The Half-Gospel.

[Episkopos]

The gospel of today is but a half-gospel...taken from the bible...but not in complete form.

There is a saved from...and a saved to. Saved from the world (Egypt)...to be saved to the kingdom walk (the Promised land).

But people are taught that there is but one step into salvation...the saved FROM part. And this is to ignore the purpose of the gospel...salvation INTO the kingdom life of the Spirit.

Heb. 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Should we be smug about our initial salvation...or fear? What does the bible say? What do the modern churches teach?

Have we entered into a guarantee or a race? What do people WANT to believe? What is the truth?

 

[marks]

Have we entered into a guarantee or a race? What do people WANT to believe? What is the truth?

The real question is, what does Scripture say? And having seen what God tells us, are we able to let go of those ideas we hold so dear, in favor of reality?

Much love!

 

[Enoch111]

The gospel of today is but a half-gospel...taken from the bible...but not in complete form.

It would help if you would present the TRUE AND FULL GOSPEL for starters. Let's see if you have a biblical Gospel.

 

[marks]

What do the modern churches teach?

Which ones? There seem to be quite a diversity in teaching out there.

My church, for instance, teaches that we can be reborn in Christ into eternal life, that this is accomlished by joining Jesus in His death and resurrection, so that we are raised with Him into eternal life. Having been born into God's family, and having entered into eternal life, God will spend the remainder of our lives making us more and more like Him.

Much love!

 

[Episkopos]

We were never called to build churches. Jesus said "I will build MY church."
So what are we building? We are to make disciples. But do we know what that looks like? Or are we so religious that we are unable to see beyond the physical world?

The gospel, the kingdom and the church are spiritual in nature. God is Spirit. They who seek to worship Him must do so in Spirit and truth.

And then there's what we do in the name of Jesus...things we are not competent to do...yet this is where we choose to put our focus.

Here is an excerpt from a book that is pertinent to the discussion.

"The church, as well, is understood by New Testament apostles and prophets as heavenly, something that is not of this world but which is being built by Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm. This reality is not able to be seen by the naked eye, only by eyes of faith. It is not and never has been something He is building on this earth, verifiable by any of our natural senses. That this is true is verifiable by our natural senses which can plainly see all the lovelessness, the judgment, the division, the hatred and the fleshly behavior that goes on within the earthly reflection of the heavenly reality.
Nothing done on this earth by any Christian or group of Christians will ever reflect perfectly the reality of what is being built by Jesus Christ in heaven.
The church being built by Jesus Christ is a beautiful bride, spotless, and wrinkle free, a church perfectly pleasing to its Lord. Obviously, there is no church on this earth that can make this claim, there never has been and never will be. This is only true of the church built by Christ.
Jesus said, 'I will build my church.' Only He can build it. Man cannot. Christ never commanded His disciples to build the church. Christians are called to serve Christ, and the works resulting from that true, abiding relationship, i.e., the fruit of that union, are the materials Christ uses to build His church in the heavenly places." Stuart W. Peterson The Agony of The Narrow Way

 

[Episkopos]

Which ones? There seem to be quite a diversity in teaching out there.

My church, for instance, teaches that we can be reborn in Christ into eternal life, that this is accomlished by joining Jesus in His death and resurrection, so that we are raised with Him into eternal life. Having been born into God's family, and having entered into eternal life, God will spend the remainder of our lives making us more and more like Him.

Much love!

So far from the truth. We are born again into a wilderness walk. There are two barriers to cross over. The first qualifies us to be God's people. But God meets us in the wilderness to try us and prepare us for holiness. But FEW indeed are in that race because of the half-gospel...that masquerades as a full gospel. It makes claims by religious fantasy so that verses are claimed...but without any truth, reality or power. A half-truth is a lie.

The second barrier is into His life, glory and power. It is akin to entering the promised land...the land of the Spirit. The kingdom of God.

God sorts His people out. And many will be rejected...especially those who make presumptuous claims and abandon an honest humility and the wisdom of fearing the Lord. In a great house are vessels both of honour AND dishonour. The presumptuous ones are asking to be those vessels of dishonour. And God will permit it.


In truth, once a false notion of the gospel is adopted it's near impossible to teach any truth to these since people are believing from the wrong part of themselves. They are believing from the part that needs to die on the cross.

