What is the Gospel?

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The Gospel of the Grace of God

For us to fully, properly and biblically believe in Salvation by Grace, one must know of all the doctrines of Grace, for these Grace doctrines are essential to saving Faith [the evidence of it] because each doctrine is mandatory to a proper understanding, that one may see how, and believe why Salvation is all of grace, so that's why they ought be preached as gospel, and why paul says Acts 20:27

27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

God's Salvation plan is a counsel Eph 1:4-13 and the Gospel reveals it.

One must see through Gospel preaching how that Salvation from election to glorification is all by the Sovereign Grace of God. For Salvation is wholly dependent upon the Sovereign Grace of God, and not one iota of it depends on what man must do. The gospel reveals to us the spiritual condition or state of man by nature, even the elect prior to salvation or conversion Eph 2:1-3 & Rom 1:18-3:20. Therefore the doctrine that teaches the total depravity or inability of men by nature, mans inability to come to God or to even desire the True God or Christ Jn 6:44; Rom 3:11, for this doctrine is essential to teaching the Gospel of God's Grace, it gives criteria in understanding why Salvation must be by Sovereign Grace. Even though we have scripture in Rom 1:19-21

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Yet we cannot overlook 1 Cor 1:21

21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

The world does not know God experimentally through its wisdom and natural reasoning, no matter how superior, so there is a knowing God theoretically without Knowing Him experimentally.7

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The Gospel of God's Grace !

The Gospel of God's Grace reveals that not one part of salvation is conditioned on the sinner, yes even believing is through Grace Acts 18:27

27And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through [ DIA because of] grace:

Faith is not of our nature, nor of the so called freewill of man, but its a gift of God's Grace, yes His saving grace !

All of Salvation is based or conditioned upon God's Grace Eph 2:8 !

Now listen, if God has done everything in saving His People by Grace, then quite appropriate it is for the Gospel of their salvation [ Eph 1:13] for it to be a full and accurate explanation of How He does it ! How could the Gospel of God's Grace neglect to set forth details of that redeeming Grace necessary to save God's People from their sins ? 8

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Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace Acts 20:24

Now it appears in scripture that Grace, Salvation, and the Gospel form a common union, a whole Eph 2:8;1:13;Acts 20:24, For Grace and Salvation are spoken of in the Gospel, and Salvation and the Gospel are all about Grace, and Grace and the Gospel are about Salvation, the Former [ Grace] makes [ Salvation] happen and the Gospel Proclaims it ! So without question the Gospel is about the Grace of God in the Salvation of men, especially the Elect, the Election of Grace Rom 11:5; 2 Tim 2:10

In light of this, how could the Gospel not be a systematic setting forth of those doctrines of Grace in regards to the Salvation of God's Chosen People, which He foreknew ? So in the Gospel of God[ Rom 1:1] and His Grace, could God leave out any one part of His Grace that it took for Him to save His People out of the Gospel ? He designates as the Gospel of God's Grace Acts 20:24 ? Would God consider any portion of His Grace as not being very important or essential to His Salvation Purpose as delineated by the Gospel of His Grace ? Any Gospel which neglects any Doctrine of Grace, which reveals fully how God saves His People is a False Gospel, and those believing it are accursed of God Gal 1:8-9 ! 8

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Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace Acts 20:24

There is no Gospel of God's Grace if we fail or neglect to point out as the Great Apostle did, that Saving Grace was given or bestowed upon Chosen sinners in Christ before the world was made 2 Tim 1:9

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

It should be made clear from scripture that God's work of Grace for His People's Salvation was finished in Eternity, and this fact of our Eternally accomplished Salvation by Grace Eternal is Stated Three Times in the New Testament one of which is 2 Tim 1:9-10. Here the inspired writer tells us that God saved us [The Church] and called us before the world began, and that this Grace given or bestowed upon us in Christ in eternity is brought to light by the Gospel, hence there is no preaching the Gospel of God's Grace without expounding this Truth !

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Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace Acts 20:24

So in Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace, Paul through the Holy Spirit writes That God [Within the realm of His own Eternal Purpose] That God saved us [ His Church] and called us before the world began and that Grace [which makes it eternal] was given to us in Christ in eternity, this is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim 1:9-10

Also in Rom 8 we are told that we [The elect or chosen] were Loved, Justified, called and Glorified in God's Eternal Purpose of Grace Rom 8:28-30

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.


And in Eph 1:3-6 the Spirit through Paul explains to us how we are saved by God's Sovereign Grace in Christ before the foundations of this world, and that it was all accomplished in Eternity for The Praise of the Glory of His Grace !


