WHEN AN APOSTLE IS CONCERNED It should not be necessary to say this: God does NOT work through false gospels. The fact that the Gospel "is the power of God unto salvation" applies ONLY to the real Gospel. It does not apply to "another gospel." What is said to be accomplished through the Gospel NEVER takes place through "another gospel." -- Tomorrow:
"Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 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, ye might well bear with him." (2 Corinthians 11:1-4
GOD DOES NOT WORK THROUGH FALSE GOSPELS, #1
1. SERVING GOD. "For God is my witness, whom I SERVE with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers" (Rom 1:9).
2. PEOPLE BEGOTTEN. "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU through the gospel" (1 Cor 4:15).
3. PARTAKING OF THE PROMISE. "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISE in Christ by the gospel" (Eph 3:6).
4. LIFE AND IMMORTALITY MADE KNOWN. "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath BROUGHT LIFE AND IMMORTALITY TO LIGHT through the gospel" (2 Tim 1:10).
5. RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR MAN REVEALED. ". . . the gospel of Christ . . . For THEREIN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:16-17).
No person is serving God who delivers "another gospel." No person is born again by means of "another gospel." It is not possible to participate in the promises of Christ by means of "another gospel." Life and immortality cannot be clarified by "another gospel." It is impossible to become aware of the righteousness of God and its imputation to men by means of "another gospel."
If the primary message of the church ever becomes anything other than the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, it at once becomes impotent. All of its programs are rendered void of Divine power, and thus cannot accomplish the will and purpose of God. Faith, which "comes" through the heralding of the real gospel (Rom 10:14-17) is thus rendered impossible, and men are closed off from it (Gal 3:23).
There is no additional or auxiliary message that shares in the power of the Gospel. There is no higher message that brings an equal or greater degree of Divine enablement to men. Let no man dare to listen to, be tolerant of, or to embrace "another gospel." The fact that it is "another" makes it wrong.
UNGODLY TOLERATION
". . . ye might well bear with him." Other versions read, "you may well put up with it" (NKJV), "you bear this beautifully" (NASB), "you put up with it easily enough" (NIV), "you submit to it readily enough" (NRSV), "how well you put up with these things" (BBE), "you put up with that too willingly" (NJB), "you seem to believe whatever anyone tells you" (NLT), "you would have well suffered him" (PNT), "ye right well have been content" (TNT), "well were ye bearing it" (YLT), "You swallow it all" (LIVING), "How you can put up so easily with" (IE) ""your toleration is admirable" (WEYMOUTH), "you are all too willing to listen" (ISV), "you listen to it all right" (WILLIAMS), and "you tolerate [all that] well enough" (AMPLIFIED).
Throughout history the church has struggled with the propensity to theological novelty. Owing to Satan's cunning work, as Paul feared he would do in Corinth, differing core messages have been adopted by the professed church. These messages have been used to determine who is, or is not, acceptable.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, purge Your church of spurious and impotent gospels.