Hi Everybody,
I first read this at: http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/grace_power. Its written by Andrew Wommack, and I thought it was brilliant.
So many Believers are still under a False weight of needing to perform to impress God and man, and it is not neccesary!! God is already impressed with you - Praise Jesus!!
When we realise that:
"Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Rom 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." , then our craving to be accepted by man and impress our fellow man will stop, because we then KNOW that we are already embraced by the only One who really counts!
Here it is. enjoy:
"Many people around the world who embrace “Christianity” have never heard the true Gospel. They believe Christianity is nothing but a different set of rules, substituting Christian “dos and don’ts” for those of other religions. They continue to believe they must earn their way to God and then do their best to deserve the benefits of salvation. That’s not the true Gospel.
Accepting Jesus as your Savior with the belief that you are now going to abide by a certain set of rules, or exchange one set for another, is not the good news. Why? Because it still depends upon your performance. And I can guarantee you that the devil will make sure you know that your performance is not quite good enough. He is the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10).
The truth that makes the Gospel the “nearly-too-good-to-be-true news” is that we are accepted by God through what Jesus did for us. The revelation of God’s grace will deliver you from a performance mentality to a total trust and reliance upon the Lord. Salvation is all about God’s faithfulness, not ours! This is foundational for maintaining a close relationship with God and receiving all the benefits of your salvation.
Romans 1:16-17 says,
“For I 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
The book of Romans communicates that the Gospel is the power of God. It’s what produces the life of God in people. However, the word Gospel has become a religious term that has lost a lot of its meaning today. Many people associate “Gospel” with anything that has to do with religion, specifically the Christian religion. But “Gospel” literally means “good tidings,” or “good news.”
The Greek word euaggelion, which was translated “gospel” in seventy-four New Testament verses, was so rare in writings outside of the New Testament that it’s only found twice in extra-biblical manuscripts. The reason for this is because this word not only meant “good news,” but was actually describing “nearly-too-good-to-be-true news.”
Much of “Christian culture” today associates the Gospel with these statements: “You’re a sinner. If you don’t repent, you’re going to hell.” Now, these are true statements. There is a heaven and a hell, a God and a devil, and you will go to hell if you don’t repent and receive salvation, but even though all of that is truth, it’s not “good news.” It’s not “the Gospel.”
As a matter of fact, it’s the complete opposite of what Paul was teaching. Roman 2:4 says it’s the goodness of God that leads us to repentance, not judgment and condemnation. That is what Paul was talking about, and that is “good news.”
The Gospel is directly related to the grace of God. That’s the only way this forgiveness of our sins can be obtained. It isn’t through our holiness or good works. God doesn’t take the “good” people and save them; He justifies (extends salvation toward) the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).
This causes many problems for religious people. They say, “Wait a minute! I believe you must do this and that to be holy.” Religion—false religion, man’s concepts—teaches that right standing with God and His blessings come as a result of our own goodness and works.
Religious teachers say, “You must come to our church. You must pay your tithes, read your Bible, and pray more, to mention a few. Then, if you do all these things just right, God will accept you.” That’s anti-Gospel! It’s against the “good news” of God’s grace because it’s putting the burden of salvation on your back—and you can’t bear it. Nobody can save themselves.
That’s basically the false “Gospel” that religion preaches today. They may talk about the one true God and use terminology like “God the Father.” They may even mention that Jesus is the Savior of the world who died for our sins. But at its core, it’s another “Gospel”—which is no Gospel at all (Gal. 1:7).
The Gospel isn’t only the belief in salvation, but it’s also the understanding of the means by which this salvation is obtained. “If you’ll act good and do good, then you’ll be good” isn’t the true Gospel. Notice what Paul said while addressing the very first ministers’ conference at Ephesus:
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
Another way Paul could have said this is, “I am testifying of the Gospel—which is the good news of the grace of God.” The words “Gospel” and “grace” are terms that can be used interchangeably. The good news—or Gospel—is the grace of God.
Even the word salvation is misunderstood. Evangelical Christianity says that salvation is a one-time occurrence, an experience when your sins are forgiven. That’s true, there is a moment when you pass from death to life, but that is not all that happens. It’s an incomplete definition. Salvation isn’t limited to the initial born-again experience.
