The False Gospel of Accomadation

This content comes from our sub-ministry Advice for Young Ministers

This article is taken from: http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/199901/078_accommodation.cfm

 

 

The Dangers of the Gospel of Accommodation

A sermon given by David Wilkerson at an Assemblies of God headquarters chapel service.

A New Gospel

       Accommodate means to adapt, to make suitable and acceptable, to make convenient. A gospel of accommodation is creeping into the United States. It's an American cultural invention to appease the lifestyle of luxury and pleasure. Primarily a Caucasian, suburban gospel, it's also in our major cities and is sweeping the nation, influencing ministers of every denomination, and giving birth to megachurches with thousands who come to hear a nonconfronting message. It's an adaptable gospel that is spoon-fed through humorous skits, drama, and short, nonabrasive sermonettes on how to cope—called a seeker-friendly or sinner-friendly gospel.

 

   To begin with, those terms are unscriptural. The gospel of Jesus Christ has always been confronting—there is no such thing as a friendly gospel but a friendly grace.

 

   This new gospel is being propagated by bright, young, talented ministers. They have come upon a formula which states you can go into any town or city; and if you have the right formula, within a short time you can raise a megachurch.

 

   If you are a young man and have certain skills, you find those skills and a part of the city that would best suit you. You move into that area, poll it, and find out what the nonchurchgoers want:

 

"You don't like choirs. Well, would you go to a church that didn't have a choir?" Yes.

"You don't like to wear suits. Would you go where it's informal?" Yes.

 

    Then you go to your computer and design a gospel that will not confront but will shoot out the desires and the needs of the people. After you have gathered a handful of people, you keep interviewing them to find out what they want; then you design your message to help people cope with their needs. The program you design is intended to make the church comfortable and friendly for all sinners who wish to attend.

 

    This gospel is fast becoming the most prosperous and flourishing of all religious movements. Thousands attend these churches. The pastor is the CEO, and it becomes a business. They make no bones about it: They are following Madison Avenue tactics and can make a success of it. Their formula for quick church growth is cleverly packaged and is being sold especially to young ministers—those who want to be a part of the big boys and what's happening on a fast track. They want it to happen quickly.

 

Paul's Warning

    Paul warned of the coming of another gospel and another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4). He warned the church that it's really not another gospel but a perversion of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. If you hear any other gospel, he said, let that preacher be accursed. In other words, no matter how pleasant, how pious, or how sincere, if the message is not the death of sin through the cross of Jesus Christ, let it be accursed.

 

    I tremble when I read in the Scriptures that in the last days Satan is going to come right into the church posing as an angel of light. He's going to take ministers who, at one time, had the touch of God, and he's going to transform them into angels of light to become his tool of deception. That's frightening. It causes me to fall on my face before God for such false, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. No marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it's no great thing if ministers also are transformed as the ministers of righteousness whose end shall be according to their works.

 

     Paul said they are going to glory in the flesh, in their bigness, their numbers, their influence, and their contemporariness. They will boast they are contemporary, that there is a gospel that is out of style that doesn't reach human need anymore. They will glory in the world's acceptance. Jesus warned, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15). The context of that warning was: "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it" (verse 14).

 

     His warning was to beware of the wolves who are going to say it's really not that narrow and straight—they are going to come posing as submissive sheep. Jesus put His finger on the cause: ambition—ambitious ravening wolves. In the Greek it means "starved for recognition and quick gratification, quick growth."

 

     Jesus left no doubt about His meaning. For example, He was addressing a struggling pastor who has worked for years and hasn't seen the kind of growth he wants to see. A young man with an accommodating gospel moves into town and and within a very short time has a megachurch. People are flocking there because there is entertainment; it's a gospel of fun. I've been in some of them. It's the gospel of entertainment that has no conviction whatsoever. There is very little in their gospel that speaks to sinners of repentance, brokenness, and cross-bearing. A Christ is preached, Jesus' name is mentioned, but Paul said their's is another gospel, another Jesus.

 

     Paul warned that if you are caught in this trap, if you want that hook of entertainment, that hook of sudden growth, this is the hook: The enemy will put in your path a teaching.

I have two preacher sons. One of them confessed to me, "Dad, I was that close to being sucked in because I fasted and prayed and didn't see the growth I wanted to see, and I saw these others grow. That hook was there, and I almost bought it."

