Beloved, we need to read these verses carefully and understand that the way the word "gospel" is thrown around today is simply heretical. Look at what Paul says to the Church at Corinth. The Gospel, when broken down into its simplest terms, is that Jesus was crucified for our sins according to the Word of God. He was buried and rose again on the third day - defeating death itself and redeeming us for everlasting life! This is the Gospel that must be preached. This is the Gospel in which we stand. This is the Gospel by which we are saved. But we have to hold fast to what has been preached. We cannot water it down. We cannot compromise it. We cannot alter it - no matter how good our intentions might be. Because as Paul taught the believers in Rome above, the real Gospel contains the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.
But it must be presented unspoiled. Let me quickly give two examples of modern seeker friendly, purpose driven thought. This past week a mega church pastor sent out a tweet that went viral. He was asking for suggestions for topics to preach on Easter. Seriously? Here is a novel idea - preach the Gospel! Why? Because it alone has the power to save people! Not your latest series on discovering you god-given "blesstiny." The second example might be why this young pastor is confused. Rick Warren, the father of the purpose driven movement, did an article last year for pastors; giving them advice for how to maximize the Easter visitors returning beyond the one Sunday. Notice first where the emphasis is on within the seeker friendly mindset. It is not concerned about the individual salvation of man but rather the overall growth of the individual church building. In this article, Warren advised AGAINST preaching the Gospel because you want to "give people a reason to want to come back the next week." So apparently the Gospel is not interesting enough in the purpose driven mindset but perhaps the most arrogant part of this is that you would knowingly not preach the Gospel to people you know full well may only be there for that one week. As for the others - what happens if God requires their life that week and the one chance they had to hear the truth about salvation they instead were treated to Part One of your sermon series on improving your self worth. It is spiritually criminal to know the truth about the Gospel and not present it to people who are genuinely seeking God.
Yet that is what is happening across this country every single Sunday. The cross, the blood, sin, repentance, forgiveness, atonement, dying to self, carrying one's cross, sanctification - all are removed from the Gospel within seeker friendly churches. They just don't poll well in focus group testing. When Rick Warren was opening Saddleback church he canvassed the neighborhood to ask the unsaved people what they would want from the new church. Dear Lord - stop giving them what they want and start giving them what they need! Mark Driscoll once wrote an oped in a national newspaper supporting the Easter Bunny because he said we wanted his church to be relevant to the community it was in. Instead of dealing with the need for Jesus to be Lord in our lives He is packaged up as your best buddy. There is so much sugar added to the seeker friendly gospel that most Christians are lying in their pews in spiritual diabetic comas. The Warren models teach that our purpose lies in our service to the local church building. So we take membership classes, pick a ministry and settle into our "purpose." Not realizing of course that we never truly entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ. We never repented of our sins. Instead we bury them and hide behind the false piety of "judge not." Then we sing "Friend of God" until one day we stand before Him and He says He never knew us.
Sobering thoughts but necessary ones. I see churches every week that are known apostates bragging about how many people "made a decision for Christ." What that means of course is they came up for the manipulated altar call, said a three sentence prayer devoid of any discussion of their sin, and were thusly declared saved - hallelujah - pass the offering plate. Give them a SHAPE application and plug em into their "purpose." The reality is they remain twice a son of hell because no one has bothered to tell them the truth. No one has told them that true prosperity is eternal, not carnal. No one has told them that the grace they think they have could never be that cheap. No one has told them that God is not friends if He is not Lord. No one has told them that you do not get the crown of glory without first taking the crown of thorns. No one has told them the Gospel. That they were born in complete and utter rebellion to God and remain so to this day. That they are a hopeless sinner who does not need a buddy - they need a Savior. That their "purpose" is to grow more in Christ each day. Denying the flesh, picking up our cross, and turning away from the world. No one has told them the Gospel.
But woe to the one that sought them out with a false gospel. Woe to the one that crossed the land and sea to make another convert that is farther away from Jesus now than they ever were. Woe to those that have twisted, contorted, watered down, dressed up, sugar coated or otherwise felt the Gospel in and of itself - all by itself - was not sufficient for the salvation of men.
Reverend Anthony Wade - April 7, 2014
