What do YOU perceive the gospel to be?

by LouBelle 26 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  LouBelle

  
  I read greendawns' thread on 'would accepting the gospel make the world a better place'. And from there some debated on the belief / existance / non belief / non existance of God?

  So my question to you is simply - what is the gospel to you? That is if you even believe in the gospel & God.

  I am a women of simple words as sometimes when one gets too involved in weaving a tapestry of eloquent words, the simplicity of what one is trying to convey is lost. So in my little mind the gospel is simply : "love God with all your being" & "love your neighbour" & everything else kinda falls into place. The gospel does not make me feel worthless in any way. Even if you don't believe that a God exists - surely by practising the simple "love your neighbour as yourself" / " do unto others as you would have done unto you " would make life more enjoyable?

  Obviously I choose to believe in a God simply because there is not enough tangible proof out there to prove he doesn't exist, and visa versa, (for those that don't believe - there isn't enough tangible proof to prove he does)

  So - to those of you - if you believe in the gospel - what do you believe it to be?
• 

  AK - Jeff

  Christ and acceptance of his ransom for mankind. Included is the actions and attitudes that we would call 'Christlike'.

  Even Ghandi recognized that application of the principles in the Sermon on the Mount would benefit all who applied them. The principles of love and kindness are the heart and soul of gospel to me - Good News about the Christ.

  Jeff
• 

  Carmel

  As implied by my question to greendawn, (which one?) I believe there have been many "gospels". Each have had their admonition for humanity for its "salvation" and have had similar histories of being eventually ignored and/or mutulated by those who are either ignorant or desirous of leadership.

  The gospel adumbrated by Jesus is very much like that of Zoroaster, Chrisna, Buddha, Muhammed and others. If one looks at the spiritual teachings they are all the same beautifully described by Jesus in the beatitudes. One can find the same directives in all the world's great religions.

  carmel
• 

  JosephMalik

  The Gospel is a hope of a promised Kingdom under the direction of Jesus Christ that will replace all existing world governments and in which all decent human beings that ever lived will be resurrected and given an opportunity for justification and eternal life here on earth. Joseph
• 

  Now What?

  
  

  I see the Gospels as a biography. About a man that loved others and spoke about loving God and neighbor, as many other religions do as was pointed out. But later he was killed and buried. The real kicker though was that even though pronounced dead at the execution, three days later he was alive!

  Being a religious guru or prophet is one thing. Returning from the dead is something totally different. For me, the end of the Gospels are not the end of the story about the man, but the beginning. The beginning of a story about a blessing, a hope of resurrection, and a Church.
• 

  gold_morning

  The gospel is the redemption of "us" by Christ through the "grace" of God in order to recieve His "gift" of everlasting life.

  Jesus conquered death and hence "we will never die"

  1John 5:11..............."and this is the testimony; God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his son, He who has the son has life...."

  Notice the present tense of "has".... not will have someday in the future after we die for awhile. But "has". Besides.. if Jesus conquered death and we still die.. then he didn't get the job done. Our soul lives and was bought by God... with his own blood.

  John 5:24....."whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me HAS eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."

  In Christ,

  gold_morning
• 

  Terry

  Gospel?

  Here is the really good news.

  We aren't pieces of shit.

  We weren't born condemned sinners.

  We are miracles.

  We don't have to become slaves who genuflect their way back to a mythical paradise.

  We don't have to look in dusty old books to find meaning in life nor do we have to ask permission to think from delusional old men in Brooklyn New York.

  We are a species that can teach itself almost anything and are limited only by our own disbelief in ourselves which others are all too willing to sell us.

  This really Good News will lead us to think for ourselves, make healthy decisions that enable us to live a long life of purpose and progress in the company of people we love and who love us for ourselves.

  If only THIS good news had reached our ears before the other bullshit took root, and, like weeds in a wondrous garden, choked prospects of beauty and happiness into desperation and despair.

  Toss all those musty books in the dustbin that purport to be the mumblings of a monstrous Ego in the Sky. Reach for the stars and discover the vast promise of unlimited possibility in your own life.

  That is the real Gospel.
• 

  the_classicist

  The Gospel:

  I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
  And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord;
  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary;
  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried;
  He descended to the dead.
  On the third day He rose again, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins,
  The resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
• 

  I quit!

  It is really quite simple. The Bible says exactly what it is.

  1 Corithians 15: 1-4: NKJ Version

  1 Moreover brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,

  2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you - unless you beleived in vain.

  3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the the Scriptures.

  4 and that He was buried , and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

  Either you believe this or you don't but this is what the Bible says it is. .No paradise earth. No ark of salvation. No hoops to jump through.
• 

  tetrapod.sapien

  Obviously I choose to believe in a God simply because there is not enough tangible proof out there to prove he doesn't exist, and visa versa, (for those that don't believe - there isn't enough tangible proof to prove he does)

  just a note: proof for the non-existence of god is not required. only proof for the positive assertion, that he does exist, is required.

  TS