Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: Gospel

The Gospel is Good News to all who will humbly accept Jesus and listen to His teaching.

We refer to the four books of the Bible which tell the story of Jesus Christ as the Gospels. These books are named for their authors: Matthew, a Jewish Apostle; Mark, a disciple of the first generation who recorded accounts of Peter and the Twelve; Luke, a gentile Physician and disciple of the first century; and John, one of the Twelve Jewish Apostles chosen by Jesus.

And Now the News – Resurrection of the Dead
Paul first establishes the indisputable facts of the Resurrection of Christ supported by evidence.

And Now the News – Just the Facts

the Logic of Christ’s Resurrection

The FACTS established, now the Apostle to the Gentiles must convince believing Corinthians influenced by cultural ‘scientists of Promethean logic‘ about the truth of the nature of the resurrection of the dead.
- How can worshippers of myths — a myriad of made-up gods and goddesses — purport LOGIC as truth?
- How can we present the resurrection of the dead as truth rather than myth (upon which Greek religion tenuously stands)?
This is Paul’s cultural challenge — and ours.

Resurrection is Key to the Gospel

Even Jerusalem’s Sadducees denied the truth and evidence of the resurrection.

Certainly many Greek worshippers of pagan gods held philosophies allowing the evil of the body to coexistence with a soul (hopefully) worthy of heaven.

Paul had encountered such opposition in Athens just before he arrived in Corinth to preach.

Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked...

Acts of the Apostles 17:32a

Note that this mocking at mention of the resurrection is similar to that in Jerusalem at the time many Jews received the Holy Spirit.

They believe these things, but hate them; and they also hate God.

WARRANTED CHRISTIAN BELIEF P.291

Is it not so? Hasn’t this hatred of God also been your experience simply at the mention of Jesus Christ?

Pagan ridicule of the resurrection provides false evidence to their Promethean proofs justifying the sins their flesh-indulged minds.

This was the challenge of the Apostle Paul in A.D. 55, as it is ours in this Common Era of indulgent inclusion.

IF Christ is risen..

Paul has established the indisputable facts of the bodily death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now he continues in his key logic of the gospel of resurrection of the body and spirit.

1 Corinthians 15: –

“.. this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

1 COR 15:11b BSB

: RESURRECTION IS: CERTAIN (15:1-34)

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,

how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

1 Cor 15:12 ESV

Paul now addresses those believing doubters of the resurrection influenced by the surrounding pagan culture.

The Apostle follows a step-by-step logical argument:

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

1 Cor 15:13 ESV

These logical Greek Corinthians hear the argument of the Pharisee (Saul of Tarsus) refuting the unbelieving Sadducees.

— AND Paul has just presented the FACTS and evidence that Christ was raised from the grave after His crucifixion.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

1 Cor 15:14 ESV

SO — You are a follower of The Way – a saint of your local church…

WHY THEN did we preach Christ to you and your fellow saints?

Is your faith in a myth just vanity?
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And Paul continues rhetorically challenging the veracity of his own preaching of the Christ and Jesus' resurrection from DEATH on a Roman cross in Judea.

The apostle of this gospel self-convicts in this alternative scenario concluding: 
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We are even found to be misrepresenting God,

because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

1 Cor 15:15 ESV

Heresy!

What is the Apostle’s proposition?

YOU — Corinthians — (and YOU, Common Era questioners) — must judge the TRUTH of the RESURRECTION of the dead based on the FACTS & EVIDENCE that the Lord Jesus Christ was the first man raised from death for your sins.
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Why do I make the bold point that this  would be HERESY? 

Other translations provide a more pointed translation of the Greek that may help us understand the seriousness of Paul's alternative false proposition. 
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εὑρισκόμεθα δὲ καὶ ψευδομάρτυρες

v.15a Moreover we are even found [in a legal sense] to be false witnesses [pseudomartys] of God..

[This would be false testimony against Almighty God, certainly punishable by death of the mortal body and punishment of their immortal soul.]

HERESY – αἵρεσις – hairesis

But the Corinthian saints know that Paul has NOT chosen himself over GOD [Theos].

The Apostle, however, continues down this logical path of its false-reasoning conclusion.

Now to the Apostle’s logical connection:

For if the dead are not raised,
not even Christ has been raised.
1 Cor 15:16 ESV
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(Paul has already opened his argument to the court of logic with Christ's resurrection.)
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Then those also who have fallen asleep [koimaō – a metaphor for death] in Christ have perished [ἀπόλλυμι – .apollymi].

