Not Man's Gospel

Monday, October 06, 2014, 6:51 a.m. – the Lord Jesus put in mind the song, “What The Lord Says.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Gal. 1:11-2:10 (ESV).

The Gospel Preached

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. ~ Gal. 1:11-14

Paul was called to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, are we all called to be ministers of the gospel? I believe we are.

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (See: Matt. 5:13-20). The salt of the earth and the light of the world are synonymous in many respects. So, for us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world would suggest that by our lives, our actions and our words we should be spreading throughout the earth the teachings and godly principles of scripture. As well, we should be safeguarding, upholding and defending the truth of God’s Holy Word against all evil and opposing forces. We should also be maintaining and continuing in our walks of faith with Jesus Christ, and we should not be guilty of straying from his word or our pure devotion to him. Our very lives, as well as our words, should be influencing the world around us away from lifestyles of sin, and to faith in Jesus Christ – to repentance and obedience to his commands – all in the power and working of the Spirit of God within us (cf. Ac. 1:8; Matt. 28:18-20).

In our sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ with others we must, like Paul, make certain that what we are following, living, believing and sharing is the gospel as taught by Jesus Christ and the apostles and not a gospel of human origin. So, this calls for much study in God’s word, much discernment of the Spirit, and also much testing of everything we hear, read and see, especially in relation to that which is passed off as the word of God. Just because it looks like truth does not mean it is truth. There are many lies and deceptions being spread around in today’s church here in America which are disguised as truth, and which many undiscerning individuals are buying into hook, line and sinker. So, study the Word of God and don’t become followers of humans. Check it out before you believe it, and especially before you pass it along to others.

Before I Was Born

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. ~ Gal. 1:15-17

Paul said here that God had set him apart (for God) before he was born, and that he had called him by his grace, and was pleased to reveal his Son Jesus Christ to him, in order that he might preach him among the Gentiles. God told Jeremiah that before he had formed him in the womb he knew him, and that before he was born God had consecrated him and had appointed him as a prophet to the nations (See: Jer. 1:5). The psalmist David said something similar to this when he stated that God had knit him together in his mother’s womb, and that the days that were formed for him were written in God’s book before any of them came into being (See: Ps. 139). John the Baptist was also called of God even before he was conceived or born (See: Luke 1).

So, is this true of all of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, that God called us even before we were conceived and born?

Predestined of God

I believe scripture teaches that all who are in Christ Jesus by faith, or who will yet come to faith in Christ have been predestined, chosen and selected by God to follow Him. I believe that God has a specific plan and purpose for our lives, and that we were created (conceived) and born for that purpose. Yet, I admit that I certainly do not understand it all, nor am I skilled in being able to debate such an issue. So, I will just share what I understand.

The word “predestined” means: “Foreordained; predetermined; marked out beforehand” (See: http://biblehub.com/greek/4309.htm). It means: “To decide, agree, ordain, or arrange something in advance” (Encarta Dict.).

So, before we were even conceived, I trust that God had prearranged who we were to be, the parents we were to have, what the circumstances of our lives would entail, and what the calling of God on our lives would be. Yet, I also believe in free will, so I deem that we have the free will to refuse God or to choose him, as well.

For me personally, I believe very much so that what I am doing right now was God’s plan and purpose for my life even before he formed me in the womb of my mother. As I look back on my nearly 65 years of life, I can see his hand upon my life all the way in preparing me for this ministry to which he has called me.

I believe scripture teaches and gives us multiple examples showing that God has a general will and purpose for all whom he has called, as well as he has very specific missions for each and every one of us. More generally speaking, scripture says that we are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ, to be adopted as God’s children, to be holy and blameless before God, and to be for the praise of his glory – according to his plan, purpose and will (See: Ro. 8:29-30; Eph. 1:5-11). More specifically, it speaks of how we are given gifts of the Spirit and we are assigned particular parts (roles; assignments) in the Body of Christ.

I know without a doubt that what I do each day in writing out what God teaches me through his word and in posting it on various sites on the internet is what God has called me to do, and it is my assignment (role; part) within the Body of Christ. I take that very seriously!

We Did Not Yield

…Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. ~ Gal. 2:4-6

Just as there is teaching within the church which is of human origin (man-made), and is not of God, even though it is passed off as the Word of God, or of God, there are people within the church who pass themselves off as followers of Christ, but who are not truly saved.

They are false brothers and sisters in Christ because they are Christian by profession only, but they have never truly been transformed in heart and mind of the Spirit of God. They live, work, fellowship, worship and minister among us, disguising themselves as followers of Christ, oftentimes because their goal is to turn us away from our pure devotion to Jesus Christ and to try to get us to follow after the teachings of humans, instead. Many of these false brethren are our leaders (pastors, elders & deacons) within our churches. Their goal is to get us to follow their goals, objectives and mission for their specific organizations, and to get us to back down from sharing the true gospel, because they don’t want to offend people. They want the people of the world to feel “at home” in their “churches” so they will want to come back. So they dilute the gospel, turn “worship” services into big entertainment sessions, and replace the word of God with movies and with books written by mere humans. Their bible then becomes the marketing schemes of big business.

Yet, we are not to yield to them. We are not to give in to them for a moment, no matter how hard they pressure us, no matter how hard they may try to shame us into agreement with them, or not matter how much they may ostracize, persecute, falsely accuse and reject us because we stand on the truth of God’s holy word, and we hold to the truths as taught by Jesus Christ and the apostles – the pillars of our faith. We must not listen to those voices which are not of God and which are working against the word of truth, but we must hear, and we must listen, and we must obey only what the Lord says.

What the Lord Says / An Original Work

February 24, 2014 / Based off Isaiah 43:1-44:5

This is what the Lord says to you:

Fear not, for I have chosen you.

I have summoned you by your name.

You are mine. I died, you to save.

When you go through your trials, so deep,

I will be with you; you will not sink.

You are so precious always to me.

Trust in your Lord, Savior and King.

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who gave salvation to you;

Who delivered you from your sin;

Takes your burdens now upon Him:

Forget the former things of your life.

Give of your heart not now up to strife.

See all the new things I have for you.

Walk in vict’ry. Trust in what’s true.

This is what the Lord says to you:

He who made you; who will help you:

Do not fear what humans may do.

Walk in freedom. Follow what’s true.

Drink of my Spirit given for you.

Trust in my mercy, for I love you.

I have a plan for all of your life.

Follow my ways. Do what is right.

http://originalworks.info/what-the-lord-says/

Devotional now on audio: http://originalworks.info/not-mans-gospel/