The Gospel in Sixty Seconds – The Gospel

What is the gospel? Well John 3:16 puts it like this. ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” The gospel is the route to salvation and salvation is the path to eternal life.  

Why do we need a gospel. Well, if you believe that is it then you feel you do not need a gospel. The issue with believing this is that if you are mistaken then you have a lot to lose. In fact, that scripture says that the lost will be resurrected at the White Throne Judgement and after Christ proclaims judgement on them will be cast into the Lake of Fire.  

Not what anyone wants to face. So, you may not realise it, but you need the gospel. The gospel is that Christ Jesus bore the sins of all men on the Cross at Calvary. He died and rose again on the third day. He was seen first by Mary Magdelene and then by, the disciples and many others (John 20: 11-18; Luke 24: 13-35). Now, you may not believe that you are a sinner. However, once again the bible contains the answer. 

Romans 3:10 says that “There is none righteous not even one.” Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned, all fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the freely given gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ, our Lord.”  

My friends, you may not realise it, but you need a Savior, Fortunately, your Father in Heaven has provided you with one. In that, he so loved you He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to bear your sins on the Cross. So that when you believe in Him you shall not perish but will receive eternal life.  

Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call you upon Him while He is near.” There is never a better time than the present. Why not ask Jesus to become your savior right now. Get down on your knees and ask Him to forgive your sins and to become the Lord of your life.

Is the Bible Inerrant Truth

The situation as it stands in 2023 is that there are veritable host of modern translations based on the Westcott and Hort Texts which are in turn based on the New Testament texts Vaticanus and Sinaiticus. All these translations vary in the structure and content of the bible narrative so that while they are similar, they are all quite different. Some omit portions of scripture protesting that they do not appear in more reliable (Westcott and Hort) texts. This being the situation concerning all the modern translations. When you add the paraphrase versions like the Message or Good News Bible. From a logical perspective how can anyone seriously consider these bibles with so much differing text to be the inerrant Word of God?

The question that I would ask is “Is similar the standard of accuracy that is acceptable for bible translation?” What of the omitted scriptures like John 5: 3-4 “of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.” Translations after 1884 feature this omission and many others. So, the King James Version has many words and verses that modern translations do not have because they are translated from more accurate texts or are they corrupted texts. Texts that contain a deliberate attack on the deity of Christ and events that support the gospel?

So, should we be throwing out all the new translations in favour of the King James Bible. I think that we should be careful about telling people that their version of the bible is an inaccurate version. A person’s faith can interwoven with the bible that they love. We do not want to break anyone’s faith because of bible version that they read.

Although it may seem an unusual stance to hold about this subject. I believe that in accordance with Hebrews chapter 8 verses 8-12, that in Christ Jesus we are in the New Covenant where the Holy Spirit writes the law into our hearts and puts it into our minds. On this basis I believe that when we hear or read the truth it resonates with the Law of God which is already written on our hearts and put in our minds. So as much as I dislike the idea of inaccuracy in modern bible translations, I do not think it will do much harm as they do contain much biblical truth. If we walk the Spirit filled life we cannot go wrong regardless of the translation we use.

Further to this line of thought, if we lay hold on the promises of God and consider that great scripture Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” We can know without doubt that as believers that we have God’s Law inscribed on our hearts and put into our minds. We cannot see this or feel it but through faith we know it to be true. Also, faith is a gift of God so we will never be lacking faith (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

A promise concerning the Word of God, is that when God sends it out it never returns to him without having achieved that which He sent it to do (Isaiah 55:11). I very much doubt that His word is of any version of bible except His own truth, the Word of God, and so it is with the truth of God’s Law that the Spirit has written on our hearts and put into our minds. The Word of God is therefore beyond the meddling hands of men. In this way God has kept the Word safe for those who love Him throughout the centuries and millennia that it has been in the Earthly domain.

