The Good News…Not As Good As It Used To Be?
In a day of depressing headlines and uncertainty all around us, good news is very welcome.
What better news could there be than as the old hymn says:
“The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives?”
So what does the good news or that familiar word Gospel mean?
And what in the world have we done to this wonderful message of salvation?
All this and more coming up on the One sheep Podcast…
You know I’ll bet an angel wouldn’t hear most of the stuff that passes for the gospel today.
You cannot tell some of it from the teachings of the occult, or mysticism.
Paul said in Galatians 1:8 “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.”
It would seem to be a serious offense to preach a “false Gospel.”
Paul says in Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Makes you wonder. How does one pervert the Gospel of Christ?
Perhaps distilling the Gospel down to a bumper sticker is perverting the Gospel?
Maybe leaving out words or verses is perverting the Gospel?
Perhaps telling people they do not need to be baptized is perverting the Gospel?
Makes you wonder if these things could be having an ill effect on evangelism?
Most modern day evangelists, are upset because less people are becoming true Christians than in the past and they don’t know why?
Has it ever occurred to them that the reason people aren’t becoming true Christians is because the good news is not as good, as it used to be?
Why do you suppose that is? What source materials are they using for the Gospel?
What about the messenger delivering the Gospel?
We have Presbyterians, Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, and Baptists just to name a few… Why not just Christians?
You will find the “Good News” or “Gospel” message seems to vary by denomination and theological controversies have occurred, and do occur over the meaning of the “Gospel” and who preaches it faithfully.
Hey, Pride is why we have favorite football teams, could it be why we have favorite denominations, too?
Denominationalism after all is what led to all the modern day cults springing up.
You know those well-dressed men and women who show up on your door step, usually on the weekend, with some helpful literature in hand?
Upon close examination of said literature however, you will find their Jesus, is not the Jesus of the Bible.
Even worse they use a version of the Bible that advertisers say is newer and easier to read?
So what is the true Gospel? The best way to answer that question is to turn to the Bible.
Ah…but which Bible?
I myself prefer the King James Version. I mean if you say it is not the word of GOD then I would ask where is it? I want to know. More importantly I want a copy of it. No my friend GOD promised to preserve his word for us, didn’t he?
The word of GOD is no good to you if it is not in your language though, right?
The KJV was translated from Christianity's earliest and most widely used Greek text. It was also translated by men who would be considered valedictorians by today’s standards of education.
So are we to believe that no souls in the last 400 years of using this Bible got saved? Are we to believe those advertisers and advocates, who say it is too hard to read, and understand?
The King James Version, according to computer analysis based formulas from the Flesch-Kincaid research firm’s readability test, comes in at a whopping fifth grade reading level.
You don’t think money has anything to do with it, do you?
Did you know by copyright law most versions have to follow a standard manuscript deviation of at least ten percent? Otherwise no copyright will be awarded.
If I give you a compass and omit to tell you it is off by ten degrees would you still find your destination?
Let’s not forget most of America has heard the Gospel preached enough times to save all of China, And Yet many are still not coming to Jesus, what gives?
Is there no saving power in their Bible of choice? Since we get the Gospel from the Bible could ones choice of Bible affect the message?
Are we watering down the saving power of the Gospel to please men, instead of pleasing GOD?
Most of the newer versions of the Bible omit certain phrases or words. They contain statements in the foot notes that say “most versions say “after they have removed what their team of Bible committee scholars and I use the term loosely, determined to be inaccurate.
But do we care what most versions say? Or what GOD says?
Some Bibles have stringent copyrights in them. If a pastor does not comply with what the copyright says the church may have to pay royalties and damages to a publisher.
How will they find out you say, from the tares of course.
Have you heard the saying,”a dyed in the wool liberal?” Wool comes from sheep…follow me now, and the sheep meet up in church…you getting the picture yet? The tares grow amongst the wheat, that is to say the counterfeit Christians within the churches, who constantly tattle on the churches to the culture?
This why most churches did not hold service during the covid scare. The tares were reporting on them…
What about the will of GOD, are we doing GOD’s Will or our own will to sooth our own conscience?
Whose glory do we seek Men’s, or GOD’s?
You don’t suppose the tares are effecting the churches ability to evangelize the lost by requesting churches be more entertaining like the culture, do you?
Perhaps, it is our tool of the trade? Maybe we need to go back to a Bible version that has saved countless souls over the last 400 years?
If we did that who knows maybe some of the tares might just get saved too?
Or Maybe we should bring our Bibles to church with us so no one can deceive us?
Death by power point is awful…
What about putting more focus on a clear Gospel Presentation instead trying to fit the plan of salvation on to a Bumper sticker?
How about we actually teach people how to evangelize so they can contribute more than just their money to the church?
What if churches have disciple making classes, instead of theatrical venues, hmmm?
I submit for your review the following…If we want the Gospel to be as good as it used to be.
We need to get back to the original recipe…
I want to thank you for listening today and…if you have a comment or would like to get in touch with me you can email me at onesheeppodcast@gmail.com
For more on How to get saved, please see my other podcast, “What Must I Do To Be Saved Straight From The Bible.”
May GOD bless you and keep you…