The Gospel

This topic of the Gospel is the most important topic that we can study, and is therefore where we must begin. Do not make the mistake of assuming that the gospel is so simple that it cannot be misunderstood. If this was so, Paul would not have sternly warned the Galations about the dangers of accepting another gospel. Sadly because Christianity has ignored this warning, the strange and altered gospel Paul warned about has all but taken over Christianity for the better part of the last 2000 years.

Gal 1:6 I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another (altered, strange) gospel,
7. which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert (transmute, corrupt, pervert) the gospel of Christ.
8. But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed (cursed, banned, excommunicated).
9. As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed.

Since the time of Paul, Christians have unknowingly accepted this strange and altered gospel from pastors who gained immunity from excommunication by starting their own church and denominations. And rather than being banned, this strange yet enticing gospel has gained acceptance under the guise of church doctrine. As a result Christians today conclude that the pillars of this gospel are just some of the many harmless doctrinal differences dividing the thousands of Christian denominations today. And to add confusion to the issue, many churches have unknowingly accepted a blending of these 2 gospels without even realizing it.

To help you understand the significance of the issue, I will illustrate it with a few simple questions for you to think about.

Q: What is the Gospel?
A: Jesus Died for Our Sins

As every Christian would answer something similar to this simple 5 word answer, we might conclude that we all agree on the Gospel. But before you conclude this, read the following questions and spend a few minutes pondering them before you continue on.

Q: What is Sin?

Do you know? Is sin merely something bad? If so, how do we know where to draw the line on what sin is? If you cannot correctly answer this question do you realize what this means? It means that you do not know what Jesus died for. In other words you don't even know WHY Jesus died. Now can you see how Christians during the time of Paul were vulnerable to being deceived into accepting an altered gospel?

Fortunately the Bible states exactly what sin is. There are two Biblical definitions which in no ways contradict each other. Here they are..

1Jn 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness.

"Lawlessness" the breaking of God's Law is equated to sin. This verse clearly defines what sin is. With God writing on stone with His own finger, He has made it easy for us to identify sin so we know where to draw the line. Without this gift of the law, it would be so much easier for Satan to deceive us. No where does the Bible contradict this definition, but what it does do is add depth to the meaning of sin. Take the following verse in James for example.

Jas 4:17  Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

According to these 2 verses, sin is the breaking of God's Law, when we are aware that we are doing wrong. In other words, God does not count sins that we commit in ignorance as sin. This is dealt with more on this page and the Sanctification page. This leads us to another question.

Q: What is Sanctification

Do you know?

1Cor 6:11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Sanctification is the process by which God purifies us, not by forgiving our sins, this is justification. And justification, although part of the process which purifies us, does not purify us. Sanctification is the process where God gives us light, convicts us of sin, then provides us the power to live up to it. This is what the Bible means by "walking with God"

Q: Was the purpose of Jesus' death to forgive sin?

Well it must be because it is taught from the pulpit of almost every church, right?

1John 3:5.  And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Just as all lambs including the passover lamb did not die merely to cover the sins of the sinner, but their purpose was to break the heart of the sinner so that they would never repeat the same sin again. In this they literally "took away" the sins of the sinner and "destroyed the works of the devil." To say Jesus death was merely to forgive our sins is to put yourself on the wrong side of verse 6 of Galations.

Gal 1:6 I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another (altered, strange) gospel,

This is dealt with in more depth on the Power of Grace page.

 

The Two Gospels Defined

On this page I will present both the original true gospel and the strange gospel. Again I will be condensing down a long study down in to a few paragraphs and verses, therefore if you find your questions are not answered on this page, I will provide links to other sources where you can further your study.

 

Gospel #1

1) We are born with a Sinful nature, and God considers all of our sins as sin.
- because of this we sin countless times a day without knowing it, we can only be justified by grace.

2) Therefore; How often or little we sin has no bearing on our salvation as we are justified alone by the penalty Jesus paid. It is not a scale of 1-10, as in how righteous you live, but rather 0 or 1. As in, are you justified or not.

