The LOVE STORY - 3 (final)

RECIPROCATING THE LOVE OF GOD
March 2020

The Love of God demands that those who are recipient and have benefited from it should respond accordingly.
God’s love is not for show. Christ’s death, which is the Grace of God’s love, was for the sole purposed of adoptions of sons and reconciliation. All humanity has in one way or the other become partakers of the divine love of God. The love of God is for the whole world not for some set of people. Those who think God loves only the saints are void of proper biblical understanding. As a matter of fact God loves both the saints and the sinners. God’s love has no specific measurement for your moral ways. We have discussed that in the previous chapters, that God’s love is unconditional and independent of any man’s merit or qualification. So, we all need to come to this reality, God loves all of us equally. Have you forgotten how Jesus puts it? He said “For God so love the world” he never said, “For God so love the righteous in the world”

It is very unskilled to interpret the Old Testament judgments of God in the same line as the New Testament. Yes! This is because it has been noticed that some unskilled teachers of the word claim that although God is love, he seldom kills or punishes mercilessly. This is not a way of interpreting the scriptures. Covenants are an important principle in a good bible interpretation. Under the Old covenant, one should understand that The Love of God was still 100% active and potent but that Grace had not yet come. Jesus Christ came with Grace, so when Christ died, Love and grace became powerful into overriding every other dimension of God. I do not in anyone mean that God is not a righteous Judge as some have claimed. God is a righteous judge. But the judgment of the whole world was taken care of by Jesus Christ and in turn released Grace unto men. So God’s dimension of Judgment has been put on hold till the final day. God does not judge anyone now, except that those who have received eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus have been judged together with Him on the cross. It is done deal! It is a past tense thing! God loves the world, he is not judging anyone yet, and those who will face God’s judgment are those who reject Grace and Love.

So now that we are lucky recipients and beneficiaries, how do we respond to God’s love?

1. Love God: Loving God seem to be the most impossible task for many believers. This is because the methodology involved is not specifically stated in the bible.

Everyone knows, that when you claim to love someone, you care for such, relate with such in kindness, you become acquainted with such person that they become part of you. Even inanimate things, when loved, has the tendency to still away a great portion of one’s heart. However, loving God is the simplest thing everyone can do. Since God is not seen or visible to us, he gave us another alternative in loving him. To love God, you must love people around you. Simply put, loving God is loving man. Therefore if anyone wishes to respond to God’s love, he or she should respond by loving those who are in God’s Image and likeness. The idea is that, God cannot be loved because your love cannot satisfy him. Also that, you cannot see him, and this barrier would affect your love strength.

Therefore, since Jesus Christ (man-God) bought God’s love and Grace for humanity, therefore, when you love man, you love God.  This is as simple as abc.

2. Love your Neighbours: Neighbours are a fraction of the people that you ought to show love too according to the point one above. Nevertheless, neighbours are closer than any human being to us all. Our neighbours are almost like our families. The love of neighbours is demanded because it is the best way one can demonstrate one’s love. If you claim you love God, you ought to first show that by loving your neighbours.  Amen.

3. Love your Enemies: Loving enemies is like kissing a snake to some people. But only few people have ever thought of it, that there are really no enemies anywhere. Those whom we call enemies are actually innocent human beings under the influence of some evil force or spirit. No one was created or born into this world as an enemy. Therefore, it is demanded that believers love their enemies; those who mock, abuse or despise them. This is the way we can know that we have love. This is the only type of love among these three that is cannot be found among the unbelievers. If one claims to be a believer and does not love his or a he enemy, then such person is has a poor understanding of God’s love for humanity. This is why we are considered that first in the previous chapters. The idea in loving enemies; came from the fact that; we were once God’s enemies when he showed us love. He didn’t love us when we turned to his will; he loved us while we were far away from his will.

If you ask me, how do I live a kingdom lifestyle? I will ask you to begin with these three. Reciprocating God’s love is equal to living a lifestyle of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God was founded upon God’s love, Christ’ Grace and the Spirit’s Fellowship.

