“I come as an ambassador from the kingdom of God, and I have a
message for you from the King.”
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Journal,
It happened many years ago. We were crossing a mountain in Honduras to reach a village near the border of Guatemala. I knew that I’d be preaching the gospel in the village, but I wanted to know if there was something special the Lord wanted me to say. I heard in my heart, ‘Tell them that you come as an ambassador from the kingdom of God, and that you have a message for them from the King.’
The church was packed to the extent that some of the men were actually sitting in the open windows. Women and children crowded most all the pews. A few men were scattered around while a large group of men gathered at the back of the church. There was little room for anyone else to enter the building.
The moment Nathan began to interpret what the Lord had given me to say, a holy hush settled over the crowded assembly. I began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That is when it happened. As I was bringing my message to a close, an old Indian stood up and began making his way towards the front. I could not take my eyes off of him. I was watching the power of the gospel. The old Indian was coming to meet his King. And meet Him he did. It was as though the Lord was allowing me to see the spiritual side of redemption. It had nothing to do with me. It had everything to do with the power of the gospel.
I have never forgotten that scene. It has been imprinted deep in my heart. And that is only one of multitudes of scenes that the Lord has imprinted in my 45 years as a servant of the Lord. I fully understand why Paul said,
“For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified … so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” (Cf. 1Co2:2-5)
So, what gospel did the apostles preach? Was it a Catholic gospel? Is it a Protestant gospel or an Evangelical gospel? And on and on and on.
Then you have the Mormon gospel, the Jehovah Witnesses gospel, the Seventh Day Adventists gospel, the Messianic movement gospel, the Charismatic movement gospel. Is it any wonder that people get confused today? What is the gospel?
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Is it not strange that we would even have to ask what gospel the apostles preached?
Is it not strange that we would even have to ask, “What is the message that has been entrusted to the Church for the past 2000 years, by which any person can be saved?”
Well, don’t find it strange that we should ask these questions. Satan’s greatest efforts of deception have always been to put a death shroud over the gospel of our salvation. He does it by wrapping it up in religious jargon. He does it by introducing a mixture of strange teachings. He does it by adding things that were never taught by Jesus or the apostles. Satan’s mode of operation is to create strange gospels.
Satan well knows that the simple gospel of Jesus Christ is the one thing people need to hear in order to be saved. Somehow he has to keep that message from going forth in its purity.
Did not the writer of Hebrews, say,
“Do not be carried away by strange teachings?” (Heb13:9)
Did not the apostle say,
“We are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.” (Eph4:14)
Paul is using a picture of a foamy sea, combined with twisting winds, to make his point. And his point is that immature believers, who are not anchored in the true gospel of Jesus Christ, are easily caught up in the swirl of false teachings.
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Seeking the next experience.
Contending false gospels have always been a major battle zone for the church. This is why you see so much ‘experience’ chasing today. People have never discovered the beauty and power of the simple gospel. And so, they are continually seeking the ‘next’ experience that will truly set them free.
Ever notice how it is always the next revival, or the next move, or ‘we are right on the edge of
something great,’ or, ‘the next thing is the Elisha move.’ Ever stop to think what all these terms are saying? They are saying that Jesus is not enough by Himself. They are saying that no believer can stop and rest. We must strive! Strive! Strive! Next thing you know, you have believers confused, tired and a little more than upset.
We are living in an age of spiritual junkies. The next great revival is just around the corner. Did you know that the apostles never taught any such thing? They never taught a striving after the next move. What they preached was our fulfillment in Christ Himself. Did not Paul say, “Christ in you the hope of glory.”
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What did Jesus say?
Did He not say,
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heaven-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt11:28)
Did not John say,
“For of His fulness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)
Paul said,
“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” (2Co11:3)
James said,
“But the wisdom (fruit of the gospel) from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
Listen carefully to this Scripture:
“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him YOU HAVE BEEN MADE COMPLETE, and He is the head over all rule and authority.” (Col2:9,10 – Caps for emphasis only.)
So what did the apostles preach?
First understand that Paul placed a curse on false gospels? Do you remember him saying,
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should PREACH TO YOU a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed.” (Gal1:8)
Please listen carefully – There is one word that we need to connect to with in the issue of what the apostles preached. It is the word, ‘preached.’ The apostles preached something that every false gospel tries to undermined. Do you know what it is?
Well, let’s see what it is. Listen carefully to Romans 10:8-10;
“But what does it say? ‘The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,’ that
is, the word of faith WHICH WE ARE PREACHING ……that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
You can read the Scriptures for yourself. Ask the Lord to show you the true plan of salvation. He will open your eyes to the glory and beauty of simple faith. The only thing you will need to do is to get into the Bible for yourself. Read it with a passion.
Let me pass something on to you that is wonderful beyond words. Someone once asked Charles Spurgeon, the man known as the prince of preachers, to write a defense of the gospel. He responded that the gospel did not need to be defended. It is like a caged lion. Turn it loose and it will take care of itself.
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Now a word about metaphysical gospels –
Many believers today do not realize how very subtle the teachings of metaphysics are. It is very easy to cross over into this realm without truly understanding what is happening.
Metaphysical teachings appeal to our desire for control. Since we are spiritual creatures, we love the appeal of great things. All we have to do is learn the spiritual laws. For example, “You can create with your words!” Or, “If you say a thing enough, it will happen.”
Did you know that this kind of teaching is the basis for sorcery? Sorcery involves the manipulation of spiritual forces.
But is this what the apostles taught? Hardly. The apostles taught the principle of Lordship.
Paul warned the Corinthian Church that they were bordering on the occult. Did you know this?
Listen carefully;
“For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.” (2Co11:4)
What under heaven was Paul talking about? He was talking about the very thing that is happening in certain movements in Christendom today. Spiritual laws are being taught in the place of Lordship. How to accomplish prosperity is being preached in the place of Biblical repentance, and in not striving after wealth. The list is endless. All these strange teachings are replacement gospels.
What does any of this have to do with the old Indian?
It has everything to do with the old Indian. I brought to the old Indian the only message that can be validated from heaven, the only message that we are authorized to preach. I brought to him the gospel of the kingdom of God. I preached what Paul preached, what Peter preached, what John preached. Here it is:
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1Co 15:1-4 NASB)
Yes there is more to be said about preaching the gospel from heaven. I’ve often told folk that I can preach the gospel a thousand different ways but it will always be the same gospel. It will always be about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Seems if I stay with that message I will always be in good company.
If you are still curious about what the apostles preached go to this page:
http://buddymartin.net/blog/salvation/
Think about it.
In Christ always,
Buddy
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