The Lost Gospels

[The One]

Highly recommended if you have not seen this :grouphug:

Documentary presented by Anglican priest Pete Owen Jones which explores the huge number of ancient Christian texts that didn’t make it into the New Testament. Shocking and challenging, these were works in which Jesus didn’t die, took revenge on his enemies and kissed Mary Magdalene on the mouth – a Jesus unrecognizable from that found in the traditional books of the New Testament.

Pete travels through Egypt and the former Roman Empire looking at the emerging evidence of a Christian world that’s very different to the one we know, and discovers that aside from the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, there were over seventy gospels, acts, letters and apocalypses, all circulating in the early Church.

Through these lost Gospels, Pete reconstructs the intense intellectual and political struggles for orthodoxy that was fought in the early centuries of Christianity, a battle involving different Christian sects, each convinced that their gospels were true and sacred.

The worldwide success of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code sparked new interest, as well as wild and misguided speculation about the origins of the Christian faith. Owen Jones sets out the context in which heretical texts like the Gospel of Mary emerged. He also strikes a cautionary note – if these lost gospels had been allowed to flourish, Christianity may well have faced an uncertain future, or perhaps not survived at all

8E4bI6YUXEg

[BestLion]

More of this stuff, we had people like Joseph Smith find lost gospels, Billy Miers find of the Talmud of Immanuel. Ellen Whites find..man the list never seems to stop.... All these Christian books..were all written years-centuries after Jesus 'suppose' to have died anyway.
I'd be more interested in a find like the hall of Records, or the lost works of Plato then this Christian stuff "All seems to not correlate, and all have different versions about Jesus" !

[panopticon]

G'day All,
Good choice The One! :clap2:
This is a very informative video.
I posted it in 'the Bible' thread awhile back but it received very little interest there.

I reckon that the message in the Gospel of Thomas (http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_thomas.htm) was dangerous for the early churches (yes, there were many christian churches early in the first millennium CE, all with their own beliefs and understandings). The message needed to be "edited out of history" otherwise their main methods of control would have been diluted. Without a central control structure people can not be easily manipulated into giving up their power.

Jones reminded me a bit of Bill with the hat and all...
Kind Regards, :yo:
Panopticon

[apokalypse]

The Lost Gospels written by TPTB?

[panopticon]

The Lost Gospels written by TPTB?

G'day apokalypse,

In actual fact I reckon the reverse.
The early churches needed to have these texts disappear so as to be able to shape the fledgling christian movement.
Without doing that the development of christianity would have been very different and probably not as useful to the Roman Emperor Constantine.

Kind Regards, :yo:
Panopticon

[RedeZra]

the Apostle Paul ordained elders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elder_(Christianity))in the churches he founded

the Apostolic Fathers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_Fathers) lived and wrote in the second half of the first century and the first half of the second century

the Early Church Fathers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Father) lived and wrote in the second third and fourth century


Christianity was established before Constantine and the Council of Nicea in AD 325 and Christians persecuted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians)


the forces against Christianity are against the teachings and the reverence of Jesus

these forces are still in work writing books producing films infiltrating churches while Christians are still persecuted in many nations


Jesus is the enemy number one of these forces which now govern our governments

but who can stand when the Lion of Judah rises


the lion might be slow to rise but when he rises then everything is set straight

[modwiz]

the Apostle Paul ordained elders (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elder_(Christianity))in the churches he founded

the Apostolic Fathers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostolic_Fathers) lived and wrote in the second half of the first century and the first half of the second century

the Early Church Fathers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Father) lived and wrote in the second third and fourth century


Christianity was established before Constantine and the Council of Nicea in AD 325 and Christians persecuted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians)


the forces against Christianity are against the teachings and the reverence of Jesus

these forces are still in work writing books producing films infiltrating churches while Christians are still persecuted in many nations


Jesus is the enemy number one of these forces which now govern our governments

but who can stand when the Lion of Judah rises


the lion might be slow to rise but when he rises then everything is set straight

I don't agree with you more now, but I do like you alot more. :thumb: BTW. There is always part of your message I resonate with and usually much of the spirit of it. PA wouldn't be the same without you.

