Christ did not found a
Book.
He founded a Teaching Church.
Nowhere in Scripture does it say that Jesus Christ wrote a
book or commanded anyone else to write a Gospel. In fact the only place where it
is recorded that He wrote anything at all, is in John 8:6-8. He wrote on the
ground with His finger, and to this day, we do not even know what He
wrote.
However, He did found a beautiful Church. He made her His Bride,
and He made her a teaching Church.
His teaching
Church had been in existence for over a decade before the first book of the New
Testament was even written.
By the time Revelation, the last book of the
Bible was written about 100 A.D., the Church was already on its fifth Pope.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded you; and
behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world." Matt
28:19-20
"And He said to them, "Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every
creature.""
Mark 16:15
"Then He opened their minds that they might understand the Scriptures. And He
said to them, "Thus it is written; and thus the Christ should suffer, and should
rise again from the dead on the third day; and that repentance and remission of
sins should be preached in
His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem."" Luke 24:45-46
"And GOD indeed has placed some in the Church, first Apostles, secondly
prophets, thirdly teachers..." 1Cor 12:28
"How then are they to call upon Him in whom they have not believed? But how are
they to believe Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear, if no
one preaches? And how are men to preach unless they be sent?" Rom
10:14-15
"Faith then depends on hearing, and hearing on the Word of
Christ. But I say: have they not heard? Yes, indeed, Their voice has
gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Rom
10:17-18
"He who hears you,
hears Me..." Luke
10:16
"Yes, to me, the very least of all saints, there was given this grace, to
announce among the
Gentiles the good tidings of the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to
enlighten all men as to
what is the dispensation of the mystery which has been hidden from eternity in
GOD, who created all things; in order that through
the Church there be made
known to the Principalities and the Powers in the
Heavens the manifold wisdom of GOD..." Eph 3:8-10
"And He marvelled because of their unbelief. And He made a circuit of the
villages, teaching."
Mark 6:6
"For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:12
"Command and teach these
things." 1Tim 4:11
"Him we preach, admonishing every man and teaching
every man in all wisdom, that we may present every
man perfect in Christ Jesus." Col 1:28
"So then, brethren, stand firm, and hold the
traditions that you have learned, whether by word or by letter of
ours." 2Thess 2:15
"Take heed to thyself and to thy teaching, be earnest
in them. For in doing so thou wilt save both thyself and those who hear thee."
1Tim 4:16
"Let the presbyters who rule well be held worthy of double honor, especially
those who labor in the Word and in teaching." 1Tim 5:17
"And the things that thou hast heard from me through many witnesses, commend to
trustworthy men who shall be competent in turn to teach others." 2Tim 2:2
"But the servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle towards all, ready
to teach, patient, gently
admonishing those who resist, in case GOD should give them repentance to know
the truth..." 2Tim 2:24-25
"For whereas by this time you ought to be masters, you need to be taught again the rudiments of the Word
of GOD." Heb 5:12
"And they continued steadfastly in the teaching
of the Apostles and in the communion of the breaking
of the bread and in the prayers." Acts 2:42
"And they did not for a single day cease teaching
and preaching in the temple and from house to house the good news of Jesus as
the Christ." Acts 5:42
"But Paul and Barnabas stayed on in Antioch, teaching
and preaching the Word of the Lord, with many others." Acts 15:35
"And he would preach in
the synagogue every Sabbath and try to convince Jews and Greeks."
Acts
18:4
"So he settled there a year and six months, teaching
the Word of GOD among them." Acts 18:11
"And for two full years he remained in his own hired lodging; and he welcomed
all who came to him, preaching the Kingdom of GOD and teaching
about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and
unhindered. Amen." Acts 28:30-31
"But we have gifts differing according to the grace that has been given us, such
as prophecy to be used according to the proportion of faith; or ministry in
ministering; or he who teaches in
teaching." Rom 12:6-7
"For this very reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my dearest son and
faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my ways, which are in Christ Jesus,
even as I teach everywhere in every
Church." 1Cor 4:17
"...yet in the Church, I
had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may also instruct others, than ten thousand
words in a tongue." 1Cor 14:19
"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you abundantly; in all wisdom teach and admonish one another..." Col
3:16
"Hold to the form of sound teaching which thou hast heard from me..." 2Tim 1:13
"A Bishop then, must be blameless, married but once, reserved, prudent, of good
conduct, hospitable, a teacher..." 1Tim 3:2
"Teach and exhort these
things." 1Tim 6:2
There you have it. Jesus Christ did not command anyone to write a Gospel, but
verses abound to go out and teach.
©
Written by Bob Stanley, July 3,
1999
Updated March 11, 2004
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