WHY WE CANNOT USE
THE FOUR GOSPELS AS
DOCTRINE OF FAITH
WHY WE CANNOT USE THE
FOUR GOSPELS AS
DOCTRINE OF FAITH
JAN LILLEBY
There is an overwhelming majority among theologians and Bible believers, saying that the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are historical writings. They are not doctrine of faith, as such..
These writings, - are telling of the birth, life, death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ – as well as His twelve disciples’ comings and goings.
And we find many quotations of what exactly Jesus and His followers said and did. As they dealt only with Israel, in a time when the nation still was the nation of God Jehovah. And the Law of Moses was valid doctrine. And as if the four Gospels were not enough, we have the Book of Acts on top of it. And the latter has the focus on what the Lords apostles said and did in the years 28 – 62 CE. Acts are not a history telling of the Church dispensation, far from it!
And still: these very same believers go on – using the four Gospels as if they were doctrine of faith for the Church!
What a lack of consequent mindset. A real confusion.
How come this is so?
I am convinced that this attitude is a product of tradition of men, more than true reflections from understanding Scripture.
Christianity has become so drowsy and routine-addicted that they simply no longer pay attention to what the Word of God has written about this. They do not understand that Jesus was speaking to Israel only – and eventual Gentile persons who happened to meet Christ – like the Canaanite woman in Tyre - Sidon district, or like the Roman Centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant – were exceptions, not to be used as a norm to be followed.
It shows that Jesus Himself spoke straight forward, and told His followers and diverse audiences, that He was NOT sent to anyone except ‘The lost sheep of the house of Israel’, Mat. 15:24.
It has to be understood – Jesus taught and preached to the Jews in Israel, with words/doctrine ONLY MEANT FOR THEM. Not for the Gentiles. The Sermon on the Mount is a major proof to this. He only addressed Israel’s population, and not Gentiles.
Paul says the same in Rom. 15:8-12, NASB,
8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,
9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, "THEREFORE * I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME."
10 Again he says, "REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE."
11 And again, "PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM."
12 Again Isaiah says, "THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE."
Gentiles mentioned in this passage, are only as proselytes, leaning on the blessings given Israel. Verses 9-12 tell of the future millennial reign of Christ, and how He shall reign also over the nations. (From His throne on Zion, the Temple mount).
The misunderstood habit of using the four Gospels as if they are doctrine of faith to the Church, leads to misunderstanding much of the NT Scripture. Believers think that they are included in all of what Jesus said in these historical writings, not understanding that Jesus actually SENT A SEPARATE APOSTLE ESPECIALLY TO US GENTILES – namely Paul!
It was Paul and his Gospel teachings (Ephesians/Colossians) which were the basis for Paul’s preaching/teaching in Asia Minor (now Turkey) in the years 63-67 CE. He administered and he taught his believers through the two epistles mentioned. They were sent by couriers to Ephesus, Colossae, Hierapolis, Laodicea and other communities, and copied as circular letters. They were read and taught in all of the congregations. Thus Paul, already was 14-20 years earlier on the ‘market’ with a Gospel of Salvation by Grace, compared to the historical Gospels which were not out before 77 CE (Luke), 83 CE (Mark), 80-85 CE (Matthew) and 90-92 (John).
Paul said so himself, that he had spread this Grace Gospel all over the landscapes in Asia Minor, Col. 1:5-7, NASB,
“5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel
6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;
7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,..”
Therefore, Paul’s Gospel revelation told in Ephesians/Colossians, is the only correct doctrine of faith to the Church. It makes all other ‘gospels’ obsolete, and the Great Commission given in the four Gospels thus obsolete as well. We cannot possibly follow the command once given to the apostles! Simply because we are NOT apostles. We are the ‘One new Man’ – the Body of Christ, to which Jesus is HEAD. And we are already sat in heaven with Christ, and given ALL spiritual blessings in Him. We are not the Messianic church congregation shown in Acts!
The teachings of Paul in the two epistles, is totally different from the kind of teaching found in the four Gospels (as well as in Acts). Jesus’ words spoken to Israel cannot be confused with Paul’s words told to Gentiles. Jesus only spoke of the future millennial kingdom with Himself as the King in that nation; but Paul spoke to the Gentiles of the ‘Epiouranos heaven’ – the super-heavens up there where Christ now resides with His Father (Col. 3:1-4). Our hope is heaven, not the earth.
The Kingdom-preaching stopped as Paul confronted the Sanhedrin in Rome, Acts 28:25-28. The majority of Jewish religious leaders there said no to Jesus as the Christ. They fell from God, and have been fallen (Israel) since then, summer of 60 CE. The destruction of Israel came ten years after Paul’s confrontation with their leaders in 70 CE.
