I
have explained in K111 that the law of Christ is the law of the Spirit.
Paul had also said that he was delivered from the wretchedness of his
struggle and condemnation in the flesh because he would serve the law of
God with his mind (Rom 7:24-25) and walk in the law and Spirit of God
(Rom 8:2-4). Hence, I do not like to limit the gospel of Jesus Christ
to a law based gospel, a Spirit-based gospel, or a grace-based gospel.
Although I can argue based on Rom 7 and 8 that the gospel is
Spirit-based in the mind of Paul, I would still prefer to preach it as
the simple gospel that Jesus preached. If I would insist that it is
Spirit-based or law-based, I would be no difference from the Pharisees
who limit the law of God to a set of their own legalistic codes and laws
which have no Spirit and life. The gospel should never be preached or
framed as a formula-based religion just because we like it the most.
Similarly, grace-based 'religion' is no exception. It would be a
religion without exception if the people would always boast about it and
confess it radically without really understanding the spirit of grace,
humility, and repentance in the law and doctrine of Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has a foundation or base which is as large as the kingdom of God
That's
why it is called the gospel of the kingdom of God. I have explained in
K111 that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of the kingdom of
God. If it is the gospel of the kingdom of God, we should have the
perspective as big as the kingdom of God too.
Mat 4:17 KJV From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 5:3 KJV Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:10 KJV Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat
5:19-22 KJV Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least
commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in
the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(20) For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed
the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom of heaven. (21) Ye have heard that it
was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall
kill shall be in danger of the judgment: (22) But I say unto you..
Mat 7:21 KJV Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 13:11-12 KJV He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them it is not given. (12) For whosoever hath, to him shall be
given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from
him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 25:1 KJV Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Hence,
the gospel of Jesus Christ is not built on a fixed foundation based on
or limited to the law, Spirit, or grace of God. However, if we must
choose, we prefer to say that the gospel of Jesus Christ is Spirit-based
because the Spirit of God is limitless, but we would not condemn those
who do not preach like us. We would still need to have the spirit of
humility and grace to include others in preaching the gospel of Jesus
Christ or the gospel of the kingdom of God.
If we have the
perspective as big as the kingdom of God, we would never condemn others
who preach a kingdom-based gospel, a Word-based gospel, a seed-based
gospel, a faith-based gospel, a repentance-based gospel, a
righteousness-based gospel, a cross-based gospel, salvation-based
gospel, blood-based gospel, Bible-based gospel, or a Jesus-based
gospel.
If the preaching of grace alone cannot save, it means that the gospel of Jesus is not grace-based only
Many
people who preach the grace-based gospel argue that the gospel of grace
is the only true pure gospel because there is a lot of grace preaching.
I will tell them, If grace ALONE can save without faith in Jesus
Christ, without obedience, without repentance (from the sinners),
without the fruits (from the 'branches' or believers), without the blood
of Jesus, without the words, doctrine, or teaching of Jesus Christ ..
etc, we will follow you preaching just grace alone. But if Jesus did not
tell us to do so, we would not want to be so narrow minded that we
could only see like the Pharisees. The Pharisees could never see why the
gospel of Jesus Christ is Word-based, repentance-based, or
Spirit-based. Many believers today may see slightly better than the
Pharisees because they believe in healing, miracles, revolutions, and
rest, but they are still very short-sighted about the word, the
doctrine, and the teaching of Jesus Christ for the kingdom of God.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is Word-based too
However,
the Bible warned us that many believers could be so blinded that they
can not see the words of God in God's perspective. I believe that the
devil will tempt the church again in the last day like he tempted Jesus
in the wilderness. The devil may not tempt us with the same question he
asked Jesus, but he will certainly try to remove some important truth
from the words of God. Hence, the devil will never eliminate the words
of God totally when he comes to us with his temptation. He may even come
to us quoting the words of God and tell us to think or meditate on the
words of God, but he would always tell us to think of only one side of
the words of God or the lob-sided which is out of the Bible context. Do
we go around and say that everyone who preach wrongly are from the
devil? No, we must know the words, doctrine, and teaching of Jesus to
detect and defeat the temptation of the devil. Do we know why Jesus said
the following words to the devil:
Mat 4:3-4 KJV And when the
tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that
these stones be made bread. (4) But he answered and said, It is
written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
These
were the very first words before Jesus started to preach. These words
could be His first doctrine to those who need to hear from God. The
devil may teach us many 'spiritual' things, for example, to know God or
to know the love of God or the prosperity of God; but he would
deliberately leave out the vital part from the words of God. Jesus
spotted his snaky plan and 'nailed him to the ground'. Jesus said to him
that we must live by every word that proceeds out of God. In another
words, Jesus would not want us to go radical by hearing only the words
that we preferred; but EVERY WORD. Now please think, Will Jesus tell us
to include hearing the instructions, commandments, warnings, or reproofs
of God. I would think so. It is not only understood clearly from Mat
4:3-4 above; it is also shown clearly in His next two answers to the
devil's temptations. Jesus showed us that we must still keep God's
commandments or the Ten Commandments to worship God.