3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, Not according to our will !

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

This is how Paul and every True Preacher preaches the Gospel of God's Grace ! 8

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Why Preach Total depravity in Gospel of God's Grace ?

In order to rightly understand why it is that only the Sovereign Grace of God can save, then one must be brought to believe that Grace Doctrine the total depravity of natural man and spiritual deadness and inability. Hence one of the fundamental facets of Salvation by Grace is to relay that natural man is not able to come to God, nor will he seek God, the True God that is. The True Gospel of the Grace of God proclaims loud and clear that no part of salvation is ever dependent or conditioned on the dead sinner, upon what the natural man must do [repent or believe] and so all salvation is conditioned on the Sovereign electing Grace of God.

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The Gospel of God's Grace !

The Main cause for a Salvation plan that was totally and 100% of Sovereign Grace, which entailed the Saviour coming into the world
was because men were totally without hope in becoming saved Matt 19:25-26

25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

All of Salvation from Election in Eternity past to final Glory is realized solely by the Sovereign Grace of God. In light of this fact, any Gospel teaching that neglects to cover all aspects of Salvation
as revealed in the written word, and those things that point out all
The requirements for Salvation have been completely dealt with by
God's Grace is a False Gospel. Those not believing the fact that men are dead to God, alienated from God, and spiritually without hope in the world, are liken to the lie told to Eve by satan "that she would not surely die" but only now its " You are not surely dead". Those rejecting the Truth of all men Rom 5:12, is in league
with the serpent, who is the Father of lies. Such Persons will not be submitted to all of Salvation being totally dependent upon the Sovereign Electing Grace of God. For all men by nature feels that there is something living in them by nature that enables them to seek and understand and come to the True God in spite of Rom 3.

If this is True, there would be in reality no Gospel that declares all Salvation is dependent upon Sovereign Grace, if men are not totally dead in sin. The Grace of God is no less needed if man could make themselves acceptable to God by his obedience, hence then the Saving obedience of Christ is dispensable. Rom 5:19

19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one not two shall many be made righteous.8

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The Gospel of God's Grace should be Explained !

As stated earlier, preaching the Gospel of God's Grace entails an explanation of the same. Paul does this in the book of Ephesians, especially in Chapters 1-3. Remember, the things rehearsed are not things the readers did not hear before from Paul's Preaching of the Gospel to them, but as was customary of Paul, He would write and confirm the hearts of Gospel believers, because of the many Gospel perverter's. Acts 14:21-22

21And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

That word confirm means to Establish, and Paul does that how ? Rom 16:25

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

So that's the Purpose in writing the Epistle to Ephesians, to establish them in the Gospel of God's Grace.

He explains in Chapter 1, Paul explains what God had done for them by His Sovereign Unmerited Grace in Christ. This Grace was given them in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim 1:9. This Grace given was of His own Eternal Purpose, for the Praise of the Glory of His Grace Eph 1:6.

This Grace of God flows to them from The Three Persons of the One Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the Father's Purpose, the Son's Purchase, and the Spirits Power. See Zech 4:6

Paul begins by reassuring that God's Chosen ones had been blessed of Him with all Spiritual Blessings [Covenant Blessings] in Christ [Their Covenant Head] from Eternity Eph 1:3, and that these Spiritual Covenant Blessings come to them according to God's Purpose of Grace in Election Eph 1:4, hence there is no possibility of Grace, Salvation, nor Spiritual Blessings aside from God's Eternal and Sovereign Election in Christ Rom 9:11 !

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Election in the Gospel of God's Grace !

Paul states Election as the First Blessing named Eph 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

The word Chosen is the greek word eklegomai:

to pick out, choose, to pick or choose out for one's self

Its in the middle voice, meaning He has Chosen for Himself !

This also denotes God's intimate foreknowledge of these Chosen for Himself, He knew them by Name. The word Chosen is made of the root word legō:


to call by name, to call, name

f) to speak out, speak of, mention

This has to do with their names being written in the Lambs book of Life.[ Rev 13:8;17:8] Thats what to be foreknown means.

The Father Chose a multitude of sinners unto Salvation in Christ before the world began. He chose us to make them Holy Experimentally [A work of the Spirit in Us and for Us] and to be without blame before Him in Love. And He of course will accomplish His Eternal Purpose of Grace unto them. Eph 5:27 and Jude 1:24-25 8

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Predestination is preached in the Gospel of God's Grace !