So, what about the conflict between the KJV – Received Text people and the folk who prefer the more contemporary versions based on Vaticanus and Sinaiticus texts. Below are three links to Textus-Receptus.com which show the differences between the more popular modern translations and the KJV. There are quite a few verse omissions and numerous word omissions as well as word substitutions. Which amount, to an attack on the deity of Christ and weaken the overall tone of the narrative. Now, the modern translators would say that this makes the bible more accurate, because the Nu Text is derived from texts that are claimed to predate the Received Text.

The issue here is that the Vaticanus text was discovered in the early 13th Century and was said to date from the 4th Century. It was then lost only to reappear in a rubbish bin in the 19th Century. It was then that “Codex Vaticanus was first reproduced in engraved semi-facsimile as Bibliorum sacrorum graecus codex Vaticanus auspice Pio IX. Pontifice Maximo collatis studiis Caroli Vercellone Sodalis Barnabitae et Josephi Cozza Monachi Basiliani editus (Rome, 1868).” See links below.

The Sinaiticus text was found by Constantin von Tischendorf in 1844 at Saint Catherine's Monastery near Mount Sinai in what is today the South Sinai Governorate of Egypt. It was also said to date from the 4th Century. Again, it was suspiciously fortuitous that the text turned up in excellent condition despite its claimed age and that it differed from the Received Text in such a way as to assist the Vatican in rewriting the bible as it desired. Then with the assistance of Messer's Westcott and Hort they were able to gain control of the entire Translation Community and launch a raft of new versions that were written as Rome proscribed.

What to do? Oh, what to do? Well, that is up to you. Many will for whatever reason ignore this article and stay content with the version of the bible they are using. I cannot argue with that for the simple reason that even with a few errors these bibles provide better access to the Word of God than has been the case for the previous 20 centuries. I would then end here by suggesting that the reader check the websites below and check the omissions and substitutions listed on them. I note that the Amplified Bible and the Modern English Version contain most of the omitted verses and are similar in contextual meaning to the King James Version but in a contemporary language format. Relinquo vobis.


Reference List


Codex Sinaiticus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus 13/08/2023


List of Omitted Verses http://textus-receptus.com/wiki/List_of_Omitted_Bible_Verses 11/08/2023


The Codex Sinaiticus https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=485 13/08/2023


The Codex Vaticanus https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=163 13/08/2023 

What about the New American Standard  https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=7181&forum=35 16/08/2023


Would you take a magic marker to your Bible and cross out words from passages? https://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/themagicmarker.html 11/08/2-23


Various Contradictions and Omissions in Bible Translations https://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/various.html 11/08/2023

Grace and Predestination – Calvinism / Arminianism

Grace is a noun meaning in Christian theology “The free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God.” Grace is how the Father draws the lost to Christ Jesus. It is also the method by which the elect are encouraged by God in their walk of faith as they negotiate their way through the
Christian life.

There are at least two different theologies on who gets to be saved and how that happens. Calvinists believe that God predestined those who will be saved from before the foundation of the world. They also believe that the lost are predestined to reprobation and to be punished for their sins by the second death.

Arminians agree with the Calvinists except that they believe that God has made a choice available to all men to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ or to reject it. They believe that this is included in the Grace of God and that Grace makes this choice possible. They also believe that those who would accept the gospel and believe on Jesus Christ were foreseen by God before the foundation of the world and then predestined. So that they differ from the Calvinists in that they see the lost as having chosen to reject the gospel rather than being predestined to reprobation.

You might wonder how this argument about predestination could occur between two groups of Christians reading the same bible. I agree it is hard to understand but I believe it has come about because of a disagreement about the verses that state that Christ Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross is intended for all. Calvinists claim that “all” does not mean everyone while Arminians believe it does mean everyone.

I believe that the scriptures that indicate that the gospel is for all meaning that via grace everyone gets to hear the truth and make their own decision on whether to accept the truth and believe on Jesus Christ. So, I am an Arminian at heart.

To me, we are not seeing the whole picture here. My view of God is that he is simply magnificent. There is no one like Him. His love is boundless. His creative ability is without peer. Yes, His wrath is incomparable, but He is perfect in His justice and His fairness. All are given a chance, and He is the righteous God. 

