Apologetics for the Masses - #273

Topic

Right Division of Scripture and Mr. Don Jackson - the end.

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General Comments

Hey folks,

Three things:

1) Big News! The Bible Christian Society is co-sponsoring an awesome Conference on Evangelization here in Birmingham on May 17-19. It's a relatively small conference, as we have room for only a couple hundred folks, but it will be the best Catholic conference in the country in 2016. Our speakers include Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. Ralph Martin, Fr. Rafael Capo, Dr. Allen Hunt, Kelly Wahlquist, Tim Staples, Dan Burke, and yours truly. The cost is $125, but that includes two dinners and a lunch as well. For more information, or to register, go to: http://www.alabamaevangelization.com. First come, first served in regards to registrations, so sign up sooner rather than later.

2) Check out the new look at the Bible Christian Society website: http://www.biblechristiansociety.com. Because of your generosity we were able to make a number of much-needed updates. Not only does it look better, but it is now has a search engine on the Newsletter page which can help you find a particular word or phrase in any of the newsletters; e.g., "sola scriptura" or "once saved always saved" and the like. It is also now "mobile-friendly," which means nothing to me but I know it does to those with smart phones. There are also social media links at the top and bottom of each newsletter (even those in the archives) that you can use to share on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and a couple of others with just the click of a button. I am hoping as many of you as possible will be willing to share these on social media - that would be a big help to this little apostolate! And, there were some behind the scenes changes in the coding and such that we also needed to make. I hope you like the improvements...

3) I apologize for the dearth of newsletters so far this year - I have just been slammed with all sorts of things at the diocese, travel, administrative tasks of running the Bible Christian Society as well as a radio station, and so on. Things are, however, easing up a bit, so my hope is to be getting the newsletter out on a much more regular basis and catch up on past issues over the next few weeks. I appreciate your patience.

Introduction

Okay, I am finally(!) getting to the last part of Don Jackson's response to me from a couple of months ago. Below is the last portion of that response, followed by my comments. I may entertain doing more with Mr. Jackson in the future, but only if he sends me an email where he actually answers - directly - some of the questions I've been asking him, and particularly the questions I am going to be asking him in this newsletter. Here we go...

Challenge/Response/Strategy

Don Jackson

You seem to think that there is "only one gospel" taught in the Bible. Only one bit of "good news'? Really? Answer these questions:John the Baptist, our LORD Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles all preached the gospel of the kingdom. Is that gospel the same as the gospel of the grace of God that Paul proclaims? What is the content of the gospel of the kingdom?

In Luke 9;6 Our LORD Jesus Christ sent the apostles to preach the gospel. What was the content of that gospel? Was it the gospel as found in 1 Cor. 15:1-4? Show me from Scripture.

I know that you will give due diligence to these questions.

Thanks,
Don Jackson, SBG + Nothing

John Martignoni

Okay, what Don Jackson is doing here is this: He claims that there is more than one gospel that is being preached during the period of time covered by the New Testament. He makes a distinction between the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace. He, and folks like him - people who "rightly divide" (they literally divide) the Scriptures - contend that there is one gospel, the gospel of the kingdom, that is meant for the Jews - which is the one that Jesus and the Apostles preached - and another gospel that is meant for the Gentiles - the "gospel of grace" as he calls it, that Paul preaches. You see, Paul is preaching a gospel that talks about the death and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:1-4). Well, as Don points out, the gospels mention that Jesus and the Apostles and disciples were all preaching "the gospel" before Jesus died and was resurrected. So, they couldn't have been preaching the same "gospel" as Paul, because Jesus had not yet died and risen from the dead when they were out preaching the gospel of the kingdom.

Which means, according to "right division" folks, that the four gospels, and the letters written by anyone other than Paul, were meant for the Jews of the first century, not for us Gentiles, because they contain the "gospel of the kingdom". Whereas, the letters written by Paul, with a "different" gospel (the gospel of graceI) than what the Jews heard, are meant for the Gentiles. So, even though the right division folks will say that the four gospels and the Letters of James, and Peter, and John and so on are inspired Scripture, they are not meant for us, they were meant for the 1st century Jews. This is how they essentially try to avoid a whole lot of "works" passages and "lose your salvation" passages that appear in all of those non-Pauline New Testament books (even though they still have to deal with a number of such passages in Paul's letters). In a nutshell, the right division folks go by what Paul says in the Bible, and not by what Jesus says. Pretty crazy, huh?! That's what you get when you don't have any authority governing you other than your own imagination.

