whereby mankind and God could be reconciled
and at peace. Let us, preach Christ for sinners;
God's Son for enemies! Christ for righteousness; God's Son for conciliation! The blood
of Christ for salvation; the life of God's Son for love, mutual reconciliation and
peace!" (Excerpts from "The Mystery of the Gospel").
This is termed in the Scriptures "the mystery of the gospel," and was hushed
during the eonian times until revealed through the apostle Paul for the present secret
administration of God's grace (Rom.2:16; 16:25; Eph.6:18-20; 2 Tim.2:8). The entire
twelfth chapter is devoted to a study of this evangel.
IV. A DIFFERENT GOSPEL, WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER
This gospel is solemnly laid on the hearts of all who read conscientiously the opening
chapter of Paul's epistle to the Galatians. The epistle was called forth as a result of
Jewish teachers visiting ecclesias of the nations in the Galatian province where Paul had
been evangelizing, who tried to get them to circumcise and be zealous for the law,
according to the practice under the Circumcision gospel. It is the mixing of the
teachings of one or more gospels and zeal for the law that produces this "different
gospel which is not another." How refreshing to meet a man who gives no place to
tradition, but ever seeks to know the will of God through His Word, and preaches that Word
in fervent love with an eye single unto the glory of our blessed Lord Christ!
THE APOSTASY OF CHRISTENDOM
Paul in writing to the Thessalonians admonished them that "No one should be
deluding you by any means, for should not the apostasy be coming first." Many
are already deluded in looking for a movement to come and destroy the Bible, because of
which, religious faith and zeal will cease! Nothing could be further from revealed truth
than this. The end of this eon is going to see one of the most gigantic organizations of religion
the world has yet known, in which faith and religious zeal will be gained by "power
and signs and false miracles," when the whole earth will be worshiping! Just now I
opened a letter in my morning mail, from a large denominational organization, lamenting
the fact that "we have lost our Bible- school vision and our evangelistic
fervor!" As a solution for the condition they urge that if we will "specialize,
advertise, mobilize and Bibleize, the victory will come!" We may be assured that
there will be no end to the cry for "Bibleizing," "Bible- school
rallies," "evangelistic meetings" to "indoctrinate our people, both
young and old, in our position." All who have entered into the realization of
God's eonian purpose, particularly His revelation concerning the closing of this wicked
eon, know that neither money nor energy will be spared to keep these organizations alive;
for they must grow and federate into a world system of religion, to which
allegiance and homage must be paid to the head or suffer death as the consequence!
But we should remember that organization and religion is not Christ and salvation! Here is
where the delusion and apostasy has come in. Furthermore, the apostasy of which
Paul speaks is not with the minority--the few who refuse to subscribe to the
various denominations of religion, but with the majority--the vast federated
systems of religion with their millions of communicants is the apostasy!
The question now arises, What constitutes the apostasy of Christendom? The Scriptures
give the answer. During the Acts period, Paul not only witnesses to the "gospel of
the kingdom" in the synagogues outside the land of Palestine, but preaches the
"gospel of the grace of God" to all who would listen, Jews and gentiles alike.
In his last missionary journey we find him in Miletus, pleading with the elders of the
Ephesian ecclesia, rehearsing to them how he had "certified the evangel of the grace
of God," and for three years, night and day, he admonished each one with tears, and
now, again, commits them to God and the "Word of His grace." A few years later,
to Timothy, he writes his final epistle, and gives forth the lamentable words: "Of
this you are aware, that all those in the province of Asia turned from me" (2
Tim.1:15). To whom and to what did they turn? There is but one answer, They turned away
from Paul's teaching to that of the Circumcision! That was the beginning of the apostasy
which organized Christendom has propagated until this day. Seventy-five per cent of the
Bible teachings, upon which the different denominations claim to be founded, are drawn
from the Circumcision writings, not a word of which was ever written to them! The writings
of Paul, the one specially called, severed and commissioned as the apostle, herald, and
teacher of the gentiles in knowledge and truth, are given scarcely any place whatever! As
they turned from Paul in that early day, so have they turned from him and the knowledge
and truth God has ordained for them today!
