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What the Gospel
Is And Is Not
Just what is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? That is the
most important of all questions because upon it hinges the eternal
destiny of our souls. If we do not OBEY that Gospel, we are damned for
all eternity:
"... the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power" [2Thess 1:7-9]
However, even if we know what the Gospel is, we cannot
obey the Gospel perfectly in and of ourselves. Wonderfully, Jesus Christ
obeyed the Gospel perfectly, on behalf of those He came to save. Those
whom Christ saves, are then supposed go out into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature - to all those whom God puts in their path
as they journey through life. Therefore believers in Christ need to know
what this Gospel is so that they can present it to others, as clearly and
accurately as possible.
Many people, who may be genuine Christians, often do
not have a proper understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They do
not fully understand what it is that saves a soul or how it is that God
performs His work of salvation in a person. Just like Apollos, they need
to be instructed in the way of God more perfectly:
"And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at
Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to
Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being
fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the
Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in
the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him
unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."
[Acts 18:24-26]
WHAT THE GOSPEL
IS NOT
A helpful way of understanding what the Gospel is, is
to point out some common misconceptions about salvation. The true Gospel
of Jesus Christ is none of the following, no matter how many people may
be saying these things:
1. God has a wonderful plan for your life.
2. God loves the sinner but hates the sin.
3. You can be saved anytime you want just by accepting Christ.
4. Say some "sinner's prayer" and if you really mean
it, you are saved.
5. Anyone who believes in God (according to just about any
religion) will get to heaven.
6. Anyone who is a "good" person will get to heaven.
7. Anyone who believes in Jesus and calls Jesus "Lord"
is a Christian.
Let us look in more detail at these things that the
Gospel is NOT:
Misconception #1: God has a wonderful plan for your
life.
In truth, God might a plan for your life that you may
not like in the least - if you are not among the "elect", those
whom Christ came to save. Even true believers are told throughout the
Bible that all who live godly lives in Christ can expect to be
persecuted, while the unsaved may live lives full of material blessings
and other blessings. Ultimately, those who die lost can expect their
lives in eternity to be most miserable...
Romans 9:22 - "What if
God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with
much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:"
Romans 2:5-6 - "But
after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath
against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:"
Prov 29:1 - "He,
that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be
destroyed, and that without remedy."
What is God's
plan for your life? Do you know? Are you seeking the Lord while He may be
found?
Misconception #2: God loves the sinner but hates the
sin.
In truth, God hates the workers of iniquity AND their
wicked works...
Psalm 5:5 - "The foolish
shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of
iniquity."
Psalm 11:5 - "The
LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his
soul hateth."
Prov 15:9 - "The
way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him
that followeth after righteousness."
Does God
love you or are you still spiritually lost and living according to your
own standards or your church's standards instead of according to the
Bible?
Misconception #3: You can be saved anytime you want
just by accepting Christ.
In truth, salvation is of the Lord (Jonah 2:9), not of
man. God alone determines who He will save and when He will save them.
God is the giver of all life, both physical life and spiritual life. No
One is born into His kingdom unless He orchestrates everything necessary
for that birth to occur...
1Cor 15:8 - "And
last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
John 1:13 - "Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God."
Eph 1:4-5 -
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in
love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,"
We don't accept Christ and His rule in our lives until
He first accepts us and converts our rebellious hearts:
Ephesians 1:5 - "Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of
the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved."
Has
Christ accepted you yet? How do you know?
Misconception #4: Say some "sinner's prayer"
and if you really mean it, you are saved.
In truth, God will have mercy on whom He will have
mercy. God doe not owe anyone salvation. Nor does a person's prayer cause
God to do something, otherwise that person would be more sovereign than
God...
Romans 9:15,18 - "For he
saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will
have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 18 Therefore hath he
mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth."
Daniel 4:35 - "And all
the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth
according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the
inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him,
What doest thou?"
Your motives for saying some prayer may be entirely
selfish. You may have no desire whatsoever to repent and come under the
Lordship of Christ - you may only be trying to avoid judgment without
having to turn from your sins. In fact, since the human heart is so
corrupt and so easily deceived, you may not even know what you are really
saying or doing, for as the Bible says:
Jeremiah 17:9 - "The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know
it?"
Proverbs 28:9 - "He that
turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be
abomination."
When you
pray, do you know if God hears you? Your prayers are an abomination to
God if you are still living in rebellion to Him.
Misconception #5: Anyone who believes in God (according
to just about any religion) will get to heaven.
In truth, you must believe in Jesus, the Jesus of the
Bible, and Him alone. Believing in a man made Jesus such as the Jesus of
Catholicism, Mormonism, or Jehovah's Witnesses will save no one...
