What is the Gospel?

[TriuneUnity]

We cannot really understand how good the message of the Gospel is until we understand how bad our situation is without it. We are poor miserable sinners. We sin daily and deserve nothing but God’s wrath and punishment.
Without Jesus Christ, our situation would be totally hopeless. The Scriptures describe human beings as dead in trespasses and sin. Without the mercy and cleansing of God through the blood of Jesus Christ, there awaits for us only everlasting punishment in hell. Thus, we need the Gospel—desperately!

The word “gospel” is a translation of a Greek word that means,“an announcement of good news.” The Gospel is the good news that God the Holy Trinity decided not to abandon
humanity when Adam and Eve first fell into sin. God decided then and there that sin and death would not have the last word. He promised to send a Savior.
When the time was right, God sent His Son into our world to be born of the Virgin Mary. Our Lord Jesus Christ lived a perfect life for us.On the cross, He received the penalty and punishment for the sins of the whole world, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over our ancient enemies: sin, death and the devil.
Therefore, each Christian is able with great joy and confidence to declare before the whole world: “My Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased
and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death.”
What glorious good news! The one, true eternal and all-powerful God came into our world to live, suffer, die and rise again for us. We,who are unholy and unrighteous, receive the
forgiveness of all our sins and thus receive the perfect holiness and righteousness of Christ our Savior—as a free gift—purely because of His love for us. That is good news! That is the Gospel!

How do we personally receive the forgiveness Christ won for the entire world? How does what happened on the cross nearly 2,000 years ago flow into our lives today?
Here too there is very good news. God,through His Gospel, offers us forgiveness and help against sin in more than one way. God is surpassingly rich in His grace. He gives His Gospel to us through His Word, through Baptism, through the Sacrament of the Altar, and through confession and absolution. These are the ways God enters our lives today to apply to us personally the great salvation Christ won for the world.
The Holy Spirit works through the Word of the Gospel to create and sustain faith in our heart that Christ is the Savior of the world, and thus our Savior too. The Bible is the Word of God, written down for our learning and edification. The Scriptures are filled with the good news of Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us. Through the almighty, Spirit-filled Word, God gathers us into His church, which is truly the mother that begets and bears every Christian through the Word of God. The Holy Spirit is present, effective and active through the Word when it is proclaimed, heard and meditated upon.
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism is water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word; or as St.Paul says in Holy Scripture, “The washing of water with the word.” Through Baptism,we are made partakers of Christ’s death and resurrection. Therefore,we know that Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal life to all who believe. Since Baptism is connected to the Word and promise of God, it is truly a life-giving water, rich in grace—a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit.
Christ has provided a special application of the Gospel through confession and absolution. Confession is admitting our sins to God and receiving His forgiveness from our pastor, as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. Thus, by divine ordinance, Christ Himself has entrusted absolution to his Christian church and commanded us to absolve one another from sins.
The Lord’s Supper is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself, for us Christians to eat and to drink. In the Lord’s Supper, Christ’s body and blood are given to us as our treasure and gift which sustains our faith and life in Him. If you are heavy-laden and feel your weakness, go joyfully to the Sacrament and receive refreshment, comfort and strength.
Those who want to be forgiven by God and who want to enjoy His presence in their lives, hunger and thirst for the Word and Sacraments. With the Psalmist we say, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” God has provided the means to receive Him. So, Christians hunger and thirst for God’s Word, absolution, the Sacrament, etc. We have the certainty that God meets us and gives us what we need in His means of grace. The forgiveness Christ won for the world on the cross is applied to us personally by God through His Word and Sacraments. What a joy for us to know that where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
Thus, we believe that we cannot, by our own reason or strength,believe in Jesus Christ our Lord,or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith. In the same way, He calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all of
our sins, and the sins of all believers.

 

[TriuneUnity]

We love God because He first loved us. Our Lord is at work in us both to will and to do what is pleasing to Him. Christians look to the Ten Commandments to know what is pleasing to God and wish to serve Him in gratitude for the great salvation that is theirs in Christ.
From the Word of God we learn that God wants us to put Him first, above any other person or thing, to respect His name and not misuse it, to hear and obey His Word. Children are to honor and obey their parents and others in authority. We are to look out for the welfare of others, doing nothing to hurt or harm our neighbor. We are to live sexually pure and decent lives,with husbands and wives loving and honoring each another. In looking out for our neighbor’s welfare and helping him to improve and protect his property and business, we are also to take care not to lie about our neighbor, but to help, support and defend him in every need, and,finally, we are to be content with what we have been given, and not want what is not ours.
What a joyful privilege we have to serve God and others! He gives us the opportunity to bear witness to our faith through both our words and our deeds.

