Five Fold Gospel

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Five Fold Gospel

A. The Gospel of Regeneration

B. The Gospel of the Fulness of the Holy Spirit

C. The Gospel of Divine Healing

D. The Gospel of the Blessing

E. The Gospel of the Advent

A. The Gospel of Regeneration

The first pillar of the Fivefold Gospel is that of the Gospel of Regeneration. The rebirth is a prerequisite to salvation (John 3:3). As such, the Gospel of Regeneration can be called the Gospel of Salvation.

1. The Way to Regeneration
In order for man to be free from the curse of sin, the final judgement, and the authority of Satan, he must first receive salvation. Through an act of rebellion by one man, Adam, all men were destined to be born sinners (Romans 5:16), and were unable to reach the glory of God through his own means (Romans 3:23).
Immediately following Adam's rebellion, God prophesied a plan of salvation.
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."(Genesis 3:15)
In this passage the offspring of the woman refers to Jesus Christ, as many of the prophets to follow would prophesy. As was prophesied, Jesus Christ became the living sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. Salvation made available through the suffering and the death of Jesus on the cross has four meanings. First, the suffering and the death on the cross shows man the result of the sin of man (Isaiah 53:5). Second, it shows mankind the extent to which God loves the mankind (Romans 5:8). Third, it shows mankind the true value of each man (Matthew 16:26). Fourth, it shows mankind the cost of reconciliation (Isaiah 53:6).

2. The Method of Regeneration
There are two conditions for regeneration, repentance and faith. Repentance and faith are one and the same as they manifest simultaneously, and they can be said to be the flip side of the same coin. The words called out by John the Baptist, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near," (Matthew 3:2) was echoed later by Jesus Christ, "Repent and believe the good news."(Mark 1:15) In addition, after the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Peter also shouted, "Repent so that your sins may be wiped out." (Acts 2:88, 3:19)
The other condition is faith. Paul witnessed to the keeper of prisons in Phillippi, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved - you and your household." (Acts 16:31) Faith in salvation is bestowed on us by God upon the foundation of our faith in the promise of God. However, it is the Holy Spirit Who descends upon us and makes it possible to have faith that Jesus Christ is our Saviour (I Corinthians 12:3).

3. The Result of Regeneration
When we realize our sins and repent, thereby accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour, what results from our repentance? First, the counsellor Holy Spirit comes into us and resides in us (Romans 8:11).
Second, we are freed from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1,2) Third, we receive the right to become the children of God (John 1:12). Fourth, we shall enjoy the great blessings God has prepared (III John 1:2).

B. The Gospel of the Fulness of the Holy Spirit

Those who have been reborn, must be baptized and filled with the Holy spirit. When Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit, they become filled with power and can witness effectively. Furthermore, as the Spirit of God is Holy, a Christian filled with the Holy Spirit can shed off the authority of sin and the curse, to live in holiness.

The Gospel of the filling of the Holy Spirit is to live in holiness and actively preach the Gospel as the Holy Spirit fills a person making him overflow with gratitude and the desire to act, a far cry from dry and passive faith.

1. The Holy Spirit's Godliness and Character
The Holy Spirit is one of the Trinity which comprises the Father God, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3,4; Matthew 28:19,20). As such, the Holy Spirit shares all qualities with God. The Bible testifies that the Holy Spirit shares all natures, namely, that of timelessness (Hebrews 9:14), omnipresence (Luke 1:35), omniscience (I Corinthians 2:10), and omnipotence.(Psalms 139:7,8)

In addition, the realization that the Holy Spirit has personality is an essential element in our lives of faith. This is due to the fact that only when we personally acknowledge, welcome and accept the Holy Spirit, we can move deeper and further in our lives of faith which then lead us to become more powerful Christians, to bear a greater amount of fruit than ever before.

