“No other Gospel” Just as the Apostle Paul, we live in a - TopicsExpress



          

“No other Gospel” Just as the Apostle Paul, we live in a pluralistic culture. There are many different religions, thoughts and theologies believed, even in our churches. With the many different religions and beliefs in America, one could see how the average seeker could become confused as to what the Bible actual teaches. The Apostle Paul wrote in a letter to the churches in Galatia, in which he stated “that if any man” or even angel for that matter “preaches any other Gospel to you let him be accursed” Gal. 1:8-9. There seems to be many different Gospels preached today in our churches, some more subtle than others. First is the most popular and prevalent Gospel preached today. It is “the Health and Wealth Gospel” that is preached especially by many Televangelists and Mega Churches (not all but many). This Gospel simply states that if you have enough faith you will never be sick and if you do get sick, believe hard enough and you will be healed. This however is contradicted by 2Cor. 12:7-9 where the Apostle Paul begged God three times to remove “a thorn in the flesh” and God’s reply was “my grace is sufficient for thee.” Then the wealth part. If becoming a Christian made you wealthy, we would not have to evangelize because people would flock to our churches. Hebrews 11:37 says that many of the heroes of faith were destitute and treated evil as well as lived in caves and wore goatskins and sheepskins but that the world was not worthy of them. Secondly is the “Gospel of self-help.” Preachers preach all kinds of sermons on how to be a better person. They rarely speak of sin because they do not want anyone to feel guilty and actually preach sermons as if everyone is saved they just don’t know it but just need a little guidance.. The problem is that self-help is really no help. Self is what the problem was to begin with. The Bible speaks of the flesh which can also be translated “sin nature” or “ego”. It is that part of us that says we can live without God. We all know our ego can get us into a lot of trouble. Just let someone challenge us or out do us at something or push the right button and that ego “flesh” comes out. The Bible teaches in Galatians 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”. Psychology cando nothing to defeat sin (the sin nature). Only the Spirit of God can break the power of sin in our life. Thirdly is an erroneous teaching that is much more subtle. One that is gaining popularity in many Mega Churches (again not all) because it draws a lot of hurting people and as always promises more than it delivers. This particular teaching can be termed as a “Romancetizing of the Gospel”. It teaches of the Love of God only and leaves out any responsibility or accountability of man. It does away with the doctrines of hell, a final judgment (except for bad people like murders or child molesters), or repentance. The major problem comes when life experience doesn’t line up with the theology that has been believed. I have seen well-meaning people that have had tragedy come into their lives wrestle with what they believe because bad things was not supposed to happen them. God loved them too much to let anything bad happen to them. Now they feel betrayed by God and many times walk away from the faith. So we are left with the lingering question “What is the true Gospel ?”. 1Corinthians 15:3-4 says “for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”. The true Gospel is the good news that God did for us what we could not do for ourselves. That is remove the sin barrier between us and God. He revealed the God to us. The God that loves us even though we are sinners rebelling against His holy law. The God that died in our place. The God that gives new life in Christ and eternal life. The God that has promised to raise from the dead those who place their faith and trust in Christ in this life. But judgment and condemnation (hell) to those who reject him. John 3:16 states “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish have everlasting life”. John 3:18b “….. he that believeth not is condemned already,….”. My friend believe no other Gospel. God loves you and if you place your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation you to can have eternal life. It does not mean you will not have problems in this life or always have it easy but it does mean that God will always be working on your behalf. Rev. Raymond Steinkamp New Pine Grove Baptist Church
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 23:39:52 +0000

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