The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum A Summary of the Gospel Message

A Summary of the Gospel Message
by Jeffrey C. Nesbitt


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It is amazing just how many Christians are unable to give out what the message of the Gospel really is as per the scriptures!

And I have to ask you once again since you have never answered the question: What difference does it make? In your view, a sinner can be saved by believing a false gospel, a false Jesus, a false Spirit, etc. The Church must receive into membership anyone who says they love Jesus. Can you please explain why you would be concerned that "many Christians are unable to give out what the message of the Gospel really is as per the scriptures"?? when salvation is evidently, according to you, not in jeopardy?

The message of the Cross is the agent the Holy Spirit uses to convict the siinner of his sins, that Jesus died in their stead, and rose again for them to be justified in sight of God, and anything less than that would be a false Gospel!

That doesn't answer the question. Embracing some kind of "lowest common denominator theology" as justification for accepting those who believe a false gospel is no different than embracing a false gospel.

Secondly, how do you know that "Jesus died in their stead"? Jesus who? How do you know that [Jesus] rose again for them to be justified...?

There is only one Gospel, so regardless if in a baptist/IBF/Presbyterian etc church setting, still just one Gospel that saves!

And Jesus died for the \Elect, so whoever confesses Him and has been saved by Hiim are part of that group, correct?

So, now you are saying there is only ONE GOSPEL that actually saves... you have been quite adamant that those who believe a false gospel, whether Arminian, semi-Pelagian, et al are truly saved. In fact, your church receives such individuals into full communion (membership). So, can you help us out here and explain how it is there is only one true Gospel that saves (the means used by the Holy Spirit), but false gospels also save?

So, if the apostle Paul, even though he didn't have 2 PhD degrees in theology, wrote by the inspiration of God that those who preach, and by implication, believe a false gospel are cursed of God and subject to eternal damnation, how is it you say that such individuals are saved and should be welcomed as members of Christ's church?

I'm not sure what you are asking? IF you are suggesting that anyone/everyone who professes to be a believer in Christ is elect, then I would have to disagree since many who profess to be Christians are unregenerate. (cf. Jh 2:23,24; 6:64-66; 12:42,43; Matt 7:21-23; 13:18-23).

The Gospel pared back to its bare minimum is that God incarnated and was Virgin born as Jesus, he died as our sin bearer, in the place of sinners such as you and I, and that our ONLY hope is found by trusting in Him to save us from our sins. All true Christians would agree on those terms, but where we disagree on salvation, our arminian semi pel friends are saved by the same process as we are, as the Holy Spirit saves them, its just that they are wrong as to how he actually does it, as their theology disagrees with the Bible!

I sadly must tell you that if what you wrote in your second paragraph is what you believe, then you are guilty of what you wrote in the first paragraph. The Devil and all the fallen angels would give full assent to your "bare minimum gospel". What you are advocating as being the Gospel to be believed is called "Sandemanianism", aka: "Easy Believism". And if your assurance rests upon your accepting these biblical historic truths, then I suggest you probably have not been genuinely converted. Your "lowest common denominator gospel" allows that many in the sects and the Roman Catholic Church to be Christians. That's why I asked you, "Jesus Who?" to which I could have easily included, "Who is God?", "What is sin?" What is a sinner?", "What is salvation?", etc. etc. For without such knowledge, salvation is not available. Remember, no one is saved by believing right doctrine, but no one is saved without right doctrine. Another applicable and salient adage is, "A half truth is no truth." There are a number of articles on The Highway that deal with the subject, "What is the Gospel?" And there are several articles that deal with the serious error of modern evangelism (cf. In the Beginning). I stand with the Reformers and Puritans in their understanding of what the biblical Gospel is which alone the Spirit uses to call God's elect to faith, which you can read here: A Summary of the Gospel.

This is flatly untrue. All non-Reformed theologies teach that individuals are saved by man's cooperation with God. One of the most salient examples is what Billy Graham wrote in his book, How To Be Born Again. In that book Graham wrote, "God has done everything he can to save you. Now, it's up to you." This is one of the major foundations of every non-Calvinist religion. Without exception, all that is required to be saved is to give assent to a set of propositions, recite a prayer, etc. etc., ad nauseam and the "soul winner" then assures the victim that they are saved. The chasm that exists between the true Church and the true Gospel with all those who you openly receive is infinite as they are antithetical to each other. As I have written on several occasions to you which you have ignored is, The Holy Spirit of God does not use falsehood in His efficacious grace in regeneration. God cannot lie (TItus 1:2). "... no lie is of the truth" (1Jh 2:21).

The Holy spirit convicted me of my sins long ago, as he revealed to me that Jesus is the Lord, the person who died in my stead, and that I MUST rest fully upon Him alone to save me. I then confessed that he was my Lord, and believed that God raised Him from the dead to justify me.

And what I meant by bare minimum is the very way Paul describved Gospel as being to save!

I am just as saved as you are, but just do not hold to only reformed are Christians!

I have a friend, a "teaching elder" in the RPCGA, who claims he was "saved" under the "ministry" of Benny Hinn!

No.

He was informed a little bit about a man named Jesus of Nazareth, who was God incarnate, and who died a brutal and vicarious death to redeem fallen men. He was also misinformed a great deal about the gospel, but some little seed of truth was sown. Hinn pointed my friend to the Scriptures, and the Scriptures taught him the gospel, which he accepted with God-given faith.

Hinn preaches a false gospel that saves no one, and deceives many into thinking they are saved because they "said the 'sinner's prayer' and walked down the aisle to 'accept Jesus as their Savior.'" That's what my friend did. He wasn't saved then, but much later when he was confronted with the true gospel of desperately fallen sinners facing the terrifying justice of a thrice-holy God, and crying out to Him for mercy even though they know they rightfully deserve only condemnation and everlasting torment. Trusting in the work of Christ on their behalf, with God-granted ability to do so, and turning from sin and from false hope in false gospels - again with God-granted ability to do so - they experience true conversion.

Those who "say the prayer and walk the aisle" in false churches may be elect, however, and God uses even demon-inspired charlatans like Hinn to bring them, eventually, to the point of seeking the truth. The fact even false teachers play a part in bringing the elect to true faith is amazing testimony of God's sovereignty!

I was once a teaching elder in AOG, so am well aware of the false teachers in the word of faith/prosperity groups, and that any ever get saved in their churches would be directly due to the Soverign work of God towards them, and not the message that was being taught there!