Some problems with todays " gospel"

[GodspromisesRyes]

There are so many problems with todays " gospel" the question is where to start. Firstly the common " sinners prayer" is not scriptural, the common " just say this prayer, repeat after me" " accept Jesus into your heart"- All these things are void of the real preaching of the gospel. Very little do we hear BELIEVE REPENT CONFESS BE BAPTISED.

But this isnt really why i made this topic. I made this topic because as i was reading i was considering something.There is a specific thing that paul makes sure to mention over and over again about when he brought the gospel to people. Here is an example of it:
1Cr 2:1 ¶ And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1Cr 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Cr 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Cr 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Cr 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Paul made sure to always make it clear that he never came to people trying to entice them with this wisdom or intelligence but He brought the gospel WITH POWER and demonstration. How often is this done these days?

It seems like for a large part the church has been sold an idea that we should do whatever we can, whatever gimic or arguement we can muster to get souls saved. If we can give them a " reasonable" arguement to believe or an intelligent enough reason to believe or just get them to get far enough to say a prayer. Alot of the church has bought the idea that as many souls at whatever cost and with whatever device they can use. The problem is in all of this how often is the full gospel ever preached? Many are afraid if they preach repentance they will win no souls, what soul gets actually won without repentance? that is one reason so many in pews are totally unsaved.

And even more than that, how many preach the gospel with demonstration of power??? A large part of the church today believes in a powerless gospel. so many believe that the best you can hope for is to be forgiven and live like a sinner. Many do not believe or preach the power of God to save a person, make them a new creation in Christ, set them FREE of the bondage sin had over them in the flesh, deliver them from spiritual and physical bondage, heal them preserve them perfect them conform them into the image of CHrist. Many teach that God does not speak to His people anymore, He doesnt answer, He doesnt really act, He wont really hear, He doesnt desire to help or be bothered with you that He cant help you.

 

[D4Christ]

Gpr, you made a lot of excellent observations about the state of today's church. I agree that many of the more popular preachers do not teach the full gospel out of fear of losing "membership." But I've also wondered why the church seems so powerless...why does it seem that God does not speak, why can't people really get healed (except on tv of course.) And then my best friend and I had an epiphany.

1.Churches say "God" too often ignoring the name of YHWH that we were commanded never to forget (not that I’m saying using the word God is wrong, but He gave us His name….we ought to use it).
2. Many churches do not pray the way Yahushua (Christ) commanded us to.

How many times do people start their prayers with Jesus, this or Jesus that. But Christ told us point blank to go to the Father directly in prayer and end it using His [Christ's] name. I even had a pastor try to tell me once that I should be praying to the Holy Spirit.

John 16

23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. 28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.â€

Christ Himself tells us to pray to the Father….he tells us he does not ask on our behalf….he teaches us how to pray by starting with the phrase, “Our Father,â€â€¦yet that is not how I hear people pray…at least not in my former church. I used to wonder why sick people, who went to church all the time got sicker, why Christians are adopting Universalism and converting from the Truth….now I know. If we don’t pray the way Christ instructed us we will remain powerless.

 

[DarcyLu]

hi GPR , excellent post! many people just do not believe He heals today, they do not believe in miraculous healings or that God works in people's lives. the unbelief and lack of faith has caused the churches to be ineffective and we are not living as the Body of Christ.
the world has been allowed into the churches, it's all about entertainment, bringing in the people in order, not to turn them to God, but to increase their budgets. some of the music sung in churches and on the radio are not even Bibical and people are singing these songs and how can this type of worship be accepted by God when what they are implying is not Bibical (and i am not saying all Christian music is this way as some is very good). these same churches spend millions of dollars expanding their church buildings while in their own community there are people in real need, whose lives would be changed by some of that money, it's exaclty like the Pharisees ignoring their widowed and their own parents to gain monetarily.
we have forgotten our first love, we have forgotten we are to conform to His image, we live in a society where bit by bit, satan feeds lies to us and if we are not careful, we begin to believe those lies and the next thing we know, we are messed up in our doctrine. we have now come to the "feel good" religion and "all is well" and sin is not mentioned. we believe that we've "accepted Christ" and that is good enough, people do not realize they can actually lose their salvation! churches allow homosexuality and other sins to fester in their congregations and it is not glorifying to God. we all need to repent and turn back to the Lord.

 

[Cornelius]

We must remember that the word "name" in Hebrew and in Greek is not like we use that word today. Its simple means : Nature, authority and character.

So when you pray, you should pray to the Father in the nature, in the character and in the authority of Jesus.