3) Therefore; Sanctification is a good thing but not a cause for salvation, it is a result of salvation and comes later on. It is seen as something we do with God's help.

4) Therefore; since we cannot earn our salvation we cannot lose our salvation, thus leading to the belief in "once saved always saved" which is addressed on another page.

5) Therefore; because we are justified by God, and cannot lose our salvation, repentance occurs only on the day you are "saved" and is unnecessary after that, as Jesus has forgiven your sins past present and future. Repentance cannot earn you your salvation, therefore it cannot cost you your salvation.

 

Gospel #2

1) We are born with a sinful nature, but are not held accountable for this nature as we did not choose to have it. Therefore God only considers sin that which we know to do and do not.

2) Therefore; because of this we can be perfect in God's eyes simply by choosing righteousness over sin, in the things God has revealed to us

3) Therefore; Sanctification is the process by which God reveals sin in our lives through the holy spirit, and provides 100% of the power to overcome sin. We must simply choose based on faith alone.

4) Therefore; sanctification begins on the day we are saved, and must continue through the power of God alone for us to be justified at the judgment.

5) Therefore; when we do sin, we must repent in order to be justified at the Judgment which takes place at the end of time.

 

Which Gospel is the True One?

Now that you have seen the 2 gospels revealed, try and decide which one you believe in. Also note that you cannot intermix the two. It is the same as trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. You must completely accept one or the other. Also note, that although millions of Christian believe in either of these gospels, one of them doesn't even have one Bible verse supporting it. Considering this, and that the Gospel alone can save us, can you see just how important it is to believe in the right gospel?

First we will go through 1John Ch:3. This Chapter was written for the purpose of clearing up misunderstandings early christians were having with the Gospel. As we go through this Chapter, you should begin to see which Gospel the scriptures support.

Jn 3:2  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Q: When will we be like Him, before or after He returns?
- Also notice that we "see Him as He is." Have you met people you have absolutely nothing in common with? they tend to be a mystery to us. But when you meet someone who you have everything in common with, you see them as they are. When Jesus returns, we will have everything in common with Him.

3.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

A: We are to purify ourselves "just as He is pure" prior to Jesus' return.

4.  Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Early christians made the same disconnect as many Christians do today. Concluding that not being under the law meant they didn't have to keep it, yet at the same time denouncing sin as bad. Here John clarifies what sin is the same as breaking the law.

5.  And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

- Notice the word "take." Jesus doesn't merely justify our sins, but literally takes them away.

1Jn 3:6  Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

Ok, How on earth do we "not sin"? According to Gospel #2, this would mean never choosing to continually sin when God has shown you not to. According to Gospel #1 it would either mean we are totally damned or that our sin never counts as sin because we are justified. We are perfect no matter what because of Jesus. Well both possibilities of gospel #1 are impossible because we could never be sinless if our unknown sins are counted as sin. And if the 2nd possibility were true, then why would John tell us not to sin if sin doesn't really matter?

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

The answer comes clearly in this verse. We are not considered righteous in God's eyes unless we "practice" righteousness.

1Jn 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Again, such a stern warning for those who sin, but what does this mean? It means if you choose to sin even after the Holy spirit has opened their eyes, and reject God's power to overcome sin, you are choosing the Devil.
Also note that the entire point of the gospel is summarized in the 2nd sentence. God was manifested to "destroy the works of the devil." Yes, the "works." He wasn't manifested to justify our sins, but to "destroy" our sins.

1Jn 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Today the popular catch phrase among Christians is "born again." According to Gospel #1, this means that you are saved on the day you give your life to Jesus and are born again. This verse defines what it really means to be born again or "born of God." We "do" not sin, and the Holy spirit "remains in" us and we "cannot sin." So what does "do" mean? Well the same as "practice." We choose righteousness, then the holy spirit empowers us so that we cannot sin. If we cannot lose our salvation, this verse is completely unnecessary.

