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Paul’s “My Gospel” Has Much Meaning – A Sermonette by The Wandering Evangelist, for Eternal Affairs Media
Romans 16:25 (KJV) “25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began…
Those who contest our Faith or the accuracy of the Bible, sometimes rely on this and the other times Paul references “my gospel” (Romans 2:16, Timothy 2:8). It is fairly easy to successfully twist and confuse the meaning of this (and other select Scripture) among those less familiar with the the Bible, as in this example depicting Paul and his ministry. There are variations in their method, either to render Paul as false Apostle vainly claiming the Gospel Message belongs to him, alone, or to challenge the validity of the Bible by claiming the other Apostles’ versions are simply copying Paul, as they were written after Paul’s testimony was penned. Neither is the case. Examining why has much meaning, and reveals more mysteries than just the one spoken of in the opening verse, or the mystery as to why he uses the phrase, at all.
Though Paul has also used the phrase ‘our gospel,’ and ‘the gospel,’ elsewhere, he is quite right in the deliberate use of the phrase, ‘my gospel’ in these particular passages, for his understanding of it is rather special in nature… but yet, not at all different from the other Apostles, who got it directly from the living and risen Jesus Christ and as personal witnesses to its unfolding. And therein is the difference. Paul was not present, and witnessed nothing. He had not even met the Apostles, and so, did not hear it from them, either. He explains the mystery himself in Ephesians 1:11~12, “11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” By that, he is speaking of the ascended Christ, who revealed it to him in Acts 9, converting him through a remarkably unique Christ-direct Baptism, along with his commission to be Apostle to the Gentiles. This is what is meant by ‘my gospel;’ it was gifted him by miraculous intervention and vision directly from the holy seat at the right hand of God’s own heavenly throne.
Paul deliberately used ‘my gospel’ when speaking to the Church at Ephesus (the above verse, and through Timothy in 1 Timothy), as a confirming reference of this fact. Because they had already heard it from the first Apostles and had already themselves also been baptized into formation of their church, it disproves the notion that they penned their ‘version’ of it based upon Paul’s writings, of whom they had scarce knowledge. So, rather than accusing Paul of egotistical malfeasance, or challenging the authority and truth of Scripture, atheists and the like who attempt using the matter to do so, instead prove themselves liars, and validate all of Scripture’s claims for the Gospel, as Paul’s version exactly coincides with those of the Apostles; our Faith and Sure Hope is validated, and affirmed… as is the accuracy, God-inspired authority, and truthful, error-free validity of the Bible.
There is a second but related reason for its use in Romans. There, it is to highlight Paul’s unique dispensation of the Gospel to the gentiles in fulfillment of the commission given him by Christ in Acts 1. This in turn leads us to the mystery and secret spoken of in the opening verse. The mystery of how it is that prior to Paul, the only path to heaven available was for God’s chosen people (the Israelites) only, in those times through obedient observance to and practice of Mosaic Law… but that suddenly, only one man (Paul) would be chosen to foster an entirely new path available to the Gentiles, as well as to Jews willing to seek the truth of the Apostle’s preaching of the Gospel.
Next we have the ‘secret since the world began,’ to consider. This is puzzling to some on the face of it, and there is both a simple and a complex answer. There is at the heart of it a term, ‘dispensation,’ which in spiritual matters reflects how divine knowledge is made known to Man. There is something called dispensationalism, and the seven dispensations, which can be seen as ages of Man with respect to his understanding of and relationship to the one true God. These terms are often controversial, and have in extreme variations become conerstones of cults, claiming whole new and false dispensations of their own. Nothing in Scripture clearly spells it all out, yet there are clues which reveal something worth a look. We need not delve deeply into all that, here, for such knowledge changes nothing for us and our salvation. Yet our opening verse is such a clue, so we need at least dissect it’s dispensational aspect.
From the time of Adam and Eve, for a time, God literally dispensed directly, ‘in person.’ It was a simple relationship, for Man’s ability to grasp and deal with the divine was limited, as was their general knowledge of the world. Come forward through history, other means of dispensation came into being as well, such as through Angels, and Prophets. Moses gave the Israelites a special Dispensation of the Ten Commandments, and specific Laws and rituals, by which their proper relationship with God could be consecrated and see them to a heavenly reward. But Jesus Christ and his Gospel message was a far more advanced dispensation, one directly given by Christ to the Apostles as teacher, and spiritually to Paul as the ascended Christ… a Gospel which anyone, not just Jews, could understand and embrace, that the whole World might come to faith. Hence, global Christianity. This Gospel was the miraculous secret concealed from the time of creation.
