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This is speaking ofChrist's coming
as " the Messenger of the New Cov–
enant." Moses was the mediator of
the OId Covenant. That covenant was
a MARRIAGE covenant, by which
Israel became a NATJON ofthis world,
"married" to God. Christ carne as a
Messenger of the NEw Covenant,
which shall establish the coming gov–
emment and the KINGDOM OF Goo
on earth. The true Church, at that
time, shall be changed from fteshly
material composition to immortal
spirit composition. And this Church,
then immortal, is to marry the resur–
rected Christ.
As th e Old Cove nant under
Moses established ancient Israel as
one of this world's human king–
doms, so the New Covenant will es–
tablish the resurrected saints of
Christ, immortal , as the WORLD–
RULING KINGDOM, with Christ as
Ruler.
But
if
one reads verses 2-5 of Mal–
achi 3, he
wiU
see it refers primarily to
the SECONO coming ofChrist as King
of kings- not merely to His first ap–
pearing on earth more than 1900
years ago. John the Baptist was tbe
human messenger who prepared the
way before Christ's fi rst coming. But
another must prepare the way before
His second and now imminent com–
ing in supreme power and glory.
What Was Chrlst's Gospel?
Now look briefly at the New Testa–
ment record ofChrist's coming, min–
istry, and establishment of God's
CHURCH.
One summary-in-brief is the book
of Mark, chapter 1: "The beginning
of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God" (verse 1). Mark's Gospel
begins ata time when Jesuswas about
thirty years old.
Beginning in verse 2, the account of
Jesus' ministry speaks of John the
Baptist preparing the way before
Him. Verses 9-10speakofJesus being
baptized by John and ofthe Spirit of
God descending upon Him. Verses
12-13 record Jesus' 40-day fast and
His overcoming ofSatan, thus quali–
fying Him to reestablish the Kingdom
of God upon the earth.
Then, in verses 14-15, the actual
beginning of His gospel message (of
which He was the Messenger- Mal-
The
PLAIN TRUTH January 1979
achi 3: 1) occurs: "Now after that
John was put in prison, Jesus carne
into Galilee, preaching"-WHAT gos–
pel message?-"the gospel of the
kingdom of God, and saying, The
time is fulfilled [since Jesus quali–
fied by overcoming Satan], and the
kingdom of God is at hand: repent
ye, and be1ieve the gospel."
The word gospel means "good
news." His message was prophetic.
lt
was NEWS of the future setting-up
of the Kingdom of God to RULE and
bring peace and salvation to the
world-therefore it was the AN–
NOUNCEMENT of future GOOD NEWS!
Born lnto God's Famlly
But Jesus was boro and carne into
the world for more than being K ING
and RULER WORLDWIOE! He carne
also as spiritual SAVIOR.
This is recorded in brief in John
3: "There was a man of the Phari–
sees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews: The same carne to Jesus
by night , and said unto him, Rabbi,
we know that thou art a teacher
come from God.... Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except a man be boro
again , he cannot see the kingdom of
God" (verses 1-3). Notice, the King–
dom of God will be something that
can be SEEN-but not until one is
born again.
"Nicodemus saith unto him, How
can a man be bom when he is old?
Can he enter the second time into
bis mother's womb, and be boro?"
(Verse 4.) Nicodemus could not un–
derstand this matter of being "BORN
AGAIN," just as almost no one un–
derstands
it
today.
"Jesus answered.... Tha t which
is boro of the fiesh is flesh [that is, a
mortal HUMAN] ; and that which is
bom of the Spirit is spirit" (verses 5-
6).
That is, once born again, one is
bom not of a human father in mor–
tal physical human fiesh, but of
God, impregnated by God's Spirit,
in immortal SPIRIT COMPOSITION, as
a God Being!
Born of God!
One
may be begotten of God by receiv–
ing His Holy Spirit in this life. But
he is boro again
only
in the immor–
tal SPIRIT life to come- at the time
of the resurrection. When BORN
AGAIN, he will BE spirit- no longer
mortal fiesh and blood. These words
of Jesus ought to be plainly under–
stood - and they are further ex–
p l ained in the "resurrection
chapter," 1 Corinthians 15. Yet they
are NOT today genera lly understood,
even in theological seminaries!
Jesus carne, then, for rwo pri–
mary purposes: to qualify to be–
come, SOON now, WORLD RULER;
and to become Savior. Humans
may, through a resurrection from
the dead, become divine immortal
spirit beings-as
born
children of
God in the Goo FAMILY!
But how little of this is under–
stood today! And how subtly the
plain teachings of Jesus and of
Scripture have been twisted into a
counterfeit meaning!
Jesus' Mlsslon on Earth
Now quickly take a look at what
Jesus did during His
33~
years on
earth.
He met and conquered Satan
(Matt. 4 : 1-11), thus qualifying to be
EARTH'S KLNG and to set up the
KtNGDOM oF Goo!
Then He called and chose His dis–
ciples, later to become His original
apostles, to carry the message of the
KINGDOM OF Goo to the wor1d.
This is tbe message of the wAY OF
LIFE of tbat Kingdom-based on the
Ten Commandments!
He proclaimed the GOOD NEWS of
the future KINGDOM OF Goo to
thousands-though He did not
come, sorne 1900 years ago, on a
"soul-saving crusade."
Then, a lthough sinless Himself,
He was crucified so that His shed
lifeblood would pay the death pen–
alty for a repentant and believing
humanity.
After tbree days and tbree nights
in the tomb, He was resurrected by
God tbe Father. And thus was He
BORN by a resurrection as a Son of
God-as the pioneer, the firstborn
(to immortality) of many brethren
(Roro. 8:29, Heb. 2:9-10).
Then, having for
3~
years taught
and trained His apostles in the
truth, He SENT THEM (the word
"apostle" means "one sent forth") to
proclaim this Gooo NEWS of the fu–
ture KINGDOM OF Goo!
(Continued on page 42)
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