So people are NOT being discipled...but rather being sold down the river. And people love that. Being indoctrinated into a false sense of security has replaced discipleship. That is much easier and can be done on a mass scale through propaganda. No intimacy there. No transformation...just more religious certainty.

The truth is too far fetched for modern ears. it is too miraculous sounding...although the theory of it is accepted but in a make-believe future kind of way that has no power over present lives.

The truth involves an actual spiritual walk...to walk as Jesus walked. THAT is the purpose of the whole gospel. To know Him and His eternal life. To know the power of His resurrection.

 

[Brakelite]

It is not and never has been something He is building on this earth, verifiable by any of our natural senses

If the body of Christ is purely spiritual and cannot be seen, then it isn't much use to anyone is it. Yet I thought looking after widows, orphans, being hospitable, visiting the elderly, the sick, those in prison, need to be a visible work. We are literally His body...a physical reality that is a vehicle for expression of love and care for those around us. The church, the body of Christ, must of necessity be a practical living working embodiment of the Spirit of Christ. If it cannot be seen... If it isn't as light set on a hill... Then nobody's going to notice. Nobody will come. There is no attraction. People will remain in darkness.

 

[mailmandan]

The gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16). To "believe" the gospel is to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.

That's not hard to understand. It's just hard for many people to ACCEPT. Paul explains why people do not believe the gospel in 2 Corinthians 4:3,4. The gospel is a message of grace to be received through faith. The gospel is not a set of rituals to perform, a code of laws to be obeyed or a check list of good works to accomplish as a prerequisite for salvation.

 

[Episkopos]

If the body of Christ is purely spiritual and cannot be seen, then it isn't much use to anyone is it. Yet I thought looking after widows, orphans, being hospitable, visiting the elderly, the sick, those in prison, need to be a visible work. We are literally His body...a physical reality that is a vehicle for expression of love and care for those around us. The church, the body of Christ, must of necessity be a practical living working embodiment of the Spirit of Christ. If it cannot be seen... If it isn't as light set on a hill... Then nobody's going to notice. Nobody will come. There is no attraction. People will remain in darkness.

Ah...the whole body argument. We are talking about the spiritual nature of the church...which is the pillar and ground of THE truth. Not a religious opinion and organization about an aspect of the truth.

The conundrum for the human mind to grasp is this...WE are here physically in the world. But the church is in Zion. WE are not the church in any eternal way unless we are present spiritually where Jesus is building. Neither are we the kingdom of God (even if we are sons of the kingdom). But we can work in harmony with heaven and with the kingdom of God...by stopping to reason as humans.

So we are not to set one thing over another. We are to fulfill the WHOLE will of God. But notice this...

Ps. 118:22 The stone which the builders refuse(d) (actually continue to set aside) is become the head stone of the corner.

The builders continue to refuse the main aspect of God which is of the Spirit. And this is by design. Both by us AND by Him. God has rejected our way of building. God chooses what men don't recognize...

23 This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

God has made it this way...that we get it wrong. So as we humble ourselves we are made to see how God is building. Until then we will resist the truth.

We are in a process...which men love to short-circuit for the sake of being satisfied and feeling in control.

But we are learners...runners...not accomplished...not finished. And people hate that. We are in a race. We are to seek to enter into the kingdom life even as we strive to do what is right in these mortal bodies.

So there is a great difference between righteousness and holiness. And the ignorance of this causes men to reject one in the face of the other. (We actually destroy both with all our presumptions and assumptions).

We are to remain righteous in our pursuit of holiness.

But what we do does not qualify us for eternal life. God vets they who He deems are ready for a step into eternity....a taste of the life to come.

 

[Episkopos]

The gospel is the "good news" of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16). To "believe" the gospel is to trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of our salvation.

That's not hard to understand. It's just hard for many people to ACCEPT. Paul explains why people do not believe the gospel in 2 Corinthians 4:3,4. The gospel is a message of grace to be received through faith. The gospel is not a set of rituals to perform, a code of laws to be obeyed or a check list of good works to accomplish as a prerequisite for salvation.

