I am marveling that thus, swiftly, you are transferred from that which calls you in the grace of Christ, to a different evangel, which is not another, except it be that some who are disturbing you also want to distort the gospel of Christ
Paul to the Galatians 1: 6-7, Concordant New Testament Translation
I have written many times of what I consider to be the lie spoken by the church. That being the mainstream church's reliance on continuing to preach the relevance of sin in our lives. Despite the truth spoken by both Jesus and the apostle Paul to the contrary, those within the church continue to preach what Paul referred to as a "Different evangel" {Paul to the Galatians 1:6-7}. To be fair, the evangel spoken by Paul in the gospels is one of the evangel of grace which we have through Christ Jesus. But the different evangel, the one preached from the pulpits of the church, is an evangel of more than a few things. Those being of fear and condemnation, which run contrary to the grace which we have in Jesus. All too often, when Jesus speaks of the grace which we have in the Father, those within the church will speak to the lie that sin is what separates us from God. These are the ones which Paul described as wanting to distort the gospel of Christ Jesus. That being His spoken evangel of the grace which we have in the Father {Johns Account 1:16, 1:14}. So, if we indeed have the evangel of the grace of God the Father within us, why is it that we are so quick to revert to the different evangel spoken by the church? Well, Paul wondered that very same thing. Paul marveled at just how quickly those of his day could avert their attentions from the evangel of the grace of Christ Jesus to another different evangel. I have seen this unfold in my own life in my interactions with other so called believers. These same believers will admit to knowing of the grace we have in Christ, while at the same time adhering to the different evangel preached by those within the church. Well, as my momma used to tell me, you can't have it both ways. We must either adhere to an evangel of grace or the different evangel of conviction spoken by the church. And, as the old Sesame Street TV skit used to proclaim, one of these things isn't like the other.
Growing up in the church, I had always been always exposed to the different evangel of the mainstream church. So much so that I came to see this as the true gospel of Christ. Of course, this was the only teaching and preaching that I was exposed to for most of my life, so you can cut me some slack on that. Unfortunately, this is the same place which many church going believers find themselves in today. Admitting to the grace of God, yet following a different gospel preached by those who clearly desire to distort the true gospel of the grace of Christ Jesus. This more than any other reason is why I continue to be so hard on those leaders within the mainstream church. For either they don't know any better, or they do know but refuse to speak the truth of the evangel of grace. The consequences of this are far reaching in the lives of those who desire to know and follow Jesus. For they are taught that the grace of God somehow does not cover their offenses. That we must continue in prayer each and every day for the Lords forgiveness. Friends, that debt has been paid in full through Jesus! The Father has given the right of judgement to the Son {Johns Account 5:22-23}. Therefore, it is not God Who judges us for that which the Son has already died to {Paul to the Romans 6:6-11}. It is Christ Jesus who became that sin which the different evangel continues to accuse us of {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. Jesus became that sin offering for our sakes. As the evangel of grace tells us, there is now no condemnation for we who are in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Romans 8:1}. And here's a hint, we're ALL in Christ Jesus! Jesus speaks directly to this in the gospel of John. He is in the Father, we are in Him and Christ is within us {Johns Account 14:20}. So, tell me again if the alternate evangel spoken by those within the church truly speaks to the truth of the grace which we have in Him. In my opinion, it's just another lie spoken by the church.
For sin shall not be lording it over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace
Paul to the Romans 6: 14, Concordant New Testament Translation
~Scott~
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