Mat 4:7 KJV
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord
thy God .. .. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for
it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt
thou serve.
Jesus showed us how to detect those who misquote the words of God
There
are many kinds of preachers today. However, we are not concerned about
those preachers who preach other religions or other gods here. We are
more concerned about those who preach the words of God to us. It is
because the false preachers who come to us with the words of God are
more likely the ones who will deceive the churches and us in the last
days. Many of us think that the devil will tempt the sinners or the
world to sin more or to become more lawless; however, common sense tells
us that the devil will never need to do that because, unlike the
believers, the unbelievers will perish irrespective of whether the devil
will tempt them or not. Neither will the devil tempt the sinner to
depart from God's commandments too. The sinners may not kill or cheat
based on their conscience or their laws; however, they do not know God
or God's laws. They may believe in their conscience not to kill or
cheat; but they do not know or believe in the Ten Commandments from God:
Rom
2:14-15 KJV For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a
law unto themselves: (15) Which shew the work of the law written in
their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts
the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Jesus warned us why we must love our brethren and walk in His commandments
Hence,
Jesus will only warn the believers; not the sinners, to beware of the
devil's temptation. His words would be applicable all of us, the
believers, who will face the similar temptation from the devil or the
false preachers. They will come to our churches. But, how do we detect
them?
Many may boast that they could preach the gospel very well, be
it 'law-based', 'Word-based', 'Spirit-based', or 'grace-based'; however,
if they always boast that they are more righteous or spiritual than
others, and falsely accuse all other fellow preachers as the religious
hypocrites or legalistic Pharisees, they cannot be from God. They could
be the lukewarm believers who were neither hot nor cold and who acted
evasively, schemingly, or wickedly against their brethren:
2Jn 1:5-10 KJV .. (6) And this is love, that we walk after his commandments.
This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye
should walk in it. (7) For many deceivers are entered into the world,
who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a
deceiver and an antichrist. .. .. (9) Whosoever transgresseth, and
abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in
the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. (10) If
there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not
into your house, neither bid him God speed:
Hence, the false prophets
will falsely accuse God's preachers and tempt the believers to depart
from God's commandments. They may preach and meditate on the words of
God so 'diligently' that we thought that they were God's preachers;
however, they are not. They may always quote the words of God for our
benefits; but they have no true Spirit or law of God to keep it or do
it. They may have all the promises of God or good words of God for us;
but they are 'lawless' within.
The ultimate question is: Do we listen to Jesus Christ or the devil?
Many of us have been struggling to answer this question: "Can the believers fall or sin?"
We
may not have the direct answer from Jesus, but after knowing the the
words of Jesus to the devil (who will come and tempt us too), do we have
any excuse for not knowing His answer, His words, and His warnings? No.
The
devil will tell us that we can fall or sin in any way we like and yet
God will still keep us safe and sound, but Jesus would tell us not to
listen to the devil:
Mat 4:6-7 KJV And saith unto him, If thou be
the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his
angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee
up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. (7) Jesus
said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy
God.
Hence, it does not matter how we can answer the questions
logically, for example, "Can we fall and sin ?" or "Are we saved
forever?", the ultimate question is: "Do we listen to Jesus Christ or
the devil?"
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