What's NEW About the Good NEWs?

What would you say is new about the Gospel? What's new about the good news? Why is it new and why is it good?

Is it being justified through faith in Christ? 
Well, no. Abraham was justified by faith in Christ, when he believed and then obeyed the LORD who appeared to him back in Gen.15:6. The LORD who appeared to him was the Christ - the Son of God: Jn.1:18,8:56. Everyone who was saved in the "BC" age was saved like Abraham. The Law gave the Faithful a more detailed framework for expressing and enjoying that hope.

Is it that the Gentiles - the non Israelites are now included, where they were once excluded?
Again, no. Non-Israelites (known as aliens, foreigners, strangers or sojourners) had open access to offer sacrifice if they wanted it next to their Israelite counterparts, e.g. Lev.17:8.

God raised up Israel as a testimony to the creation of what he was up to in history. That's not the same as saying that the rest of the nations were excluded until the time of Christ's incarnation. Melchizedek, Jethro, and the Ninevites are all examples of non-Israelites whom God saved, even though they weren't part of the nation of Israel.

The exclusivity was a wicked later addition by the (satanic) traditions of Jews who came to view themselves as superior and separate from the rest of the world; denying the nations access to the Temple and bringing upon themselves the full fury of Jesus! (Isa.56:7, Mk.11:17, Matt.23:13).

So what is new?

What's new is that there is a Man in Heaven. This has never happened before - he is Jesus Christ, the righteous one. He is our Man at the right hand of God the Father! Those who want me to be tighter with my language would prefer that I say God-Man rather than just man, which is true, but don't let that take away from the weight of the fact that there is a fully human man - just like us not just before the throne of God, but ON the throne of God!

When Barack Obama became the first black president of the United States, there was huge rejoicing - particularly amongst ethnic minority groups in America.

Finally, there was someone in what is arguably the most powerful position in the world (humanly speaking) who was one of them. They fully anticipated from that point on that power and influence from which they had been excluded for so long, would now work on their behalf, for their good as well as for the good of all.

Whether those people feel that he has come through for them or not I don't know, nor is it the focus of this post. The focus is this: Jesus Christ is our Man in Heaven - ruling at the right hand of the Father (a symbolic way of saying on behalf of his Father) in the power of an indestructible life, and abundantly pouring out mercy, kindness and resurrection power upon all those who humble themselves before him. Heb.7:16,8:1.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16