The Two Gospels Explained

In The Two Gospels Explained, Michael E.B. Maher argues that while there is only one gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, there are two distinct gospels after salvation—one for Jewish believers and one for Gentile believers. This distinction arises from their different covenantal backgrounds before coming to Christ.

Gentiles enter the New Covenant with no prior covenant relationship with God. Therefore, they are not to observe the Law of Moses. Doing so brings them into bondage and sin. The Jerusalem council (Acts 15) confirmed that Gentile believers need only abstain from idols, blood, strangled meat, and sexual immorality.

Jewish believers, however, were born under the Law of Moses. God gives them grace to continue observing the Law (dietary rules, Sabbaths, circumcision) without sin, especially when weak in faith or seeking to win other Jews. Paul himself kept the Law as a Jew, while forbidding Gentiles from doing so.

Ultimately, all believers are one in Christ spiritually, but in this life, each should remain in the calling God gave them—Jewish or Gentile—without trying to cross over. Gentile believers who adopt Jewish laws fall from grace and risk separation from Christ.