Next, Paul sets forth Predestination as a blessing of God's Grace, Eph 1:4-5

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

According to the Good pleasure of HIS WILL ! The false teachers of our day, speak that God does these things according to mans freewill. Lets look at this phrase however "according to His will" or similar statements in this book !

Eph 1:9

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Now, In Eternal Love for His Chosen, The Father predestinated all of them to the open adoption and glorious liberty of the Children of God.

Rom 8:21-23

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

This of course leads us into Paul's third blessing of Grace Adoption. The word is made up of Two greek words:

huios which means Son and the word tithemi which means to set or to place hence to place or set as a Son.

Now this initially occurred with Election in the Son before the world began Eph 1:4 and it is made manifest in time by the providence of predestination, its manifested by their Faith in time and will be manifested by their glorification, which includes the redemption of their bodies as per Rom 8:23.

These truths are proclaimed in the Gospel of God's Grace. Paul said the Colossians heard of these things by the Gospel preached unto them Col 1:4-5

4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,

5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

This lets us know, that the Gospel Paul Preached was detailed and extensive, and spoke of Glorious Truths and Eternal Hope and an Inheritance in Heaven 1 Pet 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

This is part of the Gospel Message, though its not mentioned in portions like 1 Cor 15:1-4, yet that's because those portions are not exhaustive of all what entails the Gospel of God's Grace.

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Made accepted in the Beloved a Gospel of Grace Truth!

In Preaching or going over the Gracious Gospel themes Paul once preached to the Ephesians, He reminds them how God in Grace, made us accepted in the Beloved !

Eph 1:3-6

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Not that He made us acceptable, but accepted, this by an Sovereign act of Grace. He accepted all the objects of His Eternal Love in Christ before the world began, and those He accepted in Eternity will never become or made unaccepted in time, as when they sinned in Adam.

The Chosen one's acceptance with God is not in any way or degree conditioned upon the fallen elect soul. The Father hath already made them accepted in the Beloved. To the praise of the glory of his grace.

One cannot Preach the Gospel of God's Grace, and neglect such a Truth as revealed here about His Grace ! 8

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Redemption by His Grace !

In Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace, we should proclaim that redemption which comes through His Grace unto them Chosen in Christ before the foundation. Eph 1:7

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This Redemption and forgiveness of sins they have is not through or because of their believing, their repentance, their water baptism, not anything they have done, but its according to the riches of His Grace. Paul writes the same blessed Truth in Rom 3:24

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Where there is redemption accomplished there is also attending it forgiveness or pardon. Paul explains what He means by redemption by saying redemption means forgiveness.

The word redemption in the verse is the greek word apolytrōsis: which is comprised of the root word lytron which means:

the price for redeeming, ransom

a) paid for slaves, captives

b) for the ransom of life

2) to liberate many from misery and the penalty of their sins

So thats why forgiveness or pardon comes with redemption, which also renders one Justified, those who have been redeemed from the penalty of their sins by Christ blood are Justified.

In whom we [The Chosen vs 4] have [not offered] redemption through His blood [not freewill, faith, repentance] the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace.

Grace therefore does not proclaim a redemption or forgiveness that is offered or conditional on the sinner doing something, like believing, or repenting, but a redemption that has demanded forgiveness, because of satisfied Justice. This acceptance with God vs 6, this redemption by the blood of Christ, this forgiveness of sins belongs to all those Chosen in Christ, " according to the riches of God's Grace"

Those not proclaiming this in their Gospel of God's Grace are not Preaching the Gospel but a false one, and those who condition any of these blessings upon any obedience of the sinner is preaching a false gospel.

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This is essential to Preaching the Gospel of God's Grace !

The Main cause for a Salvation plan that was totally and 100% of Sovereign Grace, which entailed the Saviour coming into the world
was because men were totally without hope in becoming saved Matt 19:25-26

25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

The religionists of our day do not believe that with men, salvation is impossible, for they think in their minds, that salvation is possible with man contributing some how to it, which denies here the very words of Christ here. Salvation is only made possible [in reality] by God, as Jonah proclaimed Jonah 2:9

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

Jonah had been put in the circumstances [which was a type] to make him realize, that his deliverance or salvation was not dependent on his freewill, his accepting, his believing, his repentance, none of that, but solely upon the Sovereign prerogative and mercy of God. Salvation out of the whale's Belly was not possible by Jonah.

Therefore the doctrine that instructs of the total depravity of man by nature or total inability of us ever being able to come to God or to desire Him, is a essential Gospel of Grace doctrine. If there is nothing man can do or must do to be saved [as Jonah in the belly of the whale], then it shows that man must be totally dead to God, in that he could never have acceptance with God apart from a Divine intervention of His Power and Grace as Eph 2:4-5

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved )

You see how Paul used the fact of total inability of what men are by nature vs 3, and set up the Truth of Divine Quickening Grace that Saved us ! This was Paul's Gospel.

