A closer look at the gospel with an emphasis on how the love of God was displayed in the gift of His Son.
The single Bible verse which, perhaps, more than any other summarizes the gospel is John 3:16 – “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.”
In order to understand, receive and be saved by the gospel one must have a knowledge of both the God who “so loved” that “He gave” and the Son of God who was given for our sakes. Accordingly, Jesus prayed “And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3.
In the world today, there is much confusion concerning the concept of God. Many will confess that they know not who or what God is. Yet , they still worship! Indeed, many are like the woman of Samaria to whom Jesus declared: “Ye worship ye know not what” John 4:22.
This tract is dedicated to the knowledge of “the only true God” to whom Jesus prayed and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The reason for this focus is that it is such knowledge which constitutes “life eternal”. John 17:3.
The Only True God
‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork” Ps. 19:1.
Since “No man hath seen God at any time” (John 1:18) and He is “the blessed and only Potentate the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1 Tim. 6:15, 1 6), human beings can only obtain a knowledge of Him based on His own revelation of Himself. This He gives through His word, His handiwork (the universe which He created and over which He presides) and His Son Jesus Christ who is “the express (precise) image of His person” Heb. 1:3.
Even a small glance at the vast universe is sufficient to impress the human mind with our utter incapacity to fathom the greatness and magnificence of the Great King of the universe who is called by such superlatives as the Almighty, the Most High, the Highest, the Ancient of Days, the God and Father of all “whose name alone is JEHOVAH” (Rev. 21:22: Luke 8:28; Luke 1:32; Dan. 7:9,10,13.14; Eph. 4:6; Ps. 83:18).
Scientists declare that this earth is a part of a galaxy called the Milky Way. This galaxy is so large as to contain over one hundred billion (100,000,000,000) stars, many of which are so huge and brilliant as to make the sun of this solar system pale into virtual insignificance by comparison. It is estimated that it would take over one hundred thousand (100,000) years to travel from one end of the Milky Way across to the other if one was travelling at the speed of light (186,206 miles per second). Yet, as large as is this galaxy, the Milky Way is only one of over a hundred billion (100,000,000,000) galaxies that scientists have detected, many of which are as large and contain as many stars as given. Indeed, it raises a question as to whether it was really a Son that was given.
To make the Son absolutely co-equal with His Father eliminates all possibility of the one being begotten of the other. Thus, that which is presented to humanity as the measure of God’s love for us – namely the sacrifice of His only begotten Son for our sakes is all but nullified if Jesus is not truly and literally the begotten Son of God.
Furthermore, such an idea denies that Jesus truly died. If Jesus is absolutely co-equal with “the blessed and only Potentate …. Who only hath immortality” (2 Tim. 6:15, 16), who absolutely cannot die, then Jesus did not truly die, but continued to live on some different plane while appearing to be dead. This would make all our professions about death and resurrection of Christ mere vanity and illusion.
Finally, the Trinity concept denies that Jesus is the Comforter. The Greek word (Parakletos) which is translated Comforter (John 14:16) is the same Greek word (Parakletos) which is translated Advocate (1 John 2:1). Thus, the One who is the Comforter is the same One who is our Advocate who promised “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matt. 28:20) and is the same One who offers to live in human hearts, saying “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” (Rev. 3:20). Accordingly, Jesus said “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:18. Jesus promised another Comforter because it was in another manifestation that He would return to offer further comfort, that is, in His glorified state (John 7:39).
To explain the mysterious Trinity concept, some persons liken God to a mixture of ice, water and water vapour. When God is likened to such inanimate things, should there be any wonder that the personal attributes of a loving God are little appreciated? Others say that there are three divine co-equal Beings who have simply been playing roles as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When God is perceived as being simply an actor who pretends that one is Father and another is Son when such is not the substantive reality, should there be any wonder at the height of hypocrisy that is sometimes evident among professed Christians?
Jesus warned: “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Matt. 24:4. Let us not be like those who worship they know not what but let us worship God in spirit and in truth and in accordance, with the truth of Jesus’ prayer: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3.
The fundamental truth upon which the gospel is based is that Jesus is the Son of God and that God loved us to such an extent that He gave His only begotten Son to save us. The gift of His only begotten Son represents the ultimate and most precious that God could have given. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Rom. 8:32. When we come to appreciate the sacrifice that was made on our behalf at Calvary we can reasonably respond in no less a way than did the song writer who declared “Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my life, my soul, my all.”