 

     That is something this Movement and every movement is going to have to look at and deal with: It is possible, through unholy ambition, to be transformed from a man of God, who has been seeking God and getting a word from heaven, to an unholy ambition and a tool of Satan. Let every pastor heed this warning: The moment you begin to consider the "competition," seeds of accommodation will be planted in your heart. Suddenly, Satan will put in your path a wolf in sheep's clothing—a man who will try to seduce you into ungodly ambition and achieving church growth at any cost. Yet the truth is, it could cost you your soul.

 

The Right Formula

    If you find the right formula, according to the accommodation gospel, you can succeed in any field of endeavor.

 

    An editorial in the New York Times (March 1, 1998) was entitled, How To Manufacture a Best-Seller. It told the story of John Baldwin, a 53-year-old carpenter and a would-be writer, who had struggled for years to make a living from writing. He determined to become famous and rich overnight by writing a best-selling medical thriller. He studied five or six best thrillers. After 7 years' research he found 10 steps to producing a best-selling medical novel. He honed it with some Hollywood writers and agents, and here is the 10-step formula he used:

1. The hero is an expert.
2. The villain is an expert.
3. You must watch all the villain's activities over his shoulder.
4. The hero has a team of experts behind him, working in various fields.
5. Two or more on the team must fall in love.
6. Two or more on the team must die.
7. The villain must turn his attention from his initial goal to the team.
8. The villain and the hero must live to do battle again in the sequel.
9. All deaths must proceed from the individual to the group.
10. If the story bogs down, just kill somebody.

    John Baldwin had the formula but no story, so he read of research by John Marr who was studying the epidemiological causes of the 10 plagues, hoping to explain their causes scientifically. The two men formed a partnership, and using Baldwin's 10-step formula, together wrote a 640 page manuscript called The Eleventh Plague. Harper Collins bought it for almost $2 million.

 

    Baldwin, who has no passion for writing, said, "If I get the formula, I'm going to be a multimillionaire and famous." Well, he's going to make another $3 million on the movie rights, and he's laughing all the way to the bank. His philosophy: "If you have the right formula, you can be a success at anything."

 

    You see, this is the gospel of accommodation—the formula. You get the formula, you get what people want, and you can be a success. I am here to tell you that a formula-based, accommodating gospel is contrary to everything in the Scriptures.

 

God's Method

Certain men of God met at Antioch to send out men to preach the gospel and establish churches (Acts 13). Here is God's method:

 

    1. They ministered to the Lord and fasted. This was their planning session—worshiping, fasting, waiting on the Lord, and calling for direction from the Holy Ghost. They did not move until the Holy Ghost spoke. There were no formulas, no surveys, no door-to-door asking people what they wanted and then serving it to them.

 

    2. They prayed—no strategizing, no network, and not one step until the Holy Ghost spoke His mind. Then and only then did they lay hands upon them, anoint them, and send them out in the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost.

 

    Paul lived his whole religious life on religious formulas, and he said they didn't work. He gave up on formulas and said, "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul boasted unashamedly, "We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness" (1 Corinthians 1:23). He was saying, "Gentlemen (he was talking to his peers), they want us to accommodate. The Jews are looking for signs in our gospel. The Greeks want the wisdom. They want to know how to cope, but I'm not compromising. There's only one message. Our gospel has been and will be the Cross and its demands as well as its victories. As for me, I'm determined to preach nothing among you but Christ and Him crucified."

 

What the Gospel of Accommodation Does (1)

I see three things in the gospel of accommodation:

 

    1. It is the accommodation of man's love for pleasure.

 

    "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers...of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1–4). The Greek for pleasure is "sensuous, lustful, voluptuous, exciting, gratifying, sensual pleasure." If you move toward this gospel of accommodation, you are going to have to accommodate the people's lust because they are not going to give up their love for excitement. They've made gods of sports, pleasure, and lust. Unless that is confronted by the gospel of Jesus Christ, unless there is a truth that comes forth, you have to accommodate this lust that is in the American lifestyle.

 

    I was shocked by an article in the New York Times.¹ Philip Wogaman, President Clinton's pastor, said, "Sexual misconduct does not automatically render a leader immoral. Morality should also be judged by indicators like courage, concern for the poor, fostering world peace, running the economy responsibly, and furthering racial equality. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are merely cultural expressions." In other words, Mr. Clinton has been told that he has enough good indicators to overrule another that would be immoral in his life.

 

    God said that men who preach doctrines like these resist the truth; they are men of corrupt minds counterfeiting the faith.