[markpierre]

"If you bring forth what is within you, what is within you, will save you. If you do not bring forth what is withing you, what is within you will destroy you."

How is that cryptic?

Is that only cryptic in Christianity?

[gs_powered]

these forces are still in work writing books producing films infiltrating churches while Christians are still persecuted in many nations

Are you thinking of the Millions of people Christianity killed through almost every nation?
I condemn violence of every kind, but if you want to go down that road let me tell you that in my view, the scale is not yet even beginning to get balanced...

[BestLion]

Heres a list of a few things Christianity had added to the peace of life on earth>>This is only a small %>
Events that solely occurred on command of church authorities or were committed in the name of Christianity. (List incomplete)

Ancient Pagans

*As soon as Christianity was legal (315), more and more pagan temples
were destroyed by Christian mob. Pagan priests were killed.

*Between 315 and 6th century thousands of pagan believers were slain.

*Examples of destroyed Temples the Sanctuary of Aesculap in Aegaea,
the Temple of Aphrodite in Golgatha, Aphaka in Lebanon, the
Heliopolis.

*Christian priests such as Mark of Arethusa or Cyrill of Heliopolis
were famous as "temple destroyer." [DA468] *Pagan services became
punishable by death in 356. [DA468]

*Christian Emperor Theodosius (408-450) even had children executed,
because they had been playing with remains of pagan statues. [DA469]

According to Christian chroniclers he "followed meticulously all
Christian teachings..."

*In 6th century pagans were declared void of all rights.

*In the early fourth century the philosopher Sopatros was executed on
demand of Christian authorities. [DA466]

*The world famous female philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria was torn to
pieces with glass fragments by a hysterical Christian mob led by a
Christian minister named Peter, in a church, in 415.

Mission

*Emperor Karl (Charlemagne) in 782 had 4500 Saxons, unwilling to
convert to Christianity, beheaded. [DO30]

*Peasants of Steding (Germany) unwilling to pay suffocating church
taxes between 5,000 and 11,000 men, women and children slain
5/27/1234 near Altenesch/Germany. [WW223]

*Battle of Belgrad 1456 80,000 Turks slaughtered. [DO235]

*15th century Poland 1019 churches and 17987 villages plundered by
Knights of the Order. Victims unknown. [DO30]

*16th and 17th century Ireland. English troops "pacified and
civilized" Ireland, where only Gaelic "wild Irish", "unreasonable
beasts lived without any knowledge of God or good manners, in common
of their goods, cattle, women, children and every other thing." One of
the more successful soldiers, a certain Humphrey Gilbert, half-brother
of Sir Walter Raleigh, ordered that "the heddes of all those (of what
sort soever thei were) which were killed in the daie, should be cutte
off from their bodies... and should bee laied on the ground by eche
side of the waie", which effort to civilize the Irish indeed caused
"greate terrour to the people when thei sawe the heddes of their dedde
fathers, brothers, children, kinsfolke, and freinds on the grounde".

Tens of thousands of Gaelic Irish fell victim to the carnage. [SH99,
225]

Crusades (1095-1291)

*First Crusade 1095 on command of pope Urban II. [WW11-41]

*Semlin/Hungary 6/24/96 thousands slain. Wieselburg/Hungary 6/12/96
thousands. [WW23] *9/9/96-9/26/96 Nikaia, Xerigordon (then turkish),
thousands respectively. [WW25-27]

*Until Jan 1098 a total of 40 capital cities and 200 castles conquered
(number of slain unknown) [WW30]

*After 6/3/98 Antiochia (then turkish) conquered, between 10,000 and
60,000 slain. 6/28/98 100,000 Turks (incl. women & children) killed.
[WW32-35]

Here the Christians "did no other harm to the women found in [the
enemy's] tents - save that they ran their lances through their
bellies," according to Christian chronicler Fulcher of Chartres.
[EC60]

*Marra (Maraat an-numan) 12/11/98 thousands killed. Because of the
subsequent famine "the already stinking corpses of the enemies were
eaten by the Christians" said chronicler Albert Aquensis. [WW36]

*Jerusalem conquered 7/15/1099 more than 60,000 victims (jewish,
muslim, men, women, children). [WW37-40]

