Subject: The Spreading of the Gospel vs
the Parables of Jesus
Received the following question recently:
Christ told His
apostles that he spoke in parables so the world would not understand Him. Paul
addressing all his letters to the churches and the other NT books similarly
addressed all appear to be in keeping with Christ's explanation. And yet He says
preach to all nations. Got an explanation?
Here was my answer:
Dear Sir,
Yes I do have an
explanation.
Good question.
What is the difference between me telling you that there is a football game on
next Sunday afternoon and me showing you how to build a computer from scratch?
Vast difference, right? Especially if your life depends on the computer and
therefore your essential need of that computer. The information on the football
game is nice but you might not even like or have any current concern for
football.
However, if comes Sunday afternoon and you see the pre-game show on TV, the
information I gave you comes back to mind and you easily reason that the game
Chris told you about is soon to begin.
The gospel message is for the world.
The Bible with all of its intricate instructions in the Salvation Process is not
currently for the world. Therefore the spiritual meaning of the parable means
little or nothing to those currently in the world. See 1 Corinthians 2:14 for
proof of this. Without the Holy Spirit in a person, the Bible is foolishness to
them. They will have their opportunity for that knowledge later when God calls
them to the Salvation Process. Everyone gets one opportunity for that.
A parable has a physical side requiring physical or practical knowledge and a
parable has a spiritual side. A parable does not work unless it makes sense
[ultimately] on both sides. The people hearing the parables of Jesus understood
the physical side but not yet the spiritual. What is interesting is that Jesus
made these parables a part of His ministry for He knew they would be made part
of the Bible later. Since the Bible is only for people with the Holy Spirit,
they get and understand both the physical and spiritual sides of the parable.
The spiritual side is essential knowledge for the Salvation Process.
The gospel message is a simple one:
“Christ is returning to rule all
nations and bring everyone into the Salvation Process with the ultimate goal of
bringing individuals into the Kingdom of God [Family of God].”
The firstfruits have a commission to spread this message. Note, I did not say
they have a commission to convince anyone of anything. They are only to spread
it with the result that the message falls on brain cells in the individual
hearing it. One does not have to necessarily understand or even accept that
message. Just like with me telling you there is a football game on this Sunday
afternoon. Regardless of whether you are interested in football or not, there
will be a game. When the game appears on your TV, you remember my words.
Part of the gospel message is broadcasting breaking news in light of Bible
prophecy. That is, we speak to those prophetic things that herald that return
of Christ [read Matthew 24] in light of breaking news. We make predictions
about the possible meaning of the breaking news event as it relates to the known
Bible prophecy.
Part of the design of the gospel message is to prepare the world for the
massively dramatic events ahead. When they begin to happen, God will bring the
gospel message to their minds and they will understand what is happening.
The prophetic events leading up to the Return of Christ is the pre-game show.
The spreading of the gospel is the pre-pre-game show. Some TV networks actually
have pre-pre-game shows.
An interesting side-point in all this is the fact that the gospel message is not
for firstfruits. They already know and live this knowledge as they work the
Salvation Process.
Let me know if you have further questions.
Chris Cumming
minister