Sliding Scale Gospel

Intro

Good morning church fam! Today we are starting a brand new series called “Which Gospel?” This past week I was at lunch with Joe and in our conversation we were discussing the different gospels that people follow.

I know what some may be thinking, isn’t there only one Gospel?

The answer to that question is and astounding YES! There is just one true Gospel, which is the Good News of Jesus Christ, His death, His resurrection for our Salvation. Included in that is His return for His Bride. Those who call upon the Name of Jesus as Lord and Savior.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 NASB95

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

But here is the thing church. We live in a world that is full of many FALSE gospels. And each one of these vies for our attention. Each one is trying to call us to follow one or more of these false gospels.

Over the next few weeks we are going to take a look at some of these false gospels so that we know when they creep up and so we can be prepared to unfollow if we are following and get back to the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul warns us in:

Galatians 1:6–7 NASB95

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Any other gospel other than the one found here in the Scriptures is a false gospel. Any other gospel that distorts even in the slightest way the gospel found in this Holy Book, is a FALSE GOSPEL!

Today I want to begin with a BIG one that many might not even know that they are following.

The Sliding Scale Gospel

Define It

The Sliding Scale Gospel. What is that? Never heard of it. Though you may have never heard of it labeled this way, you are however familiar with what it is.

We live in a culture where right and wrong often operate like a sliding scale.

There has been a time where I needed to go to the dentist and we didn’t have any insurance. Some dentist often work on a sliding scale. Depending on what you make determined what you paid. The scale would slide back and forth. In other words, the amount would change constantly.

Our world operates this way with right and wrong. What was wrong 50 years ago, is considered normal today.

Co-habitation before marriage was frowned upon, but we we live in a try it before you buy it culture and sometimes people don’t even buy it…they are more or less leasing it until they tire of it and trade it in.

Women wearing pants was considered wrong, especially in the church, but now it is not.

Long hair on men was considered wrong, but not in today’s world.

I could go on an on, but here is the thing. All of these are on a sliding scale. And what is celebrated today may be deemed wrong tomorrow or what is wrong today may be celebrated tomorrow.

This sliding scale of right and wrong has crept into how people view salvation. They treat their faith journey like it is on a spectrum, as if you can be somewhat saved or kind of a Christian.

The issue is the Gospel of Jesus is does not deal with right and wrong. God Himself does not deal with right and wrong. The Gospel deals with life and death. You are either alive in Christ or dead in your sin. There is no in between.

See you can be sort of right or kind of wrong. But you cannot be sort of alive and kind of dead. You are either alive or dead. There is no sliding scale when it comes to life and death!

The Sliding Scale is Comfortable

I get why people want to view Christianity that way.

The Sliding Scale is Comfortable

It is comfortable to be able to adjust what you think is right and wrong. When you think of life and death there is no adjusting. So we adjust the right and wrongs.

We create this sliding scale so we can remain comfortable and never challenged.

If you say things like this:

“Well it’s not that bad…” (when it comes to you or anyone else)

“Compared to them, I am doing ok…”

“If you knew what I’m going through you would understand…”

If you said any of these things to justify your sin…you are following the Sliding Scale Gospel.

The prophet Isaiah spoke about how God has a vineyard and in this vineyard He expected to harvest sweet grapes, but all He got was bitter grapes. He asked the question:

Isaiah 5:4 NASB95

4 “What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

There answer is found later on. This is one of those Scriptures that wrecked me about 5 years ago.

Isaiah 5:20–21 NASB95

20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight!

Church, the right to call something evil or good in our own judgement was never meant for us. When you go back to the Garden of Eden, there were two trees. The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (right and wrong).

One tree Adam and Eve were allowed to consume, the other they were not. One brought life and the other brought death.

I believe the reason why we were not meant to have this knowledge is God knew that once we gain it, we will judge good and evil, right and wrong, out of our own selfish nature.

The sliding scale Gospel appeals to our pride because we get to determine what is right and what is wrong. It is easier if I have control over the slide. It is comfortable. I can pick and choose.

But Jesus never called you to be comfortable. He called you to DIE to self. The sooner we learn this church, the sooner we learn to die to ourselves, the sooner we can LIVE for Him!

Imagine church if a hospital would tell patients, “Well, you are only a little dead, so you don’t need any urgent care.”

This idea is crazy! And yet this is exactly what we tell people or even tell ourselves when we say, “It’s just a little right or a little wrong…no big deal!”

There is no varying degrees of life or death. You are either alive in Christ or dead in your sin.

Life and Death are Absolute

We like to deal with right and wrong because it deals in flexibility.

Life and Death are Absolutes

Romans 6:23 NASB95

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Life and death are absolutes. I believe we would have more answers to the decisions we have to make in life if we take out the right and wrong. Instead of asking am I dong the right thing, we should be asking, “Will this bring life or death?”

