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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Another Gospel
For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. (II Corinthians 11:4—NIV)
"A different gospel." Are we preaching and teaching a "different gospel" today? It certainly seems so!
We are in a midcourse correction in Evangelical theology. The foundation of the blood atonement, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and His saints, the reality of the born-again experience and of life lived in the Spirit of God are scriptural and to be relied on. Upon this sure foundation several traditions have accumulated that are not scriptural, traditions concerning a state of grace, mansions in Heaven, and a pre-tribulation "rapture" of the believers. Even the venerable "four steps of salvation," although they may be theologically accurate, are employed in a manner that leads away from God's purposes concerning man. Because of the confrontation between God and Satan that is on the horizon we must return to the Scriptures, asking God for understanding.
Today's Evangelical theology is "another gospel."
I need a lot of help writing this essay and I am asking God for that help right now.
It seems as each day passes the difference between what the New Testament states and what passes today for the plan of salvation becomes more clearly defined. It appears we Evangelicals are preaching "another gospel." I am going to take a shot at describing this somewhat elusive difference that I cannot explain as clearly as I could wish.
The New Covenant
For one thing, we seldom or never hear anyone preach the new covenant as it is set forth in the Book of Hebrews.
But God found fault with the people and said:"The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Hebrews 8:8-12—NIV)
Did you ever hear this preached as being salvation? I never did.
We preach the way of salvation as believing in the blood atonement, confessing that Jesus is Lord, believing God has raised Him from the dead, and that if we do this we will escape Hell and go to Heaven.
Do you see anything resembling this in the above definition of the new covenant?
We are teaching tradition! We are not teaching the New Testament writings!
To be continued.