False Gospels In Churches Today
by David J. Stewart | April 2016
1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
Satan is smarter and more clever than any human being, or group of human beings. Our text verse above is as simple as can be, direct from the holy Scriptures. Argue as some may, no one can debate the meaning of “the Gospel” in view of 1st Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, was BURIED, and bodily RESURRECTED three days later. This is “the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Romans 1:16b). There is no other way to be saved, than through the power of the Gospel.
Unshackled Or Shackled?
In episode #3398 (the story of Dora Jean Johnson, from February 28, 2016), Pacific Garden Mission's UNSHACKLED radio program leads the listener to, and I quote: “Trust Him by praying with us now, 'Dear Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. I believe you died on the cross for my sins. I repent of my sins against you. Thank you for your sacrifice. Save me Lord. Come into my life and change me. Make me like you! Thank you for the gift of eternal life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.” Although seemingly innocent, this is a perversion of the Gospel. No mention is made of Christ's resurrection from the dead. Also, the Gospel does not require inviting Christ to, “Come into my life and change me.” Nor does it require asking Christ to “Make me like You.” Nor does the Bible require us to “repent of my sins against you [God]” to receive the gift of eternal life. If any of these things were required to be saved, they would have been mentioned in God's definition of “the Gospel.” But they weren't. These are unbiblical additions to God's plan of salvation. If you disagree, then argue with God, Who defines the Gospel in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4.
“All things truly wicked start from innocence.” ―Ernest Hemingway, Author
Seventh-day Adventism's False Gospel
Another false Gospel which is perverted horribly is taught by Seventh-day Adventists (SDA). I've studied SDA carefully and they are clever deceivers. Much of their publicly promoted literature, such as their SDA “Amazing Facts” magazine and website, propagate a seemingly correct Gospel message; but this is a superficial front for the SDA cult, intended (in my opinion) to lure the unlearned into their satanic organization. SDA's false Gospel is clearly revealed when you study their exclusive cult doctrine (invented by false prophetess Ellen G. White) of the “Investigative Judgment,” which basically teaches that in the year 1844 Jesus entered into the heavenly Holy Place, to begin His work of investigating the life of every believer, to determine who is “worthy” to enter into Heaven based upon whether their manner of life matches their profession of “Christian” faith. Clearly, this is a works-based plan of salvation, which is not the Gospel. SDA is of the Devil. SDA's also deny the Biblical teaching of eternal torment in the fires of Hell. SDA teaches a variation of the heresy of Lordship Salvation. Biblically, the Seventh-day Adventist religious cult is not the New Testament Church!!!
Jehovah's Witness' False GospelAnother heretical religious group who pervert the Gospel (and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ) are Jehovah's Witnesses (JW). JW's deceitfully teach that Jesus is “a god” but not “almighty God.” In fact, JW's teach that Michael the archangel became Jesus, and that Jesus is not the literal biological Son of God (making Jesus almighty God). JW's teach that Jesus only resurrected spiritually, but not bodily. In sharp contrast to satanic Jehovah's Witness (JW) doctrine, the Holy Bible (King James Bible) teaches that over 500 brethren saw Jesus in His resurrected BODY (1st Corinthians 15:6). JW's have their own corrupted Bible version, named after the demonic New World Order, called the “New World Translation” (NWT). in The NWT, John 1:1 reads that Jesus (the Word) was “a god” instead of “God.” Clearly, JW founder Charles Taze Russell denied the deity of Jesus Christ.
JW's require water baptism for salvation. Since they have “ANOTHER JESUS” and “ANOTHER GOSPEL” and “ANOTHER SPIRIT” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4), JW's are of the Devil. JW's deny many fundamental Bible doctrines; such as, a literal burning Hell where the wicked are punished forever. Instead, similar to Seventh-day Adventists, JW's teach the heresy of “annihilation.” That is, the false teaching that the wicked die and then cease to exist anymore. This is totally unscriptural. The Holy Bible has much more to say about “Hell” than it does “Heaven.” Denying that a place of eternal suffering called “Hell” exists doesn't make it go away! The Bible warns us in Revelation 21:8 about “the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” As with SDA's, JW's are not part of the New Testament Church. Rather, they are Masonic influenced organizations of the Devil.
Roman And Russian Catholicism False Gospel
The biggest satanic religious cult on the planet is the Roman Catholic Church (headquartered in Rome, Italy) and also the Russian Orthodox Church (headquartered in Moscow, Russia. Both religions worship the so-called “Blessed Virgin Mary.” In the Bible, Mary (Jesus' mother) did not remain a virgin. The Bible says she and Joseph were married and bore at least 6 more children (Matthew 12:46; 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 2:12; 7:3, 5, 10; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5; Galatians 1:19). Mary and Joseph's other four sons were Jesus' half brothers, and their two daughters were Jesus' half-sisters. Only Jesus was miraculously born of a virgin. The Catholic doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary is not Biblical.