 

    In disbelief I watched a televised Sunday night service of a seeker-friendly church—seeker-friendly by its own admission. To a packed church where thousands attend, the pastor said, "This is fun night, a David Letterman night." The youth pastor came out and did his monologue as David Letterman. Then they showed 10 of the most boring things teenagers do during preaching. Three of the 10 were throwing spitballs, yawning, and picking their noses. The crowd went crazy. After the service, the pastor brazenly announced, "We're not here to offend people, but to make church comfortable for everyone." I wept.

 

      I ask you, how long do you think that audience would stay in church if the pastor was gripped by the Holy Ghost, convicted for "entertaining" people toward hell, and suddenly preached a message entitled, "Be sure your sins will find you out"? How long would people keep coming back if a gospel of holy living and separation from the world was preached? Two things would happen: (1) Those who are misguided, hungry, and didn't know any better would weep and run to the altar. (2) Those who are judiciously blinded by their pleasures in madness would flee from the church and never come again. The church doors would close.

 

       I keep this foremost in my mind and before my eyes, because every minister of the gospel one day has to face it when he stands before the Lord. He will say, "Son of man, I made thee a watchman. You were to hear the words of My mouth and give them warnings from Me. You were to tell the wicked, 'Thou shalt surely die.' And you gave them no warning nor spoke to warn the wicked to turn from their wicked ways to save their lives. These same wicked men died in their sins, but their blood I'll require at your hands."

 

What the Gospel of Accommodation Does (2)

     2. This gospel of accommodation accommodates all man's aversion to self-denial.

 

     The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of self-denial. Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). Self-denial is not something you give. It's someone you give up—the giving up of yourself, giving up everything you are. It's a living sacrifice to the Lord Jesus Christ to present your body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. God has every right to say to His church, "If you expect to give Me your body, your resurrected body, all through eternity, I have every right—it's only reasonable of Me and your reasonable service—to ask your body why you're here on earth. I want every part of you. I want you to be spiritually minded. I want to possess you."

 

     The gospel we preach must bring people under the total possession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, it's a gospel of accommodation.

 

      The seeker-friendly gospel accommodates the body. The human body belongs to Him. What we see in America is a neognosticism where you take your physical body on one side and do as you please as long as your spirit is right with God. This is coming even out of the White House, this dividing of personality. No, we are one personality, and it all belongs to Jesus Christ. This neognosticism is destroying the faith of many throughout the nation.

 

What the Gospel of Accommodation Does (3)

      3. There is an accommodation of man's offense to the gospel.

 

      The Scriptures state, "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offense." Paul spoke of the offense of the Cross. This is the heart of God's anger. We're not called to the Cross but to go through the Cross—to experience the same thing Jesus did, not only coming to the Cross but dying and going into the grave with Jesus Christ and then being raised from the dead to a newness of life.

It's cruel, pastor, to lead sinners to the Cross, tell them they are forgiven by faith, and then allow them to go back to their habits and lusts of the flesh, unchanged and still in the devil's shackles. If the preaching of grace doesn't have as its goal the producing of a walk of righteousness, then it's another gospel, another Jesus.

 

      I listened in horror to a man, who attended one of the largest seeker-friendly churches, being interviewed by CBS. He said, "I come to this church because I'm comfortable. I'm never made to feel uneasy. I bring my Jewish friends and my business friends, and I know nothing will ever be said that will offend them. The best part of it is, the whole thing only lasts an hour."

 

      Take it from me: You can get your big church and be one of the big boys, but it's going to cost you your soul if you preach with a focus only on earthly things, rather than on the things of God.

 

       I've lived in New York City 35 years. We have 103 nationalities from all walks of life—from the poorest to the richest. Probably 300 or more from the United Nations live there. But I look over a congregation (so does my dear friend, Jim Cymbala, in Brooklyn) and see men who have just walked in from the porno shops and are wild animals. I see a businessman friend who was CEO of a multimillion–dollar company, but he started snorting coke, lost everything, and is now a bum on the street. He sits in the congregation. A little 14-year-old girl with AIDS is up on 8th Avenue performing lewd acts before dirty old men. She comes to church and keeps saying, "Pastor Dave, I've got to get out. I've got to get help."

 

       I'm not about to put up a silly skit and preach a 15-minute message on how to cope to a multitude of people who are dying and going to hell. I tremble at the thought.

 

       People don't like to hear this, but we're headed for perilous times—just a few years away from a collapse like the world has never known. When that happens, all who preached prosperity are going to disappear because the people will say, "Your gospel has failed me." When that time comes, I want to grasp onto Jesus, and I want everyone I've preached to to have faith in the keeping power of Jesus Christ. I want them to know Him in His fullness. I want to know that I've done it in love, in grace, that they would know the difference between the holy and the profane.

