How does the Bible differ from the Gospel?

The return to the faith of the forefathers is accompanied by the filling of gaps in knowledge of the main definitions and provisions of our Orthodox faith. How is the bible different from the gospel? This question took me by surprise and I did not know the correct answer. The Gospel is often sold as a separate booklet, and in comparison with the Bible it looks timid. But if you open the first pages of the gospel, it becomes clear: it talks about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let's look at the difference between the Old and New Testaments that make up the Bible.

Structure

The Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament includes 50 writings, of which only 38 are recognized by the Orthodox Church as inspired by God, that is, canonical. Among the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are four Gospels, 21 Apostolic Epistles and the Acts of the Apostles.

The Gospel consists of four canonical texts, with the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke being called synoptic, and the fourth Gospel of John was written somewhat later and is fundamentally different from the others, but there is an assumption that it was based on an even more ancient text.

So what's the difference

Considering the above, it is not difficult to determine how the Old Testament, New Testament and Gospel differ. The Old Testament describes events before the birth of Jesus Christ: the creation of man, the Flood, Moses receiving the law. The New Testament contains a description of the coming of the Messiah and the future of humanity. The Gospel is the main structural unit of the New Testament, directly telling about the life path of the savior of mankind - Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus' sacrifice that Christians now do not have to adhere to the laws of the Old Testament: this obligation has been atoned for.

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Writing language

The Bible was written by different people over more than 1600 years, and, therefore, it combines texts in different languages. The Old Testament is predominantly written in Hebrew, but there are also writings in Aramaic. The New Testament was written primarily in ancient Greek.

The Gospel is written in Greek. However, one should not confuse that Greek not only with the modern language, but also with the one in which the best works of antiquity were written. This language was close to the ancient Attic dialect and was called the “Koine dialect.”

Time of writing

In fact, today it is difficult to determine not only the decade, but also the century of writing of the Holy Books.

Thus, the earliest manuscripts of the Gospel date back to the second or third centuries AD, but there is evidence that the evangelists, whose names appear under the texts, lived in the first century. There is no evidence that the manuscripts were written at this time, except for a few quotations in texts dating from the late first to early second centuries.

With the Bible the question is simpler. It is believed that the Old Testament was written in the period from 1513 BC to 443 BC, and the New Testament from 41 AD to 98 AD. Thus, to write this great book it took not just one year or a decade, but more than one and a half thousand years.

What is the Gospel?

As is already known, the Gospel is a description of the life path of Christ.

Why did some of the Gospels become canonical, and others not? The fact is that these four Gospels have practically no contradictions, but simply describe slightly different events. If the writing of a certain book by the apostle is not questioned, then the church does not prohibit familiarization with the apocrypha. But such a Gospel cannot become a moral guide for a Christian.

Gospel

There is an opinion that all the canonical Gospels were written by Christ's disciples (apostles). In fact, this is not so: for example, Mark was a disciple of the Apostle Paul and is one of the seventy equal to the apostles. Many religious dissidents and supporters of “conspiracy theories” believe that churchmen deliberately hid the true teachings of Jesus Christ from people.

In response to such statements, representatives of traditional Christian churches (Catholic, Orthodox, some Protestant) respond that first we need to figure out which text can be considered the Gospel. It was to facilitate the spiritual search of a Christian that a canon was created that protects the soul from heresies and falsifications.

Authorship

Every book, every text has an author. But who, then, is the author of the Bible?

A believer, without hesitation, will answer that “The Bible is the word of God.” It turns out that the author is the Lord God himself. Then where does the Bible include, say, the Wisdom of Solomon or the Book of Job? It turns out there is more than one author? It is assumed that the Bible was written by ordinary people: philosophers, farmers, soldiers and shepherds, doctors and even kings. But these people had a special inspiration from God. They did not express their own thoughts, but simply held a pencil in their hands while the Lord moved their hand. And yet, each text has its own writing style, it feels like they belong to different people. Undoubtedly, they can be called authors, but still they had God himself as a co-author.

For a long time, no one doubted the authorship of the Gospel. It was believed that the texts were written by four Evangelists, whose names are known to everyone: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In fact, they cannot be called authors with complete certainty. What is known for certain is that all the actions described in these texts did not take place with the personal testimony of the evangelists. Most likely, this is a collection of so-called “oral literature”, told by people whose names will forever remain a secret. This is not the final point. Research in this area continues, but today many clergy have preferred to tell parishioners that the Gospel was written by unknown authors.

