How the Gospel Changed Me March 30, 2007
Posted by Dave Mallinak in : Methodology, The Gospel , 31 comments
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Still shaking the vacation cobwebs out of the ole’ brain, fingers stiff and wooden from travel, sentences choppy, boring and somewhat listless… Nevertheless, we gotta… get… back… to writing… again. Besides, Grandma and the aunts are avid readers, and I’m their favorite of the HACKHAMMERS. Can’t disappoint!
The “Romans’ Road†is not the Gospel. Accepting the tenets of the “Romans’ Road†may or may not be synonymous with accepting the Gospel. Some adherents of the “Romans’ Road†may neglect Jesus Christ, “The Way,†in favor of the “Romans’ Road.†They are not going through Jesus Christ because they took the Romans’ Road. Jesus says, “Follow me†but they can’t. They are following the Romans’ Road Map to heaven.
No doubt some will ask, “aren’t the two the same?†Not for some. For some, the Romans’ Road means coming to the Father through the Sinner’s Prayer. The Sinner’s Prayer justifies the sinner. The Sinner’s Prayer cleanses from all sin. The Sinner’s Prayer causes me to be born again.
Now, a brief disclaimer for those who need to read disclaimers. I’m not against the “Romans’ Road†per se. Clearly, the book of Romans teaches soteriology in precise fashion. But we made a mistake some years back in equating the Romans’ Road with the Gospel. If the Romans’ Road is the Gospel, then why didn’t God the Father preach the Romans’ Road to Abraham (Galatians 3:8
)? Why didn’t Christ preach the Romans’ Road to Nicodemas? Why didn’t Paul preach the Romans’ Road on Mars’ Hill? Why didn’t Peter preach the Romans’ Road on the day of Pentecost?
Growing up in a “Hyles†type church (my pastor was both a graduate of Hyles and a one-day-a-week teacher there while I was in High School) and attending Hyles-Anderson College for a year, I learned a version of the Gospel that became the Gospel to me. As a result, several things never made sense to me. Galatians 3:8 for one. For another, where did 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ff. fit in? Somehow, the versions of “The Romans’ Road†never left room for the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, or else left no room for any more than lip service to that idea. If one thought of the resurrection while soul winning he might mention it, but the key was to get the subject to The Sinner’s Prayer.
All the teaching I received in High School culminated into a mindset that fully developed in my year at Hyles. On the first Saturday morning of college, one of the staff men did a Soul Winning Clinic, required for all Freshmen, in which he explained how to Win Souls, and reminded us that we were required to win one soul per week. Whether it was said directly or left unsaid, I walked away with a “clear†understanding of my task as a soul winner. I must convince people to pray the Sinner’s Prayer. If they would only Pray that Prayer, they would be saved. They could Pray this Prayer, and afterwards they would go to heaven, no matter what they did.
I took the teaching to be Gospel. I took the message to the streets. I begged and pleaded. I had a zeal for souls, albeit ignorantly. I genuinely believed that if a man would simply Pray that Prayer, he would be saved. It would not matter what he did after he Prayed the Prayer, because “once you’re saved, you’re always saved.†The Bible says that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.†Whosoever means anybody. Calling on God to save you means that you are saved, no matter what.
So, out I went, armed with my Romans’ Road Map designed to lead men “to Christ.†But really, the Romans’ Road Map was specially designed to bring men to the Sinner’s Prayer, which in my mind was equal with leading men to Christ.
One Saturday, as I was knocking doors, I came across a man in his thirties. We spoke briefly before I launched into my spiel. Within a few minutes, I was to the crucial point, Romans 10:13.
Sir, whosoever means anybody. You could put your name there. What did you say your name was? Dan? Okay, “For Dan shall call upon the name of the Lord, and he shall be saved.†Isn’t that wonderful, Dan? If you will call upon the name of the Lord and ask him to save you right now, then you will be saved. That is God’s promise. It doesn’t matter what you have done before, it doesn’t matter what you do after. You could call upon the name of the Lord, and then go out and commit adultery, and you would still be going to heaven because you called upon the name of the Lord. You could call upon the name of the Lord and then go out and kill somebody, and you will still go to heaven, because you cannot lose your salvation.