(In the words of one witness "there [in front of Solomon's temple]
was such a carnage that our people were wading ankle-deep in the blood
of our foes", and after that "happily and crying for joy our people
marched to our Saviour's tomb, to honour it and to pay off our debt of
gratitude")

*The Archbishop of Tyre, eye-witness, wrote "It was impossible to
look upon the vast numbers of the slain without horror; everywhere lay
fragments of human bodies, and the very ground was covered with the
blood of the slain. It was not alone the spectacle of headless bodies
and mutilated limbs strewn in all directions that roused the horror of
all who looked upon them. Still more dreadful was it to gaze upon the
victors themselves, dripping with blood from head to foot, an ominous
sight which brought terror to all who met them. It is reported that
within the Temple enclosure alone about ten thousand infidels
perished." [TG79]

*Christian chronicler Eckehard of Aura noted that "even the following
summer in all of palestine the air was polluted by the stench of
decomposition". One million victims of the first crusade alone. [WW41]

*Battle of Askalon, 8/12/1099. 200,000 heathens slaughtered "in the
name of Our Lord Jesus Christ". [WW45]

*Fourth crusade 4/12/1204 Constantinople sacked, number of victims
unknown, numerous thousands, many of them Christian. [WW141-148]

*Rest of Crusades in less detail until the fall of Akkon 1291
probably 20 million victims (in the Holy land and Arab/Turkish areas
alone). [WW224]

[panopticon]

G'day BestLion,

I would ask you for the source of your data.
I am not questioning it, rather have noticed that in many of your posts you don't provide links to quoted material and just wanted to point out that many here like to be able to view the original material to verify its veracity and/or biases.

Kind Regards, :yo:
Panopticon

[Praxis]

I highly recommend Graham Hancock and Robert Bauvals book the Master Game if you really want to understand what is at work here.

[BestLion]

G'day BestLion,

I would ask you for the source of your data.
I am not questioning it, rather have noticed that in many of your posts you don't provide links to quoted material and just wanted to point out that many here like to be able to view the original material to verify its veracity and/or biases.

Kind Regards, :yo:
Panopticon

Sorry sometime I forget>
http://notachristian.org/christianatrocities.html
http://worldrepublic.forumotion.com/t2373-christian-atrocities

[etm567]

.... All these Christian books..were all written years-centuries after Jesus 'suppose' to have died anyway.

On the contrary, while the books in the Bible seem to have been written centuries later (and I do not know if I am correct in that statement), many of the missing texts were from much earlier. That is why they are so important, and fill in huge gaps in our knowledge.

As to "kissing Mary Magdalene on the mouth," though, I'm afraid that there is one word missing from that text. I can't remember what it is, but the scholars have suggested that is what it says, but they are not at all sure. I think it says something like "kissed Mary Magdalene on the __________." or something like that. Maybe it was "___________ed Mary Magdalene on the mouth." Something is missing. So it isn't that clear precisely what it did say.

I for one am all for learning the truth about early CHristianity, because they have certainly changed it.

I read a book quite a few years ago, I think it was by a Catholic priest/historian, and he was reinterpreting some of Paul's letters, saying that we were taking them way out of context. That, for instance, many of the Church groups in the early Church were like dinner gatherings at someone's house, indeed, a kind of reenactment of the last supper. And that many of those groups were organized and led by women, not men, women of some stature and wealth.

And he goes on to suggest -- and it's been many years, so this is a very loose paraphrasing of whatever it was he did say -- that in that letter to the Corinthians saying women should wear their hair long and behave a certain way, that he was addressing this advice to a very bohemian group who behaved in ways that were considered outlandish then, and he was chastising them and saying, come on, behave more like everyone else, don't stick out like a sore thumb! I think he was suggesting that the women who had positions of authority in that group actually wore their hair short, and that that was just too weird. Or that that was at least possible, to provoke the letter that Paul then wrote to them.

COnsequently, we have taken it way out of context, or those of us who are Orthodox and believe that women must wear their hair long and men must wear beards, even though our social norms have changed certainly have, because nowadays it is far more normal for people to dress and wear their hair like mainstream society than to cling to the fashions of 2,000 years ago on religious principle.

