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Let us notice a second detail of those the Gospel is preached to, Jesus says to the Captives Lk 4:18
18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
The word preach here means to:
to publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done
In other words, the deliverance of the captive is something to be proclaimed as done, not contingent, not possible, not if, but or maybe, but that it is a done deal !
The word deliverance means:
release from bondage or imprisonment
2) forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty
The Ideal is this, if one has been serving a death sentence for having been guilty of gruesome crimes, and then on the by and by, they have brought to them that they are now free, that the penalty has been satisfied, that they are forgiven all is well, the state holds nothing against you now, in fact it is as you never did the crimes !
Even though all are captives by nature, all are not sensible of it, however God will make all His Chosen ones who are captives by satan, to feel their captivity and to hope for His deliverance as He did with the Children of Israel Ex 3:8-9
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Jesus Christ came down to deliver His Spiritual Israel, His Church from the works of the Devil 1 Jn 3:8, That He may deliver us from this present evil world Gal 1:4
4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world[Egypt], according to the will of God and our Father:
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Yes, God will cause our captivity to become a oppression[distress or affliction] right before He sends the good news of the Gospel, Proclaiming our deliverance !
He prepares His People for the heartily reception of the Gospel of their salvation, they receive it with readiness of heart ! Acts 17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Now do you think any of the Children of Israel would not have been ready to hear the Good News of their deliverance from Egypt ?
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
How shall we hear without a Preacher ? The Sheep of course. Remember Jesus said Jn 10:16
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
The Main purpose of Gospel Preaching in the Apostolic era, was to call forth Faith and Repentance in the Spiritually alive Elect, or Sheep ! Thats why Paul says this in Acts 20:19-21
19 Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews [Sheep], and also to the Greeks[Sheep], repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word testifying here is the greek word diamartyromai and it means:
to testify
a) earnestly, religiously to charge
2) to attest, testify to, solemnly affirm
a) to give solemn testimony to one
b) to confirm a thing by testimony, to testify, cause it to be believed
Paul through His Apostolic Ministry was giving confirmation to the Spiritually awakened Sheep of the Jews and the Gentiles of their Salvation through Christ, causing them to believe their Testimony, by the work of the Spirit attending His Ministry. This was the Main and Primary reason for Apostolic Gospel Preaching !
Paul said to the Believing Corinthians this 1 Cor 1:6
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: This word confirmed in the greek is in the passive voice, they were made recipients of the Testimony of the Gospel, being confirmed into belief of the Truth !
If one believes the True Testimony of the Gospel, it is not because of their freewill choice, but it was confirmed in them by God the Holy Spirit ! 11
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
How shall we hear without a Preacher ? The Sheep of course. Remember Jesus said Jn 10:16
And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
The Main purpose of Gospel Preaching in the Apostolic era, was to call forth Faith and Repentance in the Spiritually alive Elect, or Sheep ! Thats why Paul says this in Acts 20:19-21
19 Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews [Sheep], and also to the Greeks[Sheep], repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word testifying here is the greek word diamartyromai and it means:
to testify
a) earnestly, religiously to charge
2) to attest, testify to, solemnly affirm
a) to give solemn testimony to one
b) to confirm a thing by testimony, to testify, cause it to be believed
Paul through His Apostolic Ministry was giving confirmation to the Spiritually awakened Sheep of the Jews and the Gentiles of their Salvation through Christ, causing them to believe their Testimony, by the work of the Spirit attending His Ministry. This was the Main and Primary reason for Apostolic Gospel Preaching !
Paul said to the Believing Corinthians this 1 Cor 1:6
Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: This word confirmed in the greek is in the passive voice, they were made recipients of the Testimony of the Gospel, being confirmed into belief of the Truth !
If one believes the True Testimony of the Gospel, it is not because of their freewill choice, but it was confirmed in them by God the Holy Spirit ! 11
The Main Purpose for Gospel Preaching ! is to spread the Good News that we HAVE BEEN SAVED BY WHAT JESUS DID AS ONE OF US, NOT what WE need to do to BE saved! Our salvation has nothing to do with us, but our sanctification does. Our sanctification is what determines what we BECOME by believing Jesus (or not!). What we BECOME determines any consequences (good or bad) we will face as "saved" Spirits. That is what is up to us, NOT our salvation. That is why we are told our fate is OUR CHOICE, NOT God's. Calvin was wrong.