Interestingly, Jesus Christ, once taught these three points and repeatedly informed his disciples to lover God – which the greatest commandment. Also he added, that the only way people can know that they are his disciples is when they live a practical life of love. From records, they did well.

What about you?

THE END.

The LOVE STORY - 2

LOVE, GRACE & FELLOWSHIP
March 2020

When Jesus Christ was speaking in John chapter 3, he said in verse 16 “For God so love the world…” the word “so” is a modification of the word “love”, describing the weight and magnitude of God’s love for humanity. Jesus Christ said God did love us so much. This love was described and then manifested in the work of Grace. Jesus Christ is the custodian of this grace, and this grace gave us an opportunity to become one with the Godhead through fellowship. This is the eternal counsel of God.

Now, Jesus Christ went further in John 3:16 to say “that He (God) gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life”… the phrase “gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him” describes the Grace of Love been made available through faith. The Love of God produced the Grace of Christ. That is, the aim of God’s love is to unleash the grace that will bring about his intention - a kingdom of God in the hearts of men. Therefore God’s love has an end point – a family bound together in love through the amazing grace of the Jesus Christ.
It is interesting to note that, the Love of God is unconditional and does not depend on anyone’s merit. No man has merited and will ever merit this love.

God loved the world because he saw a great value in it. He saw a great kingdom in it. However, the world at this time does not look like it, so he made provision of grace to establish an intimacy through constant fellowship of the spirit with the people of the world. Those who have received this grace are already in fellowship with the love of God. This made Paul said in his benediction “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.” These three are the radar of man’s essence in life. All of our becoming is rooted in the love of God, the grace of Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

THE LOVE OF GOD

God is love. He is true love. How do we know? He loved us while were yet sinners. He loved us while we were yet enemies of his will. He loved us while we have gone astray. This kind of love is very uncommon in hearts of mere men. There is only “love” in the heart of God - Only love written upon the tablets of his heart.

Cory Asbury said “Oh the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God…” he is right! The love is a reckless one. Very reckless! God’s love is not the type we see all around today. God’s love compelled him to sacrifice his son Jesus Christ for us, while we were doomed in sin. God’s love made the death of Christ our death that his life might become our life. Love!

William McDowell said “How can I describe a God that’s indescribable, a love that’s unexplainable…?” of course William is right. You cannot explain God’s love.

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be propitiation for us””

THE GRACE OF CHRIST

How do you enjoy God’s love? – the love of God can only be accessed and enjoyed through the Grace of Christ.
The grace of Jesus Christ is the salvation package he gave upon his finished works on the cross. He died that you might live as a Son of God. When God loved the world, the love was not in touch with humanity until Jesus Christ died to make grace available to man. This grace was the channel through which man became one with God. This is the love of God accomplished.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLYSPIRIT

How do you experience God’s love continually? – The love of God can be constantly evident in one’s life through fellowship. The spirit of a believer is joined together with the Holy Spirit for fellowship. This mutual communion is the exercise that unleashes more and more depths of God’s love. Those who are easily fed up of life and God have for a long not been in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Constant fellowship, intimacy and communion with the Holy spirit of God is the key to experiencing God’s love continually in every sphere of life. This fellowship majorly depends on word study and prayers. Always pray in the Holy Ghost.

You would notice that the “Grace” is to Jesus Christ, the “love” is to God and “fellowship” is to the Holy Spirit. The Godhead had planned it long before time began, man and God have an ancient love story that all other creatures do not know about. The fallen angels were vexed beyond measure seeing the abundance of grace that was made available for humanity at the crucifixion unlike thiers. They saw LOVE, Grace and Fellowship been given to the sons of Men.

Now, this is the definition of God’s love – that he brought us into himself through the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ for eternal fellowship in the Kingdom of God. Halleluyah…

TO BE CONTINUED… 

The LOVE STORY - 1

GOD’S LOVE FOR HUMANITY

March 2020

What is man? What claim has one so weak, and frail, and short-lived, to be remembered by time? What is there in man that entitles him to so much notice? Why has God conferred on him so signal honor? Why has he placed him over the works of his hands? Why has he made so many arrangements for his comfort? Why has he done so much to save him? He is so insignificant his life is so much like a vapor, he so soon disappears, he is so sinful and polluted, that the question may well be asked, why such honor has been conferred on him, and why such a dominion over the world has been given him.

