Words preached by Lord Jesus Christ that leads people to godliness are the True Gospel. The Wholesome Words of the Bible is the Truth of God that has no Contradictions.
"Matt 4:23 Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…" Jesus Christ preached the kingdom of heaven as the gospel. This is the true gospel. If the preaching is not pertained to the kingdom of God, then it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"2 Cor 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted. Gal 1:6 … unto another gospel: 7 … would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." The Bible gives severe warnings about introducing another Jesus Christ or preaching another gospel. Only gospel that Jesus Christ preached is the true gospel and all others are perverted gospels. So, if we preach, let us preach the gospel that Jesus Christ preached.
Jesus Christ healed sicknesses and done miracles. But, this is not the true gospel. What Jesus Christ preached is the true gospel. Stories and gimmicks for healing crusades are not the true gospel.
Preachers preach about Jesus Christ and ask people to believe it in pretence that it is the gospel. As good as it seems, it is not the true gospel. What Jesus Christ preached is the true gospel. The story of Jesus Christ is information about the author of the gospel, but it is not the gospel. If it is presented as the gospel, it is a diversion from the true gospel.
The word of God
says the Lord Jesus Christ has started to preach his gospel.
"Heb 2:3
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first
began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard
him; Matt 4:23
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching
the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner
of disease among the people." Then, the true gospel is what the
Lord Jesus Christ has preached. Even the life history of Jesus Christ is the
life history of the author of the gospel, but not the gospel. If it is the case,
so much we hear today in the name of gospel are just stories, but not the
gospel.
There are three points given to us so that we may test a preacher whether he is true or false. The true preachers will consent with all these three points and the false preachers will not consent with one or all of them. They are (1) 'wholesome words of God.' (2) 'Words of our Lord Jesus Christ' and (3) 'the doctrine which is according to godliness'. "1 Tim 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness."
That is, they should not stray away from the truth of the wholesome words of the Bible. The concept of God, the purpose of God, the function of God etc should be understood from the whole Bible. The Bible truth does not contradict within itself. If some doctrine contradicts with other verses in the Bible, that doctrine is not according to the wholesome words of God. Those doctrines which came from the interpretation of men are not from the wholesome Word. The verses from the word of God should be understood in the context in which God gave. We should only take the meaning which God has intended for that verse to mean. Nobody should interpret the verses of the Bible as the attorneys of law twist the law to favor their own clients.
That is, they should not contradict the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible says that our Lord Jesus Christ was the first person who preached the
gospel.
There are several doctrines made by the theologians over the period of many
years. But the true man of God will preach the true ways of God to lead the person
to godliness. Any doctrine that does not lead a person to godliness which is
the holiness and righteousness of God, then that doctrine is not of God.
We must reject that doctrine.
The following verses say who the false preachers are? what do they think? and what must we do concerning them? "1 Tim 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself." They even think that gain is godliness, meaning that they measure their godliness with the earthly profits they gain. The true disciples will withdraw themselves from them.
Many Christians are taught to say that they are saved, without even knowing what ‘saved’ means. Salvation is the result of the combine effort of the person and God. God's work and our obedience will bring our salvation. Here are a few steps toward salvation.
In general, everybody except Jesus Christ, is born as a sinner.
"1 John
1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not
in us." If anybody think that they have any righteousness
without God, their righteousness is as filthy rags to God. "Isa 64:5
---behold, thou art wroth; for
we have sinned: ---. 6 But
we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." God
has to forgive their sins to give them in salvation. So, God became a man and called the sinners to repentance
for forgiveness. "Matt
9:13
--- I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
If they respond to the call, repented of their sins with broken heart and contrite spirit, confess their sins and walk in the light as God is in the light, then God will forgive their past sins which they have committed. But he will not give a license to do future sins. "Ps 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 1 John 1:7 -- if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross to forgive our past sins only. "Rom 3:25 --- to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past..."
If a person is committing sin, God considers him dead in sin. That is, according to God, he
is spiritually a dead person who is drowned in a pool of sins. God pulls him out
of the pool of sins and give him the breath of life. He imparts his
own life to him that was pulled out of sin and saves him. Thus God quickens him/her.
"Gen
2:7 -- breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living
soul. Rom
5:10 ---
we were reconciled to God by the death of
his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Eph 2:1
And you hath he quickened, who were
dead in trespasses and sins." There is no such thing that a person is quickened or brought to life while he is still immersed in
the pool of sins.
"Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into
it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh
a lie:" Grace is not given
to a sinner so that he may take his sins to heaven with him. If grace is
given, It is given so that the person may get rid of sin.
Grace and sin may be compared to light and darkness. They both cannot
co-exist. If believers embrace sin, grace leaves them. If believers
embrace grace, it
If
we obey
God gives us grace,
helps us to grow in grace and
at the same time he himself does a work in us so that we may
be saved and do the good works of God.
"2Pet 3:18 But
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
They are the workmanship of
God and will do the righteousness of God.
"
As we study the word of God, we must not try to read the word into our doctrine, but we must study to find the truth of God. Then, God will give us the understanding of his word. But, if we desire to establish our own denomination, doctrine, belief, etc, then, God shall send us strong delusion for us to believe a lie. "2 Thess 2:10 ---; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:" So, love for the truth is most important for the study of the word of God.
To be forgiven for
the committed sins and
to
overcome from committing sins are the two facets of
salvation. Those who have received the initial forgiveness for sins will begin to see the kingdom
of God. As our souls bring our flesh to subjection by the grace of God, we receive the spirit
of man so that he may help our spiritual lives. This is called born again or born
of the spirit. "
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Only the born again people can see the kingdom of God.
A
disciple asked Jesus Christ whether only a few people are going to be
saved. Then the Lord told him to strive to enter. Remember,
Every Christian will be doing some kind of righteous work. Most of the Christians will be doing whatever they think is righteous. But, very few Christians are very particular to obey God according to the word of God.. So, these two groups will have two different kinds of righteousness. We will study about them below.
Most Christians do not care for the truth of God and do not bother to
obey the word of God. They will not repent enough to have remorse and
hatred toward their sin. They will not and cannot quit sin. But they
will be doing some kind of work and think it is righteousness. God considers
their righteousness as filthy rags. "Isa
64:5
--- behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned:
--- 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind,
have taken us away.
The
word of God
says that the obedience
to the commandments of God is given as the righteousness for His people. "Deut 6:25
And it shall be our
righteousness, if we observe to do all these
commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
As we
obey God with fear and reverence, he will do his work of pleasure in us and will save us by
his grace. "Phil 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling. 13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure.
The striving we do and the affliction we go through in this path will be pale in comparison with the reward we will receive. "2 Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;. 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Christians think that salvation is
just an escape from hell. However, this salvation will
change a man/woman to be like his creator even to
look like him in his glory.
"1 John 3:2 Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him
as he is.
If we love God with reverential fear, we will obey God and We will stop sinning.
the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
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