NOTE.—This series of lessons is entitled, "Studies on the Gospel Message." For Introduction and excellent suggestions as to their study, we refer the student to the Lesson Quarterly.
THE message for this generation is "the everlasting Gospel" (Rev. 14:6), the one only Gospel (Gal. 1:8), the Gospel for all nations, as it was declared to Abraham (Gal. 3:8), and all contained in the original promise of the final triumph of the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15). We will now study the development of this promise to its triumphant consummation in the present generation in the coming of the Seed (Gal. 3:19).
The Seed is the Word of God. Luke 8:11. This was the original seed of all things (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6; Heb. 11:3, first part), and was, therefore, Himself the Word of God, the Seed of the universe. Through Him all things came into being. John 1:3. All things were born (created) in Him. Col. 1:16, R.V. In Him was the creative or germinating principle (John 5:26), and the sustaining principle for all things (Col. 1:17, R.V.). As the Word of God, the Seed, all things, visible and invisible, were contained germinally in Him. All worlds and all powers were in the Seed of the universe. The Gospel was not the revelation of a new power, but the new application of an old power (Rom. 1:16) to save from sin. In the giving of the Son of God to and for humanity, which was involved in the first announcement of the Gospel (Gen. 3:15), the wonderful thing was not that He should be a Seed, for this He was already; but that the Seed of the universe should condescend to become the Seed of the woman, the germ of a new humanity, was, even in the eyes of the heavenly host, an unparalleled exhibition of love (John 3:16). This is the condescension which makes us great. Ps. 18:35, R.V., margin. This is the unspeakable gift. 2 Cor. 9:15.
QUESTIONS.
In what expression is the message for this time defined?
In what emphatic way is the existence of more than one Gospel denied?
How early, and in what specific statement, was it shown that this was the Gospel for all nations?
In what simple promise is this complete Gospel originally found?
When will the fulness of the blessing in this promise be experienced?
What is the seed? Is there any other seed? Could there be more than one seed and yet only one Gospel?
What came from this seed? What is this process called?
Who was the Seed of the universe? What "more excellent name" shows the relationship to God, which is the basis of this great truth?
How much owes its existence to this Seed?
What gift placed Him on an equality with the Father?
In whom is the existence of all things maintained?
How much was contained in the Seed of the universe?
In what sense only was the Gospel a new revelation?
What was the wonderful and new thing in the provision for man's salvation?
What led to this wonderful gift?
What has such condescension done for us?
What expression indicates the infinite greatness of the gift?
