TWISTED GOSPEL - NYOBS 39.02

TWISTED GOSPEL

RAW TRUTH from the pulpit would empty out the Church – It’s not WARM and FUZZY. 

First Word

I … JOINED THE CHURCH July 3, 1949 which would save me from going to HELL. 

I was Ten years old and there was a churning in my heart that I needed forgiveness for my sins. 

My knowledge of God and Jesus was quite limited and even somewhat twisted,

but God accepted me where I was as the Holy Spirit had already started a work in me.

The emphasis was on JOINING THE CHURCH and I would be SAVED FROM HELL.

Saved from What?

·         This may surprise you, but Jesus did not come to get us to “Join the Church” or to save us from hell. -  He came to save us from our SINS because we cannot save ourselves; we are DEAD in our sins and are incapable of coming to God on our own; we need a Savior.  

·         Salvation is not FIRE INSURANCE. – The burning Hell was created for Satan and as a by-product of that, his followers get go there too.

·         When God gave man FREE WILL, he allowed SIN to enter into the world; and to counter act that; with His GRACE, He willed his beloved Son to be born of a woman.  Jesus would render perfect obedience to the Devine Law and would suffer and die to remove our sins. – We are saved by His Grace.

·         The Old Testament Law simply showed us just how sinful we are

Romans 8:3-4 - The Law of Moses is unable to save us
³ The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
⁴ He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

(NLT)

Ephesians 2:5 – We are DEAD in our sins
⁵ that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

(NLT)

Titus 3:5 – Not our righteous works; but His mercy
⁵ he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.

(NLT)

Romans 3:20 - The Law simply shows us how sinful we are
²⁰ For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. (NLT)

THE NEW COVENANT DOES NOT RELAX GOD'S JUSTICE

NOR LOWER HIS STANDARD OF HOLINESS

Twisted Gospel

·         The Gospel has become twisted; it starts with some upbeat entertainment, an opening witty joke, a happy success story and a three point sermon on how you can “look inside yourself” and “be all that you can be”; it’s all HAPPY TRAILS in the future. -  Now that draws a crowd. This congregation is being put to sleep with the Devils unsuspecting opiate.

·         If every sermon was about Sin, and the penalty for Sin was eternal punishment in the Lake of fire, the popularity of that preacher would drop to an all-time low.  In fact it would be downright depressing. – It would drive people away from the church. – People’s ears itch to hear about the “Sweet Bye and Bye”; not the “Nasty Now and Now”.

·         We are taught that Salvation is by GRACE and is a FREE GIFT; Jesus has DONE EVERYTHING for the sinner.  We don’t have to do anything to “Join the Church” except Believe. – BUT something more than believing is necessary for Salvation. -  Unless we REPENT and forsake our sinful ways and thoughts; we will perish.  - It’s in the book.

·         Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin or a leopard change its spots? Neither can we do good when we are accustomed to doing evil; something has to happen in our life.

·         Man is corrupt by nature and is completely unaware of his own wretchedness, blindness and helplessness. – Salvation is not by the might of the” preacher”, nor the power of the “sinners will”, but by “the spirit” of God.

·          Salvation is impossible unless God puts forth his Mercy and Grace.  No music, poem, story, appeal or emotional plea will bring salvation to the soul… Except maybe to the MAKE BELIEVER.

·         The Gospel is about SIN and REPENTANCE which brings us to the story of the JAILOR.

Luke 13:3 – Repent or you will perish
³ Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. (NKJV)

Mark 1:15 - Repent and believe in the gospel
¹⁵ and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (NASB)

Isaiah 55:7 – Forsake sinful ways and thoughts
⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. (NKJV)

Jeremiah 13:23 - Can an Ethiopian change his skin
²³ Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. (NIV2011)

John 6:44 – No one comes unless the Holy Spirit draws them
⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them (NIV2011)

Zechariah 4:6 - Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit
⁶ Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV)

Setting up the Story

·         Paul and Silas had been thrown in prison for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In prison they were praying and singing praises to God and the other prisoners were listening to them. 

·         About midnight there was an earthquake and the prison doors flew open and the chains and stocks fell off all the prisoners’ legs, but they did not choose to escape from the prison.

·         The Keeper of the prison knew the penalty for letting a prisoner escape would be monstrous torture and death to him and his family.  Seeing the doors open and believing the prisoners had all escaped, he drew his sword to kill himself, but Paul called out and stopped him.

Acts 16:26-28 Earthquake – Prison doors opened – Nobody left
²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
²⁷  And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
²⁸ But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."

NKJV

The Hand of God

·         The Jailer knew all about Paul and Silas, he had heard their prayers and hymns of praise and in his heart knew that what had just happened must have  been the hand of God because the prisoners did not try to escape.

Acts 16:26-28 Earthquake – Prison doors opened – nobody left
²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
²⁷  And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
²⁸ But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."

NKJV

What does repentance look like?

·         The Jailor presented the age old question: What must I do to be saved?

·         Whoa… What just happened here? – Where was the alter call? Where was the seven stanzas sung of “Just as I am”? – Where was the pleading for the sinner to come home? – Where was “Every eye closed, every head bowed”, “slip up your hand and come on down, nobody will see you coming”.

