GOSPEL BASICS - 4

ANOTHER GOSPEL

When we consider what is being preached in the streets today, we know clearly that many of these overzealous preachers or evangelists weren't properly brought up in the understanding of the gospel basics.

Just this week alone, I had observed different scenarios of men and women preaching with "bell", "megaphone", "bible", “aprons” and so on at various street junctions. Some of these people even go further into the streets jingling their bell as they speak "unsound" words, thereby presenting “another gospel” to the people. This is becoming too alarming, and just for us to be able to address the issue the way we can, we shall now examine the implications of another gospel. You can do well to share these teaching series with anyone of them you know, we appreciate their zeal and time for the Lord, but they should not add more woes to the problem they should be solving.

Just for a reminder, we have discussed in previous lessons, that THE GOSPEL IS ALL CENTERED ON JESUS CHRIST AND HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK. That he is the one who has reconciled us back to God and that anyone who believes in him, receives eternal life as a result.  Therefore, if there is any other preaching that is outside the confines of these, and it is presented as the gospel, such gospel is called ANOTHER GOSPEL.

Now, some of the men of unsound knowledge we mentioned in the opening began to preach another gospel during the days of Paul the apostle. Let us see what the apostle said concerning it.

Galatians 1:6 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."

Here we see that what we call "another gospel" is actually a PERVERSION of the true gospel. The gospel of Christ is hinged upon "grace". That God has justified those who believe in Jesus Christ. So because, a legal and moral mind finds this very offensive, they pervert this truth by adding to it or twisting it to look complex.

The gospel of salvation is simpler than anything on earth - just believe in Jesus and be saved. This simplicity is the headache that Satan has, he therefore moves men who are likeminded to alter this simplicity by adding some ordinances, and one of these ordinances which is very common is baptism. 

There is no “baptism compulsion” in the requirement for salvation. That is, the gospel is about the finished works alone, there is nothing that is needed to be added to what has been finished.

Similarly, there is no “forsaking of sins” in the requirement for salvation. You don’t preach to a sinner to forsake their sins, and call it the gospel. A sinner cannot forsake their sins; they come to Christ with their sins, and then receive justification. The only requirement for salvation is BELIEVING THE GOSPEL of Jesus Christ and his finished works, and that the only message we should preach. That was why Paul became offended by those who have been "removed" from the gospel he first preached to them.

A popular hymn reads “Jesus only is our message…” any other message is therefore another gospel.

So Paul went further, he said...

"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."

Accursed? Yes! If you know what it means to pervert the gospel of Christ, then you will agree that truly those who do so will be accursed. However, the statement of Paul here is a repercussion and not really a curse per say. Those who pervert and preach "another gospel" will face this repercussion.

It is very excruciating that someone will open his mouth to preach things that neither Christ nor the apostles preach. Throughout the NT, there was no where recorded that the gospel was preached and it did not save any. But what you see in this generation at crusades is very different. Evangelists make "alter calls" (there is nothing like that in the bible anyway), and yet no one will be there. Their gospel which is "another" has no power. To some, it is a motivational speech, to others it is like a verdict, to some it is a cry about the fires of hell, to some it is an announcement for making heaven. Unsound and unskillful preachers everywhere with diversity in gospel messages - this is the mess we have seen, and this is what we are trying to address.

Finally brethren, be reminded that NO OTHER GOSPEL CONTAINS THE POWER THAT CAN SAVE MAN, except the gospel of Christ and his finished works. Make sure you learn about it, if you would preach at all.

Amen.

(c) Philip Oklu