The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Gospel truth

Are there specific truths about christ and his death that must be preached in a gospel message ? Do we need to be specific about who christ is and what and for whom his death
was for ?


This above question was the start of this thread. Darryl, next time just post what your intention is. That is obviously has nothing to do with your "question." Id like you to read the following quote, from a man who fought for his understanding as zealously as the next.

Taken from: http://www.prca.org/standard_bearer/...5.htm#RESPONSE:
A recent quotation from Rev. Herman Hoeksema, which Rev. Woudenberg furnished to a pastors’ newsgroup on the Internet, demonstrates the same charitable attitude. It is a quotation taken from the Banner, January 2, 1919. “You know, a Calvinist (excuse the term; I am not any too fond of it myself. Never do I use it if I can help it. I don’t think I have used it a half dozen times from the pulpit, which is not very frequent in three years and a half), I say a Calvinist is after all a distinctive Christian. Not all Christians are Calvinists. Mark, I say: ‘not all Christians are Calvinists.’ They may be Christians all right. Sure! Dear children of God, with whom I love to shake hands. I don’t believe that there is a Calvinist that denies this. I don’t think that there is a Calvinist who maintains that the Calvinists are the only Christians. And those who love to waste paper (and that in this time when paper is so valuable!) by fighting against Calvinists who maintain that they are the only Christians on earth, are fighting a shadow, a product of their own imagination. No, but I claim that a Calvinist is a Christian of a distinctive type, with distinctive principles and views, in distinction, namely, from other Christians. Never let any method of reasoning lead you to the belief that all Christians are Calvinists, for then things will be getting so dark, that you lose all power to distinguish. The Methodist is a good sincere Christian, all right. Of course he is! A dear brother. But he is not a Calvinist. The same is true of the Anabaptist, the Lutheran, etc. All together they constitute the church of Jesus Christ on earth, as long as they confess that Jesus is the Christ. But within that large circle there are different shades and forms of faith, and the Calvinist also maintains his own distinctive world and life view in their midst. Now, what I mean to say is that to maintain your distinctive character as a Calvinistic Christian, you must not merely be able to discern clearly what distinguishes you from the rest, but you must have the courage of your conviction such as can be the fruit only of the faith in the Word of God. Only the conviction that our form of faith is the purest expression of Scripture (again, mark, I do not say: the only form or expression) can give us the courage to refuse amalgamation. And therefore, it is necessary, that we are conscious of the relation between our Reformed Faith and the Word of God.”