|
The so-called
“gospel” being preached in our day falls far short of
that “glorious gospel” (2 Cor. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:11) of
the New Testament. We are living in a time when preachers
are telling sinners that they can be saved without
repenting, without forsaking their idols, and
without surrendering to the Lordship of Christ.
The Bible doctrine of the sinfulness and depravity of
man has been thrown to the winds. “Another gospel” and
“another Jesus” has gained popularity, and “another
spirit” is being received instead of the Holy Spirit
(2 Cor. 11:4).
We need to unmask the “modern evangelism”
of our day. To do so, let us look very candidly at what
is popularly being preached and believed as “gospel
truth.” A few of the favorite religious sayings of today
will prove the great difference between the true gospel
and the false one:
“Accept
Christ as your personal Saviour”
This is probably the most popular
cliche in the religious world today. It has elements
of truth in it, but that is what makes it all the more
dangerous! Christ is indeed a “personal Saviour” to
those who know Him. And He is to be “received” (John
1:12) by faith. However, the modem preacher perverts
the biblical meaning of “receiving Christ” by implying
that it is in the power of the sinner’s “free will”
to savingly come to Christ. This is grave error, as
v.13 clearly shows: the “power” to come to Christ, believe
on His name, and receive Him, is the result of the sinner
having been “born of God.” In other words, God
Almighty must first quicken dead sinners to life in
order that they may believe on Christ. Modern evangelism
denies this very truth of the gospel.
“Make
your decision for Christ”
This is similar to the first statement,
but goes even further to twist and pervert the true
gospel. No preacher in the New Testament ever preached
this to sinners! Search the Word for yourself to see!
This giving mere “mental assent” to the facts of the
gospel is not what the Bible calls “believing to the
saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39). The Christ of Scripture
is LORD, and He must be received and bowed to as LORD:
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus THE LORD,
so walk ye in Him” (Col. 2:6). When Paul wrote to true
believers in his day he knew nothing of those who had
made “first-time decisions” for Christ, but still needed
to make “second and third decisions” to follow Christ.
“Make
Jesus the Lord of your life”
This saying is continually gaining
in popularity, especially among those of “Charismatic”
persuasion. But, is it true? Let the preaching of the
apostles answer that question: “This Jesus hath God
raised up, whereof we all are witnesses . . . Therefore
let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God
hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both
Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:32,36). God the Father has
already made Jesus “Lord,” so no one was
ever told in Scripture to do what the apostles said
God the Father had already done! The name Jesus is already
“highly exalted above every name” (Phil. 2:9), and is
“far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion” (Eph. 1:21). Here is the gospel: Christ
is already Lord, and sinners must come to Him as
such, bowing down before His sovereign majesty, as did
Saul of Tarsus (Acts 94-5).
“God
has done all He can to save you, the rest is up to you”
What kind of “God” is this? Men are
being told through every means of communication today
that God is unable to do anything for man, that if men
are to be saved, it is entirely their choice that makes
it a reality. This is heresy of the deepest dye. That
men must exercise their wills in coming to Christ is
not denied, but the truth is that men, who are wedded
to their idols, cannot of themselves “come to
Christ” in saving faith. The salvation needed by sinners
is impossible unless God puts forth His mighty power!
Just as Lazarus could never come forth from the grave
unless Christ gave His mighty call, “Lazarus, come
forth” (John 11:43), so must dead sinners be given
life through the Omnipotent Christ today. It is not
that “God has done all He can to save you, now the entire
matter lies in your hands, sinner.” No! The truth is
that no man would ever come to Christ if he were not
drawn (John 6:44). And all those who are thus divinely
drawn do come to Christ—“It is written in the
prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every
man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the
Father, cometh unto me” (John 6:45). In other words,
all the elect of God shall be effectually called.
We will not here discuss other religious
sayings so prevalent in our time, such as “Come to the
altar,” “Simply believe on Christ,” “Smile, God loves
you,” or “Let the Lord save you.” All these are nothing
but religious jargon that easily fit into the four statements
given above. It just proves how far the religious world
is from believing the Bible and the one, true gospel.
It seems we are religiously drunk
today on a man-centered, watered-down gospel. Few preachers
really thunder forth the deep truths of God. Few churches
really take, an uncompromising stand for Christ and
His gospel. Ours is a day when many of our big churches
seem only concerned with “the numbers game,” where the
idea is “let’s see who can grow biggest quickest.” The
glory of God seems to be a secondary thing. Popularity
is all-important. Religious “show biz” has won the day.
That men are soundly converted is looked on as old-fashioned.
That the Lord Jesus Christ is truly honored is missing.
We have sadly come to the time when men “will not
endure sound doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:3)—the doctrine
set forth here concerning modern evangelism! Where do
you stand? |
|