This is completely religious and fully unaware of the nature of the gospel. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world to win back His creation. this is nothing personal towards the church per se. Jesus is building in a spiritual place...not here in this world. There is SO much deception based on the carnal man's acceptance of counterfeits...and this due to the needs of people to feel secure and to grasp things with the carnal mind. The powers of the air seduce people into a false assurance of salvation...using the bible against the truth rather than to promote the truth. Did the devil not tempt Jesus with the bible? But the purpose was to serve man's self-interest rather than fulfill the will of God. How is the modern gospel any different to the self-interest?

So then the devil will make up a convenient lie for the masses to flock to. And this half-gospel is easy to believe and accept...because it is made for that purpose. And people loved it. But the truth they abhorred.

2 Thess. 2: 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

 

[mailmandan]

This is completely religious and fully unaware of the nature of the gospel. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world to win back His creation. this is nothing personal towards the church per se. Jesus is building in a spiritual place...not here in this world. There is SO much deception based on the carnal man's acceptance of counterfeits...and this due to the needs of people to feel secure and to grasp things with the carnal mind. The powers of the air seduce people into a false assurance of salvation...using the bible against the truth rather than to promote the truth. Did the devil not tempt Jesus with the bible? But the purpose was to serve man's self-interest rather than fulfill the will of God. How is the modern gospel any different to the self-interest?

So then the devil will make up a convenient lie for the masses to flock to. And this half-gospel is easy to believe and accept...because it is made for that purpose. And people loved it. But the truth they abhorred.

2 Thess. 2: 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Like I said. The gospel is not hard hard to understand. It's just hard for many people to ACCEPT and there is a reason for that. (2 Corinthians 4:3,4)

 

[Episkopos]

The first part of the gospel is easy to understand...saved from the condemnation of the world..entering into a new life with a new heart.

But things usually go downhill from there...with false ministries seducing people away from God's intent towards a chimera and the drawing of false conclusions.

We are born again into a desert walk. But in the desert there are mirages as well as oasis. An uninstructed believer can't discern the difference. And many have been tempted away from the path of life into the barren places through the fool's promise of an easy walk that has no cost.

God has prepared places of dishonour as well as honour. So we make that decision by how lightly we treat our walks. Do we listen to men and their religious schemes's. Or do we wait on the Lord for His power and guidance?

Rom. 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?


I find that the more one can misunderstand a text...the more acceptable it will be. But if you clarify the point so that it is unmistakable...people will be dis-satisfied and put is aside.

 

[Episkopos]

Like I said. The gospel is not hard hard to understand. It's just hard for many people to ACCEPT and there is a reason for that. (2 Corinthians 4:3,4)

The half-gospel is made to be easily understood...with ego intact, pride intact, and every other false consideration untouched.

And the people loved to have it so.

 

[mailmandan]

The half-gospel is made to be easily understood...with ego intact, pride intact, and every other false consideration untouched.

And the people loved to have it so.

The gospel, which is the “good news” of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16) is not a half gospel, yet those who cannot ACCEPT it prefer a “different” gospel instead. (Galatians 1:6-9)

 

[Episkopos]

The gospel, which is the “good news” of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that BELIEVES.. (Romans 1:16) is not a half gospel, yet those who cannot ACCEPT it prefer a “different” gospel instead. (Galatians 1:6-9)

The half-gospel...that seeks to avoid paying the price of a crucified life...IS the false gospel. So you have it exactly backwards. You have not taken the upside down nature of the kingdom of God into consideration. Few do.

 

[Behold]

"Salvation" is to be born again.
This is not a Process.
This is a new birth.
Its the bible twisting legalist, the self saver, the self deceived, the Cross rejector, the false teacher, who tries to change the Grace of God, which is a GIFT, into their false gospel of self effort.
That would be you, among a few others here.

 

[Episkopos]

"Salvation" is to be born again.
This is not a Process.
This is a new birth.
Its the bible twisting legalist, the self saver, the self deceived, the Cross rejector, the false teacher, who tries to change the Grace of God, which is a GIFT, into their false gospel of self effort.
That would be you, among a few others here.

The gifting is to put us in a higher race of faith. We are given a higher race WITH a higher calling based on a new spiritual birth. So the stakes have been raised all around. But the same challenges are present. Few made it to the promised land...just as few will enter into the kingdom of God and the eternal life that is found therein.