Why should a God who is so vast and glorious, and who has all the starry worlds, so beautiful and grand, to claim his attention - why should he turn his thoughts on man? And especially why should he honor him as he has done by giving him dominion over the works of his hands? What was man, as he was originally made, that such exalted honor should have been conferred on him; and what has any one of his descendants become, in virtue of his native faculties or acquired endowments, that he should be thus honored?

David said in the book of Psalms, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visit him?” This was a question by some angels to the sovereign God. They had observed something different about the relationship between God and man. This relationship was built upon a strong foundation of love. God’s thought is always about man! Man!! and man!!! Why is this so? The angels were curious to know. The phrase in the above scripture, “That thou visit him” means God is not forgetting him; not leaving him; not passing him by. The word used here is the Hebrew word - פקד pâqad – which properly express a visitation for mercy; for friendship. Here it refers to the attention bestowed by God on man in conferring on him such marks of favor and honor as he had done - such attention that he never seemed to forget him, but was constantly coming to him with some new proof of favor.
The question is - why is this so? Why did God love man so much? – because man is the apex of God’s creation. Man is the summary of God’s eternal counsel. The kingdom of God was meant to be a colony of man’s dominion.

Interestingly, God created the angels before man. They were created as ministering spirits. But for who? For God and for Man! God had another picture in mind as he was creating the angels - Man was created in the Image and Likeness of God. Man was made to be like God himself in dominion and authority. This is the first clue in understanding God’s love for humanity. Man was God’s offspring brought into physical existence for a purpose of relationship and government. Man evolved out of the Godhead. Before time began, man was in the mind and plan of God. God told Prophet Jeremiah for example, that he (God) knew him (Jeremiah) and also that he (God) ordained him (Jeremiah) before he was formed in his mother’s womb. When God said in Genesis, “Let us make man…” he was only mentioning a concluded agreement among the Godhead. They must have discussed about man long before this time. If I would paraphrase the sentence, it would read “And God said, the man we discussed about and we agreed upon, let us make him in our own Image and Likeness”. So God brought man (already existing in him) into physical existence. God’s love for humanity is vested upon the truth that he created man for the sole purpose of relationship and family. Man was the apex of God’s creation. As seen by John, the twenty-four elders in the book of revelation said “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” Just in case you have never thought of it, all of God’s creation was just because of man. The earth and everything in it was created for man. Man has a special place in the heart of God. Therefore humanity must come to this understanding.

I have taught this many times, that – God performed two experiments with two of his top creations – Angels and Man. Talking about the rebellion of the fallen angels; I have called it the experiment of Holiness. This is because when the angels thought to lead a revolt against God’s kingdom, they were banished, expelled forever out of God’s presence. As close as their leader (Lucifer) was to God, he casted him away. On the other hand, God performed another experiment with man. It is the experiment of Love. He manifested his love through man. God chose to reveal his love nature to all his creatures but through man. See what man did compared to the angles - Man handed the dominion of the earth to darkness (Satan). Yet, God chose to forgive him. Man committed treason, but God chose to love him unconditionally still. “For God so love the world …” This is love! We understand the love dimension of God more than the angels do. They are creatures subject to the beholding of God’s holiness, we are creatures bound together in love with God. God’s family is a family of love.

This love is unconditional, indescribable, intentional, overwhelming, great, superb, unexplainable, awesome, outstanding, pure and powerful! Halleluyah!

