ANOTHER GOSPEL
Most of Christians will agree that we are saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. But there is much controversy in Christendom as to how preparedness and acceptance by God are enacted. The Charismatic Movement (which incapitulates most Christian Churches to some degree or other), believe that there is a progressive development after one gets saved that manifests itself in different ways; usually by 'gifts'. Then there are the Sabbatharians whose diverse positions are founded on what they understand the commandments of God to be (mainly the passage in Exodus chapter twenty). The Bible, the Word of God which is our sole rule for faith and practice - is the commandment of God, in its entirety (2 Tim. 3:16).
I would like to look at some gleanings from the early chapters of Paul’s writing to the saints in Galatia which I think provides some insights that should help us clarify some of the controversy. Paul identifies himself as a Jew whom God hath ordained to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (Gal. 1:11-16). At the commencement of chapter three he refers to the Galatian saints as “foolish,” because they were moving away from the message he taught them. This message is the message of salvation. Salvation can only be properly understood if we remind ourselves the purpose for God’s creation of man according to Genesis 1:26-28. Man was made in the image and likeness of God – in place of Satan and his angels, to have dominion over the earth and ultimately to rule and reign over it with Christ.
Satan, the incumbent ruler is naturally not pleased with God’s plan to prepare the successor to a state of readiness; so he is doing everything he can to prevent or more accurately to stall that process (to disqualify man). That was Satan’s initial plan, and it remains his current plan. That was the sum total of his act in the Garden of Eden, and God in His sovereign act has provided a way to redeem man back to that place where he once again can fulfill the purpose for his creation. That is what the Bible is about, “God’s established plan as to how man is to be redeemed”.
That is the message the Apostle Paul was teaching the Galatian believers and they had started to move away from accepting that this salvation was by the “faith of Jesus Christ,” unto “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6). He said it was not really “another gospel,” but – some that trouble you and would prevent the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:7). They gave an incomplete Gospel. These are the same as those seen in Matthew 23:13.
The purpose for which man was made is to have an inheritance in the kingdom of God, and most preaching today omits that aspect of the gospel. All we hear from our pulpits today is “how to escape Hell and get to Heaven,” that’s just a part of the message (the beginning). There is much to gain or loose between your spirit’s salvation and entering into that eternal presence of God (the heaven of the Bible).
If you lack an understanding of what is expected of, or what will happen between one’s salvation and entering into that place where Paul refers to as “…so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17b); you have an incomplete gospel, ‘another gospel’.
In Satan’s quest to disqualify us, he is keen on omitting a word/phrase here and there or adding to distort and misrepresent what God hath said and ultimately mislead us. There are examples all over the Scriptures, but best known of them all is him telling Eve in the Garden of Eden, “…you shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4); the exact opposite of what God had said, “…..you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). The most contemporary one is what you often hear preached, “Put your faith in Jesus Christ and be saved….” But if you are saved by putting your faith in Jesus Christ, you are saved by works. What then would be your explanation for Eph. 2:8, 9 “......saved through faith, not of works….”
The fact is, one is not saved by placing his faith in Jesus Christ, but one is saved by the faith of Jesus Christ. Look at these passages and see what you might be noticing for the very first time: Eph. 2:8, 9; Phil. 3:9; Gal. 2:16; 3:22; and Rom. 3:22. All these Scripture are in reference to the “faith of Christ” and not “faith in Christ.” {I encourage you to read these passages}.
Therefore, Galatians 3:2 is the summary of the issue that Paul is addressing. “Have you received the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of the faith?” The word “Spirit” is the Greek word penuma – which is the same word translated “life.” Paul said to the Galatians in verse one, “…who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth.” These people then were believers who were just not obeying the truth. Are there any such around us today? They were not practicing that ‘hearing of the faith of Christ’; the confident assurance – the hope. That is the fulfillment of that purpose for which man was created. That is why it is so important to understand the purpose for man, why God made us.
If Satan can prevent us from understanding that, he surely will cause us to miss our calling. If the main teaching of God can be missed – which is to seek first the kingdom of God….Matt. 6:33 – and the Church in general have missed it; (preaching a part of the truth) then Satan is succeeding in his mission to disqualify man.
The word “law” in Gal. 3:2 is the Greek word nomos – to parcel out food, or grazing to animals -feeding. It is often used specifically of the Mosaic teachings but that is not the only meaning. In the broader context, it means the Gospel or a principle. Therefore, Paul’s question in Gal. 3:2 could easily be read, “Have you gotten the ‘life’ by the principles or by the faith of Jesus Christ?” The faith (feeding or principles) of Christ is not just to “get saved and go to heaven.” But that confident assurance that Jesus came and taught – the word of the kingdom.
In Acts 1:1-3, this is description of what Jesus Christ taught while he was on earth and it is the same in Matt. 4:17, 23. In Luke 4:43, He said that was His purpose for coming. In Matt. 10:5-8 it was the instruction He gave to His disciples. In Luke 10:1-9, it was the message preached by the seventy. Philip preached it in Acts 8:12; Paul preached it in Acts 14:22 and 20:25 [I implore you to read these passages].
Could it be then that Jesus’ word of Luke 18:8, “…shall He find faith” is just a startling reminder that we are very near the end, because the “faith of Christ” is almost totally non existent in the messages preached in our pulpits today? Even though most of the Christian Church do adhere to “a part of the Gospel” – another gospel; it is just as bad because Satan is succeeding in disqualifying the Church from fulfilling her purpose. He has blinded the eyes of many. The leaven the woman of Matt. 13:33 placed in the three measures of meal, “till the whole is leavened,” -and we are just about there-have surely been taking its negative effect on the Church. Let us take another look at what we teach; is it really what Jesus taught, or just a part of it? – Another Gospel.