Salvation is everything Jesus purchased for us through the atonement. Sozo, the Greek word from which “salvation” was translated means more than forgiveness of sin; it also means healing, deliverance, and prosperity. It’s a word that summarizes everything that Jesus provided for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
James 5:14-15 vividly illustrates how salvation includes both healing and forgiveness of sin:
“Is any sick among you? let him call for this elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save [sozo] the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (brackets mine).
Salvation is a package deal and it’s all accomplished by the grace of God, not our works. However, Satan is always trying to deceive us. He is the one who wants us to believe we must earn things from God. He is the one causing us to doubt the Lord’s willingness to use His ability on our behalf, and unfortunately, the church is often reinforcing that belief.
I’ve had many believers come up to me in the prayer lines asking, “Why am I not healed? I’ve fasted, prayed, and studied the Word. I pay my tithes and go to church. I’m doing the best I can. What does God demand?” When I hear that, they have just given me the answer to their question. They aren’t pointing to what Jesus did; they are pointing to what they have done, and that always leads to failure.
Most people believe that God moves in their lives proportional to their performance. That was the error Paul was dealing with in the book of Romans. When Paul came along and said “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel!” he was saying “I am not ashamed to tell people about the goodness, grace, and mercy of God. The Lord loves us in spite of who we are and what we’ve done.” Now that’s “good news!”
The religious folks of Paul’s day thought this was terrible. They believed what he was preaching was heresy. People needed to recognize and relate to God based on how sorry they were. God wasn’t happy with them or the way they were acting. They were just worms in His sight. Sound familiar?
On the surface it looks like a humble position. In reality, it’s actually making a person’s relationship with God dependent on self. “Look what I have done for the Lord, how holy I’ve been, and how much I’ve denied myself.” This is actually a very self-centered, self-dependent way of approaching God that never produces any fruit in your life.
Religion wants to make sure that people know they are sinners and on their way to hell. However, the truth is that they already know that.
Romans 1:18-19 says,
“For the wrath of God is revealed [not going to be, but already is revealed] from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath [past tense] shewed it unto them” (brackets mine).
God’s wrath has already been revealed intuitively inside of every person. Each individual has within them the knowledge of God’s wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. So when someone wonders If I just tell people about the goodness of God, what will make them understand that they are sinners in need of salvation? Paul’s answer was that they already knew. In their hearts, people already know that they aren’t good, but sinners in need of salvation.The point is that you don’t have to bombard people with the fact that they are sinners; deep in their hearts they already know. You may need to spend some time on that issue in order to make your point and strike that chord in their hearts, but not by condemning them and restricting them to religious dos and don’ts. Paul was saying, “That’s not the true approach.”
It’s the Gospel—the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news that God has provided. It’s salvation for us by grace that empowers men to receive the forgiveness of their sins, the healing of their bodies, the deliverance from Satan’s oppression, and more. We don’t need to convince people they are sinners; we need to show them the way out. That’s the Gospel!
Do you need to be healed? The power for healing is in the Gospel. Do you need to be prospered financially? The power for financial prosperity is in the Gospel. Do you need to be delivered from the power of demonic influence, from depression, from yourself, or from something else? The power for deliverance is in the Gospel! The Gospel is the power of God. It’s “nearly too good to be true.”
God Blessed you!!
Keep keeping it real
Andrew
Showing posts with label Andrew Wommack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andrew Wommack. Show all posts
Friday, December 18, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Love and Marriage
One of the most hated and most attacked areas of Christianity by the devil is the area of marriage. If Satan can get marraiges to become disfunctional, he takes a huge chunk out of our effectiveness as believers.
This is brilliant article written by Andrew Wommack. I have eddited it to make it a little shorter.
"Very few things in our world today are actually a part of Gods initial plan for his people, for instance the worlds goverment systems and monetry trading would certainly not be neccesary in a sinless world which is how God created it!
But one thing that God established while man was still in a sinless condition and said that it was not good for man to do without was marriage. Genesis 2:18 says, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet [or sufficient] for him." A perfect man who had none of the pressures or problems that we know of today still was not complete without a mate. And it was not Adam who approached God about the situation and asked for a companion. Adam didn't know what he was missing! It was God who initiated the whole thing because that was His perfect plan. This all emphasizes the high priority that marriage should have in our lives. However, it has not usually held that position.
God instituted marriage, so He certainly knows how to make it work properly. The only reason two out of three marriages end up in divorce is because the people involved don't follow the instructions God gave concerning marriage. It is that simple. The solution is not easy, but it is that simple.