Dan looked at me for a moment, and suddenly the irony of that statement hit him. Mockingly, he said, “Really! You mean really, I can pray that prayer and then I can do whatever I want? That’s great! What do I say! I’m wanting to go do some sinning in a minute here!â€
Suddenly, my pitch didn’t sound so hot. But what was I to do? Meekly I replied…
Um, Dan, ummm… you need to tell Jesus that you are a sinner, and that you deserve Hell, and then ask him to forgive your sins and take you to heaven.
Dan kept up the sarcasm. “Your sure now that this is all I have to say. I want to get it right. I want to be able to do whatever I want and still go to heaven. So, I just need to pray this prayer, right?â€
(Gulp!) Ummmm, yes, Dan.
Dan prayed… “Jesus I’m a sinner, please save me, Amen.†“Now can I go? I need to get back to sinning.â€
Ummmm, Dan, after we get saved, we need to get baptized…â€
Dan: “But you said all I needed to do was pray this prayer, and I prayed this prayer, so can I go now?â€
Yes, Dan, you can go.
Sheepishly, I walked away as the door slammed shut behind me. The Gospel was changing me.
Several weeks later, I stood at a lady’s door, again begging her to Pray the Prayer. This time, I left out the parts about “doing whatever you want afterwards.†I remained convinced that the sinner’s prayer was a magic pill, and that those who prayed it were forever inoculated against Hell. Once again, I pleaded with this woman to Pray the Prayer.
Ma’am, if you’ll just pray this prayer with me, you will be saved! You don’t need to understand, you don’t need to do anything else. You just need to pray this prayer. Won’t you pray with me?
I should mention that this lady was Hispanic. She couldn’t even remotely understand what I was saying. Nevertheless, I forged ahead under the allusion that she might be able to understand me, and whether she understood or not, the prayer was magic.
It was at that moment, pleading with her to Pray the Prayer, that God flicked my ear in a sense, and I realized that rather than saving her soul, I could actually be damning her to hell by convincing her to pray the prayer. As I walked away from her door, an overwhelming fear gripped my heart. How many people that I had “led to the Lord†were trusting in that Prayer, would cling to that Prayer for their salvation, would one day at the judgement seat of Christ, when asked why God should let them into heaven reply, “because I Prayed the Prayer.â€
Since that time, God has taught me differently. I still evangelize. I preach the Gospel. Not the Roman’s Road Map to the Sinner’s Prayer, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In our zeal for decisions, we have forgotten that the Gospel is a story, and we are storytellers. We have forgotten that the Gospel is the story of Abraham, and in Abraham all nations blessed. We have forgotten how to preach the Gospel saying, “In Abraham shall all nations of the earth be blessed.” We have forgotten that the Gospel is the story of heroes and battles, of dragon-slaying and giants falling. We have forgotten that the Gospel is a bloody story with a blessed ending. We have forgotten Goliath’s head, hoisted above a shepherd boy’s, blood oozing where the head was severed. We have forgotten how to tell stories. We don’t like fiction. Just the facts, ma’am. The Romans’ Road Map will do. Pray this Prayer. Repeat after me. Abracadabra…
If the Gospel is the power of God to salvation (Romans 1:16), then we need to reacquaint ourselves with what the Gospel really is.
Show Time: Making the Gospel About Us March 28, 2007
Posted by Kent Brandenburg in : The Gospel , 7 comments Print This Post
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A little over one-hundred years ago, the man with the unusually styled white hair, Albert Einstein, came out of nowhere with a string of scientific papers that among other things said that there is no fixed point in space.  I can’t disagree with him. However, I will say that we do have a fixed point around which our lives revolve outside of space. David wrote in Psalm 112:7b, “His heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.” Life does revolve around the Lord, and it will for a Christian, who loves the Lord because He first loved him (1 John 4:19). The unsaved person revolves everything arond himself, a lover of his own self (2 Timothy 3:2).
God seeks for worshipers, not gift reception candidates (John 4:23, 24).  He who would have life, must lose his own (Matthew 16:25). “[God] shalt have no other gods before [Him]” (Exodus 20:3). The Lord is worthy “to receive glory and honour and power: for [He] created all things, and for [His] pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11). Thirty three times, Scripture says “praise the Lord,” twenty two times “praise Him” with Him being “God,” twice “praise God,” once “praise unto the LORD,” once “praise unto our God,” once “sing praises unto Him,” once “praises to the God,” once “sing praises unto his name,” once “sing praises to God,” and once “sing praises to the Lord.” All praise is rightly directed to God in His Word.
