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Before I jump on with my question, today was a good day, so this isn’t an angry question, but all my life we talk about “The Gospel of Jesus Christ”. We reference it as a church, people say “it’s great that you joined the gospel” etc. So what is it, exactly. Does it have multiple definitions? Is the “Gospel” we speak of, the same “Gospel” or good news that Paul refers to in Ephesians or that Christ also references in his discourses. I spent today hunting my scriptures trying to nail this one down. I would love any thoughts from you. If we have other threads on it, I would love to read them.
Thanks.
This is a really good question. I was thinking of the Doctrine of Christ found in 2nd Nephi 31. I have struggled with this question myself. If we look at what Jesus primarily taught, at least what we have recorded, he spoke a lot of loving your neighbor – even if that means breaking the laws/rules/requirements the various Jewish sects had put in place. That’s the other thing he primarily talked about – debunking the myths and teachings of men associated with the religion of the time and place. So for me the core of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to love God and love my neighbor. I think there is more, including that which Mom3 mentions in 2 Nephi 31. Certainly repenting, being baptized, and keeping the commandments demonstrate living the other two commandments. There’s where we get into trouble, I think, because we can just keep adding and adding (which all the Abrahamic religions and churches have done) until we lose sight of loving God and loving our neighbors and can rationalize all of that as “Well if you’re doing that you show love of God” or “That’s what loving your neighbor is.” Paying tithing and keeping the WoW are therefore loving God, and so forth. Good topic, I look forward to the input of others.
IMO… the gospel in one sentence… The gospel, as taught by Paul, was the empowerment of mankind, through Jesus Christ’s life, death, and life, so that we would have the ability to live beyond our mortal frailties and take on a spiritual “new life”; conforming ourselves to the attributes of godliness.
IMO… The LDS gospel in two sentences…
Now, when we say “the gospel” in the LDS Church, I believe we mean the above, plus the manner in which God conveys the above to us, plus the blessings that await us if we are faithful. In other words, the NT gospel plus JS, BofM, restoration, living prophets, General Conference, and missionary work, plus eternal families and exaltation.
mom3 wrote:So what is [the Gospel], exactly. Does it have multiple definitions?
I always say everyone has their own definition of practically everything. Similar themes yes, exactly identical in all particulars no.
For me The Gospel of Christ boils down to the great commandment and the sermon on the mount …or in a word, Love. I would say the
doctrineof Christ is meant to assist us in coming to the Gospel, and includes Faith, Repentance, Baptism, etc. Orson wrote:mom3 wrote:So what is [the Gospel], exactly. Does it have multiple definitions?
I always say everyone has their own definition of practically everything. Similar themes yes, exactly identical in all particulars no.
For me The Gospel of Christ boils down to the great commandment and the sermon on the mount …or in a word, Love. I would say the
doctrineof Christ is meant to assist us in coming to the Gospel, and includes Faith, Repentance, Baptism, etc. I think that’s a great way to separate it, Orson. I agree that the gospel is very simple – love – and the rest is all appendages to that. I suppose doctrine is as good a term for that as anything.
I’ve always liked 3 Nephi 27 13, 14: Verse 13 … this is the gospel which I have given unto you …
Verse 14 … that I might be lifted up on the cross … that I might draw all men unto me
I’m skipping a bunch of those two verses, but I’ve always liked the simplicty. The gospel is that Jesus came to live and die for us and he wants us to be close to him.
Roadrunner, I was thinking of something along those same lines. Didn’t Joseph Smith say that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was that Christ died and was resurrected was what the gospel was about and everything else was appendages to it. Joseph Smith said it is our testimonies of Jesus. The Book of Mormon says it is faith in Jesus and what follows. It is defined as the Good News. It ain’t a church or long list of rules.
Thanks everyone. I knew from the get go – that myriad answers could come forth. If I’ve learned one thing during my transition it is that even in the orthroprax world of Mormonism we all do see things from many different positions. I knew my question was one of those.
I loved all of your varied answers. I went and looked up the scriptures mentioned to see how I interpret those words. I found that it deepened by ideas of Gospel of Jesus Christ. I also have decided that I have a long way to go at participating in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s hard to do. To love – especially your dissenters/enemies. It’s hard to keep my anchor on him, lots of what-if’s crop up. At the same point the idea of loving more genuinely and spreading hope appeals to me. If that is a testimony or anchor, then it is mine, and hopefully it will be a good seed in time.
Roadrunner wrote:The gospel is that Jesus came to live and die for us and he wants us to be close to him.
Yes, thank you. I also see Jesus dying for us the culmination and perfect example of his gospel. The atonement – viewed as our opportunity to become one and divine is also foundational.
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