1Jn 3:10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

Again we have the stern warning for choosing sin, and incase people have missed that the entire point of righteousness or keeping the law is to love your brother, its thrown in here for clarification.

1Jn 3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,
12. not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous.
13. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

These next verses summarize an interesting point. Contention was arising at the time between church members. And the dividing line was the gospel. Here is a rebuke for all sides that if their arguments became heated, even those on the right side would be wrong if they were failing to love their brothers. Also, John brings out that those who follow the truth can expect to receive the same treatment that Able received from Cain.

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
15. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Expanding on this same thought John says if you are offended by your brother's righteous deeds, you "abide in death," and that he who hates does not have "eternal life abiding in him." And unless we actively love our brothers in need, the love of God does not abide in us.

1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Again, we have this theme that practicing righteousness makes a person righteous, and this is what it means to destroy the works of the devil.

1Jn 3:19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.
20. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
21. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
22. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Now what is one of the conclusions of Gospel #1?
That because our deeds can neither cost us nor earn us our salvation, and because Jesus' death wiped out all sin past present and future, repentance is rendered unnecessary.
On the contrary these verses state that our assurance of salvation comes from having a clean conscience. And we can't have a clean conscience if we are justifying sin, and refusing to repent when we fall. This is so important that God can't answer our prayers if we are ignoring our conscience.

1Jn 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

Now here is the grand finale.
Christians today claim they only need to believe on the name of the lord Jesus Christ to be saved. But do you see the obvious here? Placing this statement at the end of all these points reveals what it actually means to believe in the name of Jesus. It might have been that the christians of John's church were running around saying we are born of God, and believe in the name of Jesus, while hating their brothers and neglecting the poor, and deceiving themselves that their actions were irrelevant to the salvation.

 

Conclusion

As you can see, this entire chapter plainly supports gospel #2, while actually rebukes every principal of Gospel #1.

To further study this point I would like to expand on the points of Gospel #2 to bring you to a better understanding.

1) Born with a sinful nature.

If you owned a cat, and you saw it catch, torment and kill a bird, do you get angry at the cat? Well you might, but the truth is is your cat isn't capable of knowing what it did was wrong. Its part of its nature. Now if your same cat jumped up on the counter and stole your food, would you be upset? Most likely yes. Why? Because you've trained your cat not to do so and it knows better.

This is the illustration of what sin is.

James 4:17  Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Luk 12:48  But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Both these verses illustrate this principal that God only holds us accountable for that which we know. Now look at this stern warning if we continue to sin after God has opened our eyes.

Heb 10:26  For if we sin will fully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

If we sin after we have the knowledge of sin, we can no longer be justified by Christ's death.

2) Perfection?

Mat 5:48 Therefore be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

1Co 2:6 But, we speak wisdom among those who are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nothing.

Q: What is the Biblical definition of perfect?
A: Living righteously according to the light you have been given, through faith alone.

According to Gospel #1 the concept of perfection makes no sense, and could only be referring to perfection through justification alone. The problem is that this is not supported scripturally as we are told to "be" perfect. This belief that God waves a wand and magically makes us righteous is at the core of both mainstream Christianity and Catholicism. In Catholicism, you may sin continually from week to week, but as long as you do confession, say your hail Mary's etc., you are considered righteous even if your character is not changing. In mainstream Christianity it essentially does not matter how you live your life, as Jesus paid the price for all sin, and regardless of your lifestyle you are seen as righteous in the eyes of God. To these groups the requirement of actually being perfect sounds like an unbearable burden.

According to Gospel #2, perfection represents a generous offer as God is offering to cleanse us from all sin. Not just some. Think of the example of a physician. If you are dying of cancer, do you want your Doctor to tell you he can cure you 70% or cure you completely? The difference can also be seen like this. If you are in a servant relationship with your master and he gives you an endless list of things he wants you to do, it translates to an endless burden. But if you are in a friendship relationship with your master, and he gives you an endless list of things he wants to help you with, this translates to a mighty generous offer!