The overriding thought for every activity should be, “What will please God?” Instead, in many cases even in church services man has replaced God as sovereign. Man’s taste has subjugated God’s truth.  Human methodology has surpassed Divine wisdom. In Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman writes:
Toward the end of the nineteenth century . . . the Age of Exposition began to pass, and the early signs of its replacement could be discerned. Its replacement was to be the Age of Show Business.
Entertainment has moved into the very center of family and cultural life. Amusements have become the most important and time-consuming aspects of human discourse.  The more the show becomes the church’s business, the less relevant is truth. Substance counts for little and style counts for almost everything. Bringing games and carnal amusements into the church eventually destroy people’s appetites for real worship and the exposition of God’s Word.
In accordance with the change in culture also came a change in the methods of churches. People enamored with worldly things, essentially thorny ground, didn’t care to listen to the Gospel preached, verses carefully exegeted.  Children were still interested in small toys, candy, and puppet shows. If the entertainment medium was what was necessary to winning people, why not go all out? A real carnival with an acrobat quoting Bible verses, or at least “super-Christian” in a super-hero outfit stomping on a costumed devil. The content was Bible, but the medium cheapened, and, therefore, the message corrupted.
As the same kids leave their childhood years, they enter a youth program with rallies and high energy games, up tempo choruses, and speakers whose specialty is humor.  Almost anything that was radical in the fifties is considered conventional today.  The best pastor is the one with the most innovation and the best techniques for church growth. Now the megachurches represent country clubs with their facilities for recreation and entertainment their most visible aspects.
Sadly, verse-by-verse preaching became associated with boredom. Better were the motivational speeches sparsely populated with Scripture, but heavy on the stories. Ironically, the ones who told the most tales and the tallest could explain their successes. They had “the power of God” obtained through extraordinary circumstances, which fueled their naturalistic presentations. Showtime needs showmen.
This uniting of the world and God and of man’s ways with the Divine most certainly changes the Gospel, let alone destroying the ability to discern. A ministry philosophy that is so contradictory to the pattern the Lord gave us does not accentuate the Gospel. It can’t. The Scriptural gospel of sacrifice and self-denial is incompatible with the carnal offerings of modern churches. We would all be best sent back to the Word of God to strictly imitate the ministry model of the New Testament of Christ and the Apostles. Do you think you would be willing?
The Gospel Is Changing — Everything (Part 2) March 24, 2007
Posted by Jeff Voegtlin in : The Gospel , 3 comments Print This Post
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In part one under this title, I made the point that grace and the gospel are clearly linked throughout the Scriptures.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Galatians 1:6
I would now like to make some practical applications of this truth. We are saved by grace. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. In salvation, I recognized that I could do nothing; I had to turn from myself to Jesus Christ; and He did it all. This is the grace of the gospel.Â
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: Hebrews 12:28
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Galatians 2:20-3
In all these passages, Christians are taught some truth about grace in their lives presently. Grace is not some type of ethereal cloud that comes over us and envelopes our life. In the gospel, we recognized that we could do nothing; we recognized that Christ had to do it all; we turned from ourselves and by faith, trusted in Christ for eternal life. Since we are not foolish, we must continue (we must be made perfect) in the same way.
You grow in grace when you trust Christ more than yourself each day. You are strong in grace when you are not strong yourself. You have grace when you live through each decision the same way you made your salvation decision (not of yourself). You make it through trials and testing by grace, trusting Christ. Trusting Christ is sufficient. You don’t frustrate the grace of God when you seek Him for each decision that must be made.
You do frustrate the grace of God when you think you can live your life on your own except for during church, devotions, and evangelism. “Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh?” We need God’s grace every hour of every day. We need God’s grace when we eat, when we drive, when we work, when we fellowship; we need it all the time. If you are not depending on God’s grace more today than yesterday, you’re not growing in grace.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11
In order to do any work for God, we must be living the gospel. We must live each day just like we did the moment we were saved by grace.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. James 2:17
Faith without works is dead, but works without faith (grace) is deadly. Living in the flesh kills…, even if it looks spiritual.
