The poo-free Gospel part 3 - Uncomplicated

I am a devoted student of the fundamentals and birthplace of all things, the core and bedrock construction whence everything that we know originates from. Go back to the beginning and you are likely to find out what is ticking …

We continue in this post, having left off in our previous post looking at the poo-free-Gospel. In this post we look at what the Gospel is in its purest form, the way Jesus pronounced it. We'll get to that just a little later in this post … so, read further.

Moving from poo-induced to poo-free

Curiously, what we see today in 99% of all institutional church doctrine is either a concoction of man made traditions mixed up with law and rules or a saving grace message derived from what the apostles said, but still mixed in with many of the eat-nots, touch-nots, speak-nots, behold-nots, etc., of the old covenant.

Poo mixed in where it has no place!

So, in this post we look at two instances where the Gospel comes directly from Jesus.

One

Amazingly, the Gospel has only one ingredient. Good news. Jesus!

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24 KJV)

Heareth?

The Greek word akouō means to hear, to attend.

Believeth?

Pisteuō simply means to think true or be persuaded.

These two words are really one action from the believer. Receive. The Gospel is simple. You either believe it or not!

Two

Our second example is a response to one of the evildoers next to Jesus on the cross requesting Him to remember him (it can also mean to abide with him) when He enters paradise.

And יהושע said to him, “Truly, I say to you today, you shall be with Me in paradise. (Luke 23:46 TS)

Like the first example, this one has only one ingredient. It is uncomplicated. And it is without reservation. It is for whosoever …

A different kind of covenant

The basis of any contract (covenant) is performance. Parties agree that based on the performance of the one, the other is obliged to respond in an agreed upon manner. This was exactly the case with the old covenant law (or any law for that matter) and agreements that were reached between God and man. One's performance is dependent on the other’s performance and both are benefactors and beneficiaries to the agreement.

But there is one different kind of contract (covenant).

The New Testament agreement is a special kind of contractual agreement where there is only one benefactor and one (and many) beneficiary. It is an agreement that only works in one direction. And the agreement is not between two parties. Instead, the agreement (or contract) is with the benefactor Himself. Today this kind of contract is called a will or last testament. There is only one obligation on the side of the beneficiary, and that is to receive (or reject). (see my post on receiving here).

In both examples above the Good News is quite evident. Both revolves around freedom of choice. The difference is with the latter. In the case of the latter the beneficiary is given free choice to receive or not. Even this obligation may be exercised or may not be exercised by the beneficiary - Amazing Grace … simple.

Uncomplicated.

Reservation-free. 

The New Testament agreement has no proviso's with no prescript, guideline, rule-set, ritual, tradition, duty, job, assignment, task, commission, liability or requirement of any kind involved whatsoever. It requires absolutely no performance on the side of the beneficiary other than to exercise the option to receive or not.

The testament agreement is clear. It is not even made with prior arrangement, agreement or bargaining between the two parties and it is sealed with the blood of the Benefactor Himself. In this case, therefore, the contract can also in no way be altered by the beneficiary. All that remains is for the beneficiary to respond.

The statement by Jesus in both cases, is even more clear. You will have extreme difficulty trying to misunderstand it.

Believe you have everlasting life and take it!

But …

What does Jesus mean when He says to keep his commands? This will be the topic of our next post (part 4), keeping in mind that the Gospel is poo-free.