The Gospel is obscured by well-intentioned people who want to encourage a life of good works, and end up making Christians think that it is by their works that they are saved.
This is a great danger. Through His Word and Sacraments, Jesus is constantly working in our lives to forgive our sins and strengthen our relationship with God. God always receives the credit for our salvation. He is the one working in us. This is not something we can do. Our good works are the result of God’s love in our hearts and lives. Our good works in this life do not save us, only Christ saves us. Works serve our neighbor and show to the world that we are grateful for God’s mercy in our lives.
Another way the Gospel can be obscured is when too much emphasis is put on an emotional response to the Gospel. Some Christians believe that unless they have some sort of ecstatic, charismatic experience, or feel some sort of “spiritual high,” they are not really Christians. It is truly sad that some people look into their own hearts for the security that they are children of God, instead of putting their hope and trust in the objective work of Christ for them, and in the means God uses to come to them—His Word and Sacraments.
If we find ourselves beginning to ask, “Am I doing enough?”or thinking, “It doesn’t matter what I do, for God will forgive me anyway,” then we are at risk of losing Christ and His forgiveness. We look always to Jesus and put our hope and trust in Him. He is our Savior. And,that’s good news!
All blessing,honor, thanks and praise to Father, Son and Spirit, the God who saved us by His grace. All glory to His merit! O triune God in heaven above,you have revealed your saving love.Your blessed name we hallow.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Are you answering your own posts, Triune!

We love God because He first loved us. Our Lord is at work in us both to will and to do what is pleasing to Him. Christians look to the Ten Commandments to know what is pleasing to God and wish to serve Him in gratitude for the great salvation that is theirs in Christ.
From the Word of God we learn that God wants us to put Him first, above any other person or thing, to respect His name and not misuse it, to hear and obey His Word. Children are to honor and obey their parents and others in authority. We are to look out for the welfare of others, doing nothing to hurt or harm our neighbor. We are to live sexually pure and decent lives,with husbands and wives loving and honoring each another. In looking out for our neighbor’s welfare and helping him to improve and protect his property and business, we are also to take care not to lie about our neighbor, but to help, support and defend him in every need, and,finally, we are to be content with what we have been given, and not want what is not ours.
What a joyful privilege we have to serve God and others! He gives us the opportunity to bear witness to our faith through both our words and our deeds.

The Gospel is obscured by well-intentioned people who want to encourage a life of good works, and end up making Christians think that it is by their works that they are saved.
This is a great danger. Through His Word and Sacraments, Jesus is constantly working in our lives to forgive our sins and strengthen our relationship with God. God always receives the credit for our salvation. He is the one working in us. This is not something we can do. Our good works are the result of God’s love in our hearts and lives. Our good works in this life do not save us, only Christ saves us. Works serve our neighbor and show to the world that we are grateful for God’s mercy in our lives.
Another way the Gospel can be obscured is when too much emphasis is put on an emotional response to the Gospel. Some Christians believe that unless they have some sort of ecstatic, charismatic experience, or feel some sort of “spiritual high,” they are not really Christians. It is truly sad that some people look into their own hearts for the security that they are children of God, instead of putting their hope and trust in the objective work of Christ for them, and in the means God uses to come to them—His Word and Sacraments.
If we find ourselves beginning to ask, “Am I doing enough?”or thinking, “It doesn’t matter what I do, for God will forgive me anyway,” then we are at risk of losing Christ and His forgiveness. We look always to Jesus and put our hope and trust in Him. He is our Savior. And,that’s good news!
All blessing,honor, thanks and praise to Father, Son and Spirit, the God who saved us by His grace. All glory to His merit! O triune God in heaven above,you have revealed your saving love.Your blessed name we hallow.

 

[kepha1]

We love God because He first loved us. Our Lord is at work in us both to will and to do what is pleasing to Him. Christians look to the Ten Commandments to know what is pleasing to God and wish to serve Him in gratitude for the great salvation that is theirs in Christ.
From the Word of God we learn that God wants us to put Him first, above any other person or thing, to respect His name and not misuse it, to hear and obey His Word. Children are to honor and obey their parents and others in authority. We are to look out for the welfare of others, doing nothing to hurt or harm our neighbor.

Be careful, you might make Christians think they are saved by looking out for the welfare of others.

We are to live sexually pure and decent lives,with husbands and wives loving and honoring each another. In looking out for our neighbor’s welfare and helping him to improve and protect his property and business, we are also to take care not to lie about our neighbor,

Does misrepresentation fall under that catagory?

but to help, support and defend him in every need,

If that has nothing to do with salvation, why bother?

and,finally, we are to be content with what we have been given, and not want what is not ours.
What a joyful privilege we have to serve God and others! He gives us the opportunity to bear witness to our faith through both our words and our deeds.