Could it be that we are not living the abundant life that Jesus said we would live because we are navigating through this world using right and wrong as our compass instead of life and death?

Spiritual death isn’t partial. Spiritual death is separation from God. If you do not know Jesus and asked Him to be Lord of your life and you are not following Him, you are DEAD in your sin!

If you have repented of your sin, confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe He not only died for you sin but also resurrected from the grave then you are ALIVE in Christ!

Salvation isn’t a gradual moral improvement—it’s a resurrection!

A light switch is either on or off. There is no “sort of” position. When a Christ saves you, you go from darkness to light, from death to life - completely!

As I go through this life I am not asking if what I am doing, saying, living, is right or wrong, I ask is this bringing me life or death?

Is this relationship bringing life or death?

Is this website bringing life or death?

Is my response to someone who did me wrong, talked about me, looked at me funny, going to bring life or death?

Christianity is not right or wrong, it is about what brings life or death because God deals with life and death, not right and wrong.

Luke 10:25–28 NASB95

25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

Notice Jesus didn’t say, “Do this and you will be right.” He said do this and you will live. But look at the response of this lawyer was.

Luke 10:29 NASB95

29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In other words, which neighbor is right one to love Jesus? I don’t want to love the wrong one.

So you can see how this can be problematic for the Christian. Now we only love those who do what we think they should be doing.

If you keep reading this story Jesus answers this mans question with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

In short a man was left for dead on the side of the road. A priest and a Temple assistant both ignored the man even though they seen his devastation. A Samaritan came by and not only did he clean him up and sooth his wounds, but he paid for his room and board until he got better.

Remember, the question was “Who is my neighbor?”.

Luke 10:36–37 NASB95

36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

When we choose to live our lives based on right and wrong, not only will we love people according to what we think they deserve, but we will also only show mercy to those who we think deserve it. This includes ourselves.

Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself. The priest and the temple assistant didn’t love themselves (probably because they live by what’s right and wrong), therefore they did not love the man who was left for dead.

Church, there is a world that is left for dead on the side of the road and Jesus is calling you and I to love God, love others as we love ourselves, in order to show mercy to them and share the TRUE Gospel and lead them to the one who can give them life.

The True Gospel Brings You From Death to Life

The True Gospel Brings You from Death to Life.

Only the TRUE Gospel of Jesus can bring life.

John 5:24 NASB95

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

“The Gospel of Jesus isn’t about making a better version of you — it’s about making you alive in Him. If I’m alive in Christ, my life should reflect Christ.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB95

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

You are now a creation that is alive in Christ. Our lives should reflect that. I no longer should have a sliding scale when it comes to living that out.

A new creation doesn’t keep living by the old rules or cold compromises

Being alive in Christ means walking differently - my life now reflects resurrection (LIFE), not death

My life is not my own - it’s His and because it is His, that changes everything.

Application

So what does this look like?

It means no sliding scale living.

(If I Am Alive in Christ…)

1…then I forgive without conditions.

Colossians 3:13 – “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

My forgiveness isn’t based on how “deserving” someone is—it’s based on what Christ did for me.

2…then I speak truth without compromise.

Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully.”

My integrity isn’t based on convenience or consequences—it’s based on God’s character.

3…then I love without limits.

John 13:35 – “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

My love isn’t based on who’s easy to love—it’s based on Christ’s love for me.

4…then I pursue holiness without exceptions.

1 Peter 1:15–16 – “Be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

My standard for purity isn’t based on cultural trends—it’s based on God’s Word.

5…then I serve without recognition.

Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

My willingness to serve isn’t based on applause—it’s based on who I’m serving.

If I am alive in Christ, then my life must reflect Christ—without a sliding scale.

Closing

You can’t be “sort of saved” any more than you can be “kind of alive.”

The true Gospel is not about moving you up a moral ladder—it’s about taking you from the morgue to the resurrection. From death to life.

So—Which Gospel are you following?

If it’s the Sliding Scale Gospel, it’s time to step off the curve and step into true life in Christ.

If you are here today and you have been living this right and wrong type of Christianity or maybe not even living it at all and want this life that Jesus speaks about, today is the day to start living.

I encourage you to put your trust in Jesus today.

If that’s you, I want you to pray this from your heart with me:

“Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned. I’ve been living by my own standard, and I am dead without You. But today I believe You died for me, and You rose again so I could have life. I repent of my sin and I turn to You. Come into my life, make me new, and help me to live fully alive in You. Thank You for saving me. Amen.”

If you prayed that prayer, you’ve crossed over from death to life. We want to walk with you, pray for you, and help you grow in your new life in Christ. Please come forward, talk to a leader, or let someone know before you leave today.