What does Gospel Mean?

Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,” - New International Version Mark 1:1 “ Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Υἱοῦ Θεοῦ” -Westcott & Hort 1881 746 1588 2098 2424 5547 5207 2316 Ἀρχὴ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Υἱοῦ Θεοῦ Arché tou euaggeliou Iésou Christou Huiou Theou evangel; Christ; [The] beginning of the good news; Jesus Messiah; Son of God gospel Anointed One #2098 - εὐαγγελίου εὐ = adverbial use of “good” #32 - αγγελίου = messenger (εὐ + αγγελίου = messenger with good tidings) GOSPEL literally means GOD’S GOOD NEWS! Good news in general terms gives hope. It’s positive, encouraging, uplifting and desirable. It does not have any condition attached to it… followed by a “but”. The moment there’s a condition attached to it, that moment it is NO good news at all. The good news of the Bible is the good news of eternal life! Jesus, after being made alive, went down to proclaim THIS good news of life to all imprisoned spirits of Noah’s days. 1 Peter 3:18-20 “ 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits– 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,” - New International Version #2784 – κηρύσσω – kérussó To proclaim, to make a public announcement with authority. Jesus was made alive in the Spirit after being put to death in the body. What was the first thing He did after that? He went down to give all the imprisoned spirits, who were put to death in the body and who were still in the state of spiritual death , the good news that they too will be made alive in the spirit. Significant also in the verse above is that these spirits were put to physical- and spiritual death through disobedience . Where in the Bible does Jesus talk about spiritual death? In Matthew 8:22 . Matthew 8:22 ““But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."” - New International Version John 14:6 “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“” - New International Version Anyone who doesn’t follow the True Jesus, lives in spiritual death. Pastor, what good news are you proclaiming to the unbelieving world? The ‘good news’ that they will burn in an eternal hell of damnation, unless they first believe that Jesus died for their sins? Do you tell them that their eternal life will only come into effect upon their acceptance of Christ? In effect that they must earn their inheritance with their ‘superior’ choice, putting the power of Christ’s Blood on a subordinate level? Pastor, is this the image of the God of the Bible you show to the world out there? A God subordinate to man… Jesus’ Blood without power? What an abomination to God! And not only that… with this lie of yours, you put strain on your listeners… a strain they deep down struggle with… a strain that they must always measure up and always have to do something to pacify his/her conscience… you included, Pastor! Pastor, inner struggle shows. It strips one of life, with the constant conflict between a God who loves, but at the same time being a God who ‘eternally condemns’. This lie only has destruction as a result, Pastor. People with inner peace are not mean, vindictive, or divisive. True peace is only possible within the Christ who saved ALL humanity. Followers of the True Christ do not cause division, but delight in unity.