The Gospel is obscured by well-intentioned people who want to encourage a life of good works, and end up making Christians think that it is by their works that they are saved.

Shameful, isn’t it?

JOINT DECLARATION ON THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION
by the Lutheran World Federation
and the Catholic Church

 

[TriuneUnity]

Are you answering your own posts, Triune!

I should… at least I’d get the right answer LOL

 

[TriuneUnity]

If that has nothing to do with salvation, why bother?

Yeah… why bother? After all, there’s no sense doing something simply because Jesus commanded it. We wouldn’t want to do anything that we don’t benefit from, right?

 

[Publisher]

The Good News is that God has done for us what we could not do for ourselves in the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth. In Him we have access to God directly without need of any priest or minister acting for or on our behalf.

 

[kepha1]

Yeah… why bother? After all, there’s no sense doing something simply because Jesus commanded it. We wouldn’t want to do anything that we don’t benefit from, right?

Which is my point. (in understanding your absurdum nauseum)

*2 Cor. 13:5 – Paul also admonishes us to examine ourselves, to see whether we are holding to our faith. This examination of conscience is a pious Catholic practice. Our faith, which is a gift from God, must be nurtured. Faith is not a one-time event that God bestows upon us. *

*Gal. 5:6 – thus, the faith that justifies us is “faith working through love,” not faith alone. This is one of the best summaries of Catholic teaching. Faith and love (manifested by works) are always connected. Faith (a process of thought) and love (an action) are never separated in the Scriptures. Cf. Eph. 3:17; 1 Thess. 3:6,12-13; 2 Thess. 1:3; 1 John 3:23; Rev. 2:4-5,19. Further, all faith (initial and perfected) are gratuitous gifts from God, and not earned or merited by any human action. God effects everything, both the willing and the achievement. But God also requires human action, which is necessary to perfect our faith. *

*James 1:22-25 - it’s the “doers” who are justified, not the hearers. Justification is based on what we do, which means “works.” Notice that there is nothing about “false faith.” The hearers may have faith, but they need to accompany their faith by works, or they will not be justified. See also Rom. 2:13. *
James 2:17,26 - James clearly teaches that faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. Works are a cause, not just an effect, of our justification because good works achieve and increase our justification before God. Scripture never says anything about “saving faith.” Protestants cannot show us from the Scriptures that “works” qualify the “faith” into saving faith. Instead, here and elsewhere, the Scriptures teach that justification is achieved only when “faith and works” act together. Scripture puts no qualifier on faith. Scripture also never says that faith “leads to works.” Faith is faith and works are works (James 2:18). They are distinct (mind and action), and yet must act together in order to receive God’s unmerited gift of justification.
scripturecatholic.com/justification.html
I object to this ever so pervasive Protestant myth that says Catholics believe in salvation by works. We clearly don’t. Salvation by works apart from the grace of Christ was condemned at the Council of Orange 1000 years before the first Protestant was born, so the only explanation for this perpetual LIE that won’t go away is that misinformation is still being taught in Protestant Bible colleges. They are in error and so are you.

Publisher sez:

The Good News is that God has done for us what we could not do for ourselves in the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth. In Him we have access to God directly without need of any priest or minister acting for or on our behalf

.

The thread is about “What is the Gospel” so the first sentence is on topic. The last one isn’t. If you would like to discuss the New Testament Priesthood I suggest you find out what is really believed about it, what the Church has always taught, and what the Bible says, instead of writing flaming zingers. There is nothing "“gospel-like” about that. I realize it’s not your fault you hold to man-made traditions of unbiblically abolishing the priesthood, but please review these sites so you can be better equipped to discuss that topic on another thread:
THE PRIESTHOOD DEBATE
By What Authority? A Challenge to Protestant Pastors

 

[TriuneUnity]

Which is my point. (in understanding your absurdum nauseum)

That was sarcasm. Your statement quoted is based on the view that if we have nothing to gain by doing good works, we would logically not do them. I am sorry if you feel that we would not want to do good works if they don’t justify us. Good works are for our neighbor’s benefit, not ours.

*2 Cor. 13:5 – Paul also admonishes us to examine ourselves, to see whether we are holding to our faith. This examination of conscience is a pious Catholic practice. Our faith, which is a gift from God, must be nurtured. Faith is not a one-time event that God bestows upon us. *

No disagreement here.