We read in Eph 5 that Gods kind of love is absolutely essential for any marriage to work well. (That is.... GODS kind of love... not our kind of love): "Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church...."
Many believing husbands have dicovered Gods kind of love for the lost and for others in their local church family but this truth often doesnt bleed over to their own wives which actually where according to this passage, for husbands, it was primarily intended to be directed.
One of the most striking differences to me between the world's love and God's kind of love is that you can teach yourself to operate in God's love. Titus 2:4 says that the older women are to teach the younger women "to love their husbands, to love their children." Carnal love is completely motivated by the emotions or senses, but God's love comes from the heart.
"I can't act like I love them when I don't feel it." Oh, yes you can! God's Word tells us to even love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). It is a command. He didn't say to do it if you felt like it. If you will choose to do what God tells you to, your feelings will follow. You can teach yourself to love with God's kind of love.
It is not hypocritical to act in love when you don't feel it. It is actually hypocritical to act on what you feel instead of who you really are in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 5:22 says that love is a part of the fruit of the Spirit. This is specifically speaking of the Holy Spirit; but our new man was born of the Spirit, so it has to be true that God's love has been shed abroad in our spirits too. We do have God's love in our new man. Our feelings are not automatically changed, however. Our feelings will continue to act like they were taught to act until we subdue them and bring them under the control of our spirit man.
God's kind of love is a choice that you make on the basis of what God said, and then act on it in faith until it becomes a reality in your spirit, soul, and body.
If you can receive this basic truth about God's love, then you can begin to be consistent in your love to your mate because your love is based on a choice that you have made, not on the way they act.
Aren't you glad that God doesn't treat us that way? Romans 5:8 says, "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Praise God! God's love wasn't based upon what we had done for Him or what we deserved but upon His choice to love us. That is all! We didn't do anything to merit God's love. He just chose to give it. We can choose to receive that kind of love and then give it to others in the same way.
Jesus didn't wait until we were worth it or had repented before He gave Himself for our sins. He gave Himself for us while we were yet sinners and living a life of rebellion against Him.
Gods love is unconditional. If you live with a person for any length of time at all, you are going to find fault with them. If your love isn't unconditional, then you will begin to give them what they deserve, which is trouble.
Many couples actually use their conditional love as a weapon to try and motivate their mates to do things. That will destroy a marriage. If the thing that keeps your mate in line is a fear of your exploding if they mess up, then you are tormenting them. That's what 1 John 4:18 says, "Fear hath torment." You may see some results through that method, but it's a fact that you are building resentment and rejection in them, and sooner or later, it will explode. God's love is unconditional."
God blessed you!!
This is brilliant article written by Andrew Wommack. I have eddited it to make it a little shorter.
"Very few things in our world today are actually a part of Gods initial plan for his people, for instance the worlds goverment systems and monetry trading would certainly not be neccesary in a sinless world which is how God created it!
But one thing that God established while man was still in a sinless condition and said that it was not good for man to do without was marriage. Genesis 2:18 says, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet [or sufficient] for him." A perfect man who had none of the pressures or problems that we know of today still was not complete without a mate. And it was not Adam who approached God about the situation and asked for a companion. Adam didn't know what he was missing! It was God who initiated the whole thing because that was His perfect plan. This all emphasizes the high priority that marriage should have in our lives. However, it has not usually held that position.
God instituted marriage, so He certainly knows how to make it work properly. The only reason two out of three marriages end up in divorce is because the people involved don't follow the instructions God gave concerning marriage. It is that simple. The solution is not easy, but it is that simple.
We read in Eph 5 that Gods kind of love is absolutely essential for any marriage to work well. (That is.... GODS kind of love... not our kind of love): "Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church...."
Many believing husbands have dicovered Gods kind of love for the lost and for others in their local church family but this truth often doesnt bleed over to their own wives which actually where according to this passage, for husbands, it was primarily intended to be directed.
One of the most striking differences to me between the world's love and God's kind of love is that you can teach yourself to operate in God's love. Titus 2:4 says that the older women are to teach the younger women "to love their husbands, to love their children." Carnal love is completely motivated by the emotions or senses, but God's love comes from the heart.