But this is not on topic Back to topic:

I agree with GPRyes . The reason is that the majority of the church are not really Bible believing anymore. They also believe that no one man can know that real truth anymore (false) They believe they must interpret the Bible in all instances (false) They do not believe it is THE Word of God (false)

God places His Word above His name Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, And give thanks unto thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

We are in the last days and in the last days it is prophesied that the church will deny the power of the gospel
2Ti 3:1 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good,

2Ti 3:4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power therefore .From these also turn away.

 

[costcounter]

This goes to something I had noticed in (1 Pet 1:12) that any person can pick up the bible and read from it, and it may be called preaching, but it is without the Holy Ghost; but then there are those who preach the Gospel WITH the Holy Ghost, which is when the hearer is hearing God´s Word with the Spirit of Truth: There is a definate difference.

..which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost..
1 Peter 1:12

Also some thing that God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, that if those who say they represent God were actually telling the people God´s will, then the people would have actually turned from their sins, which so many that profess Christ until now haven´t done.

But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
Jer 23:22

 

[francisdesales]

There are so many problems with todays " gospel" the question is where to start. Firstly the common " sinners prayer" is not scriptural, the common " just say this prayer, repeat after me" " accept Jesus into your heart"- All these things are void of the real preaching of the gospel. Very little do we hear BELIEVE REPENT CONFESS BE BAPTISED.

But this isnt really why i made this topic. I made this topic because as i was reading i was considering something.There is a specific thing that paul makes sure to mention over and over again about when he brought the gospel to people. Here is an example of it:
1Cr 2:1 ¶ And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1Cr 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1Cr 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1Cr 2:4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Cr 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Paul made sure to always make it clear that he never came to people trying to entice them with this wisdom or intelligence but He brought the gospel WITH POWER and demonstration. How often is this done these days?

It seems like for a large part the church has been sold an idea that we should do whatever we can, whatever gimic or arguement we can muster to get souls saved. If we can give them a " reasonable" arguement to believe or an intelligent enough reason to believe or just get them to get far enough to say a prayer. Alot of the church has bought the idea that as many souls at whatever cost and with whatever device they can use. The problem is in all of this how often is the full gospel ever preached? Many are afraid if they preach repentance they will win no souls, what soul gets actually won without repentance? that is one reason so many in pews are totally unsaved.

And even more than that, how many preach the gospel with demonstration of power??? A large part of the church today believes in a powerless gospel. so many believe that the best you can hope for is to be forgiven and live like a sinner. Many do not believe or preach the power of God to save a person, make them a new creation in Christ, set them FREE of the bondage sin had over them in the flesh, deliver them from spiritual and physical bondage, heal them preserve them perfect them conform them into the image of CHrist. Many teach that God does not speak to His people anymore, He doesnt answer, He doesnt really act, He wont really hear, He doesnt desire to help or be bothered with you that He cant help you.

An excellent post.

Perhaps we as a Church need to go back to the basics...

"Not my will, but your will be done"
"let it be done to me according to your word".

Modern life is so hectic, I think part of the problem is that we don't know God's specific will for us, or hear His Word in our lives. We aren't hearing that tiny voice speaking to us, with all the white noise in our lives...

Regards

 

[GodspromisesRyes]

! I could not have asked for better posts about this!

It seems like this problem is so wide, as i guess the road to hell is of course- and there are so many reasons for it.I agree about how we are only hearing the word of God when we hear it through those preaching it WITH the Holy Ghost AND that will only do us so much good until WE also hae the Holy Ghost! I truly believe that a large part of the church for a long time has not even recieved the Holy Ghost.

Paul said how can they believe unless they hear and how can they hear unless people are sent to preach. How many these days preach about faith in God?So many doctrines are propt up on ideas like " that doesnt happen anymore"? Well how are people suppose to live in the power of the Spirit and walk by faith in what is unseen if they are told that God pretty much sits up there and hasnt reached down and moved in peoples lives in a long time so dont expect him to do anything for you.

How many people when the power of God to release us from living sinfully or to do a miracle through us for others say as an excuse " i am no paul" OR as an attack ' YOU are no paul!"

People cannot often recieve great faith in Christ Jesus when doubt is what is always preached. Someone above mentioned why the church is getting sicker and sicker the more they come to church etc... I think that largely that is true but I would also like to say that there are believers, and churches(although few and far between maybe) that do see the power of God, that believe in truly walking by faith, leaning fully on God, and they see the power of God in their lives to overcome sin, to deliver from bondage, to crucify the flesh and grow in the inner man, to be healed and provided for and to bring the gospel of that power and deliverance in Christs blood to others.The church that i now attend has a mix of people like all churches, it has some very serious believers and some playing church but amoung the serious believers there has been miracles. A man has been raised fromt he dead in church twice! People have been healed, people have had their provisions met people have been mightily saved and turned their lives FULLY over to Christ. demons have been cast out etc.... But what breaks my heart is that you try and give the good news of what God is doing to other christians so that we can all give glory to God and have our faithful built up and thay may be more likely to attack you for it than the world!