New Testament

Without being able to more thoroughly illuminate the different aspects of the Christian teaching of the Apostle Paul, we will limit ourselves to quotes from his messages that are predominantly moral in nature. In them, as we will see, the apostle explains what true spiritual life consists of and what a Christian should strive for. For convenience, we present these quotations in alphabetical order by topic so that the reader can easily find the teaching of the Apostle Paul that he needs.

About the grace of God and spiritual gifts:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Because you did not receive the spirit of slavery to live in fear again, but you received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry: “Abba, Father!” This very Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom. 8:14-16);

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and the services are different, but the Lord is the same; and the actions are different, but God is one and the same, producing everything in everyone. But everyone is given the manifestation of the Spirit for their benefit. To one is given the word of wisdom by the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to others gifts of healings by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another divers tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Yet all these things are done by one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one individually as He pleases” (1 Cor. 12:4-11);

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2, 11–13);

See also: Rome. 5, 2; 1 Cor. 12, 1–11; 2 Cor. 3, 5; 2 Cor. 4, 7; 2 Cor. 6, 1–2; 2 Cor. 8, 9; Gal. 3, 5; Eph. 4, 7–12; Phil. 2, 13; Heb. 4, 16; Heb. 12, 15.

On attitude towards wealth:

“Have a disposition that does not love money, being content with what you have. For He Himself said: I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5);

Life is a spiritual war:

“Put on the whole armor of God, so that you can stand against the wiles of the devil, because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in high places. For this purpose, take on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on the evil day and, having done everything, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girded with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; and above all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery arrows of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:11-17);

See also: 1 Thess. 5, 4–8; 2 Cor. 10, 3–5; Col. 2, 14–15.

Faith and its meaning:

“Through whom” (Christ) “by faith we have gained access to that grace in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:2);

“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10);

“For we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7);

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has power, but faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6);

“For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8);

“Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6);

See also: Rome. 3, 28–30; Rome. 14, 23; 2 Cor. 13, 5; Gal. 2, 16; Gal. 3, 26; Eph. 6, 16; Heb. 11, 1.

About the resurrection of the dead:

1 Cor. 15, 12–57; 2 Cor. 5, 1–10; 1 Thess. 4, 13–18; Phil. 3, 10–11; Phil. 3, 20–21; Heb. 2, 14–15; Heb. 4, 1–11.

About the second coming of Christ:

1 Thess. 5, 1–3; 2 Thess. 1, 6–10.

About virginity and marriage:

1 Cor. 7, 1–17.

About good deeds:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So, while we have time, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the family of the faith” (Gal. 6:9-10);

“So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31);

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to walk in” (Eph. 2:10);

“Do not forget also to do good and communicate, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Heb. 13:16);

See also: Eph. 6, 8; Phil. 2, 4; Col. 3, 23; Col. 4, 17; 1 Thess. 5, 15; Titus 3, 14; Heb. 13, 1–3.

On thanksgiving to God:

“It is a great gain to be pious and content. For we have brought nothing into the world; It’s obvious that we can’t take anything out of it. Having food and clothing, we will be content with that. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and harmful lusts that plunge people into disaster and destruction; for the love of money is the root of all evil, which, having given themselves over, some have wandered away from the faith and subjected themselves to many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:6-10);

On spiritual renewal and Christian life:

“Admonish the rich in this age not to think highly of themselves and to put their trust not in unfaithful riches, but in the living God, who richly gives us all things for our enjoyment; so that they do good, become rich in good deeds, be generous and social, laying up for themselves treasure, a good foundation for the future, in order to achieve eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:17-19);

“As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer Jew or Gentile; there is neither slave nor free; there is no male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:27-29);

“Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; Set your mind on things above, and not on earthly things. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, appears, then you will appear with Him in glory. Therefore, put to death your members on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil lust and covetousness, which is idolatry, for which the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience, to whom you also once turned when you lived among them. And now you put everything aside: anger, rage, malice, slander, foul language of your lips; speak no lies to one another, having put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man, who is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but all and Christ is in everything. Therefore, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving each other if anyone has a complaint against anyone: just as Christ has forgiven you, so have you. Above all, put on love, which is the sum of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be friendly. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly with all wisdom; teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:1-17);

“Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say: rejoice. Let your meekness be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, my brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if there is any excellence or if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and heard and seen in me, do it, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil. 4:4-9);

“We also beseech you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil; but always seek the good of each other and everyone. Always be happy. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Don't quench the spirit. Do not disparage prophecies. Try everything, hold on to the good. Abstain from all kinds of evil" (1 Thess. 5:14-22).

