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FALSE FAITH IN THE TRUE GOSPEL
The word gospel means “good news.” But this good news is hidden to many: “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them,” (2 Corinthians 4:3,4). It is clearly the teaching of the Bible that the devil has blinded the minds of some individuals and thus the light of the good news about Christ means nothing to them for they walk in spiritual darkness. But what exactly is the gospel? Someone said the Old Testament Law given to Israel can be summed up in these words: “do this and live.” That law system ended. The Bible says, “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached...” (Luke 16:16). The present age in which we live is often called the age of grace because the true gospel is “the gospel of the grace of God,” (Acts 20:24). Grace means undeserved favor. Grace is when God saves sinners apart from works who are deserving of eternal punishment. Paul sums up the essence of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 where he says, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Notice from this last passage two things: (1) the gospel is the good news of Christ's sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. His death was the fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah – the Deliverer – the Savior. Christ was the one true sacrifice anticipated by all the Old Testament sacrifices which were only types of the true. (2) There is the danger of believing “in vain.” The words “unless ye have believed in vain,” indicate the possibility of hearing the true gospel and only believing it intellectually without ever having been brought to “godly sorrow” (2 Corinthians 7:10) and repentance which is always accompanied by true faith, (Acts 20:21). Jesus spoke of true faith saying, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed,” (John 8:31). There is a work of God whereby His sheep are given kind of faith that continues trusting in the finished work of Christ regardless... Never forget the Bible says: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast,” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
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