2. The Work of the Holy Spirit
Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit comes, He would convict the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11). The Holy Spirit calls sinners, makes them repent and they are born again, to become children of God (John 3:5). The Holy Spirit resides in believers (John 14:16), teaching them (John 14:26), guiding them (Romans 8:14), and intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26). Moreover, the Holy Spirit seals those who are His (Ephesians 1:13,14; II Timothy 2:19), causes the saints to act (Acts 13:4; 16:6,7; I Corinthians 12:11), becomes our Guarantor (II Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:14), gives us power and anoints us with oil (Luke 24:29; Acts 2:1-4; II Corinthians 1:21; I John 2:20,27), resurrects the body (Romans 8:11; II Corinthians 4:14), and witnesses to us that Christ is the Son of God (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6).

3. Regeneration and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Regeneration and the baptism of The Holy Spirit are two distinct and separate experiences. Although the two experiences can occur simultaneously or occur at two separate time periods, they are nonetheless two separate experiences. The Bible mentions that there are many Christians who have been born again, but have failed to be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4,5; Acts 8:14-17).

4. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Fullness of the Holy Spirit
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the starting point for those who want to continue Christ's ministry and live victorious lives. To do so, he must first be overcome by the Holy Spirit. The two most visible, outward signs of the Holy Spirit baptism are the speaking in tongue and truly effective witnessing. When the gift of the Holy Spirit (the outward signs) and the fruit of the Spirit (inner signs) continue to be manifest, it is called the filling of the Holy Spirit.

C. The Gospel of Divine Healing

According to the Bible, Jesus Christ was the great Preacher who wept for cursed man and spread the Good News, the great Teacher Who taught His disciples, and the great Healer Who healed many of their physical ills (Matthew 4:23). As such, healing of the sick was part of Christ's ministry and it was a tremendous gift and blessing God provided to mankind.

1. The Source of Our Diseases
Although there are many sources for our ills, when we reflect on the Bible, we can determine three sources for our ills; Satan, sin, and the curse.
First, there are instances when the devil presses and causes us to suffer ills (Mark 9:25).
Second, through sin which man commits knowingly and unknowingly, this results in ills.
Third, as man has rebelled against God's law, we have been cursed by God to suffer ills during our lives (Deuteronomy 28:58-62).

2. Christ Who Redeemed us from Diseases
In the Old Testament, certain analogies can be seen which represent Jesus Christ Who redeemed us from our diseases; the passover lamb (Exodus 12, Numbers 9), the tree which turned the bitter water to sweet (Exodus 15), and the bronze snake made by Moses (Numbers 21:4-9).

Call to repentance and healing were two things Christ did wherever He went. Whenever Christ healed the sick, He linked the healing with being forgiven of one's sins as unseparable, before healing the person completely (Mark 2:9,10).

Since Jesus Christ was destined to receive the ultimate death sentence, that of dying on the cross, was there really a need for Him to be whipped and His body torn? The Bible tells us that the reason for His being whipped was so that He could take upon Himself our diseases as well. As He was whipped, he redeemed us from our ills and our weaknesses (Isaiah 53:4; I Peter 2:24).

3. The Precondition to Divine Healing
The precondition to divine healing is our prayers, our lives of faith and our living in accordance to the Word of God.

First, the Bible records many instances of the divine healing through prayer. It is written in James 5:14,15, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up." As such, a Christian must not give up but continue to pray persistently, then he will experience divine healing.

Second, divine healing can result from both a person's own faith or from another's. In Mark Chapter 5, there is an example of a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for twelve years, but having touched the hem of Christ's robe, she had become well. This is an example of one's own faith leading to divine healing (Mark 5:25-34). On the other hand, the servant of the centurion was healed not through his own faith, but through the faith of the centurion (Matthew 8:13).

Lastly, the Bible contains God's promise to those who live according to the Word of God, that they will be protected from diseases (Exodus 15:26).

D. The Gospel of Blessing

All men desire to be blessed and live happily ever after. The Creator of this universe, our God, also desires His children to live within His blessings and live abundantly fulfilling lives.