In baptism the Christian dies to sin:

“There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:1-2);

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for they do not obey the law of God, and indeed cannot. Therefore those who live according to the flesh cannot please God. But you do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, then the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:5-10);

See also: 1 Cor. 5, 7–8; 2 Cor. 5, 17; Gal. 3, 27–29; Gal. 5, 16–26; Gal. 6, 8; Gal. 6, 15; Eph. 2, 1–6; Eph. 2, 14–15; Eph. 3, 16–17; Eph. 4:22–5:11; Eph. 5, 14; Col. 3, 1–17; Col. 3, 23–24; Phil. 2, 14–15; Phil. 3, 8–15; Phil. 3:17,3:20–21; Phil. 4, 4–9; Phil. 4, 11–13; 1 Thess. 5, 14–22.

On death to sin and baptism see also:

Rome. 6, 1–7; Rome. 8, 1–17, 32–34, Gal. 2:19–20,3:27; Col. 2, 11–14; 2 Tim. 2, 11–13.

On the unity of all believers:

“Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, and Sosthenes brother, to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place, with them and with us: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God continually for you, because of the grace of God which was given to you in Christ Jesus, because in Him you have been enriched in all things, in all speech and in all knowledge, for the testimony of Christ has been established in you, so that you lack no gift. , waiting for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will establish you to the end, so that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. I beseech you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same spirit and in the same thoughts” (1 Cor. 1:1-10);

“So, if there is any consolation in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the spirit, if there is any mercy and compassion, then complete my joy: have the same thoughts, have the same love, be unanimous and of the same mind; Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vanity, but out of humility, consider each other better than yourselves. Not only does everyone care about himself, but everyone also cares about others. For let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:1-5);

“If you bite and devour one another, take heed lest you be consumed by one another” (Gal. 5:15);

“If it is possible on your part, be at peace with all people” (Rom. 12:18);

See also: Eph. 4, 1–5; Eph. 4, 13; Phil. 1, 27.

The works of the law do not justify a man:

Rome. 3:19 and Galatians.

On attitudes towards life and death:

Phil. 1, 21–24.

Redemption by Christ and the Cross:

1 Cor. 1, 18–24; 1 Cor. 2, 2; Gal. 6, 14; Phil. 3, 18–19; Rome. 5, 10; Col. 1, 20–23; Heb. 5, 1–9; 2 Cor. 5, 19–21; Gal. 3, 13–14; Eph. 1, 7; Eph. 2, 16; Titus 2, 14; Heb. 9, 11–28; Heb. 10, 5; Heb. 10, 14–22.

Qualities and responsibilities of God's servants:

bishop (1 Tim. 3:1-7), presbyter (Tit. 1:5-9) and deacon (1 Tim. 3:8-13).

On meekness and forgiveness:

“Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give room to the wrath of God. For it is written: Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. So, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink: for by doing this you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:19-21);

“Let your meekness be known to all men. The Lord is near” (Phil. 4:5);

See also: Gal. 6, 1; Col. 3, 12; 2 Tim. 2, 25.

About love for God:

“Who will separate us from the love of God: tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? as it is written: For Your sake they kill us every day; we are counted as sheep doomed to the slaughter. But we overcome all this through the power of Him who loved us. For I am confident that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor the present, nor the future, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35–39).

About love for neighbors:

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, then I am like a ringing brass or a sounding cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries, and have all knowledge and all faith, so that I could move mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing. And if I give away all my property and give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good. Love is patient, merciful, love does not envy, love is not arrogant, is not proud, is not rude, does not seek its own, is not irritated, does not think evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ceases, although prophecies will cease, and tongues will be silent, and knowledge will be abolished” (1 Cor. 13:1-8);

“For the whole law is contained in one word: love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:14);

About prayer:

“Be constant in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2);

See also: Rome. 8, 26–27; Eph. 5, 19–20; Eph. 6, 18; 1 Tim. 2:1–3,2:8; Heb. 13, 15.

