What exactly is the gospel?

[Dark_Jedi]

A discussion in another thread prompted this question. Our Bible Dictionary, under the heading "Gospels" defines the gospel as "The word gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works."

I agree with that definition, although our Christian brothers and sisters may have some slight differences of opinion. Nevertheless, I believe the central message of Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice and resurrection.

Borrowing from Hillel and the Jews regarding their central belief, ""That which is hateful to you do not do to others. All the rest is commentary. Now go and learn." (Shabbos 31A)

I put this here not because I believe it is part of the gospel (although it may be) but because it illustrates that the gospel can be very straightforward. To Jews (and Jesus) the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor - the rest, therefore, is just commentary.

That said, if the gospel really is the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not all the rest of what we teach just commentary?

Your thoughts.

[Traveler]

A discussion in another thread prompted this question. Our Bible Dictionary, under the heading "Gospels" defines the gospel as "The word gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works."

I agree with that definition, although our Christian brothers and sisters may have some slight differences of opinion. Nevertheless, I believe the central message of Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice and resurrection.

Borrowing from Hillel and the Jews regarding their central belief, ""That which is hateful to you do not do to others. All the rest is commentary. Now go and learn." (Shabbos 31A)

I put this here not because I believe it is part of the gospel (although it may be) but because it illustrates that the gospel can be very straightforward. To Jews (and Jesus) the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor - the rest, therefore, is just commentary.

That said, if the gospel really is the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not all the rest of what we teach just commentary?

Your thoughts.

There are at least two very different ways to view just about anything. One is to step back and get "the Big Picture". The other is to drill down to the basic essence and catalog the individual parts from which everything is constructed. I think that your question seeks the Big Picture view.

I was with a friend when visiting the Grand Canyon. He walked up the the rim of the canyon, looked for a few minutes then said, "Wow, that is amazing. Can we go now?"

The gospel of Jesus Christ and be amazing, viewed and experienced but hardly understood. As simple as the gospel is - we can view it and be touched by the wonder of it all in just a brief moment but we can also spend our entire life studying and learning yet hardly even scratch the surface of all that can be learned and benefited from the atonement.

For me; I am currently in the place with the gospel that with every discovery of a principle I make; I discover thousands of new ideas and possibilities to be explored that hold more riches in knowledge than I previously thought possible - like standing by the ocean trying to catch a wave in a cup.

The Traveler

[NeuroTypical]

That said, if the gospel really is the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not all the rest of what we teach just commentary?

Kind of. The Gospel (good news), is that there is a God. Not only that, but He's a just/kind/wise/perfect/loving God. Not only that, but He's interested in our well-being, and wants us to return to Him after death. That information, along with the details of how we go about returning to Him, the nature of sin and atonement and repentence and all, is what makes up the Gospel.

[Windseeker]

What's the point of the Atonement if we don't take advantage of it thru Repentance.

The essance of the gospel, according to David A. Bednar, is change. It's putting off the natural man and becoming new thru Christ. Repentance is that change. I wouldn't consider the rest mere commentary because without it we lack examples and guidelines for that change. We may not even know of what we have need to repent.

[Anddenex]

That said, if the gospel really is the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not all the rest of what we teach just commentary?

Your thoughts.

Yes, this question, I feel, would be answered in the affirmative. However, the commentary we have is from people who have done as Hillel counseled, "Now go and learn."

We have two options of learning, either through personal experience (study, meditation, by faith, etc...) or through observation.

We can either recreate the bridge for ourselves, only personal experience, or we have the opportunity to walk upon the bridges (commentary) of others who have and could say, "Go and do thou likewise."

Although commentary, the parables of Christ allow us to further understand what it means to actually partake of the fruit of love. I wouldn't want the scriptures without them. I wish we had more of our Savior's words in scripture while he lived. I am sure they would have stirred up some hearts and settled disputations on certain aspects of doctrines -- like the Godhead vs. Trinity.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Anddenex

[mrmarklin]

A discussion in another thread prompted this question. Our Bible Dictionary, under the heading "Gospels" defines the gospel as "The word gospel means good news. The good news is that Jesus Christ has made a perfect atonement for mankind that will redeem all mankind from the grave and reward each individual according to his/her works."

I agree with that definition, although our Christian brothers and sisters may have some slight differences of opinion. Nevertheless, I believe the central message of Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice and resurrection.

Borrowing from Hillel and the Jews regarding their central belief, ""That which is hateful to you do not do to others. All the rest is commentary. Now go and learn." (Shabbos 31A)

I put this here not because I believe it is part of the gospel (although it may be) but because it illustrates that the gospel can be very straightforward. To Jews (and Jesus) the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor - the rest, therefore, is just commentary.

That said, if the gospel really is the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is not all the rest of what we teach just commentary?

Your thoughts.

Of course you are correct.

But the reality is that human endeavor is so complex that there are lots of corollaries and it is very hard to stay focussed on the big picture. Hence, auxiliary commandments such as the TEN etc etc.

God has to simplify things to help us on our way.:)

[skalenfehl]

3 Nephi 27:13 Jesus Christ defines His gospel:

9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;

10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it.

11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.

12 For their works do follow them, for it is because of their works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that I have told you.

13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—

15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;

22 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

[Dark_Jedi]

I am both surprised at the agreement that the gospel is indeed that good news of the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the dissent in the belief that it is either much more than that or not exactly that at all.

As I have researched the topic on my own, I came across this quote from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it."

Maybe he'd heard about Hillel (just kidding). I'm not saying the "commentary" (and if you didn't research Hillel, he gave that response when asked to summarize the Torah while standing on one foot) or "appendages" are bad, they're clearly not - they teach people to do good and teach people good things. The commentary and appendages appear to be necessary.

The thought I'm really trying to provoke here, though, is do we focus too much on the commentary and the appendages and not enough on the core of what the gospel is? If you sat in the foyer of your meeting house today and polled each person who came through about what the gospel is, what answers would you get? Do most members really recognize the atonement and resurrection as the gospel? Indeed, the atonement and resurrection are taught and testified of in church meetings and general conferences, but are they under emphasized at the expense of the less important appendages and commentary?