"ANOTHER GOSPEL"

I read a book a few months ago that tells how unreached people are being systematically reached with the gospel. They are in rain forests, big cities, remote islands and places I never knew existed.  I read about true modern day miracles of how God prepared the people before the missionaries ever got to them.  He prepared their hearts through dreams, visions, pamphlets that were carried to them by the wind, or simply a longing in their heart.  Some waited for years before anyone came to share the gospel.

Many of the people had been worshiping the earth, plants, trees and animals or were trying to appease demon spirits they believed were the gods of their area. Once they heard the message of Jesus they received Him eagerly, like a starving man would eat food offered to him.  Whole villages are being won to Christ. Millions have been searching for Him without knowing Who He is. They have been looking for peace for their souls and have not found it through other gods, but find it when they meet Jesus.  They are set free by Truth.  Then they immediately become missionaries sharing the good news!

In view of those facts, I find it ironic that so many in America have heard about Jesus all their lives, and yet have turned away from Him, searching for something else.  How can that be?  I believe they search elsewhere because we have reorganized the church to better suit our culture and are presenting to them a false view of Jesus.  This organization has fine-tuned Christianity to a neatly packaged religion which looks nothing like the Christianity of the early church.  Because many church attenders no longer have the power of God in their lives, no longer pray, and no longer follow the teachings of Jesus, the generation coming up now has no idea what real Christianity looks like.  They have been offered ‘another Jesus’, a fake; so they reject the real Jesus.

            The true gospel of the true Jesus, changes lives and fills the void and longing in the human soul.  It is not a powerless gospel that leaves us as it found us.  If there is no change in a life, there is no salvation through Christ.  His truth sets us free and we immediately become missionaries to those around us.

It is sad to see people reject Jesus because they are being presented with “another gospel” in His name.  Paul wrote to the Galatians because they were changing the gospel of Jesus Christ to conform to what they thought it should say.  They were adding specific works to their “salvation by faith”.  They were disregarding the gospel message that had been preached to them in simplicity and purity, and embracing their modified version.

He wrote, “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.”  This perverted gospel was one that had twisted the true meaning of the gospel and lacked the power to change lives.

Keeping a set of rules does not save us.  Repeating a prayer and signing our name on a membership list does not save us.  Organized religion cannot change lives or give us the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus promised.  If it could, the Law would have saved us, and the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day would not have been rebuked for their religious pride and empty religion. 

            Instead of presenting church rules, activities, traditions, customs and practices, let’s present Jesus and lead others to meet Him personally.  He is the only One Who can save them, fill them with His Spirit and free them from the power of sin in their lives.

             I challenge you to read the Gospels and the book of Acts and see what it really says.  If you find you have been following another gospel, turn from it now and let Jesus fill your life.  His gospel has the power to change and give life more abundantly!