I think this was the Thomas Cahill, who wrote How the Irish Saved Civilization, Desire of the Everlasting Hills: the the World Before and After Jesus, and The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels. Those are the books of his that I have read. I really should read some of his more recent ones. He's a very entertaining writer.

I probably haven't represented what he said very well, but it made a lot of sense to me when I read it.

ETMMm :nod:

[RedeZra]

these forces are still in work writing books producing films infiltrating churches while Christians are still persecuted in many nations

Are you thinking of the Millions of people Christianity killed through almost every nation?


i'm thinking about the persecution of Christians (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Christians)


Constantine ended the persecution of Christianity in the Roman Empire and Rome was declared a Christian Empire by Theodosius in 380


Christian conversion of Franks and Germanic nobility who then imposed their new faith on the general population


the Germanic peoples underwent gradual Christianization in the course of the Early Middle Ages where it was possible to worship Jesus next to the native gods like Woden and Thor

according to legend Clovis had done that before a battle against one of the kings of the Alamanni and had thus attributed his victory to Jesus


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization




the Crusades (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades) was a response to the Muslim conquests (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_conquests)



Christianity conquered and divided the newly discovered lands in America between Spain and Portugal with the Treaty of Tordesillas (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Tordesillas) in 1494

Christianity conquered and divided the newly discovered lands in Asia between Spain and Portugal with the Treaty of Zaragoza (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Zaragoza_(1529)) in 1529

[RedeZra]

I don't agree with you more now, but I do like you alot more. :thumb:


thnx Wiz and ditto

you don't agree with anything i type anymore ? lol

[HORIZONS]

Heres a list of a few things Christianity had added to the peace of life on earth>>This is only a small %>
Events that solely occurred on command of church authorities or were committed in the name of Christianity. (List incomplete)

Ancient Pagans

*As soon as Christianity was legal (315), more and more pagan temples
were destroyed by Christian mob. Pagan priests were killed.

*Between 315 and 6th century thousands of pagan believers were slain.

*Examples of destroyed Temples the Sanctuary of Aesculap in Aegaea,
the Temple of Aphrodite in Golgatha, Aphaka in Lebanon, the
Heliopolis.

*Christian priests such as Mark of Arethusa or Cyrill of Heliopolis
were famous as "temple destroyer." [DA468] *Pagan services became
punishable by death in 356. [DA468]

*Christian Emperor Theodosius (408-450) even had children executed,
because they had been playing with remains of pagan statues. [DA469]

According to Christian chroniclers he "followed meticulously all
Christian teachings..."

*In 6th century pagans were declared void of all rights.

*In the early fourth century the philosopher Sopatros was executed on
demand of Christian authorities. [DA466]

*The world famous female philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria was torn to
pieces with glass fragments by a hysterical Christian mob led by a
Christian minister named Peter, in a church, in 415.

Mission

*Emperor Karl (Charlemagne) in 782 had 4500 Saxons, unwilling to
convert to Christianity, beheaded. [DO30]

*Peasants of Steding (Germany) unwilling to pay suffocating church
taxes between 5,000 and 11,000 men, women and children slain
5/27/1234 near Altenesch/Germany. [WW223]

*Battle of Belgrad 1456 80,000 Turks slaughtered. [DO235]

*15th century Poland 1019 churches and 17987 villages plundered by
Knights of the Order. Victims unknown. [DO30]

*16th and 17th century Ireland. English troops "pacified and
civilized" Ireland, where only Gaelic "wild Irish", "unreasonable
beasts lived without any knowledge of God or good manners, in common
of their goods, cattle, women, children and every other thing." One of
the more successful soldiers, a certain Humphrey Gilbert, half-brother
of Sir Walter Raleigh, ordered that "the heddes of all those (of what
sort soever thei were) which were killed in the daie, should be cutte
off from their bodies... and should bee laied on the ground by eche
side of the waie", which effort to civilize the Irish indeed caused
"greate terrour to the people when thei sawe the heddes of their dedde
fathers, brothers, children, kinsfolke, and freinds on the grounde".

