Some say the gospel was preached from the first Hebrew word, Barasheet — In the beginning. They explain the symbols and what they stand for show that God would be crucified on the cross.  I am no expert there so can’t vouch for the reliability, I find it an interesting thought, but one thing I am sure of — is that from the first sin God preached the gospel to man.  The entire plan may not have been revealed as they were looking forward, but in believing God at His Promise, they were saved.  They were not saved by the law, no one has ever been justified by the law.   I wrote this several years ago, thought I might re-share by those who are confused in thinking the Jews were ‘saved’ eternally by a different way.

The good news of the gospel was plan A

I woke up early, forgot to turn off my text noise on my phone, and so at 6 a.m. I got a text from a friend, (it was a Bible verse so that part was nice). And by 8, I had all sorts of things running through my head.

Proeuaggelizomai (Greek)- means to announce or promise glad tidings BEFOREHAND (prophecy).

The Gospel is God’s Promise beforehand of the Seed who was the Savior to come.r

Man disobeyed, he died not just physically, but there is also a spiritual death hanging over all unbeliever’s heads (Heb 2:9).  Here is the contrast between the first man Adam, and the solution ––  Jesus Christ.

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” 

(Jesus) The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.   

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.  

The first man was of the earth, made of dust;

The second Man is the Lord from heaven.  

As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust;

And as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.  

And as we have borne the image of the man of dust,

we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 1 Cor 14:45-49

Thank God for what HE has done for us, not what we can do for Him!

THERE IS NOTHING IN THE FLESH WE CAN DO TO BE SAVED!

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Gal 3:2

Man’s disobedience was the problem

God coming as man (Immanuel — God among us), is the only offered solution (and fulfilled prophecy).

A MESSIAH: God promised a Messiah who would become flesh as seen in the seed through Eve. Man sinned, man had to die.  Who can pay the penalty?  Only a perfect sinless man who is God come in the flesh.  He never sinned, but we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.

Gen 3:15 ~ “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

WHO is ‘her seed’ (descendant) ?

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, >>>which is Christ. 

What is the purpose of the law ? And the length of service?

Wherefore then serveth the law? >> It was added because of transgressions, >> till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.   Gal 3:16-19

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.  Luke 16:16

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.   Luke 24:44

JESUS OUR SIN OFFERING:

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed (those of us who are firstfruits after Jesus),
He shall prolong His days,
and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand (Believers are gifted to the son, and we reside in His hand — Read John 10:28-29).
He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.  Isaiah 53:10-11

JESUS PAID IT ALL

THE FIRST CURSE: The ground was cursed (along with Adam) because of Adam’s sin. And in sorrow, and sweat, man would till of the ground and it would bring forth thorns… (Seen below in vs.18)

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.  (Gen 3:18-19)

THE LAST CURSE

Jesus would wear those thorns on His head, a reminder of the first curse God spoke to man, and the curse He would bear for us in our place.  

And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.  Matt 27:28-30

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  Gal 3:13-14 (Deut 21:23b)

GOD PROVIDES: Then there is a picture of the first sacrifice and covering for sin that God lovingly provided for His two creations who were now separated from Him because of their choice to sin.

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Gen 3:21

Adam and Eve were clothed with temporary skins which would cover them, an animal died because the shedding of blood was necessary for the remission of sin.  But this was temporary.  Now because He died on the cross for our sins (shed His blood in our place), was buried and rose again, something happened. For those of us who have believed, we are washed in His blood, and we are clothed with His righteousness, and our sins are taken away (John 1:29):

…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood…  Rev 1:5

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for HE hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
HE hath covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.  Isaiah 61:10

See, we were told beforehand.  See some of the prophecies of the crucifixion of Jesus.

SOLELY because of what He has done, believers have overcome.  Why? And we know those of us who are born of God, are the ones who overcome.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5), the testimony we have believed is seen in 1 John 5:10-13 & 1 Cor 15:1-11

Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.

Jesus bore the curse for us…

Jesus took our place in death, took away our sins. forgave all our trespasses, when we believe upon Him as our Savior.

Jesus is >> God, the Messiah (Lord-kyrios).

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you ALL TRESPASSES,

HOW MANY?

having wiped out the handwriting of requirements (10 Commandments) that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.  Col 2:13-15

Did you notice that little part ‘which was CONTRARY to us’?

We can do NOTHING about our sin, you cannot turn from your sin as part of receiving salvation (as people like Paul Washer, Ray Comfort, John MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon, etc. will teach).  If you have not yet believed, you do not have the Spirit and you are powerless to do any such thing.  It is contrary to our sin nature.  IMPOSSIBLE.  Once again, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

Turning from or confessing sin is a work of the law (#75/613)

Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give itunto him against whom he hath trespassed.  Numbers 5:6-7

And it is a lie, it is not a requirement, it is a WORK to turn from sin and CANNOT be added > to the free gift of eternal life. (Rom 6:23; Jonah 3:9-10; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 4:4-6; Rom 11:6).  If you add it, you have preached another gospel (2 Cor 11:3-4), don’t put up with those who do.

