How Does One Obey the Gospel, the Good News?

[Dylan569]

"For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1Pet 4:17 NRSV)
"in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." (2Thess 1:8 NRSV)
"But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our message?'”
Rom 10:16 NRSVue

Do a word study of the gospel, good news, and God's word teaches us what the gospel is, and what disobeying the gospel means.

"Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.'” (Mar 1:14-15 NRSVue)

"And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned." (Mar 16:15-16 NRSVue)

“The Law and the Prophets were until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is being proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to be dropped." (Luk 16:16-17 NRSVue) *Trying to enter by force is by doing works, and that means keeping the law perfectly which no man can do. The translation "tries" was first used in the Tyndale and Bishops Bibles: "stryvethv", "stryueth".

"And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’" (Act 13:32-33 NRSVue)

“People, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them." (Act 14:15 NRSVue)

"Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this pretentious babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) (Act 17:18 NRSVue)

"But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace." (Act 20:24 NRSVue)

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Rom 1:16 NRSV)

"As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!" (Gal 1:9 NRSVue)
"Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be reckoned as righteous by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace." (Gal 5:3-4 NRSVue) *Galatians is not just about circumcision, but the whole law!

"For we know, brothers beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake." (1Th 1:4-5)

"fornicators, sodomites, slave traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me." (1Tim 1:10-11 NRSV) *Those corrupting the gospel, are grouped with fornicators and sodomites.

"Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace, and this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
2Ti 1:8-10 NRSVue

"Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel," (2Ti 2:8 NRSVue)

EVERY PASSAGE I QUOTED CONTAINS THE WORDS "GOOD NEW", OR "GOSPEL". THIS KEEPS ONE FROM BEING PULLED OFF COURSE!

 

[Still Learning]

"How Does One Obey the Gospel, the Good News?"

Simply by believing it. Exactly as your post makes absolutely clear.

We are told by Jesus to believe the gospel. So to be obedient, we do exactly that.

Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent [metanoeo] AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!” (Mark 1:14-15)​

​

Strong's G3340 - metanoeo ​

1. to change one's mind, i.e. to repent
2. to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins

"Repentance (metanoia, 'change of mind') involves a turning with contrition from sin to God; the repentant sinner is in the proper condition to accept the divine forgiveness." (F. F. Bruce. The Acts of the Apostles [Greek Text Commentary], London: Tyndale, 1952, p. 97.)​

​

We repent by "changing our mind" from thinking we don't need saving, to realizing we we're hopelessly lost in our sins and that we need Jesus to save us. To repent is a change of mind, or to think again, to rethink something. It's having a change of heart. It's what Paul is telling us to do when he instructs us to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind." And the transformation we go through is from dead in our sins to being born again of God's Spirit where our sins are forgiven and washed away by Christ's shed blood, where the Holy Spirit guides us in understanding and in the way we should think about things and how to act.

​

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)​

​

Below is another translation that spells things out well. it'll show the verse in context.

​

Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like the people of this world, but let God CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. I realize God has treated me with undeserved grace, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of FAITH that God has given you. (Romans 12:1-3)​

​

Paul is telling his audience that they need to stop thinking they're living well enough to be right with God, and that they need to rethink that view and realize they need God's grace which we receive through faith in Jesus if we want to be right with God.

​

I hope this edifies.

 

[Dylan569]

At 82, I'm still learning also! Yes, your reply to my post was an excellent addition and I will add, you've been a breath of fresh air on here. I know we would not agree on all doctrines, but the Bible is a book about redemption and it seems we truly understand God's word in agreement here, which is the basic issue. Salvation is by grace through faith in, and solely solely based on, the merits of Jesus Christ.

In my view, a Christian Forum should be where those with a high view of Scripture, and the redemption in Jesus Christ, can discuss beliefs and doctrines in a serious manner. I have in the past learned so much from finding an honest disagreement expressed in another's view; it forces me to study and see if I can prove my understanding from the Scripture.

The only way I can see that 'iron sharpens iron', Pro. 27:17, is if the persons have a high view of Scripture and understand that Jesus Christ is truly God the son, in the flesh.

 

[Still Learning]

At 82, I'm still learning also! Yes, your reply to my post was an excellent addition and I will add, you've been a breath of fresh air on here. I know we would not agree on all doctrines, but the Bible is a book about redemption and it seems we truly understand God's word in agreement here, which is the basic issue. Salvation is by grace through faith in, and solely solely based on, the merits of Jesus Christ.

In my view, a Christian Forum should be where those with a high view of Scripture, and the redemption in Jesus Christ, can discuss beliefs and doctrines in a serious manner. I have in the past learned so much from finding an honest disagreement expressed in another's view; it forces me to study and see if I can prove my understanding from the Scripture.

The only way I can see that 'iron sharpens iron', Pro. 27:17, is if the persons have a high view of Scripture and understand that Jesus Christ is truly God the son, in the flesh.

I am very much blessed by you. Thank you.

 

[Dave M]

God will give us a new heart and spirit making us able to obey and even wanting to obey it will be a joyful thing !! for those that yield to the spirit// for God does not force anyone////

Praise Jesus

 

[Still Learning]

God will give us a new heart and spirit making us able to obey and even wanting to obey it will be a joyful thing !! for those that yield to the spirit// for God does not force anyone////

Praise Jesus

In the Spirit, we do not and cannot sin. It is in our sin nature (our flesh - sarx) that we sin, and can't help but sin.

It's because I'm living in Christ and His Spirit that I do not sin in the Spirit. In the flesh (in my sinful nature), as I said, I can't help but sin. That's why I choose to live in the realm of the Spirit.

I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. SO I AM NOT THE ONE DOING WRONG; IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT. (Romans 7:15-17)​

​

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, BUT I CAN'T. I want to do what is good, BUT I DON'T. I don’t want to do what is wrong, BUT I DO IT ANYWAY. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I AM NOT REALLY THE ONE DOING WRONG; IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT. (Romans 7:18-20)​

​

The way Paul explains it, that is exactly how I understand things. And, therefore, I refuse to live in the flesh (my sinful nature). I have died to my sinful nature (the flesh).