·         None of that happened. – The Holy Spirit had already begun a work in him.  He obviously felt the lost condition of his own soul; no urging from any preacher was required.

a)    The jailer saw a need for illumination; he called for a light; his soul had awakened.

b)    He realized his self-reliance was utterly useless and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

c)    He subjected himself as a servant to the men of God who were once his captives and brought them out of prison into his own home.

d)    From deep within his soul he confessed with his mouth; “What must I do to be Saved?

Acts 16:26 – Called for a light, fell down trembling
²⁹ Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.

³⁰ And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

NKJV

Believe - Baptized

·         What must I do to be saved; the Jailor asked?  Paul responded Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and not only you will be saved, but we will preach to your whole household so they can be saved also.

·         Public Sign of repentance – He was baptized in his own house; probably with water poured from a basin over him along with the rest of his family; perhaps maybe even sprinkled.  - NYOBS 03:07 - BAPTISM

Acts 16:31-34 - Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ – Be Baptized

³¹ So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
³² Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
³³ And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

Hold on a minute

·         What we want today is salvation from Hell; deliverance and escape from the lake of fire, not salvation from Sin and being delivered from our carnality and worldly ways; that would require a change on our part. – LISTEN…. If you believe you are healthy and not SICK, then you don’t need a doctor.

·         Salvation is for those who are SICK OF SIN; those who feel in their consciousness, the awful burden and realization of exceeding sinfulness in their life and HATE it and long to be FREE of it. – They are conscious of the heinousness of sin and are bowed down with a sense of grief and guilt.

·         If you did not feel this at your conversion, then you have never been saved at all, OR maybe not saved as early as you had previously thought. – Read this again and ponder it –

·         As a Christian grows, a clearer picture emerges about how sin is rebellion against God and a deeper hatred and sorrow surfaces as well as compassion for those who are still on a path to everlasting separation from God and torment in the lake of fire.

·         Salvation is freedom from the love of sin; the removal of sins dominion in your life; freedom from guilt and the removal of the death penalty that sin demands.

Matthew 9:12 – Those who know they are sick need a doctor
¹² But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. (NASB)

Plow the Field

·         Nowhere in the book of Acts do we find the Apostles addressing a bunch of heathens and telling them that all you have to do is BELIEVE to be saved. – You cannot apply the words “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” to those who are totally blind and dead to the working of the Holy Spirit in their Soul. – They might respond, but it will be the confessions of a MAKE BELIEVER.

·         You don’t throw Spiritual Pearls of Wisdom in front of pigs; they don’t know what to do with it.  To present the “atoning work” that Christ perfected on the cross to those with a passion and love for sin would be a waste of your breath and time.

·         You don’t sow seed on soil till it has been plowed; it must be made ready to sow the seed.

·         Before Jesus came, John the Baptist plowed the field preaching REPENTANCE for SIN.  His audience was those who understood SIN in their life and were willing to go out into the wilderness and find him just to hear a message about REPENTANCE and seek to receive FOREGIVENESS for their SIN.

Matthew 3:1-2- REPENT OF YOUR SINS
¹ In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was,
² Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” (NLT)

Matthew 7:6 – Don’t give spiritual pearls to pigs
⁶ Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (KJV)

Filled with the Spirit

·         Note; at first the Jailer was self-reliant, self-confident; he was his own man.

·         Then he became fearful and started to take his own life to save the lives of his family.

·         Then he became filled with the spirit and threw fear aside for his own personal safety and took Paul and Silas out of the prison into his own home, fed them and washed their wounds.

·         He did not just simply “Believe”, HE GAVE EVIDENCE of his conviction and repentance.

Acts 16:34 – Filled with the Spirit – Evidence followed
³⁴ Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household. (NKJV)

Here is where we are

·         The ends justify the means – Packing a church with MAKE- BELIEVERS to grow the membership role certainly makes the church financially solvent and assures that the Pastor can be paid as well as support a number of outreach programs, but what about the damned souls in the congregation.

·         You have a Twisted Gospel if you believe that there is nothing on your part that is required to obtain Salvation from the Lord and we are not talking about WORKS here.

·         Repentance is an absolute requirement even by the thief on the cross with his last minute appeal to Christ.

·         Evidence of repentance will be observed in your actions starting with a public profession of your faith in Jesus Christ and baptism with its symbolism of burying the old life and rising in a newness of life in Christ. – It will be observed in your speech, your checkbook and daily activity.

·         Salvation is for those who are SICK OF SIN; those who feel in their consciousness, the awful burden and realization of exceeding sinfulness in their life and HATE it and long to be FREE of it. – They are conscious of the heinousness of sin and are bowed down with a sense of grief and guilt. – Is this what you felt? – Is there evidence of your conviction or are you just a MAKE-BELIEVER?

Luke 23:42-43 – Remember me
⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (NIV2011)

Matthew 9:12 – Those who know “they are sick” need a doctor
¹² But when Jesus heard this, He said, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. (NASB)

In the multitude of counselors,

 there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I otherwise ever could have.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

American Standard Version Bible - ASV

New International Version Bible – NIV

New King James Version Bible - NKJV

Present Day Evangelism – Arthur W. Pink

Wikipedia