1 Cor 15:18

The Perishing Promethean Heretics

Paul, in providing a clear choice to those who trust in the Way and Truth and Life of Christ, offers a clear logical choice.

The Apostle had opened his Epistle to the Corinthians clearly stating:

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing^G622,

but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. For it is written,

“I WILL DESTROY^G622 THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,

AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 LSB – Paul, citing Old Testament Scripture

“Where is the one who is wise?

Paul had rhetorically asked in the opening of this epistle [1 Cor 1:20].

νυνί – now, at this very moment

NOW Paul continues in the only logical conclusion: :

But now [at this very moment] is Christ risen from the dead
1 Corinthians 15:20a – KJV [def. Gk. νυνί]

The Apostle here is emphatic in his belief proclaimed in his closing.

“But in fact..,” “At this very moment..,” “And now..,

Christ hath risen out of the dead,” read just a few English translations of Paul’s logical Greek argument.

Then Paul proclaims the benefits of Christ’s resurrection applied to the death of those in Christ.

Christ’s resurrection + the firstfruits

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep…

.. Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

1 Cor 15:20,23b ESV

Between Paul’s representation of the resurrection of Christ and resurrections of ‘those who belong to Christ’ — (faithful saints of the Church redeemed in Him) — the Apostle points back once more to original sin and the source of death replacing eternal life with God.

IN THE BEGINNING…

For as in Adam all die…

Paul proclaims:

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die,

even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Cor 15:20-22 KJV

IN THE BEGINNING God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void…

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed… But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:

for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 1-2 KJV excerpts

IN ADAM… ALL DIE.

IN ABRAHAM & JACOB.. ALL DIE.

IN MOSES ALL DIE

and IN DAVID… ALL DIE!

in Christ all will be made alive.
For just as in Adam all die,
so also in Christ all will be made alive.
But each in his own order:
Christ, the firstfruits; afterward, at his coming,
those who belong to Christ.

Then comes the end…

1 Corinthians 15:22-24a CSB
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Good NEWS of the Resurrection of the DEAD - To be continued... 
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May 19, 2025
And Now the News – Just the Facts
Moreover — and as a matter of fact, the Apostle continues — here are the facts of the Gospel of the resurrection and Christ once more (for your logical Greek reasoning).

Letters & NEWS

As we have read in the Apostle’s first epistle to the Corinthian saints, letters are personal and recall a connection of love between Paul and those in Corinth.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—

.. I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree..

1 Corinthians 1:4-10a excerpt ESV

The Apostle states his obstacles common to the Corinthians — a diverse church in every way — at the outset of his epistle:

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 1:22-23 ESV

And the Apostle establishes his own authority in Christ — the head of the Church who died for sinners.

Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.

1 Corinthians 9:19-20a ESV

Yet Paul’s pathos and personal connection to the Corinthians appeals to all who love the Lord — Jew and Greek and Romans who worship as saints of one Church — this one in first century Corinth.

The Parthenon

Logic

Recall from our previous look at Paul’s personal letter that even though a remnant of Jews live in Corinth (and the smaller ancient city of Athens), the culture of his audience is Greek.

Propriety in Worship of the Church – 1 Corinthians 14
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(Even the Romans mimicked worship of the Greek gods and goddesses.) 
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In Greek mythology, Tethys was Consort of Oceanus, father of the river gods and goddesses including a Greek goddess who founded Corinth named Ephyra.

What’s missing for Greek worshippers?

The connections between credibility and impact.
- How can worshippers of myths — a myriad of made-up gods and goddesses — purport LOGIC as truth?
In fact, the FACTS of logic built on false premises do not add up.

This is Paul’s cultural challenge — and ours.

Paul’s personal letter to the Corinthian saints (church).

The Apostle’s connection of logic to his Greek audience is agape (love).

“IF I have not love (charity) [agape], I am nothing.

– 1 Corinthians 13:2

As for the difference of Paul’s beliefs in God:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand..

1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV

Before we list Paul’s FACTS for believers, let’s examine this Greek culture of logic in the light of truth cast upon the temples of many mythical gods and goddesses of Corinth.

Truths revealed to our minds
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The following quoted in part from WARRANTED CHRISTIAN BELIEF PP290-294
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What more is there to faith than belief?

What distinguishes the Christian believer from the demons?

——

“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Epistle of James to the Church 2:19 ESV

They believe these things, but hate them;

and they also hate God.

WARRANTED CHRISTIAN BELIEF P.291

Is it not so?

Hasn’t this hatred of God also been your experience at simply the mention of Jesus Christ?