*Gal. 5:6 – thus, the faith that justifies us is “faith working through love,” not faith alone. This is one of the best summaries of Catholic teaching. Faith and love (manifested by works) are always connected. Faith (a process of thought) and love (an action) are never separated in the Scriptures. Cf. Eph. 3:17; 1 Thess. 3:6,12-13; 2 Thess. 1:3; 1 John 3:23; Rev. 2:4-5,19. Further, all faith (initial and perfected) are gratuitous gifts from God, and not earned or merited by any human action. God effects everything, both the willing and the achievement. But God also requires human action, which is necessary to perfect our faith. *

No disagreement here. Faith automatically works in love. The working in love, however, does not connect us to the atoning work of Christ. Only faith in the promise of the forgiveness of sins that God offers in Christ unites us with His Person and Work, thus justifying us (2 Cor. 5:21).

*James 1:22-25 - it’s the “doers” who are justified, not the hearers. Justification is based on what we do, which means “works.” Notice that there is nothing about “false faith.” The hearers may have faith, but they need to accompany their faith by works, or they will not be justified. See also Rom. 2:13. *

If they don’t do works, they don’t have faith, since faith automatically produces works. The question isn’t false faith. Dead faith is no faith at all. It’s impossible to have faith and not works.

I object to this ever so pervasive Protestant myth that says Catholics believe in salvation by works. We clearly don’t. Salvation by works apart from the grace of Christ was condemned at the Council of Orange 1000 years before the first Protestant was born, so the only explanation for this perpetual LIE that won’t go away is that misinformation is still being taught in Protestant Bible colleges. They are in error and so are you.

Can you point out where in the thread anyone has said anything about Catholics believing in works salvation? Or are you just arguing for the sake of argumentation?

 

[asmrbd]

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The Gospel is the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
Paul explained it.

 

[raumzeitmc2]

Faith automatically works in love. … faith automatically produces works… It’s impossible to have faith and not works.

Well, I wouldn’t be too sure of that! Listen to what Luther (and St. Paul) have to say:

From What Luther Says, “Holiness” section, p. 659

Editor’s note: “But it is wrong to think that the holy living of the Christian is an effortless matter. Luther cautions against this false notion in a sermon delivered in 1536 on Eph. 4:22-28.”

2037 Holy Living Is Not Automatic.

“But St. Paul also knows that although Christians have begun to believe and are in a condition in which the fruits of faith should appear, this result is nonetheless not so quickly attained and realized. Therefore it will do no good to think and to say: The doctrine has been presented. This is certainly enough; for where the Spirit and faith are found, fruits and good works will follow of their own accord.

“For although the spirit is present and, as Christ says, is willing and is also at work in believers, still the flesh, weak and indolent, is opposed to Him.

“Then, too, the devil does not cease his efforts to bring ruin, through temptations and allurements, that feeble flesh.

“Therefore we must not let people go on, as if it were not necessary to admonish and urge them through the Word of God to lead a good life. No, you dare not be negligent and remiss in this matter; for the flesh is entirely too lazy to heed the Spirit; it is altogether too strong in resisting the Spirit, as St. Paul has said elsewhere (Gal. 5:17): ‘For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh … so that you cannot do even the things that ye would.’

“This is why God must act as a good and diligent housekeeper or manger who has a servant or maid or officials who are lazy, even though otherwise they are not wicked or faithless. Such a housekeeper should not imagine that even if he is not constantly behind his servants, prodding and driving them forward, all is taken care of merely because he has told them one or twice what they should do.

“We, too, have not arrived at such a degree of perfection that our flesh and blood move and run to the performance of good works and to obedience toward God with the purest pleasure and delight, according to the will of the spirit and the direction of our faith.

“On the contrary, this is scarcely accomplished by the urging and prodding of God.

“What, then, would happen if such admonishing were discontinued and we simply went on thinking (AS MANY SECURE RELIGIONISTS ARE DOING): Why, I myself am well aware of what I should do; I have heard it so often and for many years, yes, have even taught it to others.

"I hold that if we were to stop preaching and admonishing for a year, we would become worse than any heathen.”

( W 22, 312f – E 9, 299f – SL 12, 912f). E=Erlangen ed. SL=Saint Louis ed. (the “second” edition of Walch)).

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

What is the Gospel?

The gospel is the good news of God proclaiming to us what He has done for us in Christ. God in Christ entered this sin cursed world and lived among us, suffered and died to bring us near to God. God is the Gospel.

 

[kepha1]

That was sarcasm. Your statement quoted is based on the view that if we have nothing to gain by doing good works, we would logically not do them. I am sorry if you feel that we would not want to do good works if they don’t justify us. Good works are for our neighbor’s benefit, not ours.