Catholicism (both Roman and Russian) require keeping Seven Sacraments (water baptism, confession to a priest, penance, confirmation, Eucharist, holy orders, matrimony and last rites) to get to Heaven. Clearly, Catholicism has “ANOTHER GOSPEL” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). Catholic churches arrogantly and sinfully claim the right to fabricate new doctrines. Jesus said in Mark 7:9, “And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” Woe unto Catholics!
And by the way, I'm sick and tired of hearing Baptists say they know saved people in the Catholic church. Seriously, if that's your opinion, you need to examine your self, to make sure that you're saved. 2nd Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” All Catholicism is straight out of the very pits of Hell. The pope is the Vicar of Hell, not Heaven. There is no salvation in the Church of Rome. The Vatican is of the Devil.
The Sex Perverted Gospel Of Mormonism
Mormonism is a sex-perverted religious cult. You can read online about “Mormonism's Lost Boys.” Literally, thousands of young men have been kicked out, ostracized, excommunicated and rejected, to enable older Mormon elders to have multiple wives for themselves. Mormonism is a sex-pervert's paradise! Pedophilia is commonplace amongst Mormons. It's not hard to understand why when you study the core tenets of their bizarre religion, which effectively teaches, “He who has the most wives and children wins!” Mormonism teaches that there are different levels of Heaven. Basically, the idea is that there are spirits waiting in lower Heaven to be born into an earthly body, to live as a faithful Mormon and work their way into a higher Heaven. This is not Biblical at all. If you take away the sex from Mormonism, their entire religion ceases to exist. Mormonism has “ANOTHER SPIRIT” and it's not the Holy Spirit.
Mormonism is of the Devil, teaching that God had sex with Mary to conceive Jesus. Mormons claim that Jesus had multiple wives and bore many children. Everything is bout sex, sex, sex in Mormonism. As with the satanic cult of Freemasonry, Mormonism is an organization within an organization. Only the wealthiest Mormons partake of sexual rituals in their temples, which are furnished with beds. Mormonism was founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, a high-ranking Freemason. Mormonism's rituals are closely resemblant to those of Freemasonry, as the two religions are connected. Satan is the god of Mormonism, Lucifer.
Mormons deny the deity of Jesus Christ. In Mormonism, water baptism is required for salvation. Mormons adhere to a false understanding of repentance, very similar to that of the heresy of Lordship Salvation. Good works are required to be saved. Mormonism has “ANOTHER JESUS” and “ANOTHER GOSPEL” and “ANOTHER SPIRIT” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). The Book Of Mormon and Joseph Smith were both religious frauds! Mormonism is nothing more than the exploitation of Christianity to dupe women into living lives of whoredom, enabling ungodly men to live as whoremongers, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. Jude 1:4, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Sadly, wicked false prophets like Ravi Zacharias praise the Mormons, even apologizing to Mormons for God-fearing Baptists who have exposed Mormonism as being of the Devil. Ravi Zacharias is of the Devil!!!
The False Gospel Of Inviting Jesus Into Your Life
Perhaps more deadly than all of the aforementioned satanic religious cults is the Devil's popular lie circulating in evangelical churches today, that says the way to be saved is to “Invite Jesus into your life!” (an excellent sermon by Dr. Hank Lindstrom). You can invite Jesus into your heart and life and still go straight to Hell when you die. Jesus said, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN! (John 3:3).
I hear it everywhere on religious radio these days, unbiblical statements like . . . “Invite Jesus to come into your life,” and “Ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart,” and “Make Jesus the Lord of your life,” and “Surrender your life to Christ,” and “Pray for Jesus to save you” and “Follow Jesus Christ” to be saved.
My friend, Jesus doesn't forgive sin! That's right! Jesus paid for your sins and mine on the cross! Jesus forgives our sins by paying for them! Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and raised up three days later to pay for our sins! If you receive the Gospel (Good News) as payment for your sins, you are saved! Remember, “the Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ (as defined in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4) is that, Jesus Christ DIED on the cross for our sins, was BURIED, and bodily RESURRECTED three days later. This is the Gospel. You don't have to pray to be saved. The Holy Bible simply says to RECEIVE THE GOSPEL, that is, BELIEVE THE GOOD NEWS when you hear it!!!
Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” If you receive the preaching of Christ's death on the cross as payment for your sins, and that He was buried, and bodily resurrected three days later, YOU ARE BORN-AGAIN!!! We are saved by BELIEVING, nothing else! This is why the words “believe” and “believed” are mentioned 85 times in the Gospel of John, but the word “repent” is not mentioned even once. The man who believes has repented. “Repentance” is acknowledging that I am a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God (Romans 3:19; Galatians 3:24-26). If a person didn't repent, they would never believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved (John 3:20).
