GOSPEL VERSUS A DIFFERENT GOSPEL

Greetings and Salutations Oh Ye Followers of Jesus...are ya still STANDING and HOLDING FAST? In this ever changing world...in this complex evolving and progressive life....in this confusing, swirling, ball of confusion that we call planet earth...we are in need of something that is CONSTANT. The church is not much different...as we try to integrate our lifestyle into our faith with a seeker sensitive...emergent...post modern...tradition rejecting...tradition embracing....ego stroking...old/new wineskin mentality. In our effort to be hip and happenin'...so we can relate to the people of this world and their moral and ethics....sometimes...we lose sight of the basics...OR EVEN WORSE...we begin to preach a DIFFERENT GOSPEL...which is really not a gospel at all. (Galatians 1:6,7) Of course there is nothing new under the sun...ESPECIALLY with the latest church fads. NOTE: I am not against new and exciting ways to present the gospel to a lost and dying world. I attend a church with a creative cutting edge...using arts, music, dance, and anything else at our disposal to catch the ear of the lost...to present the D.B.R.

"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ for a DIFFERENT GOSPEL...which is really not another ; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to DISTORT the GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a GOSPEL contrary to that which we have preached to you...let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:6-9)

GOSPEL= Death, Burial, Resurrection ANOTHER GOSPEL= Death, Burial, Resurrection PLUS (fill in the blank).

As some know...I became a follower of Jesus in the fall of 1970. If my calculations are correct...2009-1970= 39 years. Over the years many things have changed. My physical body...my mental acuity...my spiritual viewpoint... my focus of importance. I remember Dr. John McCray (former pastor and Middle Tennessee State University religious study teacher) told us..."Always underline and write in the margins of your Bible with a pencil...so when your perspective changes you can erase and rewrite).

Here is something that has NOT CHANGED..."Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today, YES and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

I have been up and down...spiritually white hot and on fire for the Lord... spiritually cold as an ice house...lukewarm spit...backslidden...faceforwardslidden and anything in between...BUT again...the CONSTANT is NOT CHANGE...but the CONSTANT...is JESUS...THE GOSPEL. Sometimes in our spiritual walk... we tend to think that we become..."MATURE"...and need some kind of deeper revelation. There AIN'T NOTHING DEEPER THAN THE D.B.R. Bruce Coble taught me three things (actually more than 3...but everything else taught me flows out of these 3 things) (1) Never get away from the cross/gospel (2) Worship is critical (3) Serve Jesus and the Father...by serving others. Everything flow out of our relationship with the Father....who we have access to via the CROSS OF JESUS. That is the GOOD NEWS...THE GOSPEL.


Paul stated..."For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL for it is the power of God, for salvation to everyone who BELIEVES...to the Jew first and also to the Greek/gentile." (Romans 1:16) Jesus bridges the GAP between us and the Father.

THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL (I Corinthians 15:1-4)

Paul...makes known...THE GOSPEL in this passage. Here is the progression of how the GOSPEL was presented, received and retained along with the cause and effect of this GOSPEL. IT=GOSPEL

1. It was PREACHED
2. It was RECEIVED
3. It was BELIEVED
4. By it we were SAVED
5. If we HOLD FAST to it
6. In it we STAND

Romans 10:6-17...also written by Paul...underscores what was taking place in these steps....as we call upon the name of the Lord...believed in our hearts and confessed with our mouths... and are SAVED.

Well...what was preached, received, believed, held fast and stood in...that we believed in our hearts and confessed with our mouth with the cause and effect of being saved? THE GOSPEL.

1. Christ died for our sins =DEATH
2. He was buried= BURIAL
3. He was raised on the third day= RESURRECTION

"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..."
(I Corinthians 15:1-4)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Well...that is really just too simplistic. This really offends my theological sensibilities...my highly trained intellect...my complex reasoning's in this post-modern...emergent...seeker sensitive world. Hmmmm...there may be a reason why it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle...or narrow gate and wide ways seem restrictive...and this JESUS...becomes a SCANDALON...a ROCK OF OFFENSE...a STUMBLING STONE/BLOCK that was REJECTED...THIS BLOODY ALL INCLUSIVE BUT RESTRICTED to WHOSOEVER...IF...you accept what/who is the SATISFACTORY SUBSTITUTION...WAY, TRUTH, AND LIFE...whereas...no one comes to the Father but via JESUS. All roads do not lead to heaven.

Love and NON-CHANGING KISSES
Rodney "D.B.R...Nothing More...Nothing Less" Boyd