How the Gospel Gets Changed March 21, 2007
Posted by Kent Brandenburg in : The Gospel , 2 comments Print This Post
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We know the Gospel gets changed. We established that from 2 Corinthians 11 in the first article of this month. In exploring this thought, we also contended that change comes almost exclusively in two ways: change in Who Jesus is and change in what belief is. We must believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. The Lord will not justify the one who botches genuine belief or the one who falls short of a Biblical Jesus. How do these two changes happen?
False Worship
One way the saving Gospel becomes distorted is by means of false worship. True worship recognizes Who God is and gives Him what He wants. False worship either warps the identification of Who God is or offers Him something that He does not want. False worship confuses sinners on the character and nature of God. With genuine worship, since God is recognized as holy, He is presented with holy offerings. Giving Him worldly, sensual, or fleshly “worship” communicates that God Himself is wordly, sensual, or fleshly. Anyone Who receives this “God,” has gotten an imposter.
Since worldly, fleshly, or sensual worship is unacceptable to God, who is it about? It is about the one presenting it. This pragmatic ”worship” suggests that salvation is about our own entertainment, comfort, and good-feelings. The worshipper becomes sovereign over God, his personal taste becoming predominant. Justification then comes, not from turning from his own way, but from bringing Jesus along for the ride.
Corrupted Methods
Men so want to see success in the ministry that they use methods that alter the nature of the gospel. Instead of going to preach, they go to invite. Unsaved people are not interested in Scriptural exegesis and true worship, so the presentation of the Gospel almost always is customized for the audience. Since there is only one Gospel, this customization often leaves the crowd with a placebo and the church with a statistic.
Since the church is the body of Christ, people learn about Christ through the nature of His body. When the church becomes a place of fun and etertainment, the nature and character of Jesus Christ is changed in the mind of the hearers. Faith becomes self-gratification, and Jesus becomes the goody-meister.
Twisted Interpretation
Salvation isn’t praying a prayer. We are not justified through prayer. We are justified by faith. The people who call on the name of the Lord are those who understand the nature of Jesus Christ and the dire predicament they are in. Salvation isn’t walking an aisle or raising a hand. It isn’t being able to answer certain leading questions. Men have taken a few passages that mention “confess” and “call” and have turned salvation into a syllogism that concludes with “prayer equals salvation.” That misses what God says about justification by faith alone.
Arguments from Silence
Many continue the false worship, corrupt methodology, and twisted interpretation with arguments from silence. The primary argument from silence goes like this: ”The Bible doesn’t say it is wrong, so it must be right.” But God’s Word is sufficient. God does not have an entire agenda between the lines of the Bible. He has included all of it in the actual text of Scripture. When we operate outside of Scripture, we undermine the authority and suffiency of Scripture, and we threaten the very propagation of the gospel itself.
How bad do you think it is that churches and Christians damn people to Hell by their changing the Gospel? Could there be anything worse?
What Does It Mean to Believe in Jesus Christ? March 16, 2007
Posted by Kent Brandenburg in : Methodology, The Gospel , 22 comments Print This Post
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Doctrine is practical.  Clarity, accuracy, and thoroughness in doctrine while evangelizing is practical. We are justified by Biblical faith, not some kind of fraudulent faith. Someone may say that he believes in Jesus Christ, but the belief must be actual belief. We know that some faith does not save (James 2). The parable of the sower (Matthew 13) says that some might “receive” the Word in a non-saving way, specifically the examples of the stony ground and the thorny soil. Simon the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-25) provides an occasion of faith that falls short of conversion.
Getting into Heaven instead of Hell is as practical as it can get. Someone whose doctrine sends him to Hell will agree that it hasn’t been very practical. On the other hand, someone in Heaven will thank God for the practicality of the position he was taught.  A profession isn’t practical if it doesn’t save anyone. It might make someone look good, and that might have a kind of practicality, but in the end it will mean practically nothing. A church growth seminar won’t do anyone any good at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20) if someone’s name isn’t in the Book of Life.  So thinking about this can reach maximum practicality.
EXPLAINING BELIEF IN CHRIST
When I preach the Gospel, near the end of the presentation I’ll say, “We must believe in Jesus Christ. A whole lot of people will say they believe in Jesus Christ today, but it is important that we understand what it means to believe in Jesus Christ.” Then I explain. What is it that I tell someone?
First, we must believe in Jesus Christ. I quote John 3:36, then John 3:18 and 3:16. Each of those say “believe in Jesus Christ.” They don’t say “accept Jesus as your Savior” or “ask Jesus into your heart” or “ask the Lord to save you.” We’ve talked about Jesus being the Jesus of the Bible, but is the belief the belief of the Bible? To start, however, it is clear that the only way of salvation comes through faith in Christ.
