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Ashamed Of The Gospel Equals
Change
David Hartbarger
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).
What comes to your mind when you think of the word
“gospel”? Your perception of what religion should be,
will determine your feelings about what the church should be, what
it should do, and what it is. Everyone has some idea of what the
church should be, and we see an endless variety to choose from.
“Join the church of your choice” is a popular saying
today. People are going about trying to have some semblance of religion
and piety, but on their terms or according to their needs.
Does it make any difference to God what we do religiously
as long as we claim a love for Him? Is first century Christianity
outmoded? Do we need to change to be more attractive to the world?
Can we ignore the hard or negative parts of the message and just
teach that which is popular and pleasing to man?
There is a full grown disrespect for the authority
of God’s Word. What we are experiencing today is nothing new.
“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their
means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in
the end thereof?” (Jeremiah 5:30-31).
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, and neither
should we be. All of the games and gimmicks man can devise will
never save one soul. Just as surely as the apostate actions of the
Israelites brought about God’s wrath, so all who trample under
foot the gospel shall face God’s punishment.
We need to decide whose side we are on. “And
Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between
two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then
follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (1 Kings
18:21).
Too many Christians have been trying to straddle
the fence and have thereby become ineffective. In order to attract
numbers, many are willing to compromise the Word, speak only that
which pleases without convicting one sinner or making him feel guilty.
It takes conviction to cause a change.
The philosophy of Pragmatism suggests that the
church must do whatever is necessary to attract the world. If that
means changing the message or mission or whatever we do, so be it.
They believe the church should market the gospel the way businesses
market their products and services. The goal is to satisfy the customer,
so anything that tends to leave the customer unsatisfied must be
discarded. Preaching about sin, righteousness, and the final judgment
is too disturbing and must be abandoned. We must learn to entertain
and keep their attention with games, amusements, and plays.
This may sound good, but the fact is that to follow
this idea requires an abandonment of Bible Doctrine. Negative messages
must be omitted, the cross and its message of self denial and sacrifice
must be downplayed or neglected. An absolute standard of morality
and righteous living will drive away the world. A watered down,
anemic gospel of feel good, “I’m okay, you’re
okay” attitude must be promoted.
Since we will be judged by the Word, doesn’t
it make sense to obey it? “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth
not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken,
the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). As
Paul taught Timothy, so must we also heed and follow (2 Timothy
1:8). There is only one true gospel, why would anyone listen to
anything else (Galatians 1:6-9)?
Paul’s concluding message to Timothy is relevant
to us today: “I charge thee therefore before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears
from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou
in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry.”
Be not ashamed and contend earnestly for the faith
(Jude 3).
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