About the wisdom of God in the salvation of man:

1 Cor. 4–16; 1 Cor. 3, 18–21; Eph. 1, 17–19; Eph. 3, 18–19; Eph. 1, 15–17; Col. 19; Col. 2, 3; Col. 3, 16.

About courage:

“And do not be afraid of your opponents in anything: this is a sign of destruction for them, but for you of salvation. And this is from God” (Phil. 1:28);

About the worthlessness of those who live lazily:

Heb. 6, 4–8; Heb. 10, 26–31.

About the reward for virtue:

Rome. 2, 6–17.

On justification by faith and grace:

Gal. 2, 16–21; Gal. 3, 18–26; Titus 3, 4–7.

About responsibility:

Rome. 2, 6–17.

About Christ and His two natures:

Col. 1, 15–20; Col. 2, 9; Phil. 2, 5–11; Heb. 1, 1–4; Heb. 2, 7–11.

About the last times and the Antichrist:

2 Thess. 2, 1–12; 1 Tim. 4, 1–2; 2 Tim. 3, 1–5.

About the meaning of feat, about fasting and mortification of sinful flesh:

“I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good will of God. acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:1-2);

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the reward? So run to get it. All ascetics abstain from everything: those to receive a perishable crown, and we to receive an incorruptible crown. And that’s why I don’t run in the wrong way, I don’t fight in a way that just beats the air; but I subdue and enslave my body, so that, while preaching to others, I myself may not remain unworthy” (1 Cor. 9:24-27);

“But those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).

Holy Scripture is inspired by God:

(2 Tim. 3:15-16; Heb. 4:12).

On knowing God in nature:

(Rom. 1:19–32).

About helping those in need:

“I will say this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give according to the disposition of his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion; For God loves a cheerful giver. But God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound in every good work, as it is written: He lavished, he gave to the poor; his truth endures forever. He who gives seed to the sower and bread for food will give abundance to what you sow and will multiply the fruits of your righteousness, so that you will be rich in everything in all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God. For the work of this ministry not only replenishes the poverty of the saints, but also produces abundant thanksgiving to God in many” (2 Cor. 9:6-12);

See also: 1 Cor. 16, 1–4; 2 Cor. 8, 11–15.

Examples of the faith of former righteous people:

Heb. 11:1–12:3.

About the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ:

1 Cor. 10, 16–17; 1 Cor. 11, 23–32.

About joy:

“The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17);

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace” (Gal. 5:22);

“Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say: Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4).

About Christian freedom:

“Stand fast therefore in the freedom which Christ has given us, and do not be subjected again to the yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1);

“You have been called to freedom, brethren, so that your freedom does not become a pretext for pleasing the flesh, but serve one another through love” (Gal. 5:13);

“Beware, however, that this freedom of yours does not serve as a temptation to the weak. For if someone sees that you, having knowledge, are sitting at a table in a temple, then his conscience, as a weak one, will not dispose him to eat something sacrificed to idols? And because of your knowledge the weak brother for whom Christ died will perish. And by sinning in this way against your brothers and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. And therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to stumble” (1 Cor. 8:9-13);

About holiness, which we must strive for:

“What is the relationship between the temple of God and idols? For you are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell in them and walk in them: and I will be their God, and they will be my people... Therefore, beloved, having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in fear of God" (2 Cor. 6:16,7:1);

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication; so that each of you knows how to keep his own vessel in holiness and honor” (1 Thess. 4:3-4);

See also: 1 Cor. 6, 15–20; Eph. 14; Col. 1, 22–23; Heb. 10, 10; Heb. 10, 14; Heb. 12, 14–15.

About the family and the responsibilities of its members:

Eph. 5, 22–33; Eph. 6, 1–4; Col. 3, 18–21; 1 Tim. 2, 9–15.

On the meaning of sorrows and temptations:

“Through whom we have gained access by faith into that grace in which we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that from tribulation comes patience, from patience experience, from experience hope” (Rom. 5:2-4);

“Consider Him who endured such reproach at the hands of sinners, lest you grow weary and faint in your souls. You have not yet fought to the point of blood, struggling against sin, and have forgotten the consolation that is offered to you as sons: my son! do not despise the Lord’s punishment, and do not lose heart when He reproaches you. For the Lord punishes whomever he loves; he beats every son whom he receives. If you suffer punishment, then God treats you as sons. For is there any son whom his father does not punish? If you remain without punishment, which is common to everyone, then you are illegitimate children, not sons. Moreover, if we, being punished by our carnal parents, were afraid of them, then should we not much more submit to the Father of spirits in order to live? They punished us arbitrarily for a few days; and He is for our benefit, so that we may share in His holiness. Any punishment at the present time seems not to be joy, but sadness; but afterwards he brings to those who are taught the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore strengthen your hanging hands and weak knees, and walk straight with your feet, so that what is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be made whole” (Heb. 12:3-13);