Second, what does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? Just because people say they believe in Jesus Christ, doesn’t mean they do. Part of what it means to believe in Jesus Christ is found in Luke 13, which says in v. 3, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish,” and in v. 5, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” If someone does not repent, he will what? He will perish. In John 3:16, the Lord says that if someone believes in Him, He will not what? He will not perish. If we believe, we won’t perish, but if we don’t repent, we will perish. Belief and repentance are talking about the same thing. We can’t believe in Jesus Christ and in ourselves. To repent means to turn. That’s part of the history of the word “repent.” Unless we turn from our way, relinquishing our will, and stop believing in anything else but Jesus Christ, we will perish.
There are a few passages that will make this clear. 2 Thessalonians 1:9 says, “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” The word “repent” doesn’t occur here, but ”turn” is synonymous with “repent.” We can’t serve the world or ourselves. No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). We can’t put Jesus on the shelf with all the other gods. That’s not believing in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way (John 14:6), so we can’t go our way; we must turn from our way. This is the message of something that Jesus said repeatedly in the New Testament.
LOSING LIFEÂ
One place the Lord Jesus used an often repeated truth was Matthew 16:25-26:
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The word “life” is psuche, which is found in v. 26, but translated “soul.” A believer must offer His soul to God for saving. This is the idea of these two verses (Psalm 23:3; 19:7a):
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.
Our soul is cleansed of sin when we give it to God, that is, it is restored or converted. We can’t hang on to our soul and expect to be in heaven.  A person cannot keep his life for himself and get to heaven. He must relinquish his life to the Lord. This is part of what it means to believe.
CONFESS THE LORD JESUSÂ
Fitting right into this Scriptural understanding of “believing in Jesus Christ” is Romans 10:9-10.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
If Jesus is Lord, then we are not. He rose from the dead. How? He is God. He is the Messiah. Confessing Him as Lord is confessing that we are not Lord.
HAVE YOU EXPLAINEDÂ FAITH?
This is what it means to believe in Jesus Christ. When I present this to people, I have found that when I am done, they understand what it means to believe. They are under conviction.  They know that if they hang on to their life, they are rebelling against the Lord. They know what He has done for them. They know He deserves their allegiance. Working against this within them is their desire to control their own life. They love the world. They’re tempted to procrastinate. They see the goodness of God, His love for them, but they understand how their life will change. When I see this, I believe I have succeeded at explaining what belief in Jesus Christ is.
The Gospel Is Changing — Everything March 13, 2007
Posted by Jeff Voegtlin in : The Gospel , 6 comments Print This Post
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What is grace? I’m sure many of you have learned some definition that is very similar to this: God’s undeserved merit or favor. Some say grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve and mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve. We live a life of grace. Even the lost experience some of God’s grace. While they are under God’s condemnation, they still experience good things from God–some call this common grace. But I want you to think of the greatest grace a believer receives. What is the greatest thing you received that you did not deserve? Isn’t it the gospel? Could there be any greater undeserved gift? I don’t think so! I’m making this point to help you understand a Bible term: grace. Most often, when you read of grace in the Scriptures, the Word is speaking to Christians–people who have already experienced the grace of the gospel. How are we to understand these passages? I will answer that in a future post, but first some foundational Scripture and further Bible teaching.
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9
In this verse we see a clear correlation between grace and gospel. In fact, Paul indicates that the two terms could be interchageable here. Couldn’t he have said, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the gospel of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another…”? He couldn’t have said “…into another grace” because any other gospel is not grace. But the true gospel of Christ is truly the grace of God.
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Galatians 2:7, 9
Here again, Paul makes a clear connection in terminology, saying that the gospel was committed to him and then that grace was given to him. Often, when we read of grace and believers, we would do well to remember this grace/gospel correlation.
