Scripture Reading: Gal. 1:11-12; Rom. 1:1, 9; 16:25; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:11
Ⅰ
Paul received a marvelous revelation of the gospel directly from the Lord Himself; we in the Lord's recovery need to have a clear view of Paul's gospel, the gospel according to Paul—Gal. 1:11-12; Rom. 16:25.
Ⅱ
The gospel that Paul received through the revelation of Christ is the center of God's revelation in the New Testament—Rom. 1:1, 9:
A
Paul's gospel is a revelation of the Triune God processed to become the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit—1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 3:2, 5, 14.
B
Paul's gospel is centered on the Triune God being our life in order to be one with us and to make us one with Him so that we may be the Body of Christ to express Christ in a corporate way—Rom. 8:11; 12:4-5; Eph. 1:22-23.
C
The focal point of Paul's gospel is God Himself in His Trinity becoming the processed all-inclusive Spirit to be life and everything to us for our enjoyment so that He and we may be one to express Him for eternity—Gal. 4:4, 6; 3:13-14, 26-28; 6:15.
Ⅲ
Paul's gospel, the gospel of God, is the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery—Rom. 16:25:
A
We are established according to the pure and full gospel of God—v. 25.
B
Paul's gospel is the full gospel, including the teaching concerning Christ, the Body, and the local churches—1:3-4; 2:16; 3:23-26; 12:4-5; 16:1, 4, 16, 25.
C
The gospel is the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery—v. 25:
１
The gospel of God is a proclamation, an official public announcement; the Lord Jesus and the apostles proclaimed the gospel—Matt. 26:13; Mark 1:14; 16:15; Rom. 1:15; 10:15; Col. 1:27-28.
２
The gospel is the proclamation of Jesus Christ—Acts 8:5, 12; 9:20; 17:18.
３
The proclamation of Jesus Christ is "according to the revelation of the mystery"; this mystery is mainly of two aspects—Rom. 16:25:
ａ
The mystery of God is Christ, who is in the believers as their life and their everything for His Body—Col. 2:2; 1:26-27; 3:4-11; Rom. 12:4-5.
ｂ
The mystery of Christ is the church as His Body to express His fullness—Eph. 3:4-6; 1:22-23.
Ⅳ
Matthew's gospel is the gospel of the kingdom, John's gospel is the gospel of life, Luke's gospel is the gospel of the forgiveness of sins, Mark's gospel is the gospel of service, and Paul's gospel is the gospel of completion:
A
Matthew reveals that Christ, the Son of David, came as the King to establish the kingdom of the heavens on earth; the aspect of the gospel emphasized in Matthew is the kingdom—1:1; 4:17; 12:28.
B
The Gospel of John, the gospel of life, emphasizes eternal life; in this Gospel John brings us into a full realization of the divine life—1:4; 3:15; 10:10; 11:25.
C
The aspect of the gospel emphasized in Luke is that of the forgiveness of sins; according to 24:47, repentance for forgiveness of sins should be preached in the name of Christ to all the nations.
D
Mark is the gospel of service; according to the Gospel of Mark, Christ came as a slave to serve God by ministering to His redeemed people—10:45.
E
Paul became a minister according to the stewardship of God to complete the word of God (Col. 1:25); hence, Paul's gospel is the gospel of completion.
F
Paul's gospel includes all the aspects of the four Gospels—the kingdom, life, forgiveness, and service; however, in his Epistles Paul covers much more, for many important aspects of the gospel are found only in the writings of Paul—Col. 1:17; Rom. 12:5:
１
Paul's gospel speaks of Christ being five matters to us:
ａ
Christ is in us as the hope of glory—Col. 1:27.
ｂ
Christ lives in us—Gal. 2:20.
ｃ
Christ is being formed in us—4:19.
ｄ
Christ is making His home in us—Eph. 3:17.
ｅ
We are being filled with Christ to be the fullness of God—v. 19.
２
Paul's gospel concerns Christ as the Spirit living within the believers after His resurrection—Rom. 1:1, 9; 8:9-10:
ａ
Christ has resurrected and has become the life-giving Spirit indwelling the believers—1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:10.
ｂ
Paul's gospel is the gospel of the One who is now indwelling His believers as their subjective Savior.
３
From Paul's gospel we learn that the Spirit of Christ is a seal and pledge—2 Cor. 1:22.
４
Paul's gospel concerns Christ as the Head and the church as the Body—Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23.
５
The gospel Paul preached includes the whole book of Romans; this book reveals the complete gospel, beginning with forgiveness of sins, passing through sanctification, transformation, and the constitution of the Body of Christ, and eventually arriving at the living of the church life in the churches.
Ⅴ
Paul's gospel is "the gospel of the glory of the blessed God"—1 Tim. 1:11:
A
The gospel of the glory of the blessed God is an excellent expression; it refers to God's economy in verse 4.
B
The gospel with which the apostle Paul was entrusted is the effulgence of the glory of the blessed God—2 Cor. 4:4, 6.
C
By dispensing God's life and nature in Christ into God's chosen people, this gospel shines forth God's glory, in which God is blessed among His people—1 Tim. 1:11:
１
This is the commission and the ministry the apostle received of the Lord—v. 12.
２
This gospel should be commonly taught and preached in a local church.