 

       May God, in Jesus' name, spare the Assemblies of God forever. If I have ever given a prophetic message in my lifetime that God intended for a purpose, it is now.

 

       Many are being deceived. If they are not awakened, what I warn you about will happen.

 

     I pray that God will keep the Assemblies of God in its original purposes. In New York City, He has proved that the people come to hear a straight gospel, and thousands will come where the Word of God is being preached without compromise and yet with grace. May the young men who are discouraged in the Movement not try for a shortcut but be broken and on their faces before the Lord.

 

                   May we get our eyes off growth and onto a new revelation of who Jesus is.

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Repenting of Denominational Prejudice, Addressing False Doctrine

Evaluating “Strange Fire”

Repenting of Denominational Prejudice, Addressing False Doctrine

Ryan Marks

   I agree that barking like dogs, divine laughing, or other occurrences supposedly “charismatic” and evidenced by the “Toronto Blessing” are nowhere in Scripture and sound demonic. Satan does perform miracles to deceive. However, I am concerned by the extreme position John Macarthur takes on all those who believe in the “Gifts” or “speaking in tongues.”

     To start, nowhere in Scripture do we find a clear statement that says the Gifts have ceased or will cease before Heaven. There is record of Christian leaders since the time of the Apostles (Jonathan Edwards, Martin Luther, John Calvin and others) saying that the gifts have ceased, but again will we believe the Scripture alone or accept the teaching of men? The much quoted 1 Corinthians 13 passage by Cessationists says that tongues will fail when prophecies cease and knowledge passes away. Applying the proper hermeneutics of Bible interpretation looks at the context and clearly raises the opposition—have all three of these passed away? No. Knowledge is still around. We live in the information age and as Daniel prophesied, many run to and fro and knowledge is increased (Daniel 12:4). And in regard to prophecy, even Cessationists (those who believe the “Gifts” and “Tongues” have passed away) believe that prophecy is still occurring as a spiritual Gift through preaching.

    I grew up in a “Pentecostal church” and was homeschooled largely using “Baptist” textbooks. But I do not consider myself to be any label—“Freewill” “Calvinist” “Pentecostal” etc… I am a Christian and I endeavor to only Believe what the Bible teaches. Now, yes I believe that we all have probably been taught something wrong in church. No church is perfect, nor any spiritual leader—if they were we would not need to like Paul “oppose Peter to His face” at times. I enjoy discussions on doctrine when the heart of those discussing is really to understand what the Bible says. But when any church tradition is dogmatically held to, I know the conversation is going nowhere. It is dangerous to just be “Baptist,” “Catholic,” “Lutheran,” “Presbyterian,” or “Pentecostal” in one’s beliefs without ever considering what God’s Word actually says.

    However, it is very dangerous to say that all charismatics/Pentecostals are demonically influenced. The Bible nowhere gives evidence that the so called “Gifts” have passed away and Paul warned us not to despise prophesying (1 Thess 5:20) but to test the spirits and see whether they are of God (1 John 4:1). I love John Piper’s loving but non-agreeing response to Strange Fire on his Ask Pastor John podcast, I believe the episode aired late 2013; John Piper dealt with the issue from a solely Biblical perspective.

      Let me clarify that there are some false teachings (and John Macarthur makes references to most if not all of these in his book Strange Fire) among Pentecostalism (but there also are among Catholicism and Lutheranism and every ism); however, the issue should not be “all Pentecostals” but exposing the false doctrine just as not “all Catholics” or “all Lutherans” are unbiblical. I disagree with Mr. Macarthur as he strongly portrays that the entire group is corrupt (I hope I am wrong about him taking that stance), but agree that there are some major false doctrines circulating by primarily Pentecostal and Charismatic groups that are unbiblical:

·        The false doctrine of prosperity and comfort especially as a blessing for a “financial seed sown into their ministry.” Yes, God gifted Joshua, Job, and Abraham with success and some business sense, but that doesn’t mean life is easy and lucrative for the Believer.  …. “supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” 1 Tim 6:5 (KJV)

·        False doctrine that you must speak in tongues to be saved  …. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31 (KJV)

·        Unbiblical “revelations”—that contradict the Bible and supposedly need to be proclaimed as God’s truth in today’s world…. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 1:3 (KJV)

·        False doctrine of the Word of Faith Movement—your words have the same creative power as God’s words-that’s blasphemy! …. “Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present. 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” 2 Corinthians 10:7-18 (KJV)

·        Healing Crusades—teaching people to “seek their miracle” rather than Seek Jesus  …. “Asa…was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.” 2 Chronicles 16:12 (KJV)