Did you know that you don't have to ask God to save you? That's correct! If you ask the Lord to save you, He could rightly say, “Why are you asking Me to save you? I already told you in My Word that I would save anyone who BELIEVES!” John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” 1st Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” Could the Scriptures speak any plainer? I think not!
The Gospel is under attack by the Devil. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. I humbly thank God for convicting my heart about the purity of the Gospel. The Lord has set me for the defence of the Gospel. Philippians 1:17, “But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.” The apostle Paul exclaimed that he was NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL. Romans 1:16, “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.” Many religious people (particular on radio) are ashamed of the Gospel. They don't want to offend Roman Catholics, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Church of Christ, United Methodists and other unsaved religious groups, so they retreat to a shallow “FORM OF GODLINESS, BUT DENYING THE POWER THEREOF” (2nd Timothy 3:5). The airwaves are filled with junk theology, leading people to “Invite Jesus into their life,” which is a false Gospel.
Repentance is Toward God
There's nothing in the Bible about “turning from sins” to be saved. The Catholic Church from Hell wrongly defines “repentance” as a change of behavior. That is reformation, not Biblical repentance. Again, there's not a verse in the Bible that says to “turn from sin” to be saved. Instead, Acts 20:21 teaches “REPENTANCE TOWARD GOD, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Repentance is TOWARD GOD, not from sin. False religion tells us to turn from sin, but the Holy Bible tells us to turn to God. You don't have to quit sinning to be saved! That's not even possible. Everyone sins! When you repent toward God, you've acknowledged yourself a guilty sinner, having CHANGED YOUR MIND.
Here is the best quote that I've ever found on repentance, by Dr. Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951):
“Which comes first, repentance or faith? In Scripture we read, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.' Yet we find true believers exhorted to 'repent, and do the first works.' So intimately are the two related that you cannot have one without the other. The man who believes God repents; the repentant soul puts his trust in the Lord when the Gospel is revealed to him. Theologians may wrangle over this, but the fact is, no man repents until the Holy Spirit produces repentance in his soul through the truth. No man believes the Gospel and rests in it for his own salvation until he has judged himself as a needy sinner before God. And this is repentance.” (Except Ye Repent, p. 16)
Salvation is a New Birth
We don't hear much about the need to be “born again” anymore. 1st Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” Instead we hear a lot of vague religious lingo that is totally unbiblical. Beware of religious terminology that is contrary to the Scriptures.
A popular teaching today by Evangelist Ray Comfort is that repentance produces such a radical “experience” in a person's life that God called it being “born-again.” My friend, that is junk theology. The Bible teaches that being born-again is a new birth into God's family by the Holy Spirit of God (John 1:12-14; 1st Peter 1:23). Being “born again” means being born of the Holy Spirit by faith in the Gospel (John 3:1-7; Romans 1:16). If you want to go to Heaven, acknowledge that you are a guilty sinner in God's eyes (Romans 3:19) and BELIEVE the Gospel. Mark 1:15b, “Repent ye, and believe the Gospel.” Ephesians 1:13, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” Amen!
Every Christian believer ought to defend “the Gospel”:
Galatians 1:6-9, “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.”
The Bible refers to “the Gospel” as “THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST”:
2nd Corinthians 11:3-4, But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 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, ye might well bear with him.”
It is simple to be saved. You don't have to commit to changing your ways to be saved. Talented cartoon Evangelist Jack Chick teaches in all his Chick Tracts that you must “Be willing to turn from sin (repent)” to be saved. That is not the Gospel. “Repentance” is not a willingness to turn away from sin; but rather, the admission of one's SINNERSHIP in God's holy eyes. Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” The purpose of God's law is to show men their sinfulness, that all the world may BECOME GUILTY BEFORE GOD. When you “repent” (Greek: metanoia, i.e., to change your mind) to agree with God, you acknowledge your sinful condition and believe the Gospel to be saved. Evil men refuse to repent; therefore, they won't come to Jesus to be saved. John 5:40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” When a man repents, he comes to Christ.
Ecumenism is the sinful yoking together of believers with unbelievers (2nd Corinthians 6:14-17). As once good churches today are today hobnobbing with the Devil's religious crowd, the Gospel is being watered-down into gibberish, lost in the confusion. The apostate message being sold by many “ministries” today is that Christ died on the cross for our sins, and we should “follow Christ” to be saved. In the intriguing religious film titled, “TIME CHANGER,” a false Gospel is taught, which leads the viewer to “give your life to Jesus Christ right now, your eternity will depend on it.” This is not the Gospel. We are directed oftentimes today by preachers to “Invite Jesus into our life.” This is not the Gospel. Here's my rebuttal of the 2014 film “GOD'S NOT DEAD.” Here is my rebuttal of the 2016 film, “GOD'S NOT DEAD 2.” Everywhere we turn today, the Gospel is not being taught, it is being perverted. May we as God's children be diligent to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). END
The Gospel In Just One Minute (by Pastor Max D. Younce)