To believe in Salvation solely by the Grace of God, One must believe that man was not capable, unable to come to God and seek Salvation. Jesus Taught the same Truth John 6:44 and Paul again in Rom 3:11.

To understand Rom 11:6 which states:

6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

This cannot be believed aright if one has not been convinced that man has no ability to come to God, to believe God.

If men were to have been convinced that they were totally dead, and not able to believe, then they could understand that believing is through or by means of Grace Acts 18:27

27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace: 8

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More on the Gospel of God's Grace and Depravity !

The Gospel of God's Grace will include all those doctrines that set forth the reason why it was so imperative that God saved His People by Grace. Our native depravity is upmost in that regards. Jesus Christ Himself stated that men have not the ability to come to Him, which means Believe in Him unless the Father which sent Him draw them. Jn 6:44.

If we are preaching a gospel that neglects to include all the biblical doctrines that reveals the necessity for the Grace of God in our Salvation, then that's a Gospel which gives you and I a reason to believe that we must do something to become saved.

Those who preach a watered down gospel and give the impression that we are not completely dead in sin, is to instill in our minds that we can do something to get ourselves saved. This type of thinking is a attack upon the only way we can become saved, that is by the Grace of God. Acts 15:11

But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Note Faith is not mentioned here, nor here Eph 2:5

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are save )

Thats because the Faith is an attachment with the Grace that saves us.

Faith is an accessory that comes with the Grace that saves, so it is that we believe, the verb of Faith, by or through Grace Acts 18:27

And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

If a person takes credit for believing, while another with the same opportunity to believe ,but they did not, then one takes credit for their being saved by Grace through Faith. Instead, the proper understanding of Grace, if one believes and the other does not, then Grace enabled one to believe and not the other, then we have no reason or even the occasion to boast. This also shows that we understood our depravity, and that we believed only by means of Grace. Grace should have the credit for believing.

Paul stated that he laboured more than any of the Apostles, but paul was mindful to credit to the Grace of God for His Labour 1 Cor 15:10

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Paul states that God's Grace bestowed upon him was not in vain, that is, it was not without effect or producing results. And that's how it is with all who are saved by Grace.

Thats the Gospel Message, it should be as Paul stated here Eph 1:6

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

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The Gospel of God's Grace !

According to Romans 11:6, no one who believes that man is not dead in sin can possibly believe in a Gospel which is completely dependent on grace:

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

On the opposite, they now have every reason to believe that at least part of salvation is conditioned upon the works of a man or mans believing or faith. If you have a gospel which fails to include every doctrine that reveals the grace of God in the salvation of His people, you have a gospel that gives you ground to believe that you have to, and therefore have the ability to, do something to get or remain saved, even if it's your believing or faithfulness.

The exclusive purpose behind every gospel which teaches that man is not completely depraved[dead] in sin is to instill in the minds of its hearers the doctrinal perversion that man can and must do something to get, or remain, saved.

Such a corruption of the truth is nothing less than a direct attack upon the only thing by which a man can be saved; the sovereign grace of God. If man could be saved by what he does [Believe or repent], then grace would not be required at all in the salvation of a man and Christ’s sacrificial death would have been in vain (see Gal 2:21).

From the lie that man is not dead in sin comes the equally bogus teaching that he can, in and of his own free will, make a conscious decision to choose God by misapplication of such scriptures as [ Josh 24:15]. This in turn has produced a retinue of false teachings, one of which promotes the idea, which is the satanic doctrinal offspring of man’s not being utterly dead in sin [see Eph 2:5], that teaches salvation is an offer that can be accepted or refused; and that the Gospel must be preached to every individual as a personal opportunity to them.

This act of ‘free will’ reveals the teaching that man is not, as the Bible teaches, hopeless without God but that God is desperate without man, that He has no hope of saving anyone unless they make the decision to choose and accept Him ! Salvation would therefore not be by the will of God, as the scriptures say (Jas 1:18), but by the will of man. For the Good News of Grace to be preached, we must show the reason for the need of grace in the salvation of a man. This can only be done by a proper and biblical exposition of the spiritual state every man is in by nature: dead in sin and dead to God (see Eph. 2:1,5). We see an example of this in Paul’s introducing us to man’s depraved condition in the first three chapters of Romans before leading into grace. Rom 3:24

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:8