Most of Christians will agree that we are saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. But there is much controversy in Christendom as to how preparedness and acceptance by God are enacted. The Charismatic Movement (which incapitulates most Christian Churches to some degree or other), believe that there is a progressive development after one gets saved that manifests itself in different ways; usually by 'gifts'. Then there are the Sabbatharians whose diverse positions are founded on what they understand the commandments of God to be (mainly the passage in Exodus chapter twenty). The Bible, the Word of God which is our sole rule for faith and practice - is the commandment of God, in its entirety (2 Tim. 3:16).
I would like to look at some gleanings from the early chapters of Paul’s writing to the saints in Galatia which I think provides some insights that should help us clarify some of the controversy. Paul identifies himself as a Jew whom God hath ordained to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (Gal. 1:11-16). At the commencement of chapter three he refers to the Galatian saints as “foolish,” because they were moving away from the message he taught them. This message is the message of salvation. Salvation can only be properly understood if we remind ourselves the purpose for God’s creation of man according to Genesis 1:26-28. Man was made in the image and likeness of God – in place of Satan and his angels, to have dominion over the earth and ultimately to rule and reign over it with Christ.
Satan, the incumbent ruler is naturally not pleased with God’s plan to prepare the successor to a state of readiness; so he is doing everything he can to prevent or more accurately to stall that process (to disqualify man). That was Satan’s initial plan, and it remains his current plan. That was the sum total of his act in the Garden of Eden, and God in His sovereign act has provided a way to redeem man back to that place where he once again can fulfill the purpose for his creation. That is what the Bible is about, “God’s established plan as to how man is to be redeemed”.
That is the message the Apostle Paul was teaching the Galatian believers and they had started to move away from accepting that this salvation was by the “faith of Jesus Christ,” unto “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6). He said it was not really “another gospel,” but – some that trouble you and would prevent the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:7). They gave an incomplete Gospel. These are the same as those seen in Matthew 23:13.
The purpose for which man was made is to have an inheritance in the kingdom of God, and most preaching today omits that aspect of the gospel. All we hear from our pulpits today is “how to escape Hell and get to Heaven,” that’s just a part of the message (the beginning). There is much to gain or loose between your spirit’s salvation and entering into that eternal presence of God (the heaven of the Bible).
If you lack an understanding of what is expected of, or what will happen between one’s salvation and entering into that place where Paul refers to as “…so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17b); you have an incomplete gospel, ‘another gospel’.
In Satan’s quest to disqualify us, he is keen on omitting a word/phrase here and there or adding to distort and misrepresent what God hath said and ultimately mislead us. There are examples all over the Scriptures, but best known of them all is him telling Eve in the Garden of Eden, “…you shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4); the exact opposite of what God had said, “…..you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). The most contemporary one is what you often hear preached, “Put your faith in Jesus Christ and be saved….” But if you are saved by putting your faith in Jesus Christ, you are saved by works. What then would be your explanation for Eph. 2:8, 9 “......saved through faith, not of works….”
The fact is, one is not saved by placing his faith in Jesus Christ, but one is saved by the faith of Jesus Christ. Look at these passages and see what you might be noticing for the very first time: Eph. 2:8, 9; Phil. 3:9; Gal. 2:16; 3:22; and Rom. 3:22. All these Scripture are in reference to the “faith of Christ” and not “faith in Christ.” {I encourage you to read these passages}.
Therefore, Galatians 3:2 is the summary of the issue that Paul is addressing. “Have you received the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of the faith?” The word “Spirit” is the Greek word penuma – which is the same word translated “life.” Paul said to the Galatians in verse one, “…who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth.” These people then were believers who were just not obeying the truth. Are there any such around us today? They were not practicing that ‘hearing of the faith of Christ’; the confident assurance – the hope. That is the fulfillment of that purpose for which man was created. That is why it is so important to understand the purpose for man, why God made us.
If Satan can prevent us from understanding that, he surely will cause us to miss our calling. If the main teaching of God can be missed – which is to seek first the kingdom of God….Matt. 6:33 – and the Church in general have missed it; (preaching a part of the truth) then Satan is succeeding in his mission to disqualify man.
The word “law” in Gal. 3:2 is the Greek word nomos – to parcel out food, or grazing to animals -feeding. It is often used specifically of the Mosaic teachings but that is not the only meaning. In the broader context, it means the Gospel or a principle. Therefore, Paul’s question in Gal. 3:2 could easily be read, “Have you gotten the ‘life’ by the principles or by the faith of Jesus Christ?” The faith (feeding or principles) of Christ is not just to “get saved and go to heaven.” But that confident assurance that Jesus came and taught – the word of the kingdom.
In Acts 1:1-3, this is description of what Jesus Christ taught while he was on earth and it is the same in Matt. 4:17, 23. In Luke 4:43, He said that was His purpose for coming. In Matt. 10:5-8 it was the instruction He gave to His disciples. In Luke 10:1-9, it was the message preached by the seventy. Philip preached it in Acts 8:12; Paul preached it in Acts 14:22 and 20:25 [I implore you to read these passages].
Could it be then that Jesus’ word of Luke 18:8, “…shall He find faith” is just a startling reminder that we are very near the end, because the “faith of Christ” is almost totally non existent in the messages preached in our pulpits today? Even though most of the Christian Church do adhere to “a part of the Gospel” – another gospel; it is just as bad because Satan is succeeding in disqualifying the Church from fulfilling her purpose. He has blinded the eyes of many. The leaven the woman of Matt. 13:33 placed in the three measures of meal, “till the whole is leavened,” -and we are just about there-have surely been taking its negative effect on the Church. Let us take another look at what we teach; is it really what Jesus taught, or just a part of it? – Another Gospel.
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