Also just like in Jesus day the traditions of men have built up so thick around many churches and christians that they truly have no idea what the word of God says about many matters and will go to their grave sticking to what they have been told to believe without being able to prove it in the world and they often have no desire or acceptance to hear the word of God on the matter.But that goes back to the private interpretations thing i guess.

I also think C made a good point about the name of Jesus. If we do not live and breath and move and preach and believe in the nature character and authority of Christ Jesus as He truly IS then it doesnt matter what name we use or do not use. If you use the name YHWH for our Father(which i do and have no issue with) but you are stuck under the law and do not have faith it will do no good. If you use the name Jesus but believe in traditions of men and a powerless jesus then you have " another jesus" and it wont do any good. What matters is that we believe in the God and Savior as the bible tells us they are! AND that we WALK IN FAITH and power of the Holy Ghost, dying daily to our old man so that HE can live IN US NOW. No name is a magic formula just by speaking it vainly only bybelieving truly in the real God who has that name as He is and putting your whole life in His hands will we see results that He promised us.

 

[DarcyLu]

.... But what breaks my heart is that you try and give the good news of what God is doing to other christians so that we can all give glory to God and have our faithful built up and thay may be more likely to attack you for it than the world!

hi GPR, i so agree with this and it also breaks my heart hearing other Christians scoffing and accusing other Christians, saying "God doesn't do miracles today", "God is not involved like that now today", "God does not supersede His own nature", etc. it is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit when people say it is not from God when it really is from God. we have to be careful we do not stifle the Holy Spirit within us by not believing and having faith in Him. we need to wake up as the Body of Christ and ask the Lord to show us what is HIS truth and not what man's truth is.
just the past few days, God has orchestrated so many things for me, that many people might consider coincidences, yet it was not so, it was directly from God paving the path for me and where He wants me to go, I can be free in praising God knowing it was directly from Him and in His great mercy He has given me a clear direction!
God bless -

 

[Elijah674]

It sounds to me that you all believe Matt. 28:18-20 is to be layed aside for some time and instead of seeing Matt. 23:15 preached, we need to see Matt. 10:5-6 to be preached to these 'lost sheep'!? :verysad
--Elijah

 

[DarcyLu]

It sounds to me that you all believe Matt. 28:18-20 is to be layed aside for some time and instead of seeing Matt. 23:15 preached, we need to see Matt. 10:5-6 to be preached to these 'lost sheep'!? :verysad
--Elijah

your post is so extremely confusing Elijah..............

the discussion is based upon how the church is not doing what it is supposed to be doing.

 

[mutzrein]

I say amen to a lot of what has been said here – but not all. As long as the ‘church’ believes that man can appropriate the Holy Spirit through a decision that he makes, then it stands in self righteousness.

This is THE problem in the ‘church’ today . . . and this is the reason the gospel NOT preached. It is a ‘feel good’, ‘froth and bubble’, ‘mind over matter’ gospel.

Oh, they call it the gospel – but really it is no gospel at all. They preach another Jesus.

And don’t be fooled by so called ‘demonstrations of the power of the Holy Spirit’ which supposedly confirm that all they preach and teach is of God. If it were of God, then man would not be strutting around claiming that it was.

 

[ronniechoate34]

Modern life is so hectic, I think part of the problem is that we don't know God's specific will for us, or hear His Word in our lives. We aren't hearing that tiny voice speaking to us, with all the white noise in our lives...

Regards

This is off topic but when I hear things like this it makes me think. It makes me think "Wait a minute. What is this person trying to say here?" So I am gonna' ask because I can.


Are you saying that the voice of God is tiny and that we don't know Him or hear His Word in our lives? Also I know a little something about white noise. Not because of the movie of the same name but because of a few of my own personal experiences. Why did you mention it as a cover for the truth?

 

[mutzrein]

It sounds to me that you all believe Matt. 28:18-20 is to be layed aside for some time and instead of seeing Matt. 23:15 preached, we need to see Matt. 10:5-6 to be preached to these 'lost sheep'!? :verysad
--Elijah

BTW Elijah - that message was specific to Israel. Remember, they already were (are) God's children.

 

[Elijah674]

Some problems with todays " gospel"
by DarcyLu on Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:02 pm

Elijah674 wrote:It sounds to me that you all believe Matt. 28:18-20 is to be laid aside for some time and instead of seeing Matt. 23:15 preached, we need to see Matt. 10:5-6 to be preached to these 'lost sheep'!?
--Elijah

your post is so extremely confusing Elijah..............

the discussion is based upon how the church is not doing what it is supposed to be doing.
DarcyLu
Christian Forum Regular
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2009 3:30 pm

OK: Elijah here! Let me walk you through this DarcyLu??
What the Church is suppose to be doing you say is the subject! I gave the Matt. 28:18-20 scripture ..