So, the question is, did Jesus and the Apostles teach a different gospel than Paul? Is the gospel of the kingdom a completely different gospel than the gospel of grace? Actually, no, it isn't, as I will demonstrate using just the Scriptures. Mr. Jackson makes great hay out of the fact that the gospel that was preached by Jesus and the Apostles was called the "gospel of the kingdom;" whereas, Paul preached the "gospel of grace." Before I show how these are, in fact, the same gospel - at least, according to the Bible - I want to first mention the many "gospels" that are spoken of in the New Testament.

In the four gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles, we have the "gospel of the kingdom," the "gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God," the "gospel of God", the "gospel of the grace of God," and just "the gospel." In the epistles of Paul, we find the "gospel of God," the "gospel of His Son," "my gospel," the "gospel of Christ," "our gospel," the "gospel of the glory of Christ," the "gospel of your salvation," the "gospel of peace," the "gospel of our Lord Jesus," and just "the gospel."

Would Don Jackson contend that these are all different gospels? Well, he seems to be doing just that. But here's the thing: they are all actually the same gospel. I say that because Paul tells us as much. In Acts 20:24, Paul tells us that the ministry he received from Jesus was "to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Okay, so Paul's ministry is to testify to the gospel of grace. So, the gospel that Paul preaches, according to the Bible (and according to Mr. Don Jackson), is the gospel of grace. Wonderful. But, in Romans 1:1, Paul tells us that he was "set apart for the gospel of God." So, has Paul been given two different gospels - the gospel of grace and the gospel of God? Nope. Over and over again Paul talks about "the gospel" - singular. Not, the gospels - plural. So, the "gospel of grace" and the "gospel of God" are the same gospel - THE gospel as he often refers to it.

And, this conclusion that they are the same gospel is verified in Galatians 1:6-7, where Paul tells us that there is no other gospel other than the gospel of Christ. Well, since the "gospel of Christ" is the gospel of which there is no other, then that means Paul is preaching one, and only one, gospel. Which means the "gospel of Christ" has to be the same gospel as "the gospel of grace" and the same gospel as the "gospel of God". And all of these must be the same gospel as "THE" gospel. Any other gospel is just a perversion of the gospel of Christ (Gal 1:6-7). Which means that all the other gospels Paul mentions - "our gospel" and "my gospel" and "the gospel of the glory of Christ" and the "gospel of your salvation" and the "gospel of peace" and "the gospel of our Lord Jesus" - are all the same gospel as the others - THE gospel - the gospel of Christ - the gospel of God - the gospel of grace. At least, according to the Bible.

So, I've established, from the Bible, that "the gospel" and the "gospel of Christ" and the "gospel of God" and the "gospel of grace" are all the same gospel. So, is this gospel different from the "gospels" that are mentioned in 1st Peter? Mr. Jackson says they are - Peter teaches a different gospel than Paul, according to the gospel of Don Jackson. In 1 Peter 4:6 we find mention of "the gospel." And, in 1 Peter 4:17, it mentions the "gospel of God." So, for Peter, "the gospel" is the "gospel of God." And, from Paul's letters we see that the "gospel of God" is indeed the "gospel of grace," as I've just shown. And, that, according to Paul, there is only one legitimate gospel - be it called the gospel of grace or of God or of Christ, etc.

So, unless Mr. Jackson wishes to claim that the term "the gospel of God" means something completely different to Peter than it does to Paul, then his claim that Peter and Paul were teaching separate and different gospels to the Jews and the Gentiles, respectively, is spurious and his whole "right division" house of cards comes crumbling down. So, Don, can you show me, in the Bible, where it says that the phrase "the gospel of God" means one thing for Peter and a completely different thing for Paul?

Furthermore, Mr. Jackson not only has to show that Peter and Paul used the same term to describe completely different gospels, but that the Holy Spirit used the same term to describe completely different gospels. After all, the Holy Spirit is the primary author of Scripture. So, does the term "gospel of God" mean two different things to the Holy Spirit? Where does the Bible tell you that, Don?

