I
have explained in K114 that our life in Christ must be both
doctrine-based (word-based) and Spirit-based. It is because God's words
cannot function well in the hearts of the believers without the Spirit
of God; neither can the Spirit of God work in our hearts without God's
words. I have explained (with the words of Jesus and the letters of
Paul) that the words of God must be both doctrine-based and
Spirit-based.
Now I will answer those who argue radically that the words of God or the gospel must be only grace-based or prosperity-based.
Is the gospel of Jesus Christ grace-based (and/or prosperity-based) only ?
Many
will say, "Of course, the gospel of Jesus Christ is grace-based. But if
you want to include the doctrine, the words of God, repentance, the
cross, and the kingdom of God in the gospel, we would say that the
gospel must be both grace-based and prosperity-based too; or else it is
not complete. Many law preachers have accused us of preaching the
prosperity gospel or the health and wealth gospel. But we are humble to
say that we can prosper more because we preach grace-based and
prosperity-based gospel. It is by the grace of God that we can enjoy
life more abundantly and prosper more. So don't waste time believing in
something that cannot satisfy you or prosper you. God would satisfy us
with the good things in life (or abundant life) without telling us to
keep any law or commandment. But the devil will use the law to accuse
us, keep us under bondage, and make us sin conscious, so that he can
keep accusing us until we become poor and lose all the joy of life. But
the grace-based gospel has prospered us. Look at the size of our church,
our people, our stage, our clothing, and our music today. We can boast
that we have preached a better gospel, a better Saviour, and a better
God. Our Jesus is too good to be true, Our Jesus is not an angry God.
Our Jesus is firm and yet He is meek. Our Jesus is .. Hence, we love
Jesus more than anything. We can love better. We can worship better. We
can believe better. We can boast better .. It is because we are
righteous and we are always righteous. We have become the envy of many
people .. Haha .. Hallelujah, praise the Lord .. The sinners and others
will fear and tremble before God because of their sins.. But we fear and
tremble before God because of how righteous and blessed we are and how
much we can prosper.. Wow.. we fear and tremble when we think of how
good God is; not how much we need to repent .. haha.. Praise God .. "
Grace-based gospel with boasting and hypocrisy is not from God
Most
of the hyper grace or radical grace preachers will boast like that,
probably thinking that they can make other preachers jealous of them. Is
there anything wrong with that type of preaching (or boasting) in the
church? Most of the people or the sinners of the world would think that
that is a fantastic preaching. Many ignorant believers would think so
too. But Jesus would think otherwise:
Luk 18:9-14 KJV And he spake
this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, and despised others: (10) Two men went up into the temple
to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. (11) The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I
am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as
this publican. (12) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all
that I possess. (13) And the publican, standing afar off, would not
lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast,
saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (14) I tell you, this man went
down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that
exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be
exalted.
Many hyper grace believers think that the parable of Jesus
can never be applicable to them because they preach grace, believe in
grace, and boast in the righteousness of God; not in the law or in
themselves like the Pharisees. But I would think, What's the difference?
They may boast in grace; but the boasting is done in the same spirit
and leaven of the Pharisees - hypocrisy. They may not fear and tremble
now; they will learn to fear in that day when the Lord will judge them:
Luk 12:1-5 KJV .. he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
(2) For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither
hid, that shall not be known .. .. (5) But I will forewarn you whom ye
shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Grace-based gospel with deceitfulness of riches is not from God
I
am not against grace. But, when grace is exalted (or boasted in this
way) to replace or eliminate the doctrine of Christ or the Spirit of
God, it can never be the gospel of Jesus Christ. But, when it is
preached with the combination of prosperity and deceitfulness of riches
to remove the doctrine of Jesus Christ and the commandments of God, it
becomes even more obvious - it is the temptation and the gospel from the
devil. It will choke the words of God:
Mat 4:4 KJV 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.
Mat 4:7 KJV Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:10 KJV 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.
Mat 13:22 KJV He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (Jesus has warned us in Mat 7:15, 20 that, by their fruits, we can know them too).
Grace-based gospel without keeping all the words of Jesus is iniquity-based (or lawlessness-based gospel)
We
don't care how much they can love Jesus, preach Jesus, or worship
Jesus; if they do not obey, keep, or do all the words, doctrine, and
commandments of Jesus, they are not His true believers. They are false
prophets. And they do not really love Jesus:
Joh 14:15 KJV If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Mat
7:15-23 KJV Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. .. .. (20) Wherefore
by their fruits ye shall know them. (21) 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. (22) 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.
Mat 7:23-28 LITV And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"
.. (24) Then everyone who hears these Words from Me, and does them, I
will compare him to a wise man who built his house on the rock .. (28)
And it happened, when Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were
astonished at His doctrine.
However, many still argue, "We are set
free by grace and truth; not by the doctrine, laws, and commandments of
God. Please don't bring the people back to the law."
Joh 8:31-33 KJV .. If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
I
will tell them, Please read the Bible verses above again. Do you know
where the truth comes from? The truth comes by His word. If the truth
and grace comes by His word, ultimately it is His word which make us
free. Ultimately, the gospel is word-based. The gospel is still based on
His words:
Joh 1:1-17 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God .. (14) And the Word was
made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth .. (17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Prosperity-based gospel without the right spirit and focus is not from God too
We
don't care how they may accuse us as condemning preachers. If we speak
the truth in the words of Jesus, we speak in love. We do not enjoy
exposing the lies, but if we truly love the Lord and His words, we
cannot keep quiet.
I will tell them, The name 'Prosperity-based
gospel' or 'prosperity gospel' itself has showed us that its focus or
emphasis in the preaching of God's words or doctrine of Christ is on
prosperity. So how can it be the gospel of Jesus Christ when Jesus said
that the focus of His gospel is on the Kingdom of God and His
righteousness:
Mat 6:33 KJV But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Many
will argue, "But if we focus on the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, we will prosper sooner or later. If we will prosper
because of the gospel, the gospel should be called the prosperity gospel
or prosperity-based gospel. Hence, there is nothing wrong if we preach
it as the prosperity gospel. And we are not ashamed to be called the
prosperity preachers .. BUT WE ARE NOT MATERIALISTIC PREACHERS. We are
good preachers. We will use our prosperity to help the poor. When we
prosper, we can do more good works .. So what's wrong with the
prosperity gospel?"
I will ask them, What are you trying to prove?
You said that you are prosperity preachers. You are health and wealth
preachers. You have prospered, even as thy soul prospereth (3Jn 1:2). Do
you know what is your focus?
The Bible (New Testament) shows us only
one verse about soul prosperity or material prosperity. But you preach
your whole sermon on soul prosperity and material prosperity, without
much preaching on spiritual prosperity, humility, and contentment based
on the words or doctrine of Jesus Christ. It is quite difficult to
convince the people that you are not materialistic. Do you know what's
the ratio of the Lord's teaching or Paul's teaching on material
prosperity to spiritual prosperity? It could be 1:1000 or 0.1:1000
1Ti 6:6 KJV But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1Ti 6:3-5 KJV If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
(4) He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and
strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings, (5) Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and
destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such
withdraw thyself.
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