"I can't act like I love them when I don't feel it." Oh, yes you can! God's Word tells us to even love our enemies (Matt. 5:44). It is a command. He didn't say to do it if you felt like it. If you will choose to do what God tells you to, your feelings will follow. You can teach yourself to love with God's kind of love.
It is not hypocritical to act in love when you don't feel it. It is actually hypocritical to act on what you feel instead of who you really are in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 5:22 says that love is a part of the fruit of the Spirit. This is specifically speaking of the Holy Spirit; but our new man was born of the Spirit, so it has to be true that God's love has been shed abroad in our spirits too. We do have God's love in our new man. Our feelings are not automatically changed, however. Our feelings will continue to act like they were taught to act until we subdue them and bring them under the control of our spirit man.
God's kind of love is a choice that you make on the basis of what God said, and then act on it in faith until it becomes a reality in your spirit, soul, and body.
If you can receive this basic truth about God's love, then you can begin to be consistent in your love to your mate because your love is based on a choice that you have made, not on the way they act.
Aren't you glad that God doesn't treat us that way? Romans 5:8 says, "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Praise God! God's love wasn't based upon what we had done for Him or what we deserved but upon His choice to love us. That is all! We didn't do anything to merit God's love. He just chose to give it. We can choose to receive that kind of love and then give it to others in the same way.
Jesus didn't wait until we were worth it or had repented before He gave Himself for our sins. He gave Himself for us while we were yet sinners and living a life of rebellion against Him.
Gods love is unconditional. If you live with a person for any length of time at all, you are going to find fault with them. If your love isn't unconditional, then you will begin to give them what they deserve, which is trouble.
Many couples actually use their conditional love as a weapon to try and motivate their mates to do things. That will destroy a marriage. If the thing that keeps your mate in line is a fear of your exploding if they mess up, then you are tormenting them. That's what 1 John 4:18 says, "Fear hath torment." You may see some results through that method, but it's a fact that you are building resentment and rejection in them, and sooner or later, it will explode. God's love is unconditional."
God blessed you!!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
"Good news", or just "News"
During the week as i was thinking about how Good God is and His
amazing plan to redeem us back to himself - simply because He thought
we were worth it - that's Huge Love!!, I remembered an article I read
a few months back and read it again.
Its written by Andrew Wommack.
"Many people around the world who embrace “Christianity” have never
heard the true Gospel. They believe Christianity is nothing but a
different set of rules, substituting Christian “dos and don’ts” for
those of other religions. They continue to believe they must earn
their way to God and then do their best to deserve the benefits of
salvation. That’s not the true Gospel.
Accepting Jesus as your Savior with the belief that you are now going
to abide by a certain set of rules, or exchange one set for another,
is not the good news. Why? Because it still depends upon your
performance. And I can guarantee you that the devil will make sure you
know that your performance is not quite good enough. He is the accuser
of the brethren (Rev. 12:10).
The truth that makes the Gospel the “nearly-too-good-to-be-true news”
is that we are accepted by God through what Jesus did for us. The
revelation of God’s grace will deliver you from a performance
mentality to a total trust and reliance upon the Lord. Salvation is
all about God’s faithfulness, not ours! This is foundational for
maintaining a close relationship with God and receiving all the
benefits of your salvation.
Romans 1:16-17 says,
“For I 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
The book of Romans communicates that the Gospel is the power of God.
It’s what produces the life of God in people. However, the word Gospel
has become a religious term that has lost a lot of its meaning today.
Many people associate “Gospel” with anything that has to do with
religion, specifically the Christian religion. But “Gospel” literally
means “good tidings,” or “good news.”
The Greek word euaggelion, which was translated “gospel” in
seventy-four New Testament verses, was so rare in writings outside of
the New Testament that it’s only found twice in extra-biblical
manuscripts. The reason for this is because this word not only meant
“good news,” but was actually describing “nearly-too-good-to-be-true
news.”
Much of “Christian culture” today associates the Gospel with these
statements: “You’re a sinner. If you don’t repent, you’re going to
hell.” Now, these are true statements. There is a heaven and a hell, a
God and a devil, and you will go to hell if you don’t repent and
receive salvation, but even though all of that is truth, it’s not
“good news.” It’s not “the Gospel.”
As a matter of fact, it’s the complete opposite of what Paul was
teaching. Roman 2:4 says it’s the goodness of God that leads us to
repentance, not judgment and condemnation. That is what Paul was
talking about, and that is “good news.”
