Hi Kat, Mat 24:14 doesn't say "this gospel to be preached to all the world as a witness," it says "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the world as a witness". What is the "gospel of the kingdom"?
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God
The gospel of the kingdom [of God] is something Jesus preached to the synagogues. Did He preach about His own death and resurrection to the synagogues? Ray said no.
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html
Okay the single most pat and concise answer you will get in all Christianity, it is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I’m not saying there is no truth to that being part of the gospel, but let me ask you this, in reference to that. Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel, right, did He come preaching His death, burial and resurrection? I mean throughout His whole ministry. What I’m saying is Jesus Christ came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, did He go around Judea and Galilee teaching His death, burial and resurrection? Can you show me that any where in the Gospels, that He taught that? No. So what is the gospel? He taught the gospel, He preached the gospel, but He did not go around saying I’m going to die, you’re going to kill Me and I’m going to come back to life and then I’m going to save you.
I don't think Mat 24:14 has been fulfilled by the church. I do think it's been fulfilled by the internet, since now people around the world can access bible-truths.com. Ray did preach the gospel of the kingdom:
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html
Hi zvezda,
Here is more from the conference to add to what you posted 'What Is The Gospel Of The Kingdom?'
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.0.html --------------
Acts 10:36 You know the Word which God sent to the sons of Israel, preaching the gospel of peace by Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all!);
v. 37 that word which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
v. 38 how God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good, and healing all those who were oppressed of the Devil, for God was with Him.
v. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. Whom they slew and hanged on a tree;
This is all part of the gospel. He is teaching this now to Cornelius.
v. 40 but God raised Him up the third day and showed Him openly,
This is part of the gospel. Christ was crucified, was dead, rose from the dead.
v. 41 not to all the people, but to chosen witnesses before by God, even to us (Peter was a witness) who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
v. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead.
Oops, how did that slip in there? Did you notice that?
Did you notice what the gospel is? Jesus Christ is “the judge of the quick and the dead.” That is the gospel. This takes us all the way down to Rev. 22, doesn’t it. It certainly does. This thing of judgment is part of the gospel… "Judge of the quick and the dead." Now John says that as Christ is, so are we. Christ is the judgment. Guess what? So are we.
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There are Scripture that say as much.
Mark 1:1 The beginning of
the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Rom 15:19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached
the gospel of Christ.
1Cor 9:12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder
the gospel of Christ.
There are a number of Scripture that speak of “the gospel of God,” as well Rom 1:1; 1Thess 2:2; 2:9; 1Tim 1:11, and of course we know that Christ is, was and always will be God.
Matt 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
The gospel is also called “the gospel of the grace of God” in Act 20:24, “the gospel of peace” in Eph 6:15 and “the gospel of your salvation” in Eph 1:13, all attributed to Christ. Here is another interesting Scripture.
2Cor 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
v. 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of
the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Yes it is also referred to as "the gospel of the kingdom," and as Ray pointed out in that conference, the kingdom will be made up of the elect, the body, and who is the Head of the elect/body? Of course Christ.
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
v. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
v. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
v. 18 And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
The gospel is Christ! He is the subject of it, the object of it, and indeed the very life of it. Everything was "created through Him and FOR Him," it's all about Christ. All of course this is only accomplished by the will of the Father through Him.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
v. 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
mercy, peace and love
Kat