If we understand the magnitude of his love, we would be able to respond accordingly also in love. Love is the lifestyle of the new creation. Love is the lifestyle of the Kingdom. John the beloved said "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us..." Take note of the phrases "great is the love" and the word "lavished". They are deeper revelations of God’s eternal purpose demonstrated as a dimension of love towards us his creation - Man.
Dear reader, have you ever wondered if you are loved by people around you? Never mind, God loves you deeply. No matter your background, no matter your wretched lifestyle, no matter your state of poverty, no matter your imperfections, no matter your sins, no matter your criminal acts, no matter your addiction to drugs, no matter your addiction to pornography, no matter your wayward lifestyle, no matter your indulgence in cultism or voodoo, no matter your struggles or shortcomings. God loves you and does so dearly and deeply. He thinks about you just the same way a father thinks cares about his infant child. You are always on his mind. His heart is wide enough to carry your thoughts. He knows what you are going through and he cares for you. God loves you! You need to know this! You don’t need to live right to earn his love. He loves you even in your imperfections. This love is the greatest love ever to be shown. 

This is the love story that humanity must hear, that God loves man so much and very much than all of us could ever imagine.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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GOSPEL BASICS - 7

CLOSING WORDS OF REFORMATION

What we have seen, what we have heard and what we have experienced is what the Lord has used to draw us to this place of repentance and reformation.

We have many zealous and truthful believers out there that are willing and ready to propagate the gospel. It is a very good thing to hear, considering the many distractions we have in this generation. 

Nevertheless, when the zeal is not backed up by the right motive, we suffer a shipwreck. When these people are not properly brought up in the way of sound doctrine, we see negativity all around. The Kingdom that is supposed to sail forward experiences stagnancy. What I mean is that, if we just jump out to preach the gospel without understanding "gospel basics", we will be "fetching water into a basket". We will be preaching, without getting results.

One of the most disappointing and most painful shipwreck I have ever heard is the Islamization of the nation of Turkey. It is one of the greatest loss the Kingdom has suffered. It was said that at a time in history, almost all the whole nation were believers. Paul the apostle was there to preach the gospel. John the beloved was also there, and In fact, Mary the mother of Jesus Christ died there. Now, as we read this, Turkey is a 100% Muslim nation after over 1000 years of the reign of the gospel.

This is one of the reasons why we need to know what we are doing and the reason why we must do it well. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and all other African nations are barely up to 100 years, and we already have a Contention in statistics. To worse it, not all those who claim to be saved are saved, because what they heard before they joined the Church was not the gospel. Like I said in the previous lesson, the preaching of the gospel is not aimed at competing with other religions. Nevertheless, what has brought us here is the havoc that unskillful preachers have caused us.

Before the inception of any of these religions, the gospel of Christ was the order of the day. Many of these religions came to be when false teachers began to preach and teach another gospel among the people. Religions were rooted in the confusions and errors of the previously existing ones.

Now what are we saying? We are clamoring for a reformation in the dealings concerning the gospel. That anyone who is ready to preach the gospel should preach the biblical gospel. If we can stick to this, the Kingdom of God will expand better and faster than it is doing now. And then we will take over this world for Christ.

Someone may say, how can I preach the gospel in a public area when I am a shy person? Well, there are many shy people out there. That is why we established that street evangelism is not by force. And if you must do it at all and you think you are shy, I must tell you that you are being deceived by your mindset. Most people who are always prompted to preach in a public area by the Holy Spirit are actually "dangerous weapons", and so a plot rises up against them. Dear believer, if you are one, do not give in. The day you open your mouth to begin is the day you will win your first soul. Moses thought like you, Jeremiah thought like you, not knowing the weight of their destiny.

Someone may say, I am not shy, except that I don't know how and where to begin. - Well, from biblical accounts, there is no specific way of beginning a gospel message. There are although, some highlighted "ways to begin with" that are being taught today. Many of them are just theoretical and theological. You begin a conversation with someone based on the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is true that, not everyone who has won a soul was led by the Holy Spirit, but it is more certain that those who are led by the Spirit are more successful than others. We have established it before that, no one can be saved except the Holy Spirit is involved. So it is either you bring the Holy Spirit into the course or He brings you into it, in either ways, the soul is won. So approach the recipient with full confidence that, when he or she gives you audience, you will definitely begin from where God wants you to begin, and it will vary from person to person because it is the Lord who knows the heart of the recipient and knows how to get it. However, do not attempt to force someone to listen to you. There have been stubborn hearts even from the days of Jesus Christ.

