Don't Pervert the Gospel - publish the genuine one!
Notes
Transcript
strong language = strong warning
strong language = strong warning
- Paul uses strongest language in the N.T.-
used “amazed” and “accursed” and
even “mutilate” themselves.
Jesus started the ball rolling in - Matt. 11, 18, 23
Woe - warning in the strongest language. It means like - a “disaster” or a “terror” is about to fall on me.
if Paul and the Lord Jesus used strong language we can too -
Take God seriously - when it comes to what is precious to him - for He does!
1. Another gospel is a desertion of Christ
1. Another gospel is a desertion of Christ
has to do with loyalty being turned
used of a military desertion “loyalty”
it is personal to God.
Hebrews 6:4–6 (CSB)
Heb 6: 5 Hebrews 6:5b-6who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, 6 and who have fallen away. This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.
Second. The real gospel is the gospel of grace
- anything else is a different gospel. grace implies a reflection. See Strongs. The influnece of the divine and it’s corresponding reflection.
Third. Different gospels are the result of people’s evil intention: to trouble others
to trouble = to stir up ( we actually have to get used to the fact that there are people who like to trouble others)
implication = ANOTHER GOSPEL causes great mental distress
those people are being used by the Devil = our battle is not physical. But we have to speak truth when we are challenged. Do you have a verse? Paul named names who opposed him. Why? to be negative? No. hE LOVED PEOPLE. BUT REALIZED HE HAD TO TEST EVERY SPIRIT - AND SPIRITS INHABIT BODIES. SO HE WARNED.
OUR GOSPEL IS THE GOSPEL OF GOD… SEE NEXT SLIDE.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures—
concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh
and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.
NOTICE: ALL OF GOD IS PRESENT IN Paul’s gospel - or the gospel of God
no one is so lofty - neither Apostle or Angel has the authority to distort or pervert the gospel.
2 x Contrary gospel is damned!
What is meant by cursed?
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood.
to cursed = is to be cut off - something Paul could only wish if he could give his salvation for the benefit of his brothers and sisters - Paul loved his own people so much - yet they were the ones who were living under the curse of rejecting Christ. DAMN IS one of the most serious words in our language. Do not use it lightly. Same with hell. nothing to take lightly.
Paul felt this way because He truly had the heart and mind of Christ. Jesus loves people - and he DID take the curse for use.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.
Jesus is the only one that! could have done this and HE DID IT!
Conclusion: the real way to truly find favor is in the gospel of grace
Grenada’s lesson…
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians & Colossians I. Introduction: Coup in Grenada
In the fall of 1983, a coup occurred on the Western Caribbean island of Grenada. Cuban-backed communists overthrew the government and installed a totalitarian dictatorship. Under martial rule, the people instantly lost their freedom and liberty. Over one hundred dissenters, including fifty children, were rounded up and marched into the fort of the capital city of St. George. They completely disappeared. A local pastor relayed the terror of living in the midst of this oppression. He believed that these innocent children were killed and dumped at sea.
This ploy did not go unnoticed. President Ronald Reagan quickly deployed a military rescue team to Grenada. They struck in the middle of the night. Within a day, the island was free again. The people of Grenada learned that liberty is most precious when it is suddenly taken away.
So too… a coup of freedom hating trouble makers entered into the town of Galatia - they wanted to spy out the freedom of the galatians and draw out disciples to themselves using a distorted message - so they could control the disciples and they did not upsetting them with a whole list of things… you have to do this to earn God’s grace - you have to keep this holy day…you have to do this ritual. Do it the way we want you to do it.
Careful the troublemakers will make the whole thing seem very spiritual.
One of the things that gets us off kilter is listening to men in the first place. Next week we will look at Paul’s experience - what had happened to him. He was taught under the most esteemed Rabbi in all of Israel - Gamaliel. But Rabbi G was stuck in the bondage of the idea that you can earn God’s favor - God’s grace with your great striving...
Always seeking after a new guy to please instead of seeking to God’s approval - His favor. If we seek God’s favor - Gods grace it is only one way. Through faith. and in faith - there is rest. When you put your trust in Christ for salvation and do not rely on the flesh - there is real joy, peace, rest, and strength to work the works that are “BY” faith.
“Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.
one of the ways Satan will try to twist the gospel of God is to put the cart before the horse - it is always faith working through love - faith - or here in John 14:12 the key is trust Christ in sincerity, genuinely and out of that kind of faith flows works. Never the other way around
Remember Romans 10:8-10
& check your own heart
do you have a love for Christ that is evidenced by a love of His bride?
a love for His Word?
a love to gather and fellowship and worship
a desire to help people (or are you a troubler - one who likes to see others squirm)?
Paul was content - in fact thought of it as a privilege to simply be a doulos.
Pleasing people = bondage = opposite of the gospel of grace
PLEASE PEOPLE SEEMS LIKE A RESPECTABLE SIN IN A WAY…but it is a dangerous and slippery slope.
slave, bondservant.’ λέγω … τῷ δούλῳ μου, Ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ ‘I say … to my slave, Do this, and he does it’ Mt 8:9.
When Paul speaks of himself as a slave of Jesus Christ or of God in Ro 1:1, Ga 1:10, and Tt 1:1, the term δοῦλος focuses attention primarily upon his belonging to Christ or to God. There are probably also important positive overtones, since in some languages of the ancient Middle East a phrase meaning ‘slave of the king’ or ‘servant of the king’ had become the title of an important person in the government.
anything else besides the glory of doulos - is a fall back into the slavery of people-pleasing. when we please the Lord - we will bless people and be pleasing to God. That is the goal.
A PEOPLE PLEASER IS A MAMBY PAMBY CHRISTIAN.
BUT brethren we have been not a spirit of fear - fear of man. but of power...
publish it in the strength that Christ provides.
We need brethren and sisteren…like of old. who will stand and declare Woe unto you - Woe unto you…
you who preach another gospel woe unto you - you are under a curse.!!!!
and then to come down off our pulpits and show the powerful love of Christ
to a world that is dying for that good news. the good news of eternal life - the quality of life we have in Christ alone!!!!!