The Gospel is directly related to the grace of God. That’s the only
way this forgiveness of our sins can be obtained. It isn’t through our
holiness or good works. God doesn’t take the “good” people and save
them; He justifies (extends salvation toward) the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).
This causes many problems for religious people. They say, “Wait a
minute! I believe you must do this and that to be holy.”
Religion—false religion, man’s concepts—teaches that right standing
with God and His blessings come as a result of our own goodness and
works.
Religious teachers say, “You must come to our church. You must pay
your tithes, read your Bible, and pray more, to mention a few. Then,
if you do all these things just right, God will accept you.” That’s
anti-Gospel! It’s against the “good news” of God’s grace because it’s
putting the burden of salvation on your back—and you can’t bear it.
Nobody can save themselves.
That’s basically the false “Gospel” that religion preaches today. They
may talk about the one true God and use terminology like “God the
Father.” They may even mention that Jesus is the Savior of the world
who died for our sins. But at its core, it’s another “Gospel”—which is
no Gospel at all (Gal. 1:7).
The Gospel isn’t only the belief in salvation, but it’s also the
understanding of the means by which this salvation is obtained. “If
you’ll act good and do good, then you’ll be good” isn’t the true
Gospel. Notice what Paul said while addressing the very first
ministers’ conference at Ephesus:
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,
which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
Another way Paul could have said this is, “I am testifying of the
Gospel—which is the good news of the grace of God.” The words “Gospel”
and “grace” are terms that can be used interchangeably. The good
news—or Gospel—is the grace of God.
Even the word salvation is misunderstood. Evangelical Christianity
says that salvation is a one-time occurrence, an experience when your
sins are forgiven. That’s true, there is a moment when you pass from
death to life, but that is not all that happens. It’s an incomplete
definition. Salvation isn’t limited to the initial born-again
experience.
Salvation is everything Jesus purchased for us through the atonement.
Sozo, the Greek word from which “salvation” was translated means more
than forgiveness of sin; it also means healing, deliverance, and
prosperity. It’s a word that summarizes everything that Jesus provided
for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
James 5:14-15 vividly illustrates how salvation includes both healing
and forgiveness of sin:
“Is any sick among you? let him call for this elders of the church;
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save [sozo] the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be
forgiven him” (brackets mine).
Salvation is a package deal and it’s all accomplished by the grace of
God, not our works. However, Satan is always trying to deceive us. He
is the one who wants us to believe we must earn things from God. He is
the one causing us to doubt the Lord’s willingness to use His ability
on our behalf, and unfortunately, the church is often reinforcing that
belief.
I’ve had many believers come up to me in the prayer lines asking, “Why
am I not healed? I’ve fasted, prayed, and studied the Word. I pay my
tithes and go to church. I’m doing the best I can. What does God
demand?” When I hear that, they have just given me the answer to their
question. They aren’t pointing to what Jesus did; they are pointing to
what they have done, and that always leads to failure.
Most people believe that God moves in their lives proportional to
their performance. That was the error Paul was dealing with in the
book of Romans. When Paul came along and said “I’m not ashamed of the
Gospel!” he was saying “I am not ashamed to tell people about the
goodness, grace, and mercy of God. The Lord loves us in spite of who
we are and what we’ve done.” Now that’s “good news!”
The religious folks of Paul’s day thought this was terrible. They
believed what he was preaching was heresy. People needed to recognize
and relate to God based on how sorry they were. God wasn’t happy with
them or the way they were acting. They were just worms in His sight.
Sound familiar?
On the surface it looks like a humble position. In reality, it’s
actually making a person’s relationship with God dependent on self.
“Look what I have done for the Lord, how holy I’ve been, and how much
I’ve denied myself.” This is actually a very self-centered,
self-dependent way of approaching God that never produces any fruit in
your life.
Religion wants to make sure that people know they are sinners and on
their way to hell. However, the truth is that they already know that.
Romans 1:18-19 says,
“For the wrath of God is revealed [not going to be, but already is
revealed] from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them; for God hath [past tense] shewed it
unto them” (brackets mine).
God’s wrath has already been revealed intuitively inside of every
person. Each individual has within them the knowledge of God’s wrath
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. So when someone
wonders If I just tell people about the goodness of God, what will
make them understand that they are sinners in need of salvation?
