BETTER THAN A CRAP GOSPEL
31/08/23 10:41
As Believers we belong to the Body of Christ. We belong whether or not our Gospel is Christ’s Gospel or whether it is a ‘crap gospel’ distorted by false revelation and bad doctrine. So why bother to preach ‘This Gospel of the Kingdom’ and not some derivative, if all ‘belong’?
DEFICIENT BELONGING
Martin Davis observes “That God has reconciled all things to himself does not free us from the responsibility, as followers of Jesus Christ, to share the Good News of universal reconciliation in Christ—for, although all are reconciled in Christ, not all live reconciled lives. Many live in a perceived state of alienation, estranged from themselves, from others and from God. Lost in darkness and confusion, they are unaware of the great lengths to which God has gone to demonstrate his love for the world,” Even though they belong to the Body of Christ. (1)
THE KINGDOM NOT VISIBLE
There are adherents of gospels who have not been born again, because they have ensconced themselves in Adam and Moses. Contained in the old covenant in a ‘religious prison’ they are not partakers of the oneness with God that is already theirs.
Jesus spoke of tares and Paul described ‘clouds without rain’. Many people who are ‘estranged from themselves’ are Believers who have absorbed a distorted gospel that has estranged them from the Christ of God. False christ’s are the christ’s of warped gospels. These Believers will go to heaven but they will be unable to present an adequate vision of heaven to the non-believer or to themselves on earth. Why journey to eternal life in the animal van when you can travel at the front of the train in first class?
YOU CAN’T JUST MAKE IT UP
We are not at liberty to preach a partisan gospel because ‘This Gospel of the Kingdom’ has no variations. Paul warned that any variation to the Gospel he preached – whether it should come from an angel, your favourite celebrity preacher or some prophetic figure – will bring a curse. Paul meant it will deprive you of fullness of life, a true view of Christ, burden you with a distorted view of the way of salvation and deny you the ability to live out a life-work as a messenger of unlimited life in Jesus Christ.
BELIEVING BELIEVERS
There is such a thing as the ‘Unbelieving Believer’. “Believers know that they are forever included in the love and life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Believers have said “yes” to God’s “Yes,” already pronounced to all in Jesus. Thus, believers may live in the freedom of the Gospel, set free from the bondage of sin and death, as well as the onerous demands and expectations of religion.
“Unbelievers, on the other hand, do not (yet!) “know” that they are set free in Christ and included in the Triune life and love of God. They do not (yet!) know that they are reconciled to God and their sins are forgiven. Hence, they remain lost in darkness, unable to see and enjoy the Light that has come into the world (John 1:9-13). (2)
(1) Davis Ph.D., Rev. Martin M.. A Window into the Heart of God (p. 25). AsiAfrica Ministries, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
(2) Ibid (p. 25).
DEFICIENT BELONGING
Martin Davis observes “That God has reconciled all things to himself does not free us from the responsibility, as followers of Jesus Christ, to share the Good News of universal reconciliation in Christ—for, although all are reconciled in Christ, not all live reconciled lives. Many live in a perceived state of alienation, estranged from themselves, from others and from God. Lost in darkness and confusion, they are unaware of the great lengths to which God has gone to demonstrate his love for the world,” Even though they belong to the Body of Christ. (1)
THE KINGDOM NOT VISIBLE
There are adherents of gospels who have not been born again, because they have ensconced themselves in Adam and Moses. Contained in the old covenant in a ‘religious prison’ they are not partakers of the oneness with God that is already theirs.
Jesus spoke of tares and Paul described ‘clouds without rain’. Many people who are ‘estranged from themselves’ are Believers who have absorbed a distorted gospel that has estranged them from the Christ of God. False christ’s are the christ’s of warped gospels. These Believers will go to heaven but they will be unable to present an adequate vision of heaven to the non-believer or to themselves on earth. Why journey to eternal life in the animal van when you can travel at the front of the train in first class?
YOU CAN’T JUST MAKE IT UP
We are not at liberty to preach a partisan gospel because ‘This Gospel of the Kingdom’ has no variations. Paul warned that any variation to the Gospel he preached – whether it should come from an angel, your favourite celebrity preacher or some prophetic figure – will bring a curse. Paul meant it will deprive you of fullness of life, a true view of Christ, burden you with a distorted view of the way of salvation and deny you the ability to live out a life-work as a messenger of unlimited life in Jesus Christ.
BELIEVING BELIEVERS
There is such a thing as the ‘Unbelieving Believer’. “Believers know that they are forever included in the love and life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Believers have said “yes” to God’s “Yes,” already pronounced to all in Jesus. Thus, believers may live in the freedom of the Gospel, set free from the bondage of sin and death, as well as the onerous demands and expectations of religion.
“Unbelievers, on the other hand, do not (yet!) “know” that they are set free in Christ and included in the Triune life and love of God. They do not (yet!) know that they are reconciled to God and their sins are forgiven. Hence, they remain lost in darkness, unable to see and enjoy the Light that has come into the world (John 1:9-13). (2)
(1) Davis Ph.D., Rev. Martin M.. A Window into the Heart of God (p. 25). AsiAfrica Ministries, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
(2) Ibid (p. 25).