With this explanation in mind, lets explore some other portions of Scripture.Â
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:15-17
If the gospel is only for the lost, the first question you should ask yourself while reading this is, “Why would Paul want to preach the gospel to the saints in Rome?” It must be that there is more to the gospel than just salvation. Just as Jesus is more than a Savior, the gospel is more than a fire escape plan. “The just shall live by faith.”Â
Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. Romans 11:5-6
You might think that the Bible is overstating its case here. But the point must be made that grace and works are so diametrically opposed, and mankind so naturally wants to prove his own merit by working, that even this “redundancy” can not be considered an overstatement. Really, we are so works oriented that we must have this type of reminder often.Â
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 1 Corinthians 15:1
Here again, though the Corinthians had received the gospel already, they were also standing in the gospel. The gospel/grace was something they needed currently.
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10
Paul says that he was what he was at that moment because of God’s grace. Grace/gospel was doing a continuing work in his life. He labored abundantly, but it wasn’t his labor, it was the grace of God.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. 2 Corinthians 1:12
Paul’s conversation in the world (not just his justification) was by the grace of God.
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Galatians 5:4
The Galatians were believers (1:2; 3:1-3; 3:26-27; 4:6-7; 5:1) yet they stood in peril of not living by grace. Of not living according to the gospel. If they were to apply the principles of justification by the law to their life, they would have fallen from living by grace or the gospel.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:8, 11
Look at these phrases:
- all grace
- always having
- all sufficiency
- all things
- every good work
- every thing
- all bountifulness
Grace, or the gospel, should affect change every single aspect of our lives. Nothing is outside the realm of the gospel. It changes is changing–everything!
A Cardinal Error March 12, 2007
Posted by Jack Hammer in : The Gospel , 1 comment so far Print This Post
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The cardinal error against which the gospel of Christ has to contend is the effect of the tendency of the human heart to rely on salvation by works. The great antagonist to the truth as it is in Jesus is that pride of man which leads him to believe that he can be, at least in part, his own savior. This error is the prolific mother of multitudes of heresies.
Charles Spurgeon
Jesus Is Lord March 9, 2007
Posted by Kent Brandenburg in : The Gospel , 6 comments Print This Post
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At one point in a presentation of the gospel, I explain in some depth Who Jesus Christ is.  Why? Knowledge of Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation. I’m not running from knowledge of Him, but sprinting toward that knowledge. I’m also going deep with it. Think about the very beginning of 2 Peter, which is a salvation context (1:1-3):
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
To start, you should know that v. 1 here is one of the clearest statements of the Deity of Christ in Scripture. Please use it. We have one definite article before “God,” that you don’t see in the English, and it attaches to both God and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus is both God and Savior. And this is contextually about salvation too. Notice in v. 2 that grace and peace come from knowledge of Jesus our Lord. Later in v. 3 we see that His divine power gives us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the “knowledge of him.” The Greek word for knowledge is epignosis. Epignosis is deep knowledge. For your edification, you should understand that epignosis isn’t just in 2 Peter, but also here:
Romans 10:2
The Jews weren’t saved because they did not have epignosis. Epignosis is also in plenty of other salvation contexts (Col. 2:2; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25; 3:7; etc.).  Deep knowledge of Jesus our Lord is required for salvation.
I believe that David Cloud does a tremendous amount of great work and gets savaged undeservedly by many. I almost universally defend him. I’m not attempting to throw him under the bus here. However, I think he does great disservice to the doctrine of salvation when He misrepresents the precise nature of our relationship to the Lordship of Jesus Christ with regards to salvation. The doctrine of salvation at this point is more important than my loyalty to David Cloud. David Cloud attacks a doctrine of “Lordship salvation” that I have never read in my life, his main thrust found in this statement:
To preach a “lordship salvation” which requires that sinners make Jesus Christ absolute Lord of every area of their lives in order to be saved is to confuse position and practice, justification and sanctification.
Sinners can’t make Jesus Christ absolute Lord. No one makes Jesus Lord. I’ve actually never heard anyone in my life preach what David Cloud says here. In my opinion, he is arguing against a straw man. What he should make clear is that Jesus is absolute Lord over everything, let alone every area of our lives. A sinner must believe Jesus Christ is Lord of His life, or He doesn’t believe in the Jesus Christ of the Bible. All of us need to recognize this.