To make the race as won in advance is to fully misapprehend the gospel.

We begin with the same heart that David had. David loved God's law. And we who are born from above have that love implanted in us.
This is to save us to being the EQUIVALENT to the Israelites in the wilderness. We are as they are...called into the desert to learn God's ways...to be prepared to enter into the promises of God.

The Exodus is meant to teach us spiritual lessons. They walked in a physical wilderness...but we a spiritual one.

The gospel to them was to enter into a promise land of plenty. The gospel for us is the promise of a kingdom life...to walk in Christ...and be as He is in this world.

 

[mailmandan]

The half-gospel...that seeks to avoid paying the price of a crucified life...IS the false gospel. So you have it exactly backwards. You have not taken the upside down nature of the kingdom of God into consideration. Few do.

Typical straw man argument from those who preach a “different” gospel of “works righteousness,” (Galatians 1:6-9) are confident of their own righteousness/personal performance and look down on others.

 

[Behold]

The gifting is to put us in a higher race of faith. .

Whatever commentary you are using to teach this mess, you need to burn it.
Is there a dumpster nearby?
Really.
Its sounds crazy.
" a higher race of faith".

Listen, Salvation is not about achieving a Higher race of faith, when in fact "Jesus is the AUTHOR and finisher of our faith".

Salvation is not about how to learn to have faith or to evolve it, or to try to keep yourself saved by it...., Salvation is about existing IN the Place of having BECOME= a SON OF GOD, that is based on being BORN AGAIN by GOD.
You can't become more saved, episkopos, once you are saved.
So, let go of your self righteousness as it is all you teach.
Everything you say is......"im doing it, look at me, look at me...see me, see me.....its all about me me me me doing doing doing", and that is NOT God's Grace, fella.
Now post some more to show us how you are doing it all, Mr Legalist.

You teach that we evolve into our salvation, and that is how you think you keep yourself saved, and that is just one more false Legalistic nonsense theology.

 

[amadeus]

Bologna!
That word has been coming to my mind often lately as I read and skim through a lot of what people, who say they are believers in God and His Son, with regard to what too many are saying in church meetings and on this forum and on this thread For those not familiar with the expression, "bologna" as I have used is talking about a cheap meat people [including my own natural mother] used a lot in the last century in the USA to feed hungry kids when there was not enough money to buy something better...

There is some cheap meat being dispersed, or as @Episkopos has called it, a 'half-gospel'. God's whole message is found in the NT, but perhaps for some who have trouble understanding all that the Apostle Paul in particular was teaching, the OT presents an easier picture of God's plan for mankind. Episkopos mentioned it for those paying attention. We can call it a shadow or a type of Reality, but it is there for everyone to see... if they really care about the whole message and the whole walk with and toward God.

God's people [you and me?] were in bondage in Egypt [death, sin and sinful ways] and as promised in other places in scripture He sent Moses [Jesus] bring them to life [Life] and freedom [from bondage in death and sin]. Miraculous works were done in Egypt at the hand of Moses [Jesus] and many jumped on his bandwagon and followed his banner [the banner over him was love - Song 2:4] but they were really interested in the blessings offered in the water, manna and quail given to them in the desert [the miracles performed by Jesus].

Murmuring was a common thing. [Has anyone noticed the number of threads and posts about politics and Covid 19 and how to improve our earthly estate as compared to the number about God and the things of God and how to improve our heavenly estate?] among those children of Israel and again and again confronted with their errors they repented and were forgiven until most of them had exhausted the mercy that God had for them [10 times as per Numb 14:22].

The people of God rejoiced when they came out of Egypt crossing the Red Sea, but how many of them would die in the wilderness and never see the River Jordan opening for that final entrance into the Promised Land? 40 years in the wilderness and back to death where they started... except for the two... of all those 600,000 [excluding women and children] "saved"!

So then go to the NT and find the words of Jesus or Paul or others which interpreted carefully give people that easy way to Life... or so they have been told and so many of them apparently believe. Was that message I cited in the OT for nothing?

People forget that God has never changed and that He is no respecter of persons, yet they cannot see that the way they are going is the way of the 600,000 who were "saved" from Egypt but never came out of the wilderness dying again [2nd death?] without entering or even seeing the Promised Land...

Help us dear Lord!