And still furthermore, Mr. Jackson needs to explain how - if Paul tells us there is only one legitimate gospel - how could Peter be preaching a different gospel than what Paul was preaching? That would mean that Peter was teaching a perverse gospel. Don, do you maintain that Peter was teaching a perverse gospel?

Now, what about the gospel that Jesus and His disciples were teaching before He was crucified, buried, and resurrected? How could it be the same gospel that Paul was preaching? Well, I contend that it was the same gospel, just not necessarily preached in its fullness, at first. Although, before Jesus died it was indeed being preached in its fullness.

In Mark 1:1, it talks about the "beginning" of the "gospel of Jesus Christ." Well, if the gospel has a beginning, then that means it has a middle and an end, too. So, when the gospel of the kingdom was first being preached, it probably did not mention anything about the death and resurrection of Christ - as He had not yet told the disciples about what was to come. However, we see in Matthew 16:21 that it says, "From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things...be killed, and on the third day be raised." Whoa! Wait a minute! Mr. Jackson believes that message wasn't preached until Paul came along. Ahh, but it was preached before Paul came along. In Matthew 24:14, Jesus is speaking of events that will occur after His death and resurrection and he says, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations."

So, the gospel of the kingdom is more complete here than it was earlier in Jesus' ministry. More of the story is now being told. The gospel had a beginning, a middle, and now it is getting to its end. So, yes, I say that the gospel preached in the four gospels is the same gospel as preached by Paul. It simply developed from its beginning (Mark 1:1) to include more details as Jesus felt His disciples were ready to handle more in the latter part of His ministry. Anyone a Star Wars fan? If you only saw the 1st Star Wars movie, could it be said that you had seen a different Star Wars "gospel" than someone who had seen the 2nd and 3rd Star Wars movies? Or from someone who had seen all eight Star Wars movies? No. Same "gospel," you've just seen and heard different parts of it.

Same thing with the gospel of Jesus Christ. One gospel, but it developed over time. Jesus revealed more of it over time. The disciples weren't ready to hear, on day 1 of His ministry, that He had to die and be resurrected. That information had to wait until Jesus had prepared them a bit. So, Don, yes - there is one gospel. Paul tells us as much when He says any other gospel than the one he is preaching is just a perversion of the real gospel.

Also, in Mark 1:1, the gospel is referred to as the gospel of Jesus Christ. Again, in Galatians 1:6-7, Paul tells us there is no other gospel than the gospel of Christ. Well, is the gospel of Jesus Christ that Jesus preaches in Mark different from the gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul preaches? Don, could you tell us where the Bible says these were two completely different gospels even though the Holy Spirit refers to both of them as the gospel of Christ?

And, also in Mark, the gospel is referred to as the gospel of God (Mark 1:14). So, was this a different "gospel of God" than what Paul preached? If so, Don, where does the Bible say that?

Besides, in Matthew 24:14, and Mark 13:10, and Mark 16:15, we see that the gospel that Jesus and the Apostles were preaching was the universal gospel that was to be preached to the entire world, to all nations. Do you know what the "nations" were called, Don? Gentiles. Jesus is telling His Apostles to preach the gospel of the kingdom not just to the Jews of the 1st century, but to all nations, to all peoples - to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. You and your "right division of Scripture" compadres have developed a false dichotomy between the gospel preached by Paul and the gospel preached by Jesus and the Apostles. You are preaching a lie! The Bible is pretty clear on this, when you actually read it.

Don, if you cannot answer the questions I've asked here and in my previous newsletters in a direct and straightforward manner - which you have not done to this point in time - does that not maybe tell you that what you are preaching is quite possibly wrong? I hope and pray that the Spirit of God will cause the scales to fall from your eyes so that you may understand the true gospel of God.

Closing Comments

Alright, folks, so much for Don Jackson's false gospel of "rightly dividing" Scripture. Again, this is what you get when you have no authority, other than your own imagination and your own ego, that you answer to when it comes to interpreting the Bible. That's pretty much it for my dealings with Don Jackson, unless, he would, by some miracle, actually give direct answers to at least some of the questions that I've asked him in my replies to his emails. Otherwise, we'll be moving on to a different topic next week.

I hope all of you have a very prayerful, uplifting, and holy Easter Triduum!

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