Finally brethren, let us encourage the preaching of the gospel in every places and remote areas where Christ has not been named, but let us train ourselves and prepare ourselves that we may produce results as required. Let us frown at the preaching of another gospel. Let us frown at the presentation of a perverted version of the gospel of redemption. This is just how we can save ourselves and others who are outside the borders of the Kingdom. I leave us with the words of Apostle Paul, one of the greatest laborer of the preaching of the gospel.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; WE DO NOT USE DECEPTION, NOR DO WE DISTORT THE WORD OF GOD. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. FOR WE DO NOT PREACH OURSELVES, BUT JESUS CHRIST as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

(c) Philip Oklu

THE END

GOSPEL BASICS - 6

SOUL WINNING OR SHEEP STEALING?

The term “soul winning” is popularly used to describe the positive results one can get from an evangelism, seeing that the preaching of the gospel has just one aim, to bring people to Christ. That is, when the gospel is being preached and thereby received by the people, their soul is said to be won.

Jesus said “what shall it profit a man to gain this whole world and loose his own soul”

Again Jesus made mention that there is joy in heaven over a sinner that repents, therefore validating the soul winning theology as true. The word “winning” shows that the preaching of the gospel is an unseen battle between light and darkness. Although this word “soul winning” can be found nowhere in the bible, yet we can say that its meaning is acceptable.

Now, several churches have invested much on soul winning, that is a very good remark. By our preaching and testimony in every corners and spheres of life, we would be able to save those who are perishing. Jesus said “go ye into all the world”.

However, it is unfortunate that many denominations and group of believers who claim to embark on a soul winning mission are not being true to their course. Many claim to be outside there for soul winning, whereas what they are doing is sheep stealing.

If we follow the teachings on the audience of the gospel as discussed in the lesson two, we know that we are supposed to have an outstanding result all over the world. Although, on the other hand, I do not agree that we are to preach the gospel to people in other for them to join the Christianity religion, the reason why people should hear the gospel is never because we want to populate Christianity. That was not why Christ died!

Christ died that all those who believe on him can have eternal life. Simple!
So whenever we go out there to present the gospel to the people, we have just one thing to present – the good news about eternal life! And that this life is found only in the Son of God – Jesus Christ! And that it can be obtained in this Son by just believing in him. So Jesus said in John 3:16 “For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”

If we know this, then why do we steal sheep instead of winning souls? If we know this, then why do we like to preach about our denominations instead of Christ? If we know this, then why have we decided to convert people into a religious system instead of a relationship with Christ?
Okay, ask typical evangelists – what do you go out there to preach? After your preaching, what do you ask the believers to do? You will likely get answers that are not in correlation with the word of God.

The gospel preaching mission is not a competition between Christianity and Islam. It is also not a competition between denominations. It is very disappointing that a typical evangelism team belonging to a particular denomination today, will always be out there to preach the doctrines of their denomination other than the “gospel”. Thereafter, they invite the new believer to join their denomination, and warn them not to join another, claiming that they are the only one that can give them doctrine to grow in the knowledge of God. Although some of them will pretentiously sound transparent and tell the new believer that they can attend any “bible believing church”
But to show you that they are not sincere, if peradventure the new believer did not appear in their services, they begin to trouble this new believer. To worsen it, they erroneously assume that he or she is not really saved.

No denomination is the best. As a matter of fact, God is not a God of any denomination, we have just one body, and that is the “body of Christ”
Dear evangelist, stop stealing sheep. There are many souls out there that you need to preach to. Preach only where Christ has not been named, not where you will get a good church member. Converting a former church member to your church is not equal to soul winning.

Let us understand the reason for preaching the gospel. Let us have a good motive.

Amen.