These two epistles, Ephesians and Colossians, are the ONLY written doctrine of faith to the Church dispensation.
They stand out like huge tall bright spiritual Lighthouses…shining the light of the salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul’s revealed (see Eph. 3:1-3) free Gospel by faith alone, are without such special things as found in the historical ones:
No miracles and speaking in tongues. No casting out of demons. No confession of sin. No Holy Communion. No Sabbath. No water baptism. No more apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (like those in Acts time). No mention of the Second Advent and Anti-Christ. No Great Tribulation taught. No ‘Rapture up in clouds. And – thank God: No Law of Moses valid. No ‘Great Commission’ or orders to go to Israel! In historical times after the fall and destruction of Israel, there is no writings/evidence that the Grace Gospel of Paul, seen in Ephesians and Colossians, ever were preached in Israel…or any synagogues of the Jews! The kingdom-preaching was called off entirely!
The so-called ‘Great Commission’ in Mat. 28, as well as in Mark 16 and John 21, is IMPOSSIBLE to carry out.
Why?
Because the commission was commanding Jesus’ followers (the apostles) to: lay hands on the sick, - and they would get healed! Also, to cast out demons, and people would be set free of these. And they were told to go baptizing the believers in water (full immersion). The latter is made impossible by Paul’s new Gospel revelation in Eph. 4:5 saying…one baptism, which points not to water, but to the death of Christ on the cross. The Acts believers had TWO baptisms, the one in the death of Christ and the second was with water immersion. By coming to faith in Him, the believer is in our time thus in the same instance being baptized by God, into the death of Jesus Christ. Paul likened this also to being ‘circumcised without hands’ (God doing the ritual). See Col. 2:11, 12, NASB,
“11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
This entirely collides and makes controversy with the entire ‘Great Commission’ – since water baptism was cancelled. We have but ONE baptism, that of baptism into the death of Christ. God is the one who performs that ‘ceremony’ as we come to faith. Thus we also receive the Holy Spirit as a seal and a guaranty for our hope of salvation.
Eph. 1:13, 14, NASB,
“13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.”
And Eph. 4:30 falls in with the quotation above,
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
So you see, - that the fantasy put forth by humans not understanding Scripture – that of the ‘Great Commission’ to be followed by the Church, - is all wrong. We cannot fulfill such an order from Jesus, originally put forth to His twelve apostles, the apostles to ISRAEL, who were sent to offer Israel the Kingdom of God on earth, the millennial kingdom for which Christ should be the King of Kings.
He said, go baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit…. – but we clearly see in Scripture that this was ended with Paul in Rome, as the Sanhedrin said NO to Jesus, Acts 28:25-28.
So it is impossible to carry out that order given by Jesus to the twelve.
Neither can any Christian believer today go on in mission, laying hands on the sick…and so they would be miraculously healed. The apostles are gone, and we can only find these in Acts as the only ones who had that gifts and power to heal people. Acts has NO testimony of private miracles performed by the regular believers. Acts 5:12, NASB, says on the contrary,
“At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico.”
It is a non-negotiable fact that the apostles died in the first century, and no miracles and healings, and the raising of dead (like happened in the ministries of Peter and of Paul!) are reported in all of history since. There is absolutely NO APOSTLES IN OUR TIME, nor any other ministry gifts equal to the ones in Acts time.
Then every pastor and evangelist and Bible teacher must stick to the Word of God, coming from our apostle: Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. His teachings in Ephesians and Colossians are the only teachings authorized by Christ for us.
We would not be able to carry out the ‘Great Commission’ at all. For this was given ONLY to the original apostles! No other believers, in all the time of history since, have been given AUTHORITY to perform water baptism, healings, casting out of demons, …there are not one person on earth in our time who can perform anything like that. Thus we understand that the Great Commission was given exclusively and ONLY to the apostles. And never given to just anybody who calls themselves a believer in Christ. Have you got this Bible truth now???
Eph. 2:14-16, NASB,
“14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.”
Col. 2:13-17, NASB,
“13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”
Pastors, and ministers ! – we have to use Paul’s teachings in Ephesians and Colossians in our sermons and practices, so not to come astray from what the Grace Gospel is all about!
Leave all kingdom-preaching behind, as from now on. The Church is NOT awaiting the Second Advent, but rather to be ‘revealed with Christ in glory’ – as the ‘day of redemption’ arrives! (Col. 3:1-4; Eph. 4:30).
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