See also: Rome. 5, 2–4; 2 Cor. 4, 8–18; 2 Cor. 1, 3–6; 2 Cor. 7, 10; 2 Cor. 12, 10; 1 Thess. 3, 3–4; 2 Thess. 1, 6–7; 2 Tim. 3, 12; Heb. 2, 18; Heb. 4, 15; Heb. 13, 12–14.

About humility:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility of mind consider each other better than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3);

See also: Rome. 12, 16; 1 Cor. 1, 26–31, Col. 3, 12.

About leniency and helping each other:

"Brethren! If a person falls into any sin, you who are spiritual, correct him in the spirit of meekness, each one watching himself, so as not to be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:1-2).

On maintaining a clear conscience:

“I am teaching you, my son Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were made about you, this testament, that you should fight in accordance with them as a good soldier, having faith and a good conscience, which some rejected and suffered shipwreck in their faith” (1 Tim. 1:18 -19);

You can't sue or quarrel:

1 Cor. 6, 1–7.

Christians are sons of God:

Gal. 4, 7; Eph. 2, 18.

About patience:

“But you, brothers, do not lose heart in doing good” (2 Thess. 3:13);

About hard work:

“If anyone does not want to work, neither should he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10);

See also: 1 Thess. 4, 10–12; 1 Tim. 5, 8.

So, the letters of the Apostle Paul are a rich source of spiritual wisdom and inspiration. There seems to be no religious truth that would not be illuminated and explained in his works. Moreover, these truths are presented by the apostle not as abstract theological concepts, but as facts of faith that inspire a person to a righteous life. Responding to specific problems faced by first-century Christians, the letters of the Apostle Paul serve as valuable additions to the Gospels. They explain how to actually overcome the inevitable trials in life, how to realize high Christian ideals, and what is the essence of Christian achievement. They describe in living language the life and exploits of the first Christians, the formation of Christian communities, and give a complete image of the Church of Christ in apostolic times. The letters of the Apostle Paul are no less valuable for their autobiographical notes. From them it is clear how the apostle applied in his personal life the high Christian principles that he preached, which contributed to his spiritual growth, which helped his missionary work, where he drew spiritual strength. The success of the apostle’s missionary activity was facilitated by his ability to concentrate all his great talents, mental and physical strength on one goal - serving Christ - and his complete surrender to the guidance of the grace of Christ, which gave him inspiration and strength to overcome all external obstacles and his own weaknesses. The grace of God helped him convert a significant part of the Roman Empire to Christ. Through the prayers of the Apostle Paul, may the Lord enlighten us and have mercy on us!

Summarizing the content of the Book of Acts and the Apostolic Epistles, both the Council Epistles and the Apostle Paul, it must be said that they all persistently convince Christians to remain in spiritual unity with the grace-filled society founded by the Savior and called the Church. The path to salvation is open to all believers by the incarnate Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shed His most pure blood to atone for human sins and gave the Church the Comforter Spirit. To be saved, a person must follow the path indicated by Christ. At the same time, he does not go alone, but together with other survivors and uses the help of a gracious society, receiving the necessary guidance from its shepherds. The main properties of the society of those being saved are: a) the new life they receive in communion with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ; b) staying in spiritual light – i.e. in the purity of the gospel truth and in mutual love. Outside the Church there is darkness of error, sin and hatred. This is an area dominated by the devil, the prince of this world. Living the grace-filled life of the Church, a Christian grows spiritually, improves, and for his deeds of faith, patience, and for his good deeds is awarded eternal life.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

The Gospel is an integral part of the Bible and refers to the texts of the New Testament.
The Bible is an earlier scripture, begun in the 15th century BC and spanning 1600 years.
The Gospel describes only the life of Jesus Christ on earth and His ascension to heaven; the Bible, in addition, tells about the creation of the world, about the participation of the Lord God in the life of the Jews, teaches us to bear responsibility for each of our actions, etc.
The Bible includes texts in different languages. The Gospel is written in ancient Greek.
The authors of the Bible are considered to be divinely inspired ordinary people; the authorship of the Gospel is controversial, although not so long ago it was attributed to the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.