Perhaps they also hope against hope that these things aren’t really so..

in a self-deceived way..

the problem here is not merely cognitive..

but.. Promethean..

ibid.

Cultural ‘science‘ of Promethean Logic

COVID-masked Prometheus statue at Rockefeller Center NYC, US as seen on the News

Prometheus, in Greek religion, one of the Titans, the supreme trickster, and a god of fire. His intellectual side was emphasized by the apparent meaning of his name, Forethinker. In common belief he developed into a master craftsman, and in this connection he was associated with fire and the creation of mortals.

Source: Britannica

WE must think to the AD 55 Corinthian culture, as well as our own Common Era challenges of preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, in these ‘Promethean‘ terms of logic —scientific facts of the world masked as NEWS.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

The demons, no doubt, are theists and also believe of God that he exists; because they do not trust and love God and do not make his purposes their own.

ibid. p.294

Heretics — those who hate God — contend against Christ.

Gospel Good News

NOW, after stating that everything must be done in order, the Apostle Paul begins with the facts of the resurrection. AND note that he presents these FACTS as ‘of first importance.’

Facts:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:

1 Corinthians 15:3

that Christ died for our sins..
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 ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν 
Christ (christos) -- not simply JESUS or Lord or some other designation of His Person or earthly position. 
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The Apostle Paul makes “CHRIST” christos — central to his FACTS to the Corinthians, using this Messianic designation (in Greek) over sixty times in this epistle.

AND Paul’s protos point reminds us that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS

(the Person of Jesus) Christ ἀποθνῄσκω died [apothnēskō] (as all men and women do)
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-- AN INDISPUTABLE FACT --
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Then Christ’s apostle to the gentiles reminds:

ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν

hyper egō hamartia
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for our sins 
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Christ’s apostle continues logically with a REASON (remember, these are Greeks seeking wisdom in this) for this indisputable fact that Jesus died on a Cross (some twenty years before this).

And in his logical support of why Christ – the Messiah of the Jews – would do this, the Apostle cites God’s Holy written word:

“.. according to the Scriptures [γραφή – graphē].

AND logically following his FACT of Christ’s death Paul adds:

that he was buried,

that he was raised on the third day

in accordance with the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:4 ESV

Not such a big deal that Jesus was buried (although many criminals hung on Roman crosses were left as carrion for the carnivorous).

It is the RESURRECTION of Christ which always ignites the Promethean detractors of truth.

AND again Paul adds: “in accordance with the Scriptures.”

NOW Paul logically follows-up from presenting his facts to the truthful testimony of eye witnesses.

ὁράω – HE appeared:
1. to Cephas (Peter)
2. the Twelve (Jesus’ Disciples)
3. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.
4. to James (Jesus’ half-brother)
5. then to all the apostles.
6. the Apostle Paul
Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Corinthians 15:8-9 ESV

We Preached + you believed the facts

In the Apostle’s ‘reminder’ written to the believing saints of the church in Corinth, Paul begins with just the facts — provides witnesses — and now preaches once more what many had proclaimed in person.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.

On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians 15:10-11 ESV

SINCE ~AD 33 — and for all these years of our Lord since — MANY WITNESSES of One Lord — have Preached and Proclaimed

Jesus Christ crucified for our sins, buried, and raised from the dead — appearing, in fact, to many witnesses.

and (when we preached)

— you believed!

But the Apostle is NOT FINISHED with this all-important proclamation of the Good FACTS of the Resurrection.

NEXT, Paul will continue with the certainty of the resurrection of the dead.. and you must consider what this will mean to your own faith and mortal life.

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
May 15, 2025
From Palm Sunday to Pentecost
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No, your not looking at the wrong picture. 
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NEXT – Pentecost 2025 of the Common Era
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Doesn't Holy Week from Palm Sunday to EASTER look about the same every year? 
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I wrote a SERIES for Lent last year too — which of course culminated with Easter Sunday.

King for a Common Era Holy Week – 1
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Check it out (from Easter, 2024) if you'd like. 
SON-MAN RISEN! 
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And my LATEST POSTS in 2025 CE reflect an OLD TESTEMENT approach to LENT, also concluding with a look at Resurrection Sunday.

Our focus for EASTER 2025 CE has been from the Gospel of John (just before your familiar memorized verse).

Gospel of John 3:14 ESV

Lifted up + Earthly things you do not believe

But what did JESUS do next?

IF you have READ my 2025 CE EASTER post (above), then you may realize that the GOSPEL — in John’s case — has been preached for a number of years.