Acts 4:12 - "Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved."
John 14:6 - "Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me."
John 14:9 - "Jesus
saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not
known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how
sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?"
Acts 17:2-3 - "And
Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned
with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must
needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus,
whom I preach unto you, is Christ."
Acts 2:36 -
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath
made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Col 1:13 - "Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his
blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible
God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before
all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the
body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that
in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father
that in him should all fulness dwell;"
Gal 1:8 - "But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than
that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
John 4:24 - "God is
a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth."
When, and only when God converts a sinner, do they
have a proper relationship to God and do they accurately understand who
Christ is, especially as their Lord, as eternal God, who became their
sin-bearer, their substitute and all-sufficient Saviour from the eternal
wrath of an infinitely holy God. So, only a converted sinner whom God has
put His Spirit in, is capable of believing in God properly - in spirit
and in truth.
Which God
do you believe in? The God of the Bible or a god invented by you or your
church.
Misconception #6: Anyone who is a "good"
person will get to heaven.
In truth, no one is good in God's eyes...
Romans 3:10&23 - "As
it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ... 23 For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"
Isaiah 64:6 - "But we
are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind,
have taken us away."
Isaiah 59:1-2 - Behold, the
LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy,
that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and
your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
hear."
God's standards of righteousness and holiness are far
higher than man's standards. According to God's standard, committing just
ONE sin qualifies a person for hell for all eternity:
James 2:10 - "For
whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is
guilty of all."
God expects perfection, something we are all incapable
of:
Matt 5:48 - "Be ye
therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect."
This puts us in a hopeless situation, unless Christ
grants us a complete pardon for all our sins but that pardon cannot be
granted without someone paying for our sins. That someone is Christ who
paid the complete penalty for all the sins of all of His people:
Matt 1:21 - "And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins."
Are you
one of His people? How do you know?
Misconception #7: Anyone who believes in Jesus and
calls Jesus "Lord" is a Christian.
In truth, if God does not convert the person's heart,
they are none of His. They must have been born spiritually by the Spirit
of God, so that they know the One whom they believe in and so that they
will be able, willing and anxious to serve Him as their Lord. They must
serve Christ according to what the Bible says, not necesssarily according
to what their church may teach...
Matt 7:21-23 - "Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
James 2:19 - "Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also
believe, and tremble."
Do you
believe in the Jesus who saves people without the help of anyone else?
WHAT IS THE
GOSPEL?
The Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ is God's plan
of salvation. However, God's plan of salvation can be summarized as
follows:
1. ALL are spiritually lost - all have sinned and are unfit for
heaven. (Rom. 3:10-23)
2. God is holy and NO SIN can be in His presence. So even one sin
qualifies me for eternal separation from God (James 2:10)
3. ETERNAL punishment in hell is the penalty for sin. (Luke
12:4-5, Rev. 14:11, Rev. 20:15)
4. No works, no human effort of any kind can provide salvation,
nor can anyone participate in their salvation (Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5,
Isa. 59:1-12, Rom. 10:3)
5. Only a Divine substitute who takes the punishment for ALL my
sins can eliminate the need for me to go to hell (Isa. 43:11, Isa. 63:5)
6. Jesus Christ - and ONLY Christ - is that Divine substitute -
the "Lamb of God". (Isa. 43:11, Luke 2:11, Acts 4:12, Isa. 53,
John 1:29, Titus 2:13, 3:6)
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me
draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
God is the One
who gives us eye salve and opens our blind eyes to the truth of who God
is and who we are and He does this by resurrecting our spiritually dead
soul:
John 11:25 - "Jesus said unto her, I am
the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me
shall never die. Believest thou this?"
God does it all
when it comes to a person becoming saved:
Ezekiel 36:25 - "Then will I sprinkle clean
water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from
all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26 A new heart also will I give you,
and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I
will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and
ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."
John 16:7 - "Nevertheless I tell you the
truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And
when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment"
God has chosen to
use believers to get the Word of God out, to sow it in men's hearts:
Mark 4:15 - "And these are they by the
way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, satan cometh
immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their
hearts."
Once we have
preached the Gospel to someone it is up to God to do what He wills with
our seed sowing. Nevertheless, we are obligated to pray to the Lord of
the harvest to send out workers to water the seed that we sow and to pray
to God to have mercy on the souls of men just as Moses interceded for
Israel. When it is God's time to save someone, He will give them new life
from above. He will put His Spirit in them.
What Gospel are YOU trusting in?
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him
be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any
other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed." [Galatians 1:8-9]
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