Paul’s answer was that they already knew. In their hearts, people
already know that they aren’t good, but sinners in need of salvation.
The point is that you don’t have to bombard people with the fact that
they are sinners; deep in their hearts they already know. You may need
to spend some time on that issue in order to make your point and
strike that chord in their hearts, but not by condemning them and
restricting them to religious dos and don’ts. Paul was saying, “That’s
not the true approach.”
It’s the Gospel—the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news that God has
provided. It’s salvation for us by grace that empowers men to receive
the forgiveness of their sins, the healing of their bodies, the
deliverance from Satan’s oppression, and more. We don’t need to
convince people they are sinners; we need to show them the way out.
That’s the Gospel!
Do you need to be healed? The power for healing is in the Gospel. Do
you need to be prospered financially? The power for financial
prosperity is in the Gospel. Do you need to be delivered from the
power of demonic influence, from depression, from yourself, or from
something else? The power for deliverance is in the Gospel! The Gospel
is the power of God. It’s “nearly too good to be true.”
God Blessed you!
amazing plan to redeem us back to himself - simply because He thought
we were worth it - that's Huge Love!!, I remembered an article I read
a few months back and read it again.
Its written by Andrew Wommack.
"Many people around the world who embrace “Christianity” have never
heard the true Gospel. They believe Christianity is nothing but a
different set of rules, substituting Christian “dos and don’ts” for
those of other religions. They continue to believe they must earn
their way to God and then do their best to deserve the benefits of
salvation. That’s not the true Gospel.
Accepting Jesus as your Savior with the belief that you are now going
to abide by a certain set of rules, or exchange one set for another,
is not the good news. Why? Because it still depends upon your
performance. And I can guarantee you that the devil will make sure you
know that your performance is not quite good enough. He is the accuser
of the brethren (Rev. 12:10).
The truth that makes the Gospel the “nearly-too-good-to-be-true news”
is that we are accepted by God through what Jesus did for us. The
revelation of God’s grace will deliver you from a performance
mentality to a total trust and reliance upon the Lord. Salvation is
all about God’s faithfulness, not ours! This is foundational for
maintaining a close relationship with God and receiving all the
benefits of your salvation.
Romans 1:16-17 says,
“For I 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. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
The book of Romans communicates that the Gospel is the power of God.
It’s what produces the life of God in people. However, the word Gospel
has become a religious term that has lost a lot of its meaning today.
Many people associate “Gospel” with anything that has to do with
religion, specifically the Christian religion. But “Gospel” literally
means “good tidings,” or “good news.”
The Greek word euaggelion, which was translated “gospel” in
seventy-four New Testament verses, was so rare in writings outside of
the New Testament that it’s only found twice in extra-biblical
manuscripts. The reason for this is because this word not only meant
“good news,” but was actually describing “nearly-too-good-to-be-true
news.”
Much of “Christian culture” today associates the Gospel with these
statements: “You’re a sinner. If you don’t repent, you’re going to
hell.” Now, these are true statements. There is a heaven and a hell, a
God and a devil, and you will go to hell if you don’t repent and
receive salvation, but even though all of that is truth, it’s not
“good news.” It’s not “the Gospel.”
As a matter of fact, it’s the complete opposite of what Paul was
teaching. Roman 2:4 says it’s the goodness of God that leads us to
repentance, not judgment and condemnation. That is what Paul was
talking about, and that is “good news.”
The Gospel is directly related to the grace of God. That’s the only
way this forgiveness of our sins can be obtained. It isn’t through our
holiness or good works. God doesn’t take the “good” people and save
them; He justifies (extends salvation toward) the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).
This causes many problems for religious people. They say, “Wait a
minute! I believe you must do this and that to be holy.”
Religion—false religion, man’s concepts—teaches that right standing
with God and His blessings come as a result of our own goodness and
works.
Religious teachers say, “You must come to our church. You must pay
your tithes, read your Bible, and pray more, to mention a few. Then,
if you do all these things just right, God will accept you.” That’s
anti-Gospel! It’s against the “good news” of God’s grace because it’s
putting the burden of salvation on your back—and you can’t bear it.
Nobody can save themselves.
That’s basically the false “Gospel” that religion preaches today. They
may talk about the one true God and use terminology like “God the
Father.” They may even mention that Jesus is the Savior of the world
who died for our sins. But at its core, it’s another “Gospel”—which is
no Gospel at all (Gal. 1:7).
