THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL

By Gary McDade

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:5-6). Three demands are made by “the everlasting gospel” in this reading. One, “fear God.” Two, “give glory to Him.” And, three, “worship Him.” These three demands are to be preached to everyone everywhere. The angel who had the everlasting gospel was not the one charged with proclaiming it. Jesus had given that responsibility to His apostles and His apostles passed that responsibility down to all His disciples.

Without change, emendation, or alteration in any way the everlasting gospel was to be committed to “faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). In 1 Timothy Paul said, “Charge some that they teach no other doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:3). In 2 Timothy Paul said, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Paul himself was subject to and dedicated to teaching “the same” message everywhere because he taught the Corinthians whom he had begotten through the gospel of Christ to be followers of him as he followed Christ. He wrote them, “For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:17).

The everlasting gospel was the same everywhere it was presented which caused all who obeyed it to be speaking “the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). This put them all in “the same body” which is the church of Christ (Ephesians 3:6; 4:4; Romans 16:16). They experienced “the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2). This became a reality because as they had already attained this unity they were urged, “Let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing” (Philippians 3:16). The first century church answered the prayer of Christ for all His followers to be one (John 17:20-23). By adhering to the everlasting gospel it will continue to be so today.