1. Righteous Understanding Concerning the Material World
God's blessings began from the very creation of this world. Before God created man, He created the world and saw that it was good (Genesis 1). All things in this world were made to be good. Man enjoyed his first days in a world filled abundantly with things which were good. This was the original intent of God's desire for mankind.

2. Redemption on the Cross and Blessing
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (II Corinthians 8:9) "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" (Galatians 3:13)

The reason Christ lived in such poverty while on this earth was so that we could live well and to remove us from the law of the curse. If we do not claim our rightful blessings as children of God, we are wasting the life a poverty which Christ led while on earth.

The Bible also states in Acts 20:35, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The foundation of Christian doctrine concerning how a Christian should live, is the idea of "giving". When we share our live, hope, prayer and material possesions, we can truly become blessed Christians.

E. The Gospel of the Advent

The return of Christ is not some vague religious dream, but is an unalterable plan of God, the sincere promise of Christ, and is a very accurate history of a future event to come.

1. The Purpose of the Advent
First, Christ's second coming has been prophesied in the Old Testament, and Jesus Himself promised He would return again.
Second, Christ will come and raise the dead and lift those who are righteous (Philippians 3:20,21).
Third, Christ will come to destroy death (Revelation 20:14).
Fourth, Christ will come to lead the Christians who will be chosen and guide them to where Christ has prepared (John 14:2,3).
Fifth, Christ will come to judge the quick and the dead (II Timothy 4:1).

2. The Time of the Advent
The exact time of Christ's second coming is unknown. Christ Himself said, Matthew 24:36, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." However, we do know that Christ will return after the Gospel has been preached to all men and all corners of this world (Matthew 24:14), after the anti-Christ has made his appearance in this world (II Thessalonians 2:2,3), will come with the sound of trumpets (I Corinthians 15:51,52), and will come like as in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39).

3. The Events Surrounding the Advent
First is Christ's coming and christians being lifted up to the clouds. As promised in I Thessalonians 4:16,17, Christians will be lifted up to the clouds with the trumpet call of God. Along with the trumpet call, those churches which have kept ready the 'oil' will be lifted to the sky, This is known as the rapture.

Second is the seven-year great tribulation. As Christians who have been lifted celebrate their marriage feast with Jesus Christ, on earth there willl be extreme tribulation. As this desolation will last for seven years, it is called the seven-year great tribulation (Daniel 9:27).

Third is Christ's coming to earth. After finishing the marriage feast, Jesus Christ will come down to earth with all the Christians accompanying Him.

Fourth is the millenial kingdom. Once the old serpent Satan is bound and imprisoned in the pit (Revelations 20:1-3), Christ will have the rulership over this world as King.

Fifth is the great judgement in front of the white throne (Revelation 20:11). God will establish a court somewhere in this world; this very court is the white throne. As judgement starts, all those who have died will be brought back to life and depending on their past actions will receive just punishment (Relelation 20:14).

Last is the establishment of the new heaven and the new earth. The kingdom of God which the Christians will enter is 'new' in all aspects (Revelation 21:1). In this new heaven and the new earth, the new Jerusalem will descend from heaven (Revelation 21:2). The new Jerusalem will be the capital of the new heaven and the new earth. The beauty of the new Jerusalem is described as that of the beauty of a bride as she awaits her groom (Revelation 21:2).

4. Attitude Toward the Last Days
In preparation for the coming of Christ, Christians must always be awake like the five virgins who waited with ample supply of oil (Matthew 24:42, 25:2-13).

Furthermore, we must diligently witness to others. Witnessing was the last request Christ made to all men (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18, Acts 1:8), for it is Christ's greatest concern. As such, Christians should not regard whether the time has come or not, but should continue to witness to others (II Timothy 4:2). Salvation for others, that is our greatest responsibility and goal.

Lastly, we must eagerly await the second coming of Christ. Our hope lies not in this world but in the second coming of Christ and the eternal heaven. We must yearn for the kingdom of God and await the coming of the new Jerusalem (II Peter 3:11,12). "Amen, come quickly, Oh Lord!"

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