The Gospel isn’t only the belief in salvation, but it’s also the
understanding of the means by which this salvation is obtained. “If
you’ll act good and do good, then you’ll be good” isn’t the true
Gospel. Notice what Paul said while addressing the very first
ministers’ conference at Ephesus:
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,
which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
Another way Paul could have said this is, “I am testifying of the
Gospel—which is the good news of the grace of God.” The words “Gospel”
and “grace” are terms that can be used interchangeably. The good
news—or Gospel—is the grace of God.
Even the word salvation is misunderstood. Evangelical Christianity
says that salvation is a one-time occurrence, an experience when your
sins are forgiven. That’s true, there is a moment when you pass from
death to life, but that is not all that happens. It’s an incomplete
definition. Salvation isn’t limited to the initial born-again
experience.
Salvation is everything Jesus purchased for us through the atonement.
Sozo, the Greek word from which “salvation” was translated means more
than forgiveness of sin; it also means healing, deliverance, and
prosperity. It’s a word that summarizes everything that Jesus provided
for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
James 5:14-15 vividly illustrates how salvation includes both healing
and forgiveness of sin:
“Is any sick among you? let him call for this elders of the church;
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save [sozo] the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be
forgiven him” (brackets mine).
Salvation is a package deal and it’s all accomplished by the grace of
God, not our works. However, Satan is always trying to deceive us. He
is the one who wants us to believe we must earn things from God. He is
the one causing us to doubt the Lord’s willingness to use His ability
on our behalf, and unfortunately, the church is often reinforcing that
belief.
I’ve had many believers come up to me in the prayer lines asking, “Why
am I not healed? I’ve fasted, prayed, and studied the Word. I pay my
tithes and go to church. I’m doing the best I can. What does God
demand?” When I hear that, they have just given me the answer to their
question. They aren’t pointing to what Jesus did; they are pointing to
what they have done, and that always leads to failure.
Most people believe that God moves in their lives proportional to
their performance. That was the error Paul was dealing with in the
book of Romans. When Paul came along and said “I’m not ashamed of the
Gospel!” he was saying “I am not ashamed to tell people about the
goodness, grace, and mercy of God. The Lord loves us in spite of who
we are and what we’ve done.” Now that’s “good news!”
The religious folks of Paul’s day thought this was terrible. They
believed what he was preaching was heresy. People needed to recognize
and relate to God based on how sorry they were. God wasn’t happy with
them or the way they were acting. They were just worms in His sight.
Sound familiar?
On the surface it looks like a humble position. In reality, it’s
actually making a person’s relationship with God dependent on self.
“Look what I have done for the Lord, how holy I’ve been, and how much
I’ve denied myself.” This is actually a very self-centered,
self-dependent way of approaching God that never produces any fruit in
your life.
Religion wants to make sure that people know they are sinners and on
their way to hell. However, the truth is that they already know that.
Romans 1:18-19 says,
“For the wrath of God is revealed [not going to be, but already is
revealed] from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be
known of God is manifest in them; for God hath [past tense] shewed it
unto them” (brackets mine).
God’s wrath has already been revealed intuitively inside of every
person. Each individual has within them the knowledge of God’s wrath
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. So when someone
wonders If I just tell people about the goodness of God, what will
make them understand that they are sinners in need of salvation?
Paul’s answer was that they already knew. In their hearts, people
already know that they aren’t good, but sinners in need of salvation.
The point is that you don’t have to bombard people with the fact that
they are sinners; deep in their hearts they already know. You may need
to spend some time on that issue in order to make your point and
strike that chord in their hearts, but not by condemning them and
restricting them to religious dos and don’ts. Paul was saying, “That’s
not the true approach.”
It’s the Gospel—the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news that God has
provided. It’s salvation for us by grace that empowers men to receive
the forgiveness of their sins, the healing of their bodies, the
deliverance from Satan’s oppression, and more. We don’t need to
convince people they are sinners; we need to show them the way out.
That’s the Gospel!
Do you need to be healed? The power for healing is in the Gospel. Do
you need to be prospered financially? The power for financial
prosperity is in the Gospel. Do you need to be delivered from the
power of demonic influence, from depression, from yourself, or from
something else? The power for deliverance is in the Gospel! The Gospel
is the power of God. It’s “nearly too good to be true.”
God Blessed you!
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