The Gospel that Paul Preached makes it quite clear that a man is not saved by anything they have done, no obedience of theirs, In fact he teaches that as we [God's Elect] were made sinners, not by what we did, but by what Adam did, so in same exact fashion, we [God's Elect] are made Righteous, not by what we did, but what Christ did, whom is the Head of the Church Rom 5:18-19
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
The Gospel and it's Doctrines are Mysteries Matt 13:11
He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
The Gospel is also called by Paul " The wisdom of God in a Mystery" Per 1 Cor 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
It is preached and only made known to God's Saints, those set apart by the Holy Spirit 2 Thess 2:13
Col 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Now understand, the Elect of God are actually saints while they are sinners, while they are enemies, while they are Children of wrath even as others !
They were sanctified by God the Father before the world began ! Jude 1:1
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
And they were sanctified by the blood of Christ when He offered Himself for them !
Heb 10:10
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Everyone God the Father knew for whom Christ died, " The foreknown" they were sanctified in God's Mind and Purpose" by the blood of Christ. So the Gospel is made manifest or known to them ! Col 1:26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
How is it made manifest to them ? By the Gospel ! 11
Why did the Apostles Preach Repentance ? Lk 24:45-48
45Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Also Look at Acts 20:20-21
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Of course Jesus commanded it, Mk 1:14-15, but why ? Now the antichrist testimony would have us believe that the Gospel command to repent is a duty for all men to perform to get saved . They are in essence calling men to perform good works, or duties as to meet conditions to get themselves saved, thus perverting the Gospel of God's Grace ! For the scripture has made it plain that Salvation is by Grace, and not works, or duties, and it is unwise to mix the Two Rom 11:5-6
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
So again, why this command to repent, to perform ? It was not so they can be causes of Grace to get saved, but effects of Grace after having been saved. You see, they were saved by Grace apart from their works, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holly Ghost Titus 3:5, and Faith and Repentance are the effects and evidences of that saving work !
The Main Purpose for Gospel Preaching was in order to call forth the Elect, or Sheep, or the Church unto Repentance. Those who preach that Faith and or Repentance are duties incumbent upon every man without exception, as may be gathered from Acts 17:30, are preaching a False Gospel ! Jesus commanded Repentance to be Preached to both Jews and gentiles Acts 20:20-21 because both would be recipients of the Gift of Repentance Acts 5:31;11:18, for they receive the Gift in their New Birth, which is a result of Christ's resurrection. In essence, Gospel Preaching was purposed and designed only for the Born Again Ones to repent and believe. That's why Jesus said, " He that believeth and is Baptized [as a evidence of submission] shall be saved, they #1. Shall be saved already by the Mercy of Regeneration and the Spirits Renewing, and #2. they shall be saved from the wrath to come !
The Gospel is centered around the person of Jesus, communicating the need and accomplishment, in a proleptic sense, for both justice and compassion. Everyone deserves to live with dignity. Bread for all. Work for all. A comfortable retirement. A sense of meaning and purpose.
The gospel is for all people. Jesus died for all people, not just for the elect. The elect are the first ones to receive the blessings in this age associated with the gospel, but the gospel is for all people.
2 Timothy
2 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time..KJV
1 John 4:14.
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
1 John 2:2
2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.
Colossians 1
15 [w]He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For [x]by/through Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He [y]is before all things, and in Him all things [z]hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For [aa]it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the [ab]fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in [ac]heaven.
Ephesians 2
A[b]nd you [a]were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the [c]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, [d]indulging the desires of the flesh and of the [e]mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead [f]in our transgressions, made us alive together [g]with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7
Titus 1
11 For the grace of God has appeared, [h]bringing salvation to all people, 12 [i]instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of [j]our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds. NAS
Luke 2
8 And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night-watches over their flock,
9 and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.
10 And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people --
11 because there was born to you to-day a Saviour -- who is Christ the Lord -- in the city of David,
12 and this [is] to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.'
13 And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,
14 `Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men -- good will.' YLT
God bless.
Last edited by ShanaBrown; 11-19-2023 at 04:49 AM..
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