06 Apr What Happened to the Gospel?
I believe we are living in the last days and I see many indicators that substantiate this belief. One of those is the absence of the clear presentation of the Biblical Gospel. The fact is that all over America a counterfeit Gospel message is being delivered that is in stark contradiction to the teaching of the Word of God. The Gospel in the Word is a message that calls the hearer to a conviction as to their sin nature and a realization that one must be willing to turn from their lifestyle of sin and turn to Christ. This is the one and ONLY GOSPEL!
When we read the historical record of the birth of the Church as recorded in Acts 2, we find the result of the preaching of the Gospel in verse 37; Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” This is the Gospel! Not come join my church and be entertained. Not come and become a disciple of the pastor or preacher! Rather, become a follower and imitator of Jesus Christ! When a person meets Jesus as a result of the conviction of the Spirit of God, they have a change of direction that results in a change in the way one thinks, talks and walks. The message we hear today is void of the call of repentance, and without repentance one cannot be forgiven of their sin nature nor can they be saved!
A few days ago I had a conversation on the golf course with a man who attends a local mega-church with multiple locations. After several uses of filthy language I asked him about his salvation experience. In short, he has never experienced the Gospel of the Bible, but has joined the church. No change in his thinking, his talking nor his walk. This is a lost man who is a member of a church. Now do not misunderstand me. I am not seeking to blame his pastor or his church. However, the question I am asking is this; how can a lost man sit in a church where the Gospel is preached and people are called to repent and yet feel comfortable? This man talked glowingly about the young pastor of his church and how much he enjoyed the band and the sermons. Where’s the Gospel, where’s the conviction? I am finding more and more that this is the norm as opposed to the exception. The apostle Paul wrote, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Just my thoughts.
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