[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[19] Go ye therefore, and teach [all nations,] baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
[20] [Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: ]and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
(my suggestion about the above was that this work should be put on hold temporarily until our church was first CLEANED up.)

Then 'i' said:
That because of what most every one was saying, (MOST OF US WERE IT SEEMED?) that we best do this seen in Matt. 10:5-6 on, that Christ Commanded!?? Matt. 10

[5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, [Go not into the way of the Gentiles,] and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
[6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Meaning our fallen church's!)

And I gave the verse of Christ's Word of Matt. 23:15 below where Christ was surely telling us what shape that His very own were in, in this verse! (That was my point)
[15] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for [ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte,] (that is a convert) and when he is made, [ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves].

OK Matt. 10:5-6 was the COMMAND of Christ to His disciples to shut down the evangelism work until His Very own were WARNED! Got that?? Just one more verse of Christ's warning message to Israel of old... Matt. 10:15

Again: [5] These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
[6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[7] And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
[14] And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
.....((OK: Pay special attention to Christs Word here ))

[15] Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

(Just think that these were once His very own Church! And if they would not hear the message being brought to them, in Judgement time they would be JUDGED by far the worse than that of Sodom & Gomorrah.)

I pray that this helps clear my thoughts at least!

 

[Elijah674]

BTW Elijah - that message was specific to Israel. Remember, they already were (are) God's children.[/quote]

---Elijah back with yah!
Just what are you suggesting? Rev. 2:5 was the Eternall Warning for any of the seven churchs. We see Rev. 3:16 being Spewed out & becoming the Verse 9 one! Where/as Phil. is Kept from that 666 Testing! v. 10.
And in Matt. 23:38 we see that Israel's HOUSE FOLD BECAME DESOLATE OF CHRIST! And the same party who took over Laodicea (Rev. 3:9) took over Israel! They even CRIED THAT WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR! And if one reads well? We see in Matt. 25:10 that Their DOOR WAS SHUT!

Now: Perhaps this is not what you meant at all, huh?? ;)
By the way, another good verse is found in Isaiah 5:3 for who, or what Israel Picked! 'Judge I pray you, [BETWIXT ME AND MY VINYARD].' See verse 7 for who the Vineyard is!

--Elijah

 

[francisdesales]

Are you saying that the voice of God is tiny and that we don't know Him or hear His Word in our lives? Also I know a little something about white noise. Not because of the movie of the same name but because of a few of my own personal experiences. Why did you mention it as a cover for the truth?

No, I am not saying that the "voice of God is tiny and that we cannot know Him"... I am saying we need to slow down, empty ourselves of other worries and anxieties and allow ourselves to just LISTEN! Then, we discern if this is the Lord's voice, not our own. Every thought that comes into our head is not God's voice!

White noise is my term for the thoughts about cutting the grass or getting dinner done that pop into my head while trying to pray. This is no cover for the truth, so stop accusing me of things WITHOUT fully understanding what I am talking about (which you have admitted). That is not how Christians address each other - shoot and ask questions later...

Regards

 

[Elijah674]

Well??? :verysad
Surely Most know this Acts 2 New Fold Replaced old Israel as the NEW ISRAEL? (Rev. 2:5's 'whole Candelstick') The REMNANT were the Matt. 10:5-6 ones who left & made up the New Fold of Acts. The only way for the ones in Old Israel to be saved were to accept the verses 5-6 Message! And all of Pauls words were for these ones found here! Check Rom. 2's last couple verses! Including the 144000's & Rev. 12:17 Remnant.

--Elijah

 

[jasoncran]

please let us keep this civil.

 

[glorydaz]

No, I am not saying that the "voice of God is tiny and that we cannot know Him"... I am saying we need to slow down, empty ourselves of other worries and anxieties and allow ourselves to just LISTEN! Then, we discern if this is the Lord's voice, not our own. Every thought that comes into our head is not God's voice!

White noise is my term for the thoughts about cutting the grass or getting dinner done that pop into my head while trying to pray.

What you've said here is probably more indicative of the the church's downward spiral than anything else. Man has a way of looking to the "mighty works" being done in the assembly as a proof of the Lord's moving in the church, and is too busy to enter into his prayer closet. Whether it be the mundane or the super-spirtual, nothing can replace time spent on our knees before God.

 

[Elijah674]

I wonder if any one knows why Protestants were called such?? And after reading this thread, I am also wondering if you do not agree that we need another Eccl. 3:15 REPEAT?
--Elijah