These
five are statements of the core “doctrines” that the Reformers of the 16th century
found to be too
important or valuable to be interfered with or added to by manmade religious
edicts. To some the word
“doctrine” sounds dry and academic, but these are critical to the
believer’s faith, life,
and eternal security in Christ. Christians
need to esteem and stand upon these “absolute doctrinal truths.”
Corrupted
doctrine still prevails today in more Christian “churches” than not.
This corruption is mainly because the Apostle Paul’s exclusive “gospel
of the grace of God” for
today is not preached and not clearly differentiated from the “gospel
of the kingdom” that “the
Twelve” were
instructed by Jesus to bring only to the Nation Israel (see Matt 15:24,
10:5-6). Jesus exclusively called Paul to be “THE Apostle” sent specifically “to
the Gentiles” (Rom
11:13, Eph 3:1-4). Paul and his“grace gospel” have
largely been opposed, marginalized, corrupted, and/or watered down in the
churches of every century since Paul’s day.
Whereas
Israel
was under the Mosaic “Law,” Paul clearly says “the
body of Christ” is not
under “the Law.” “YE (believers) are NOT UNDER
THE LAW, but UNDER
GRACE.” (Romans
6:14b)
Any
observant Christian believer will note that we today still have religious legalists among
us; they promote keeping external Laws in order to be saved or to please
God. They place their versions of “the
Law” along with their manmade
religious laws above
God’s “gospel of grace” for
today. Trying
to keep any of
Israel
’s Laws and/or religion’s manmade
religious laws cannot
justify, save, or keep anyone in God’s favor. Paul
clearly wrote; “A
MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY
FAITH (in
Christ ALONE) WITHOUT THE DEEDS OF THE
LAW.” (Romans 3:28b)
The
false idea that Christians have to keep any external “Law” of
God, which is impossible for fallen humans, is clearly contrary to
the word of God for Christians today under Paul’s gospel. Galatians
3:10b “… Cursed
is everyone who does not abide by ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW,
TO PERFORM THEM.”
Thankfully,
we today live under the pure “grace of God” by which we are saved
through faith alone.
Ephesians
2:8-9 For BY
GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF
YOURSELVES: IT
IS THE GIFT OF GOD: 9 NOT OF
WORKS, lest any man
should boast.
Galatians
2:16 Knowing
that a man is NOT
justified by the works of the law, but
by the faith of Jesus Christ, even WE
HAVE BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST, THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY THE FAITH OF
CHRIST, andNOT by the works of the law: for by
the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Reliance
upon one effort to keep “the
Law” in order to be
saved, or to keep one saved after salvation, or to win and keep God’s
favor or blessing is anathema to God’s “grace.” It
denies the efficacy and sufficiency of God’s “grace” found
inChrist Alone. Grace means “UNMERITED favor.” Our
relationship with the Lord as His children is not based upon our good works
or any sort of merit; rather His favor toward us is to simply be received as
the “gift of
God” (Eph
2:8 above). The idea of
meritorious works to earn salvation and or favor with
God denies the absolute worth of Christ’s blood and death that once and
for all time fully satisfied God’s righteous requirement for
us. Reliance on our works would make Christ’s death to be “in
vain (worthless)” (Gal 5:4).
Likewise,
our ongoing relationship with the Lord as His literal re-birthed offspring
is based upon His powerful and enduring love
and grace. Genuine love
and grace makes no demand – rather we are inwardly constrained and
respond positively to God when we have ears to hear and receive of His love
and grace. Paul not only tells us we begin our relationship with the Lord by
grace through faith, but
also that… we are kept
in the same way, by
His grace through faith after
our salvation. This is how Paul expresses that truth;
Col
2:6 As ye have
therefore received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk
ye in him:
We
all have moral failures at times. Our moral failures, rebellion or
disobedience may bring us loss of reward (1Cor 3:15), but never separate us
from Him, His love, or His grace. “If we
are faithless [do not
believe and are untrue to Him], He
remains true (faithful
to His Word and His righteous character), for
He cannot deny Himself” (2
Tim 2:13 (AMP). Oh,
the love of the
Lord who never withdraws His love and grace toward us as His children. Paul
says “Christ died for
us while we
were yet sinners.” The
Lord’s dealings with us are always underpinned with His love and grace,
always seeking the
greater good for us regardless of the disorder we may be in.
Paul
teaches us these absolute truths. We ought to listen to Paul who wrote: “If
any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge
that THE THINGS THAT I
(PAUL) WRITE UNTO YOU ARE THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD.” (1
Corinthians 14:37)
For
those believers who see the corruption of Christianity and also see the
truth of Paul’s pure grace gospel for this day, the answer is to release
and share the unadulterated “grace
gospel.” Again,
these truths were given to and delivered to us by the Apostle Paul in the absolute
terms of; by Grace
ALONE, through faith ALONE,
in Christ ALONE.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is
not nameless.
Obviously,
the simple answer for scarcity of the gospel is to “preach
the word” (2Tim 4:2). This
simple answer can be seen in the words of the great preacher Charles Haddon
Spurgeon (1834-1892). Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians
of different denominations, among whom he is known as the “Prince of
Preachers.” Spurgeon was once asked if he defended the Bible and quickly
responded; “Yes, the
(same) way I would defend a lion, I would open the cage and let him out.” Oh
that “the Word of God” would be let out in this age of Biblical
illiteracy and gospel scarcity.
Sadly,
the
USA
and the vast majority of church members and the world have yet to hear
Paul’s pure grace
gospel in its simple
clarity. Paul wrote: “But I
fear, lest by any
means, as the serpent
beguiled Eve through
his subtilty, so your
minds should be corrupted from
THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST. “ (2 Corinthians 11:3)
The
church’s forsaking of Paul’s pure grace gospel for today is condemning
the vast majority of mankind to eternal loss. This is due to the doctrinal
pollution that comes by religion’s
corrupting traditions and
the “enticing words
of man’s wisdom.” Paul never resorted to the deceit of Madison
Avenue marketing techniques to deliver “the
gospel” message.
Paul’s preaching of the “gospel
of grace” was powerful
because he and his message rested in the “THE
SPIRIT AND…POWER” of
God ALONE.
Romans
1:16 For
I (Paul) am not ashamed of THE
GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1
Corinthians 2:4-5 (Paul writes) And
my speech and my preaching was NOT
WITH ENTICING WORDS OF MAN'S WISDOM, but in demonstration of THE SPIRIT AND
OF POWER: 5 (so)
THAT YOUR FAITH SHOULD NOT STAND IN THE WISDOM OF MEN, BUT IN THE POWER OF
GOD.
This great
formerly “secret gospel,” that was then revealed to and through Paul,
has rightly been called the capstone of divine revelation, for it concerns
God’s eternal purpose in Christ. Through Paul, the chief of sinners saved
by grace, God has now made this glorious secret known to us (Eph. 1:9) that
we, in turn, might also be saved and make it known to others (Eph. 3:9).