But I hear some one resorting to the usual confident argument, O, we take Paul's
writings together with all the others! But how little those making this argument realize
that they are indicting themselves of preaching "a different gospel, which is not
another," and placing themselves under the anathema of the Scriptures!
It is not enough to cry loud and long for specializing, mobilizing, and Bibleizing. We
must give heed to what has been written through a pattern of sound words, distinguishing
the things which differ and rightly divide the Word of truth if we expect to stand before
God qualified, unashamed workers and receive His blessed applause.
God has severed the "gospel of the Uncircumcision" from the "gospel of
the Circumcision," and has placed in them that which cannot be mixed without
producing an adulterated gospel, which the Scriptures term "a different gospel, which
is not another." It is simply joining together that which God has severed, and
His anathema is on all who do such, though they be an angel from heaven.
V. THE EVERLASTING (EONIAN) GOSPEL
The "everlasting [literally, eonian] evangel" is spoken of but one time in
the Scriptures, and it is worthy of our closest consideration in connection with the time
and circumstances to which it is related.
And I perceived another messenger flying in mid-heaven, having an eonian evangel
to preach to those situated on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and language and
people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear ye God and be giving glory to Him, seeing
that the hour of His judgment came, and worship the Maker of heaven and land and sea and
springs of water" (Rev.14: 6,7).
This eonian evangel is not for today, as all may perceive, if they will but read
discriminatingly. It is for the hour of His judgment, and that is in the future day
of His wrath. God is conciliated and at peace with the world today, and all true preaching
should harmonize with our commission as ambassadors proclaiming the word of the
conciliation--peace (2 Cor.5:18- 21). This eonian evangel is proclaimed in the
midst of wrath, and does not call upon them to believe as the evangel of today does. In
fact, there seems to be no faith connected with it, for it is adapted for a time when
grace is withdrawn. It does not call for repentance, for that is the door into the kingdom
before the hour of judgment has struck (Acts 2:38). We find the burden of the
message to be fear--the fear of God in His most elemental character as Creator. It
is a demand that no one be worshiped but the One Who created the universe. It is a counter
message to the false prophet, who is calling on all to worship the wild-beast and the
dragon, as may be learned by comparing it with Revelation 13: 11-15. The message applies
in the latter part of Daniel's seventieth seven (See Chart, Chapter VII), the closing part
of the awful tribulation when God's indignation is to be visited undiluted upon the sons
of Stubbornness. The message reveals that God remembers mercy even in the time of
indignation.
SUMMARY
I. The Gospel of the Circumcision is the good news in accord with the
patriarchal promises, to restore the kingdom to Israel, embracing all the kingdoms of men
under the whole heavens, with Messiah sitting on the throne of His glory in Jerusalem, and
Israel a royal priesthood--kings to rule the nations, and priests to minister Jehovah's
spiritual blessings unto them.
II. The Gospel of the Uncircumcision is the evangel of the grace of God for
which Paul was severed. It offers justification --God's own righteousness--to the
sinner, for faith obedience in Christ Jesus, apart from law, forms, and ordinances. Paul
spoke of it as "the gospel which I am proclaiming among the nations"--"my
gospel."
III. The Mystery of the Gospel is the conciliation offered in the death of God's
own Son for reconciliation and peace. It was a secret hushed during the eonian times,
until revealed through the apostle Paul for the present secret administration of grace.
IV. A Different Gospel, which is Not Another, is an adulterated evangel, brought
about by mixing the "gospel of the grace of God" with the
"Circumcision gospel" of the kingdom and zeal for the law, and holds forth a
double anathema on man or angel who is guilty of preaching thus.
V. The Everlasting (Eonian) Gospel is for the hour of judgment in the
future day of indignation, calling on all those situated on the earth to fear God, and
give Him glory and worship as Creator. It is a counter message to that of the false
prophet which calls on mankind to worship the image of the wild-beast and receive the mark
in their forehead and hand. It is contrary to all facts of revelation to propose the
proclamation of such an evangel in this day of grace.