The Lordship of Christ is the thrust of the gospel in the book of Acts. Ask yourself this question, What gospel did the apostles preach? If you read Acts, Jesus is called Lord ninety times and Savior twice. What does that say to you? Anyone who denies Lordship of Christ denies Christ. Someone who denies Christ isn’t saved.  The Jesus of the Bible is Lord and if we don’t receive Him as Lord, we don’t receive Him. Lordship and Christ are relentlessly connected. Peter centers on this point in 2 Peter 2:1, when he writes:
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
The apostate has the problem with the Lordship of Christ. “Lord” here is despotes. It is the strongest word for “Lord” in the Greek language. Jesus is sovereign Lord and the denial of that, of Him as sovereign Lord, is why these apostates have turned from Him.  Many in our modern culture love Jesus as Savior, but reject Him as Lord. It is a matter of control. Who is God and who isn’t? For us to be converted, we can’t remain on the throne. That is idolatry. We must relinquish our will and our way for Christ. He is the way (John 14:6) and the One through Whom we come to the Father is Lord. If we attempt to go through the Jesus that isn’t Lord, we won’t be saved, because that Jesus isn’t Jesus.
A common verse used in preaching the gospel is Romans 10:9:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Confess with your mouth what? The Lord Jesus. When I preach this, I use the billboard illustration.
What if I bought a billboard and put on it in big letters, “JESUS IS LORD”? Everyone stuck in commute traffic read my billboard. Would they all go to heaven? “No.” Why not? Because confessing Jesus as Lord isn’t just saying words. When we confess Jesus as Lord, we are getting off the throne and Jesus is getting on it.
We can’t put Jesus Christ on the shelf with all our other gods. He must alone be worshipped (John 4:23, 24). Repentance is turning “from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9).
Personally, I don’t mind if anyone says I’m Lordship Salvation, because I can’t visualize or comprehend No-Lordship Salvation. Jesus is Lord. Let’s proclaim it, let’s preach it, let’s quote it, and then let the Holy Spirit work in the rebellious sinners who don’t want to give up the control of their life. I don’t have to give up every sin and every bad habit I have to be saved. I do have to give up everything. The narrow gate is like a turnstyle. It is narrow. You can’t get through it with all your baggage. To turn from sin, we must turn from sin. And Who do we turn to? The Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord.
Another Jesus March 7, 2007
Posted by Kent Brandenburg in : The Gospel , 11 comments Print This Post
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I go door-to-door evangelizing every week. I present the gospel at least once a week and always hopefully more. “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Rom. 1:16). I’m not ashamed even though “fundamentalists” say it doesn’t work, even though most evangelicals have more time to blog and do seminars, and even though I have never in 20 years run into anyone else preaching the gospel while I was out preaching the gospel. How could that happen if Christians were not ashamed of the gospel of Christ? One would think that we might just bump into each other out their shamelessly proclaiming it.
One day I was out preaching, and I knocked on the door of a man who invited me into his house. This doesn’t happen much where I live. I smiled, said thank you, and crossed his threshold. I noticed on his wall a figure hanging on the cross. The person portrayed in a painting as being crucified was a black African male. I want you to consider this question: Was that artwork representative of the Lord Jesus Christ? Another question: Could a man believe in a Jesus who was a black African and be saved? I’m not so interested in the point that he was African instead of Asian or Hispanic or Caucasian or Indian, so let’s not go there. But you answer the questions.
I believe that most people don’t know who Jesus is. That is sad. He’s Wonderful. He is King of Kings, Mighty God, the Great I Am, and the Jehovah of the Old Testament. He is my Great Intercessor, my Lord, my Savior, the Good Shepherd, and the Great Physician. Every single day I pray for Him to set up His kingdom on this earth. I do yearn for His kingdom to come. And yet people do not know Him. I want to go one step further. I don’t think most Christians know Who He is.
Our culture has dumbed Jesus down so much that He is hardly recognizable. People in churches are a lot more comfortable with their idea of Jesus than the One in the Bible. When the real One gets presented, they’re often miffed or offended.  Churches and their leaders have figured this out, so they water Jesus down for easier consumption. The One in the Bible is worthy of my life and love, but not this placebo.
The Apostle Paul begins a sentence in 1 Corinthians 11: “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted.”  People can preach another Jesus. They were, they have, and they do. The modern Christ seems a designer Jesus concocted for the narcissistic culture duped in Freudian-think. They’re lookin’ for the thrill they feel in an experience with Jesus. That’s the same Jesus men wanted in John 6. That wasn’t Him, so they walked away, and Jesus didn’t run them down. Today churches would definitely chase these people and offer them something, anything to hold their attention for a moment, until they can give them Jesus the entertainer, Jesus the goodymeister, or Jesus their therapist.