Tens of thousands of Gaelic Irish fell victim to the carnage. [SH99,
225]

Crusades (1095-1291)

*First Crusade 1095 on command of pope Urban II. [WW11-41]

*Semlin/Hungary 6/24/96 thousands slain. Wieselburg/Hungary 6/12/96
thousands. [WW23] *9/9/96-9/26/96 Nikaia, Xerigordon (then turkish),
thousands respectively. [WW25-27]

*Until Jan 1098 a total of 40 capital cities and 200 castles conquered
(number of slain unknown) [WW30]

*After 6/3/98 Antiochia (then turkish) conquered, between 10,000 and
60,000 slain. 6/28/98 100,000 Turks (incl. women & children) killed.
[WW32-35]

Here the Christians "did no other harm to the women found in [the
enemy's] tents - save that they ran their lances through their
bellies," according to Christian chronicler Fulcher of Chartres.
[EC60]

*Marra (Maraat an-numan) 12/11/98 thousands killed. Because of the
subsequent famine "the already stinking corpses of the enemies were
eaten by the Christians" said chronicler Albert Aquensis. [WW36]

*Jerusalem conquered 7/15/1099 more than 60,000 victims (jewish,
muslim, men, women, children). [WW37-40]

(In the words of one witness "there [in front of Solomon's temple]
was such a carnage that our people were wading ankle-deep in the blood
of our foes", and after that "happily and crying for joy our people
marched to our Saviour's tomb, to honour it and to pay off our debt of
gratitude")

*The Archbishop of Tyre, eye-witness, wrote "It was impossible to
look upon the vast numbers of the slain without horror; everywhere lay
fragments of human bodies, and the very ground was covered with the
blood of the slain. It was not alone the spectacle of headless bodies
and mutilated limbs strewn in all directions that roused the horror of
all who looked upon them. Still more dreadful was it to gaze upon the
victors themselves, dripping with blood from head to foot, an ominous
sight which brought terror to all who met them. It is reported that
within the Temple enclosure alone about ten thousand infidels
perished." [TG79]

*Christian chronicler Eckehard of Aura noted that "even the following
summer in all of palestine the air was polluted by the stench of
decomposition". One million victims of the first crusade alone. [WW41]

*Battle of Askalon, 8/12/1099. 200,000 heathens slaughtered "in the
name of Our Lord Jesus Christ". [WW45]

*Fourth crusade 4/12/1204 Constantinople sacked, number of victims
unknown, numerous thousands, many of them Christian. [WW141-148]

*Rest of Crusades in less detail until the fall of Akkon 1291
probably 20 million victims (in the Holy land and Arab/Turkish areas
alone). [WW224]

There is a massive difference between the so-called Christianity you are presenting to us and the true followers of Christ! No "true" follower of Christ would have anything to do with the atrocities you quote - but the false teachers and false leaders of the highjacked movement had no problem using this new doctrine - that had been perverted - for their own bidding. Just because something is said to be in the name of Christ does not mean it is so - for you are admonished to be wise enough to "know them by their fruits". There is clear warning that many would come after Jesus claiming to be "in His name" but were not - the same is true today - and that many false teachers would arise and lead many astray. It is not much different then how the government has been highjacked by self-serving politicians, rather than a government by the people and FOR the people, and so now we see the government serving its own agenda not caring one iota what the desire of the people even is. True Christianity - which was not even called that until later, and it was a derogatory term at that - does not support the things you say - that is a bastardized image of what Jesus taught, and what His life and ministry were all about. You have been lead astray if you think this is what Christianity is about - but is is for sure what anti-Christianity is all about.

[58andfixed]

There are many issues with the various Bibles, and what I am NOT offering is that it is entirely false. Indeed, there is truth in it, however studying and understanding these issues gives one a perspective on the plight of humanity like few on this Planet have.

Bart Ehrman offers many texts on the 'construction' of Bibles, for both professionals and lay persons can both digest them. "Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why ."

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Misquoting_Jesus

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/62/Misquoting_Jesus.jpg

Another excellent reference for professionals and lay people would be "The Oxford Companion to The Bible" - Edited By: Bruce M. Metzger (1993)

http://www.christianbook.com/the-oxford-companion-to-the-bible/9780195046458/pd/46455?event=AFF&p=1020537&

http://g.christianbook.com/g/product/4/46455.gif

What humanity doesn't have are the original documents that comprise any of todays Bible. Simply copies of the copies of the copies....