© Philip Oklu

GOSPEL BASICS - 5

EVANGELISM IS NOT BY FORCE

One of the major reasons why we have perverted gospels here and there in various places today is because many of church people have been taught that evangelism is a must do. Let us address this issue, so we can see why proper bible study is very important.

We already know where this error was gotten from, or was built upon, so let us see for ourselves in the book of Matthew 28 what Jesus said that has been labeled the ultimate command for all.

V16-20 “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Now, this was just around the time Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead and is about to ascend to the heavens. The portion we are concerned about is in the verse 20.

Jesus said "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:"

Firstly, the context is about “teaching” and not about “preaching” the gospel. The word “teach” as used here means “to make disciples”. That is, Jesus Christ is asking the disciples to make their own disciples. This is an idea of multiplication and expansion of the Kingdom. You would agree that, they actually did this.

Secondly, he never COMMANDED THEM TO TEACH. He only asks them to teach WHAT HE COMMANDED THEM. They are two different things. Take note!

Thirdly, he was specifically giving this commission to his disciples, not to the multitude or just anyone. This is not a general statement to all believers. It is very important that we understand the audience of Jesus Christ and his intention for speaking these words. This people were his disciples, they have been with Jesus Christ for three years now, so he refers to what he had commanded them to do when he was with them. Remember that at two different occasions, he had sent these disciples two by two on a preaching mission before he was crucified. So he is not commanding them to preach now, neither is he commanding us to go out compulsorily to preach to people.

Shortly after the death of Jesus Christ, the disciples were obedient to Jesus' words. And they all saw it to the end. That was the purpose of their calling. They did not do it because they felt it was a compulsion, they did it because they were chosen for that purpose. That's why Paul said "woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel" It was the reason why he was chosen, Jesus specifically chose Paul to go into the gentiles to preach the gospel. He never told Titus, Timothy, Tabitha or anyone who lived in that era to do the same.

You may ask, are you now saying that we should not preach the gospel? No...We as believers are meant to extend the love of the father by sharing the same gospel that saved us with others. In fact, it is one of the reasons why we were chosen in him. The kingdom of God can only expand by our willingness to preach the gospel. And that's what we established in the third lesson, that we should preach the gospel to those who have not heard and where Christ has not been named.

However, we frown at "evangelism by force". This is what is causing the same kingdom we are supposed to propagate to suffer loss. Many have been taught falsely that if they do not preach (especially on the streets or in vehicles), they are disobeying the Lord. Some even went further say that, if you don't win a soul for Christ, you will go to hell. This is absurd and offensive to the love of Jesus Christ. There is nowhere in the word of God that says, if you do not win a soul for God, you will burn in hell. It is never a compulsion, it is a commission. Jesus called us the "salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". We are not going to be punished for not going into the streets; we should only encourage believers to show forth the reason for their calling. That as you have been brought out of darkness by a fellow, you should also bring out other fellows. This is a peaceful and friendly call to Kingdom expansion and multiplication; it should never be a threat.

Why are we saying these? This is because many people have jumped into buses, cars, market areas, schools, offices, streets and so on to open their mouths to speak "unsound words" as the gospel. This has made evangelism become watered and perverted. People now see evangelism and gospel preaching as uncalled for. They see it as disturbance. Well, to some extent it is true, and those who have been cajoled by unskillful teachers made it so. These people have not been taught the basics of the gospel; they just jump into the streets to preach. Funny enough, they themselves have not been saved. They have not heard the gospel, what was preached to them was another gospel. That is just why they are propagating this same "another gospel" to people. Many of this people were forced into it, when they were told that they will go to hell if they fail to do it.

It is good to do the work of an evangelist, it is good to propagate the gospel - in fact there are rewards for it. However, stay and learn if you must do. Evangelism is not by force. Street evangelism is not showing that you love the Lord more than others. You can present the gospel anywhere, anytime. Your lifestyle should preach than your bell and megaphone.

Stay, learn, know and understand what you want to present out there, it is better not to go at all than to go and preach "another gospel". God bless you.

(c) Philip Oklu

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

GOSPEL BASICS - 3

HOW, WHERE AND TO WHOM SHOULD WE PREACH THE GOSPEL?