The crowd that won’t pause to consider Jesus Christ won’t understand Him better if we offer them something less than Him to gain their audience. What we’ll do instead is give them the impression that Jesus is some kind of heavenly bell-hop, a genie in a bottle who will pop out to grant them their three wishes.  We might get some people this way, but will they get a real Jesus? And will we really have them? They’ll stay as long as we keep offering the temporal bread–bread and circuses is probably more like it. If they can jive with Jesus, groove with Him, rap with Him, or hang with Him, we might keep them.  The true Jesus of the Bible would have nothing to do with any of what they really want, which is tell-tale that they don’t have the real Him.
There’s so much to say here. So much confuses the world about Who Jesus is today–absence of long, clear teaching about Him, leading to a deep knowledge of Jesus Christ, the lack of separation, associating Him with false doctrine and practice, the very darkness against which He is the light. I recently read this by a famous modern preacher:
There are living images of sanctification in our world today which are more real, more authentic than all the people put together who think sanctification is passé. Malcolm Muggeridge takes Mother Teresa as an example:
I think a person like her comes into the world, not by chance, and radiates the Christian faith at its most simple, most pure, most effective level. She takes any baby that is given to her and looks after it. She brings in dying people from the streets who might live for only a quarter of an hour. When they leave this life with a loving Christian face beside them instead of one of rejection, she would say that it is well worth it. She is diametrically opposed to the spirit of the age—abortion is a horror to her, and all the attitude of mind associated with it. (Eternity, April 1984, p. 27)  Â
When a young woman living in the security and comfort of middle class Western society moves to Calcutta in obedience to Jesus, that is sanctification, and it is not irrelevant. Don’t let the irrelevance of the word mislead you. The reality is immensely important.
John Piper said that.  According to him, his Jesus is the same Jesus as Mother Theresa, dedicated Roman Catholic nun.
So what about the black African male hanging on the cross in the painting? Jesus was a Jew, a Hebrew, from Galilee, Who left heaven to be born of a virgin in real time in real history. We can’t believe in a symbol. We must believe in a real Person, Who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Why do we spend time on the Deity of Christ with the Watchtower crowd? You know. They have the wrong Jesus. Without the real One, they will die in their sins, separated from a loving, holy God forever in Hell (2 Jn. 1:7-9). We do the same with Mormons. We plead with them, open Scripture, and show them. We must believe in… the One, the Only Jesus Christ. But do you know what? That goes for us too. Us too. That’s right. We are heading there fast, if we haven’t already arrived, that most of those who believe in Christ, a Christ, alone, don’t have Him either. They too have another Jesus.
Everything Relates to the Gospel March 2, 2007
Posted by Kent Brandenburg in : Jack Hammer, The Gospel , 3 comments Print This Post
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The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and without salvation, we’re sunk. So we better not change it. I remember a cheer from Covington High School cheer block when I went to high school games as a little boy, “No, no, never, never, uh-uh, uh.” This month’s topic: Is the Gospel Changing and What Is Changing It? Of course, the Gospel can’t change. The Gospel itself will always stay intact. It is what it is. But what we present might not be the Gospel, and even when we do present the Gospel, the medium could change the message. The message can be distorted by the vehicle carrying it. These are things we should consider.
The Gospel is our justification. The Gospel is our sanctification. The Gospel is our marriage. The Gospel is our family. The Gospel is our church. We go nowhere without the Gospel. I’m preaching through Isaiah on Sunday mornings and I see there that only one highway travels to that beautiful garden God has prepared for us.  It is the Gospel highway and you better make sure you’re on it. You’re not just spinning your wheels without the Gospel; you don’t even have flat tires; you’re going in reverse.
And yet the Gospel is fiddled and diddled. The parts of it are distorted, changing the whole. And suddenly we have a false gospel, something that doesn’t save, a highway that heads off the cliff. When preaching it isn’t as good as something we thought of, we’ve already perverted it. When it falls under something we’ve concocted, it’s already changed in nature to those hearing it.
Two separate components are key to preserving the Gospel. One, Who Jesus Is. Two, What Belief Is. We must believe in Jesus Christ, but we won’t if we alter what belief is and then twist Who Christ is. You don’t want the wrong Jesus and you don’t want a placebo faith.
This month join us here in briefly considering whether the Gospel is changing and what is changing it.