By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:10,14

Recall the words, “It is Finished”….?

Who finished it?

Turning from sin ONCE we are saved, is a good thing to do, a righteous thing even (if we are doing it by walking in the Spirit. But it is not by works of righteousness that we have done (Titus 3:4-7; Is 64:6).  Remember the Spirit and the flesh (again) are CONTRARY to one another (Gal 5:16-17).  We NEED His Spirit to deal with sin in our lives.  And we only receive His Spirit when we believe upon Him as our Savior (Romans 8:9; 1 Cor 12:13, Eph 4:4-6).  Unbelievers are ungodly sinners without strength (Rom 5:6-8) do not have that ability.  That is why God made His love known to them by what HE did for them.

LOOK WHAT JESUS HAS DONE IN OUR PLACE

…Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who LOVED US and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.  Rev 1:5-6

GREATER LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.  John 15:13

…but the GIFT OF GOD is ETERNAL LIFE through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:23

He told us ahead of time in His Word.

He has shown us from the beginning (foretold by the Word of God) what He would do.  It is an unconditional free gift.  A unilateral (unconditional) contract made only by Him (Abraham was in a deep sleep) and promised to the Seed (who is Christ).  He swore by Himself and there is no greater (Heb 6:13-14; Gen 12:3; Gen 15).   He has also shown us from the beginning what we did; we sinned/disobeyed, and yet we hid from Him, we didn’t turn from our sins to get cleaned up suddenly.

Adam did not repent from his sins

God asked them how they knew they were naked, but Adam didn’t come out from hiding and ‘repent from his sins‘ (remember that is contrary to us), he came out and blamed God and the woman for why he disobeyed.

And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. (vs. 12)

Remember, where did the animal skins come from to cover their sinful shame?  Who was it who sacrificed for man back then?

Eve did not repent from her sins

Eve didn’t come out and ‘repent from her sins‘ she blamed the serpent for eating of the tree, (beguiling her)…. Yet still, God did it all, promised from that moment, the beginning of the first sin, to make a way (the Messiah 3:15) for all who would put their faith on Him as their Savior.

And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. (vs. 13)

Please understand, repent’s definition is not ‘turn from sin’.  Please search for repent for a series of articles on this site.

SPEAKING OF THE GOSPEL:

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  2 Cor 11:3

THEY BOTH SINNED.  ONE WILLINGLY, ONE DECEIVED…

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.  1 Tim 2:14

Abraham believed God’s promise and that is how he was declared righteous

Abraham was preached the gospel Galatians 3:8 and other passages remind us.  It wasn’t just a promise of descendants, but the fact he believed was counted to Abraham as righteousness pre-cross.  Abraham now knows the totality of the gospel in it’s completion  (Gal 3:8: Rom 4:3).

Contrary to how some people preach, Abraham was already saved (as in from eternal hell) the moment he believed God.  He was not saved or justified (as in declared righteous for eternity) in when he offered up Isaac.  This was a demonstration of a working faith in the eyes of men.  Abraham was already righteous in God’s eyes before Isaac was even born while he was still uncircumcised.

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.  How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:  and the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.  Rom 4:9-13

How are people called to God?  

2 Thess 2:14 says we are called by the gospel. 

How are they drawn to the Father?

They are all drawn when Christ was lifted up on the cross.  (John 3:14-18; John 8:28; John 12:32)

See more ways God draws all men

How will they believe if they don’t hear?

Rom 10:14-17

THE GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION. (Rom 1:16-17; 1 Cor 1:18)

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  John 3:14-18

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  This he said, signifying what death he should die. John 12:32-33

Preach Christ and Him crucified

Men who add ‘picking up your cross’ to the requirement of receiving eternal life don’t believe Christ did it all.  They are adding their works to His.

And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.   And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.  1 Cor 2:1-5

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?   And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!  But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.  Rom 10:14-17

ADAM’S SIN – we have ALL sinned

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:^{*Rom 3:23}(for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.  Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift.^{*Eph 2:8, Rom 6:23}

GOD’S ABUNDANT GRACE – The Free Gift

For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace,^{*Eph 2:8, Rom 6:23} which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.  For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.  Rom 5:11-21

WILL YOU BELIEVE?

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.  John 6:28-29

It is by His grace alone we are saved.  No other way.  He is the way, the truth and the life.  If you are trusting in your sorrow, your turning from sin, you good works, your church, your religion, etc., you may not have ever understood what you must do to be saved.   We are not chosen to be saved.  But we are chosen TO salvation BY the gospel which calls ALL men.  Won’t you hear?

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (prior prophecies);  and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (prior prophecies).  1 Cor 15:3-4

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.  John 3:36

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.  John 6:47

 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.  John 5:24

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved… (taken from Acts 16:31)

Where will you go when you die?