And I think it best and wisest to call it
oftenest, what the holy scripture calls it oftenest, and to try and
understand, first of all, what that means, what the good news of the
kingdom of God is: and to understand that, we must first understand
what the kingdom of God is.
But some may answer, holy scripture speaks of the gospel of
salvation. True, it does, once or twice. But what does that show?
Is that a different gospel from the gospel of the kingdom of God?
Are there two gospels? Surely not. Else why would holy scripture
speak so often of "the gospel"--"the good news," by itself, without
any word after to show what it was about? It says often simply "the
gospel;" because there is but one gospel; and, as St. Paul says, if
any man or angel preach any other than that one, "Let him be
anathema."
Therefore the gospel of salvation must be the same as the gospel of
the kingdom of God; and, therefore, it seems to me, that salvation
and the kingdom of God must be one and the same thing.
Now, do you think so? When I say "The kingdom of God is salvation,"
do you think it is? Have you even any clear notion of what I mean
when I say it? Some of you have not, I am afraid; you cannot see at
first sight what salvation and the kingdom of God have to do with
each other.
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