For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing
to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea,
woe is unto me, if I preach not the Gospel!
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward:
but if against my will, a dispensation of
the Gospel is committed unto me. What is my
reward then? Verily that, when I preach the
Gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse
not my power in the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:16-18
These words of Paul first apply to him, then to all who are of God, those who are a child of God, those who are of Authentic Christian Faith. Do not dismiss those words that they do not apply to you, for they were written, first in defense of Paul, but also applies to all who are preaching, and teaching the Gospel. There will be those who will oppose you, your teaching, and preaching, and this is according to men who have other motives for preaching, and teaching a gospel that first benefits them, and then have a controlling power over those who agree with them. Notice: it is the Gospel, not man's words, not man's decrees, nor man's doctrine, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul did not give his approval for anything else than the Gospel, not how a sacrament was to be handled except by the words of Jesus when He instituted the sacrament. All other added things were not of Jesus Christ so they were to be discarded and a return to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is this Gospel of Jesus Christ? Simple: God determined to save those who have faith in Him. Period! No faith in God, no salvation. The men of old, those people who never heard the word, Jesus Christ, who never heard the Gospel as we know it, rather the ones who were taught about God and that God had promised them salvation through One that He would send to accomplish His purpose: a people for His name. Scripture is very clear: God by means of the Holy Spirit, the One that hovered over the deep at the beginning of Creation, the One that led those who believed in God, entered into the womb of Mary and Jesus Christ was now formed, that is, Jesus, God Himself, the Second Person of the Trinity, now became flesh but not leaving behind His deity. How can this be? Simple: Mary had the 1/2 DNA of a human being, so if her egg, the ovum was impregnated then all that was needed was the other half and God provided that other 1/2 DNA, a DNA that is the essence of God Himself, just as when a male provides the other 1/2 DNA provides the essence of himself. Jesus became both man and God, that is Man due to His deity, and God because He was God a hypostatic union. Now due to Jesus being both God and Man whatever He would accomplish would be complete never to be repeated. That is why when Jesus said: "It is finished" it was finished, His work on earth was done and by His death death was destroyed for all who would put their faith in Him. To do this He provided proof that He was the promised Savior and by His resurrection from the dead that proof was manifested, evident and now that truth was to be preached to all.
This is what is to be preached, but this is not what is being preached by liberal Christians for they add to that message their message and while their message sounds good, it is rotten because Jesus Christ is lowered and man's words are risen above the Savior. Oh! A liberal Christian might speak of Jesus as Savior, but they teach that you must do this or that to show that you are saved. Jesus did not teach such hypocrisy, that you can be saved by your actions, your works, (Ephesians 2:8-9). This mask, hypocrisy, is veiling the simple truth of the Gospel: believe, nothing added, upon Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9). Where does it say that you must speak some "gibberish rubbish" that which Paul had to address and correct? Where does it say that you must run through tunnels of fire as taught and practiced by the School of the Supernatural of Bethel Church? Where are we to certain methods of sacrament, or wear collars turned backwards, or clothing that depict you allegiance, such as with the Nuns of the Catholic Church, or the Pope and other Roman Catholic leaders where such garments to display their authority? NO WHERE!
I would question whether you have been called by God, whether or not you have actually repented of your sins against a holy God. I am not speaking about your salvation, for this is between you and God, but about your life, is it displaying the Gospel or some teaching from you denomination? If you would repent of your sins, believe on Jesus Christ as the One sent by God to pay this debt owed to God Himself, paid by God Himself, did you get that? If you have come to Authentic Christian Faith and that faith is simply the Gospel, the truth of the Gospel.
It is ok to have certain methods in application of a sacrament, but not to make your certain method, that is, if it is according to Scripture to be a litmus test as to your salvation. We, all of us, have been called by God to preach and teach the truth about Jesus Christ for He is the Gospel. You do not obtain sanctification or salvation for doing the will of God. No, salvation and sanctification come along another line for that is infinitely different. There are many ways that God calls us to preach and teach the Gospel, but if you are not listening for the call of God, you will miss His call. If you are looking for the call of God in some certain way, well, you may not hear the call of God for your way is the way you want to be called.
Are you preparing yourself (1Peter 3:15) to be used by God? If not, should you not begin to do so?
Have not I written to thee excellent things
in counsels and knowledge, that I might
make thee know the certainty of the words
of truth; that thou mightest answer the
words of truth to them that send unto thee?
Proverbs 22:20-21
Hear the words of God
Richard L. Crumb
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