Page 83 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

“BUT I FEAR, LEST SOMEHOW, AS THE SERPENT DECEIVED EVE BY HIS CRAFTINESS, SO YOUR MINDS
MAY BE CORRUPTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY (“WHOLE-HEARTED AND PURE DEVOTION”) THAT IS IN
CHRIST. FOR IF HE WHO COMES PREACHES…

…FOR SUCH ARE FALSE APOSTLES, DECEITFUL WORKERS, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES INTO APOSTLES
OF CHRIST. AND NO WONDER! FOR SATAN HIMSELF TRANSFORMS HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT.
THEREFORE IT IS NOT GREAT THING IF HIS MINISTERS ALSO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES INTO MINISTERS

OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHOSE END WILL BE ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS.” 2 Cor. 11:3-4, 13-15
“I MARVEL THAT YOU ARE TURNING AWAY SO SOON FROM HIM WHO CALLED YOU
IN THE GRACE OF CHRIST, TO A DIFFERENT GOSPEL, WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER;

BUT THERE ARE SOME WHO TROUBLE YOU AND WANT TO PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST…
AND AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE, SO NOW I SAY AGAIN, IF ANYONE PREACHES ANY OTHER GOSPEL

TO YOU THAN WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.” Gal. 1:6-9 excerpts

What Paul expressed as a concern for “another gospel” being preached to the Corinthian church became a reality
among the Galatians. Paul is quick to pronounce a binding curse upon those who preached any other gospel than
what he had previously presented. So much for the modern-day theory that there are many ways to present the
gospel to reach the lost. Lest we think Paul is prophetically speaking of the likes of the Mormon gospel which was
to come, he clarifies that he is speaking of people who would pervert (distort) the true gospel of Christ. Jesus also
give a similar prophetic warning of what would happen to the message of the gospel that He presented:

“ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE; FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO
DESTRUCTION, AND THERE ARE MANY WHO GO IN BY IT. BECAUSE NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT
IS THE WAY WHICH LEADS TO LIFE, AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT. BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS WHO

COME TO YOU IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE RAVENOUS WOLVES.” Mat. 7:13-15

The perverted (distorted) gospel would be a subtle substitute that would turn what Jesus
taught as being a narrow and difficult way of salvation into a path that is broad and easy so
that many would readily accept it. I am going to recommend one of my recent books to you as
an in-depth study of what constitutes “another gospel” that is wide-spread in Christianity today.
Two vital truths have been removed from our modern-day gospel. The prerequisite to
salvation that makes it narrow and difficult is the message of repentance that has been
removed. Today’s message is “believe and receive.” The call to repent is missing which paves
the way for a broad and easy decision that is costless and crossless. Secondly, the real “good
news” (gospel) message of the Kingdom of God has been removed from the gospel of Paul
and Jesus. The good news of the gospel has become the forgiveness of sins by means of the
new birth. Jesus did preach the need to be born again. However, it was a means to an end,
not the end itself:

“MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF
GOD…UNLESS ONE IS BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD…

DO NOT MARVEL THAT I SAY UNTO YOU, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.” John 3:3-7 excerpts

A narrow and difficult way becomes a broad and easy way by taking away the emphasis of repentance and the

Kingdom of God. The new birth and the forgiveness of sins is PART of the gospel message. Paul tells us what

God has in mind for us:

“HE HAS DELIVERED US FROM THE POWER OF DARKNESS AND TRANSLATED US INTO THE KINGDOM
OF THE SON OF HIS LOVE, IN WHOM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD,
THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.” Col. 1:13-14

The true gospel preaches an exchange of kingdoms. That means we have King Jesus as our Lord ruling and
reigning over His subjects in His Kingdom that presently abides in the heart (Luke 17:21). Jesus has not changed His
mind that “My Kingdom is not of this world” (Jn. 18:36). Christianity in America erroneously seeks after an earthly
kingdom believing it was divinely chosen to become “One Nation Under God.” That is Israel’s sovereign destiny
yet to be fulfilled. God’s people pursue earthly kingdoms because the “good news” (gospel) no longer preaches
the present manifestation of the Kingdom of God and its priorities!