Thus it was always available, given the omnipotent omnipresent nature of God, knowing all things, including those of the future, be we were not always ready for it. While there is no scripture to support it, I would like to share a personal belief based upon this passage, and others which echo it in various ways, to suggest something many Pastors might object to, but which would seem to answer some unanswerable questions many of us might naturally have… such as, ‘What about all those people before access to the Gospel, who were not God’s chosen people… how is it that they had no path to heaven?’ My preferred take-away is, that upon their death, they were given Paul’s dispensation through the yet to be incarnated Christ on high, that they might choose.
Call it wishful fairy-tale thinking if you will. It is not a point of belief upon which our salvation depends.
But first consider my personal take on 1 Timothy 1:3~6; “3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” The proper time? That is when we are open and able to receive it, and give informed answer; a matter of dispensation. And what better time for those never hearing the Gospel while it was yet secret, than that brief intersection between death and judgment wherein time itself has no meaning, transcending both past and future, and by what better means than by the self-same Christ on high, who dispensed to Paul?
But, thankfully, the same offer and question… our dispensation, is already before us. This is a wonderful blessing, because sooner is far better, than later. As seen in our last Sermonette, there are many wonderful gifts available to those embracing the Gospel, such that we can flourish by it… while simultaneously making a better world for those around us. The easiest example is in good works, and the gift of good stewardship, which can also lead to success in material gains and other satisfactions from a well-lived (righteous) life. And it always keeps coming back to the same simple quid-quo pro, between God and Man; all he asks for from us in exchange, is our love, and the best way we can express that, is in worship in the Faith with an obedient heart, and in service to his cause: evangelism.
And such a notion about dispensations brings us to this: the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not the last ‘new’ dispensa-tion. And no, I’m not speaking of a cult-usurped and so-called 7th dispensation of Joseph Smith or the Lehi-Nephite extension, thereof. No, I’m speaking of the dispensation which will be made to the Tribulation Saints who must suffer under the AntiChrist, if to fully embrace the Gospel rightly, and come to salvation. Their lot is fully describe in Revelation, where in verse 7:14, we see specifics of value to our discussion; “14 I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
By this, we know that there are those among us who have heard the truth, and may have embraced it to the point of claiming to be Christian, but who fail to walk the path in righteousness, failing in one or more key ways to truly embrace and live by the Word, or who perhaps reject some key aspect of it. So failing, they will not be called to Heaven by Christ in the Rapture intending to preserve them from the Antichrist’s hateful and vengeful rule, as seen in Revelations 3:10, “10 Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” And believe it, or no, that time could come at any moment in time, for the signs of its nearness are all around us, and all required prophesy has been fulfilled. Our journey’s end is near. Our heavenly ‘Star Trek’ adventure then begins.
All that, in turn, brings us back to yet one more curious word in our opening verse… ‘stablish (Greek).’ No doubt you took it rightly to mean ‘establish,’ after perhaps a brief pause for curiosity’s sake. And while that simplified reconstitution of the word works well in the sentence, that is NOT the actual meaning. To ‘stablish,’ is to build up, or strengthen. Therefore, here, Paul speaking to the Gentiles, is saying that their strength and progress is by the Gospel, and by the power (and authority) of our Lord, Jesus Christ… yet another kind of dispensation. We cannot be saved by our own works, the Gospel tells us often, as in Ephesians 2:8~9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
At best, we can study and seek to know the Word more fully, but in the end, it is the gift Christ gives us at Baptism, which enables us to our greater stablishment: our Counselor and Teacher, the Holy Spirit. By this, we realize that our dispensation is a work in progress. There is no limit as to how far we might take it. I elected to pursue a Doctorate in Sociology, Divinity, and I am still well shy of a sliver of the fullness of enlightenment which is possible. Thankfully, then, I am not ordained, for the weight of responsibility for the spiritual wellbeing of a congregation would seem frightening to me. No. I am content with simply evangelizing and urging that you seek a Church where one ordained and better qualified can fill that role in your own path of dispensation-stablishment.
Please consider to join me in prayer, on these things. “Dear Father in Heaven, we are all but learners on the road to our salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Stablish in us a stronger and more active role with the Holy Spirit given us, and our understanding of, and responsiveness to the Word of Jesus Christ and of the Bible, that we may better bear our Lord’s name as evangelists to those as yet unsaved, and that we may stand ready when our time has come, to join you. Let us always give all due Glory to you, our Savior, and the Spirit within us. Let us continue in Paul’s commission, that all may hear the Gospel. This we ask, in Christ’s name.” Amen.
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About Scripture quotes: herein, unless otherwise noted, the King James Version of the Bible is employed (KJV).
