p. 4 | The Old-New Gospel

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 26, 1907

The Old-New Gospel

“Concerning His Son”

In beginning his letter to the believers in Rome the apostle Paul thus speaks of the gospel which he preached: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which he promised afore through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; even Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name’s sake.” Here it is stated in a simple way that the gospel which was proclaimed in Paul’s time was the same gospel as was the theme of the prophets, and that in both cases it was the good news “concerning his Son.” This furnishes a sufficient basis for the fundamental truth, in confirmation of which abundant testimony is borne in the Scriptures, that in the gospel we deal primarily with the Son of God, Christ the personal being, rather than with abstract doctrines. In saying this we do not undervalue the importance of sound doctrines, but give to all doctrines the personality and the power of the I AM. All the words of God are thus revealed as the Word of God, and come to us as spirit and life; and in our study of the gospel we are constantly beholding the face of Jesus, and by beholding we are changed into the same image.

Let us read some of the gospel promises and gospel prophecies which testify of the person and work of the Son of God, “who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh:” “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” In this first promise and prophecy of salvation for the human family the gospel is presented as a controversy between two persons, with the assurance that the seed of the woman would gain the victory, but through suffering. Those who are in vital union with the seed of the woman, in whose hearts Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of man, dwells as the very life of their life, will triumph in him and with him. This union and this indwelling are the fruit of faith which lays hold of the person of Christ, according to that wonderful summary of gospel truth: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Again: the following gospel prophecy was given to Moses, and through him transmitted to us: “I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” This prophet was “Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.” He both preached the gospel and was the gospel.

Again: the Lord said to Abraham: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; . . . and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” “All the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever.” We are not left to conjecture concerning the definite meaning of these promises; it was the preaching of the gospel in the person of Christ: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. . . . Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. . . . And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.” The provision made by means of which we may be Christ’s, and the way in which we are to avail ourselves of this provision, are all set forth in the Scriptures, and constitute the sound doctrines of so much importance, but in the foreground stands the person of Christ in whom all these doctrines find both their center and their circumference.

Again: Nathan the prophet brought this message to David: “Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house. When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” With this belongs the prophecy spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever.” That both of these gospel prophecies find their fulfilment in him, “who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,” is made clear by the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary, in foretelling the birth of Jesus: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” This is the Jesus “who gave himself for our sins;” who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;” who took part of the same flesh and blood as the children had, “that through death he might bring to naught him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” This is he who “is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” This is he who has said: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.” Personal fellowship with a personal Christ is the very essence of the gospel experience, the aim of all doctrines. “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me.” “Christ brought human nature into a personal relation with his own divinity. Thus he has given a center

for the faith of the universe to fasten upon.” Genuine faith lays hold upon Christ the living Saviour.

The Bible is not a text-book in systematic theology, neither does it contain a creed drawn up for our acceptance, but it presents Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life, and teaches us how to accept him as the one who saves from sin. The great commission, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations,” is further explained in the words of Jesus to the disciples after his resurrection: “Ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” They were to bear testimony concerning Jesus, as Peter did: “He charged us to preach unto the people, and to testify that this is he who is ordained of God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.”

We hope no one will see in these statements any reason for attaching less importance to the value of the doctrines of Scripture, but we also hope that all will see good reason for being sure that they both teach and receive all doctrines “even as truth is in Jesus.” “That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life . . . declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”