What makes it 'worse than it could have been' is that certain documents created by men were subsequently selected, and others were not, therefore the finds of the Nag Hammadi library (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nag_Hammadi_library) and the Dead Sea Scrolls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea_Scrolls) were such great finds, as they helped to 'round out' the framing created by history.

I suspect the Jordan Lead Codices (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Lead_Codices) will be equally profound a discovery.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/show/2011/12/17

"During the middle two hours, religious scholar and Egyptologist, David Elkington, joined Ian Punnett for an update on the Jordan Codices: seventy, ancient and sealed metal books that could change the world’s view of Biblical history."

Keeping this in mind, there are other equally or even more ancient writings, and great concepts of them [perceived as wise on the face of their content] that are entirely missing from either any existing Bible and the 'Lost Gospels.' That would be Aesop's Fables:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aesop%27s_Fables

".. a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and story-teller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE."

".. for two main reasons - because numerous morals within Aesop's attributed fables contradict each other, and because ancient accounts of Aesop's life contradict each other - the modern view is that Aesop probably did not solely compose all those fables attributed to him, if he even existed at all. Modern scholarship reveals fables and proverbs of "Aesopic" form existing in both ancient Sumer and Akkad, as early as the third millennium BCE."

An example of wisdom conceived by man, not found in Hebrew, Bible or Apocrypha would be the "The Bundle of Sticks:"

http://www.fables-and-fairy-tales.com/aesops-fables/the-bundle-of-sticks.shtml

"Union gives strength."

I did enjoy Pete Owen Jones and the "Lost Gospels," and highly recommend them for people wishing to be better informed on the background to Christian Theology. I also continue to promote & recommend:

1. The Bible Unearthed (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/The_Bible_Unearthed).

t440bxhn1qA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t440bxhn1qA

51m 30s 5,076 views


2. The Secret Bible.


http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-3126202689810625112&q=rivals+of+jesus&ei=k3OUSIaDEorg-wGZkuGnBg#

58m Episode 2 of 3 - The Rivals of Jesus

The avoiding of the understanding of the past, particularly of Christianity, simply makes us all vulnerable to manipulation, whatever the area of ignorance.

If anything is going to contribute to us helping ourselves getting out of the mess this Planet is currently in, some attributes will likely be curiosity, questions, investigation, information and understanding - for these will contribute to *knowledge*.

Remaining ignorant is simply another form of denial, and getting on 'the Nile' just gets us further down river. :)

- 58



.... All these Christian books..were all written years-centuries after Jesus 'suppose' to have died anyway.

On the contrary, while the books in the Bible seem to have been written centuries later (and I do not know if I am correct in that statement), many of the missing texts were from much earlier. That is why they are so important, and fill in huge gaps in our knowledge.

I for one am all for learning the truth about early Christianity, because they have certainly changed it.

COnsequently, we have taken it way out of context, or those of us who are Orthodox and believe that women must wear their hair long and men must wear beards, even though our social norms have changed certainly have, because nowadays it is far more normal for people to dress and wear their hair like mainstream society than to cling to the fashions of 2,000 years ago on religious principle.

ETMMm :nod:

[kreagle]

To begin with, the Gospel is not lost ! It, in reality, is right before our very eyes to plainly see! For those who will come to grip with who they really are, a sinner......lost and without God, and to follow the simplicity of the Gospel Message, they will find that their eyes have been opened to see and understand the Gospel for what it really is. The following Scripture is a warning,....or eye opener, to all!

Matthew 13:15-17
King James Version (KJV)


15For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

It should be further noted that the Gospel is always noted in a "singular" sense, and never in the "plurality" form, or gospel(s).

There are three occasions, in Mark 8:35, Mark 10:29, and 1 Corinthians 9:23, where it state "gospel's", which simply refers to "ownership" or belonging to the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul gave a simple definition to the meaning of the term "Gospel" in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

1 Corinthians 15
King James Version (KJV)


1 Corinthians 15
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures

As simple as it may seem, the above revelation by Paul to the Church in Corinth was that the Gospel Message consisted of the DEATH,....BURIAL,.....AND RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST!!!

Now here's another "eye opener" for you!