·        False doctrines of confession—speaking into existence the “blessing you want”--this is nowhere in Scripture. However, we should pray about anything and everything to the Lord and cry out to Him. But …. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 (KJV)

·        The false doctrine of cheap grace—(this one is not distinctly a Pentecostal error, but is appearing to gain a lot of ground at least among Charismatic leaders today) it is turning Christ’s grace toward us as an excuse for not trying to avoid sin or confess our wrongs and ask for the forgiveness of others.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer battled this in his book The Cost of Discipleship

·        Unhealthy-emphasis on healing, trances, etc… God can heal and there are a few instances of “trances” in Scripture—visions by Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Peter, John and others. However, nowhere in Scripture are we told to seek these or to claim them as “part of our inheritance.”

·        The Seeker Friendly gospel (again not distinctly Pentecostal, but appearing to gain ground amongst Pentecostal leaders) seems to be growing…now I believe this is across the board in all denominations, but I have seen a lot of it in bigger Pentecostal churches. The Seeker-friendly Gospel tries to make the Gospel appealing to sinners and tones down or even ceases to talk about sin and our need for Christ.  …. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJV)

·        False Doctrine of Name it Claim It—again nowhere in the Bible  ….. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3 (KJV)

·        Turning speaking in Tongues to another Gospel. Salvation is not what many “Pentecostal’s” conversations are about, but experiences. This is dangerous. William Seymour (early Pentecostal leader) got it right when he told Pentecostals, “Don’t go out of here talking about tongues; talk about Jesus.”  ….  “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. 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. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9 (KJV)

     I like the Baptist Faith and Message’s position on the Pentecostal-Charismatic debate—neutral on Spiritual gifts. In our discussions with other Believers, we should be careful not to make the issue of the “Gifts” a point of division. If they Believe in Jesus and KNOW Him then as Jesus said, whoever is not against us is for us. This is not an issue of clear sin and disobedience to God like homosexuality. The debate is about how God’s Holy Spirit interacts with Believers today based on Scripture. There should be unity around Christ and the maturity to disagree without be disagreeable.

We must keep the Gospel—repentance and receiving Jesus and KNOWING Him as the focal point of our ministry to others.

    I attend a small Southern Baptist Church now and am in a Southern Baptist Seminary at the time of this writing. I do not call myself “Southern Baptist” or any other denomination though because often the deformational card just stirs up offense and prejudice and many unbelievers equate Baptist with Westboro right now.

    However, I am thankful to be a part of the Southern Baptist Fellowship. I won’t talk about my “denomination” often, but I know that the Lord guided me to be a part of the SBC as I sought Him for many months on the “denominational accountability” issue in regard to the Pentecostal denomination I grew up in. I also, am around many like-minded Believers and am thankful that Salvation is the primary issue at the heart of so many in our SBC Fellowship and we keep that as our main focus—Do you KNOW Jesus? Also, I am privileged to be a part of the denomination that most major “revivalists” have come from: Billy Graham, D.L. Moody, Vance Havner & etc…  God’s blessings has been poured out upon our fellowship in this respect.

      I am concerned that many Pentecostals place too much emphasis on experience and too little emphasis on learning the Scripture, teaching sound doctrine, and discipleship. …They are very successful in many respects of evangelism and zeal however and we all can learn from them.

       I am equally concerned with liturgical traditions such as Catholicism and Lutheranism that place so much emphasis on repetition that the heart and life of Christ’s Spirit can be sucked out of the local church. ….yet, liturgical traditions have continued to faithfully expound many of Scriptures doctrines throughout the coming and going of changes in the Church throughout the centuries and we can all learn from that.

 

What should be our Non-negotiable issues?

1.     Do you KNOW Jesus?

I take Jesus statement literally—many will cast out demons, heal the sick and raise the dead, but yet they won’t know Him. This statement by our Lord picks my heart primarily for Pentecostals, but I am also pricked for the “attendees” of every church that have never surrendered to Jesus as Lord and just have “accepted” Him as fire insurance. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23 (KJV)

 

2.     What Sin is—anything you think, say or do that breaks God’s heart (Child Evangelism Fellowship) and “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4 (KJV)

3.     Who Jesus is-- Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord. Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16. (The Baptist Faith and Message)

4.     Repentance—“repent ye, and believe the gospel.”  Mark 1:15 (KJV)

5.     That the Word of God is the final authority and if you teach or Believe something that isn’t in the Bible then you’re wrong.  “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 (KJV) 

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

“Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:6 (ESV)