~ A.D. 85 – the Gospel of APOSTLE JOHN

Do the math and you will easily see that since Christ rose from death sometime around AD 30-33 according to most historical estimates, then EASTER had been celebrated by saints of The Way for OVER 50 YEARS by the time the Apostle recorded:
- his Gospel,
- three epistles to the Church and
- the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John!
  - – with specific mention of the witness of saints of seven churches as examples to us.
To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs,

appearing to them over a period of forty days

and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Acts of the Apostles 1:3 NASB95

φανερόω – JESUS Manifested

After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way:

.. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Gospel of John 21:1 ,14 CSB

The Apostle Peter writes:

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you.

1 Peter 1:20 CSB

And last of all — as to the untimely birth — he appeared also to me, writes the Apostle Paul.

1 Corinthians 15:8 YLT
- JESUS’ historical crucifixion on a Roman cross is an undisputable fact.
- Christ’s resurrection after three days — in His recognizable resurrection body, with the wounds of the Cross –– and in the very Spirit of the same JESUS of Nazareth — the Son of Man known personally to hundreds of disciples and thousands of first century witnesses — is true and verifiable fact REJECTED by those who also deny the One Living God of all creation and all of its created.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

..but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Gospel of John 17a,18b CSB

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Gospel of John 3:14-15 CSB

Lifted up + Earthly things you do not believe

Father, Son and Pentecost

John closes his proclamation and witness of Apostolic Good News:

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his {Jesus’] testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the [scrolls] that would be written.

Gospel of John 21:24-25 CSB

JESUS also said,

“..The one who has seen me has seen the Father.

AND as you know from our 2025 Easter post, the Lord challenged Nicodemus:

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

Now through the testimony of both Peter and John recorded by Luke in Acts of the Apostles we will glance at the Trinity and introduction of the Spirit on Pentecost ~AD 33.

40 days, and then Pentecost

And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

.. they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.

[Two angels instructed the Eleven]

..” This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

Excerpt from ACTS of the Apostles 1 BSB
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Are you who do not believe intimidated by that? 

Perhaps you should believe in the Lord Christ Jesus, who will return finally for the Judgment. 
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The Holy Spirit at Pentecost –
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The following from Bible Hub Book Summary of ACTS 2: 

Please consider its Gospel application in your own brief mortal life. - RH 
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Acts 2 is a powerful chapter that introduces the Holy Spirit’s dynamic presence in the lives of believers and demonstrates the transformation it brings. The followers of Jesus move from being a fearful, waiting group to a bold, active community witnessing for Christ. The chapter underscores the compelling power of the Gospel message and the magnetic draw of a loving, unified, and Spirit-led community. This chapter serves as a timeless model for the Church, inspiring us to be led by the Spirit, devoted to God’s Word, committed to fellowship, and actively involved in meeting the needs of those around us.

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples are together when a sound like a violent wind fills the house, and they see what seems to be tongues of fire that separate and rest on each of them. Filled with the Holy Spirit, they start to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enables them. A diverse crowd gathers, bewildered because each person hears their native language spoken. Some are amazed and wonder what it means, while others mock the disciples, suggesting they are drunk.

https://biblehub.com/bsb/acts/2.htm

πεντηκοστή – Pentecost = “the fiftieth day”

WE love festivals, don’t we? Pentecost was another festival that brought the Jews to Jerusalem a little over a month after the Passover feast.
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more... 
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- ~ AD 33
When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

ACTS of the Apostles 2:1 CSB
- ~ AD 55
Paul writes to the Corinthians,

“But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost,
- ~ AD 57
For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, for the day of Pentecost.

Acts of the Apostles 20:16 CSB

Sailing Home on the Aegean

The CHURCHES and their saints in every place have become dear to the Apostles — including Paul.

But for those early years after the RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus Christ +++ Pentecost continued to provide evidence and witness of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Twenty years after Christ’s ascension now — twenty years after the first signs of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem on Pentecost — and during the remaining years of the mortal lives of the Apostles PENTECOST provided the saints of The Way a gospel witness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ — who will come again in GLORY at the last Day.

What’s NEXT in our witness to the world in 2025 CE?
- Lord-willing, in MAY 2025 TalkofJESUS series from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians will continue.
  - (We will not continue in Paul’s second letter.)
Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians – Featured Series
- 2025 CE Summer TOPICAL SERIES to be announced
- August 2025 – some personal updates from Roger Harned, our author and moderator of TalkofJESUS.com
- AND, of course, more DOCTRINE for your discernment
  - & SCRIPTURE as written with secure links to our sources from better theologians than me.
Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

(You who believe)
April 30, 2025