The biggest driver of my decision about the way that Grace operates is that there are so many scriptures that indicate that the gospel is for all that it skews the interpretation of the bible if you do not acknowledge them. It seems to me that many Calvinists ignore those scriptures to continue to endorse their view of the five points of Calvinism. https://www.openbible.info/topics/jesus_died_for_all

The result of ignoring these scriptures is an austere view of God. He becomes an arrogant, arbitrary, and contrary God. One wonders if such a God would decide to redeem any of fallen humankind. Surely if fallen man has some redeemable features God would seek to redeem all of humanity? Not just a few.

This line of thought tends to contradict the view that God is the Creator of the Universe. Surely a God who can make planets, stars, black holes, devise and enforce the Laws of Physics, create the natural world and man would have no problem reversing the effects of the fall?

Another issue is that the psalmists, Christ Jesus, the twelve apostles and Paul all insist that God is a loving God? Yet, if God is arbitrary and vindictive toward those who at the time had not lived and they were already sentenced to death. Can God claim to be a loving?

Something is wrong with this picture. There seems to be some other factor that is not being considered. Is that factor that because Satan was corrupted and humanity when given the choice chose evil that God wants this life to be a test of a man’s ability to choose to believe in Yahweh Elohim and whether He will follow Him.

Is it possible that choice, belief, and faith in God are the prime drivers in obtaining salvation? Could it be that God wants a people for his own possession, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who chose to belong to God. Not those who were programmed to love and obey but being sentient eventually fell. Could this be the purpose of Grace to enable man to rise from the depravity of this life and to choose Christ Jesus as his Saviour.

Two Minutes with Jesus - The Peace of Christ

The Christian Definition of Peace: the peace of heart which is the gift of God.
Merriam Webster.

The most important thing to the Christian seeking to be revived is to understand the need to let the peace of God take precedence in our hearts. In fact as the scripture below says for peace to rule in our hearts.

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed called in one body, rule in your hearts; and be thankful.”

We need to understand that the peace of God that passes all understanding. That is the peace that will guard your heart and your mind as is mentioned in the scripture below. This I believe is also connected to the idea of dying to sin and being hidden in God with Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:3).

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

A strong piece in the puzzle of how the peace of Christ can rule your hearts is found in the idea that sin steals that peace out of our hearts. Yet if we humble ourselves and admit our sin to God, confessing that sin to God. He will forgive those sins and cleanse our hearts of sin.

It is helpful to view the heart as a cup. If the cup contains sin that has not been dealt with it will not contain peace or if you will the living water of the Holy Spirit. If that sin is confessed to God and the heart is cleansed Christ Jesus will fill it to overflowing with living water / peace / the Holy Spirit. This is the basis of personal revival or renewal for the truly committed Christian.

1 John 1:8-9 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Gospel in Three Minutes - How Jesus Saves

John 3: 1-18 “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;  this man came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”  Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.  The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Here Jesus speaks to Nicodemus who was a member of the ruling Sanhedrin based in Jerusalem. He came to Jesus by night so as not to be seen and Jesus explained to him the means by which the New Covenant would function and the means by which He would become a sacrifice for the sins of all the World (mankind), by being lifted up on the Cross.

In John 3:16-18 He explains that those who believe on Him would not perish but inherit eternal life and that He came not to judge the World but to save it. Mankind and through mankind all of creation. The one who believes will not be judged but those who don’t believe are already dead in their sins.

Romans 3:21-23 “ But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...”

So in Christ Jesus the righteousness of God is revealed apart from the Law and is for all who believe and have faith in Jesus Christ. It is also necessary for all of mankind to believe because we all fall short of the glory of God.

Acts 4:11-12 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.”

So Christ Jesus was the stone the builders rejected and yet He is the only begotten Son of God and the Saviour of all mankind. In fact, His is the only name under heaven by which you must be saved. Such that salvation is available to all who believe on His name and that belief is reckoned by God as faith and results in eternal life to those who believe on Jesus Christ.