In the simplicity of the DEATH,....BURIAL,....AND RESURRECTION message that the Gospel endeavors to relay to us all,.....that's "exactly" what the Apostle Peter, (the one who was given the "keys to the kingdom of Heaven"), delivered in his inaugural address to the infant Church on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2:37-38
King James Version (KJV)


37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Now, let's look at the end result of what happened to those who "gladly received" the words of the Apostle Peter on that glorious day,......

Acts 2:41
King James Version (KJV)


41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

And finally,.....


Acts 2:47
King James Version (KJV)


47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

It should be especially noted here that this is the only Gospel message that we will ever need in order to achieve the results as described above. To follow them today as they followed them back in the Book of Acts, on the Day of Pentecost, will give you the same results, and you, too, will be added to the same church,

Now let me further state that I'm not blind to the fact that there have been many to question whether "this text" or "that copy" was left out or eliminated from the original Texts. I'm really afraid that entirely too many individuals get themselves so tied up in trying to "dig this or that up" that they wind up completely confusing themselves and ultimately missing out on the entire blessing that God has in store for them,....or perhaps "you"!

God, in His unlimited wisdom, even clearly warns us all to not allow ourselves to be caught up in this "vicious trap"!! Notice what He says about those who try to self-educate themselves, only to completely miss the ultimate point,....

2 Timothy 3:7
King James Version (KJV)


7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

I urge each and everyone to take another look at the message the Apostle Peter gave in Acts 2:38. Then simply apply faith in His Word. Find a place where you each can find a place of complete repentance to God. He is a Just God that will wash away your sinful past completely!. Then, in obedience to God's Word, be baptized in the name of Jesus, (NOT in His titles of Father, Son, or Holy Ghost!!!),.....(here's another eye-opener,...every baptism carried out by the Apostles was strictly in the "name" of JESUS CHRIST, not His titles!!!) See Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5. Upon completion of being baptized you can now receive the Holy Ghost, which is exactly what Jesus was talking about when He spoke to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 and referenced It to being Born Again!

In closing it must be said that this "Born Again" experience is totally vital if you or I are to ever "understand" the Scriptures and His Gospel Message. Without it you'll never be able to comprehend the depth of God's Word. You'll always be left with unfulfilled questions and things will be foggy, at best, to you.

The Gospel has never been lost, .....just you,....and once upon a time,....I,......until I obeyed the same message Peter preached in Acts 2:38. It opened my eyes, my friend, and It will open yours, too,.....if you will allow It to!

[RedeZra]

The Gospel has never been lost, .....just you


true God is not lost nor the Gospel

but both have become radical in our societies because Satan is behind the rulers of governments


don't believe me ? it's in the Gospel

besides it makes sense

[kreagle]

The Gospel has never been lost, .....just you


true God is not lost nor the Gospel

but both have become radical in our societies because Satan is behind the rulers of governments


don't believe me ? it's in the Gospel

besides it makes sense

You are certainly correct, RedeZra. People don't fully understand how radical they can become when they either refuse or fail to recognize their essential need of the "New Birth" experience that Jesus spoke about to Nicodemus in John chapter 3. The Holy Ghost is our essential guide into all truth, and without Him we will all ultimately veer off the chosen pathway of Life to one of complete destruction and doom.

John 16:12-14
King James Version (KJV)


12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

[Lunesoleil]

I reckon that the message in the Gospel of Thomas (http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_thomas.htm) was dangerous for the early churches (yes, there were many christian churches early in the first millennium CE, all with their own beliefs and understandings). The message needed to be "edited out of history" otherwise their main methods of control would have been diluted. Without a central control structure people can not be easily manipulated into giving up their power.

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:Avalon:

The Gospel According to Thomas, commonly shortened to the Gospel of Thomas, is a well preserved early Christian, non-canonical sayings-gospel which many scholars believe provides insight into the oral gospel traditions. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945, in one of a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. The Gospel of Thomas was found among a collection of fifty-two writings that included, in addition to an excerpt from Plato's Republic, gospels claiming to have been written by Jesus' disciple Philip. Scholars have speculated that the works were buried in response to a letter from Bishop Athanasius who for the first time declared a strict canon of Christian scripture.

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