• The irony is that those toting gospel #1 claim they are the ones who are relationship focused while accusing those following Gospel #2 as being legalistic, because they have little or no relationship with God.

Heb 13:20 Now may the God of peace (who brought again our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant)
Heb 13:21 make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

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1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, He calling us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, He will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Peter wrote that through a little suffering, God would perfect us, while Paul connected our perfection with doing God's will.

1Th 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God,
1Th 3:10 night and day praying exceedingly for me to see your face and to perfect the things lacking in your faith?

This verse here tends to puzzle those believing Gospel #1. For instance, one way you can tell if a person believes in Gospel #1 is if they do not comprehend degrees of righteousness. They do not comprehend how growth occurs over time through faith. Although we are all equal in God's eyes, they fail to grasp how we grow closer to God in time. In this passage Paul is eager to visit the Thessalonians to guide them in perfecting their weaknesses.

 

3) Sanctification, by our power or God's?

1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

This verse really sums it all up. Any time we are tempted, God is not only protecting us from being tempted beyond what we are able to bear, but He is also providing the way of escape, not us. Just like when Israel was surrounded by mountains, ocean and an Egyptian army, God provided the impossible escape.

4) When Does Sanctification Begin?

1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10. nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Here Paul mentions sanctification and justification as happening together. Making reference to sinful actions that were in the past and supposed to remain in the past. Paul was rebuking them for continuing to be fornicators and drunkards etc, stating that sanctification is a part of justification. In other words, if you are still a drunkard, you ARE still a drunkard in God's eyes, you are not magically made righteous through justification.

Today Christians who believe in Gospel #1 state that they believe in sanctification and righteous living, but claim it is not a necessary part of salvation, and say that it comes later on during the Christian experience. Like Justification is the train engine while sanctification is the caboose. The question that arises is, how long till sanctification comes? 5 years.. 50 years? Paul says God provides the way of escape for every temptation, not just the convenient ones.

Sanctification and Justification are both cylinders in the engine. You cannot separate them, as one would be useless without the other.

When we give in to sin we are missing out on seeing the power of God at in the same was as the Israelites would have missed seeing the walls of Jericho fall had they not obeyed God

2Ti 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3. unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4. traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5. having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

. Gospel #1 does not have faith that God can overcome all the sin that God brings before us, and thus the works of the devil persist, while there is a "form of Godliness, but denying its power."

 

5) When are we fully Justified, when we accept Jesus or at the final judgment?

1Pe 1:14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15. but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16. because it is written, "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
17. And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;

According to Gospel #2, our judgment although decided before the foundation of the world, does not occur for us until the end of time. Notice something else in this verse. According to Gospel #1 we are only considered righteous because we have been justified by Jesus. This would mean that we are judged with special privileges over those who don't accept Jesus. But this passage says "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY" and we are judged according to our works "without partiality."

Conclusion

Not only does Gospel #2 have support for all its pillars, but the Bible even provides ample support that every pillar of Gospel #1 is completely erroneous.

 

Now in conclusion I have provided several verses below. If you are still undecided as to which Gospel you think the Bible supports, take the time to read these verses and after each one ask yourself which Gospel you think it is supporting. Some of them contain sentences that are used to support Gospel #1, while when read with the verses around them, support gospel #2. Please be careful and spend time with each verse and make sure to ask God to teach you what they mean.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12.  teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
13.  looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14.  who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

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Tit 3:4  But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5.  not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6.  whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7.  that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
8.  This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

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Jas 2:14  What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

.....
17.  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

21.  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22.  Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
24.  You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25.  Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26.  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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Jas 1:15  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
22.  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24.  for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he as.
25.  But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

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1Pe 4:1  Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
2.  that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
3.  For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.

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1Pe 4:17  For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18  Now "IF THE RIGHTEOUS ONE IS SCARCELY SAVED, WHERE WILL THE UNGODLY AND THE SINNER APPEAR?"
19  Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

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8.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10.  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.