I was resonding to: “The Gospel is obscured by well-intentioned people who want to encourage a life of good works, and end up making Christians think that it is by their works that they are saved.” The “Christians” you are talking about are CATHOLICS. The ceaseless Protestant myth that we teach salvation by works is WRONG, and you seem to be giving a double message about looking out for others and at the same time saying works has nothing to do with our salvation, and for that I was being sarcastic.

No disagreement here. Faith automatically works in love. The working in love, however, does not connect us to the atoning work of Christ. Only faith in the promise of the forgiveness of sins that God offers in Christ unites us with His Person and Work, thus justifying us (2 Cor. 5:21).

Initially, yes.

If they don’t do works, they don’t have faith, since faith automatically produces works. The question isn’t false faith. Dead faith is no faith at all. It’s impossible to have faith and not works.

Agreed, but excuse me for splitting hairs on this but works are a cause, not just an effect, of our justification because good works achieve and increase our justification before God. Scripture never says anything about “saving faith.” You cannot show me from the Scriptures that “works” qualify the “faith” into saving faith. Instead, here (James 2:17,26) and elsewhere, the Scriptures teach that justification is achieved only when “faith and works” act together. Scripture puts no qualifier on faith. Scripture also never says that faith “leads to works.” Faith is faith and works are works (James 2:18). They are distinct (mind and action), and yet must act together in order to receive God’s unmerited gift of justification. So we agree in part.

Can you point out where in the thread anyone has said anything about Catholics believing in works salvation?

Who else would you be talking about?

 

[raumzeitmc2]

The Gospel is the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Paul explained it.

The gospel is the good news of God proclaiming to us what He has done for us in Christ.

Yet we know that *Christ himself *preached the Gospel …

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom” - Matthew 4:23 (see also: Matthew 9:35; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 26:13)

But where, in “preaching the Gospel,” does Christ ever publicly mention anything about his “death, burial and resurrection?" Or where does he say a word about “dying for our sins” or about “what [God] has done for us in Christ” etc?

Where does Christ preach these things?

---

“What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” And to this cavil of erring men, who know nothing about the grace of God, he returned such an answer as he ought in these words: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Nothing could have been said more succinctly, and yet to the point. For what more useful gift does the grace of God confer upon us, in this present evil world, than our dying unto sin?

St. Augustine, letter 215, 8.

 

[One_in_Christ_1]

Yet we know that *Christ himself *preached the Gospel …

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom” - Matthew 4:23 (see also: Matthew 9:35; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 26:13)

But where, in “preaching the Gospel,” does Christ ever publicly mention anything about his “death, burial and resurrection?" Or where does he say a word about “dying for our sins” or about “what [God] has done for us in Christ” etc?

Where does Christ preach these things?

---

St. Augustine, letter 215, 8.

Christ preached these things to His disciples recorded in the four gospels. I think we need to consider the four gospel accounts together with the rest of the New Testament. We cannot understand the letters of Paul apart from the four gospels. Nor can we understand the four gospel accounts apart from the letters of Paul and the rest of the NT.

 

[raumzeitmc2]

Christ preached these things to His disciples recorded in the four gospels.

But specifically, where?

Nor can we understand the four gospel accounts apart from the letters of Paul and the rest of the NT.

So none of the Christians understood the gospel of Christ prior to Paul’s conversion???

 

[TriuneUnity]

I was resonding to: “The Gospel is obscured by well-intentioned people who want to encourage a life of good works, and end up making Christians think that it is by their works that they are saved.” The “Christians” you are talking about are CATHOLICS. The ceaseless Protestant myth that we teach salvation by works is WRONG, and you seem to be giving a double message about looking out for others and at the same time saying works has nothing to do with our salvation, and for that I was being sarcastic.

I think not. There are many Christians who teach works salvation outside of any accusations towards Roman Catholicism. Have you met any Nazarene’s?? It is not directed towards Rome, but also towards the umpteen other groups out there who teach works justification.

 

[TriuneUnity]

Who else would you be talking about?

80% of modern American evangelicalism! Most of the popular preachers in America today would make Tetzel and Eck vomit.

 

[TriuneUnity]

So none of the Christians understood the gospel of Christ prior to Paul’s conversion???

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” - 1 Cor. 15:3-8

 

[raumzeitmc2]

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. … - 1 Cor. 15:3-8

Let’s put Paul aside for the moment, shall we?

Rather, let us focus strictly on the words of Christ (just pretend you are an early Christian who has never, ever even heard of Paul!). Let’s simply have the “pure gospel” as it comes from Christ alone.

Now again: where and when does Christ, in preaching the gospel to the multitudes, ever speak, for example, of his ‘dying for our sins’?