We shall endeavor to attend to questions from the rear. That is, we will discuss "to whom" first, then "where" and then we finally talk about "how"

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the command he gave to his disciples was recorded in Mark 16:15, Jesus said "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature"

Some theologians have called this, the great commission, to which almost all of the disciples of Jesus Christ at that time obeyed and died with it. Jesus Christ opened their understanding to see the essence of his life, death and resurrection. That, he came for this same purpose – redemption. And since this is already settled, those who should hear about it will hear only by the preaching of it. He gave them the goal to reach every human with this good news. That God has reconciled us back to himself.

"Preach the gospel to every creature" he said.

In the next verse, Jesus went on to emphasize on BELIEVING the gospel, as we have discussed in the previous lesson. That, when the gospel has been preached, the hearers are expected to BELIEVE for them to be saved. In Paul’s epistle as discussed in the previous lesson, he added that the BELIEVER should STAND ON WHAT THEY HAVE BELIEVED. This is the only way they would be able to keep themselves from false teachers and doctrines.

Now, to whom should we preach the gospel? This has been answered in the words of Jesus - to EVERY CREATURE!

However, it is important to for one to know that someone cannot be saved twice. Therefore it is futile to preach the gospel to someone who has already believed.  

Let’s see how Paul puts it...

Romans 15:20-21 "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, NOT WHERE CHRIST WAS NAMED, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To WHOM HE WAS NOT SPOKEN OF, they shall see: and THEY THAT HAVE NOT HEARD shall understand."

TO WHOM SHOULD WE PREACH THE GOSPEL as highlighted above?

(i) those who have not been named with Christ

(ii) those whom Christ have not been spoken of

(iii) those who have not heard

This is exactly what Peter, John, Philip, Paul, Barnabas, Silas and the rest followed throughout their earthly ministry. They never preached the gospel to those who have already heard it. That would be a waste of time, because they have already been saved through the gospel they first heard. What they need now is a proper upbringing in the way of sound doctrine. That's why Paul said, he "would be building on another man's foundation" if he preached the gospel to those who have already heard it.  

WHERE SHOULD WE PREACH THE GOSPEL? – Where Christ has not been named.

Although, we already established that "hearing" the gospel alone is not sufficient for salvation but "receiving and believing". That's why Paul first mentioned in that verse that Christ was not named among them before he preached. The phrase "Christ was not named" revealed that they were not believers. Therefore, it is possible that one might have heard the gospel, but not have believed. In this case, they can still be preached to.

Of course, in such cases where the hearers of the gospel did not believe the gospel at first, it may be due to the wrong presentation of the gospel message or a presentation of another gospel or that the word they heard was not meaningful to them - they were not convinced. The method of presentation is very important, and we need to learn it if we should preach at all.

HOW THEN SHOULD WE PRESENT THE GOSPEL? - The gospel should never be preached forcefully. The gospel is not a threat, but a peaceful invitation to partake in the Grace of God for all humanity. That's why Paul calls it the "gospel of peace".

The gospel should never be introduced with our words of wisdom, but by the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Ethiopian eunuch for instance got saved amazingly because of his confusion on a portion of the book of Isaiah - Philip never started his preaching from another place, but he explained his confusion and with is, he revealed the gospel to him. He preached Jesus. The gospel is all about Jesus. Therefore since we are vessels, we do not need to enforce the gospel on the hearers as though we are bound to saving the hearers ourselves. Every believer of the gospel today believed because they were convinced by the word they heard. And this conviction is an end product of their faith that is supplied by God himself. See how the writer of Hebrews puts it...

Heb 4:2 "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith"

Jesus also revealed something similar in the book of John, see how he puts it…

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…"

So HOW should we preach the gospel? WITH LOVE AND WITH SIGNS AND WONDERS

To WHERE should we preach? WHERE CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN NAMED

To WHOM should we preach? THE SINNERS, UNBELIEVERS WHO HAVE NOT HEARD BEFORE.

(c) Philip Oklu