“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins”(John 8:24). A radical change—the Emerging (or Emergent) Church—continues to sweep evangelicalism. We are told this change is necessary if we are to reach the post-modern generation. Unfortunately, this change has left many Christians starving for God’s Word in their churches and chapels. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for these change agents to label as judgmental and out of touch those who resist the movement away from Christ-centered preaching and Bible teaching. The utterly shameful fact is this movement proclaims a different gospel from that of the Apostles “once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3), and is deceiving many with a false hope. For Emerging Church leaders, the Bible is more about doing good works, as God’s people, for the benefit of all people; it is not about revealed truth. A tragic result is they end up with a Jesus far removed from the one revealed in the Scriptures.

The false “gospel” being preached today says that Jesus came to save people from a lack of purpose, lack of happiness, or from living a stress filled and problem filled existence. The New Testament pattern is gospel preaching (which includes the person and work of Christ and the need to repent and believe) followed by nurturing the flock with the whole counsel of God. The gospel must answer four questions—who Jesus is, what He did, why we need Him, and what He expects us to do. Otherwise, Jesus said, “you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). This is a far cry from the “gospel” preached by Emergents. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—a lot of things in life we can get wrong, but not this. Eternity is at stake. So the question is, “Who is Jesus and Why does it Matter?”

Paul told the Philippians of Christ’s pre-existence with God and as God : “He existed in the form of God” (2:6). In his second letter to the Corinthian believers he wrote it is Satan who “has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (4:4). So, Jesus is God who became human without ceasing to be God. But what did He do? Paul wrote, “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). Jesus died for yours’ and my sins, which answers the next question—why do we need Him? To the Roman believers Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…For the wages of sin is death” (3:23; 6:23). We need Christ’s atoning death and subsequent resurrection because we need His righteousness over our own to be found blameless before a holy God. So, what are we to do? Exactly what He expects us to do: “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…for whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:9, 13). This is the gospel—but you won’t hear it in any “Emerging” congregation nor will you read it in any “Emergent” manifesto. For some strange reason, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not boldly preached, the message of the blood atonement is overlooked, and the verse-by-verse teaching of God’s Word is absent. Perhaps this is because it really is offensive to preach Christ Jesus and Him crucified.

So why does it matter? Because, “having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31). The certainty of future judgment is the reason Paul laid before us the necessity of repentance. This is in keeping with Jesus’ words, “for unless you believe I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24). Like Jesus, Paul proclaimed that we must “repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance” (Acts 26:20). In other words, it is not merely mental assent to certain facts about Jesus. It is belief that results in lives actually changed. Regardless of the radical change taking place around us, the gospel will always remain the same—that Jesus died, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (see 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). And it is faith in this crucified, risen, ascended Lord that is required of all who desire salvation. This is the message of the Apostles—“God is commanding all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). There are no exceptions.

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). Every so often I will read about or hear someone assert something to the effect that all roads ultimately lead to God. Occasionally, I will hear these sad assertions from the pulpit. Such occurrences never cease to amaze me and I am always reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy: “[They have] a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:5).

Obviously, we live in an age of remarkable theological and biblical confusion. It should be no surprise when we hear such nonsense coming from the world. But it absolutely amazes me that someone can call themselves a Christian minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and yet espouse such utter foolishness. Newsflash: All roads lead directly to hell except one! But how can one be so exclusive? Because Jesus was so exclusive: He said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Furthermore, He said this about those who would suggest multiple ways to heaven: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). These are Jesus’ words, not mine. 

The Gospel is unique. It is distinct. It is exclusive. The reality of the Gospel is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3), that He and He alone is, “The way, and the truth, and the life.” Clearly, “no one comes to the Father,” unless they come through an informed, deliberate and calculated decision to believe exclusively in Christ and Christ alone as the only way to salvation. With such an exclusive Gospel, one might very well ask, “Who then, can be saved?” Apparently, not many: “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” No wonder it is so hard for most to believe. But this is the clearly revealed and settled truth of holy Scripture. This is the Word of the Lord! We would do well to listen and those who speak from the pulpit would do well to preach it in all its fullness and truth! Anything else is anathema.

The Gospel which clearly stresses Jesus as “the way, and the truth, and the life,” as the only true “door,” through which all who enter, “will be saved,” is irrefutable and non-negotiable! It is our only hope for the forgiveness of sin and gift of eternal life. So my question to you is simple: Can you say with absolute certainty, you have believed the Gospel message, been forgiven of your sins, and given the gift of eternal life? Your whole eternal future depends upon your answer to that question…right now. “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved”

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6). I had a couple visitors over the weekend. Two ladies were making their way door-to-door, inviting all to come to a Bible study in the area. Lucky me, I just happened to be at home.

The conversation began innocently enough. They were talking about “the fellowship,” and how I could come be a part of their new Bible study. I finally asked what this so called “fellowship” was. One lady answered, “The Way International.” She then proceeded to talk about knowing God. So I asked her, “How do you know God?” Five minutes later, when she finished answering my question, I still had no idea how to know God. If I had 60 seconds to live and this lady had to tell me how to get ready to meet God, I would have entered into eternity totally unprepared. So I asked another question, “What happens when you die?” Her response almost brought me to tears: “You go into the ground and your soul sleeps until God comes again.” I asked both of them about Paul’s words, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” and “I have a desire to depart and be with Christ for that is far better,” to which they responded, “I’m not real sure what he meant there.” I asked them who Jesus was, and they responded, “God’s son.” But they would not say He was God the Son, that is, He was God who had come in human flesh to save sinners. And herein lay the crux of the matter: Who is Jesus?

The Bible tells us that Jesus is God. “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father,” Jesus said. He also said, “I and the Father are One.” It was for this reason the Pharisees wanted to kill Him: He was claiming to be God and in their minds, that was tantamount to blasphemy. And this truth is that which separates true believers from false believers and others who are lost. Their minds have been blinded by the devil so that they cannot see the “light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” When our eyes are opened and we see this truth for the very first time, everything changes. His Light shines in our hearts, which in turn, opens our eyes to the “Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” These two ladies had obviously not seen this Light. In their hearts, they remained “blinded”, so that they “might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

I left them with this “thought to ponder.” I asked them if we all agreed that God created everything in the heavens and on earth. They agreed He did. I told them that chapter one of both Colossians and Hebrews clearly says Jesus did it. Therefore, if Jesus created all there is, He has to be God. There is no other possible conclusion. Both agreed they would read those chapters. It is my prayer that God will open their eyes to the truth of who Jesus Christ is before it is too late. And that is my prayer for you as well, that you would see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God! To God be the glory!

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). We live in an age of remarkable theological and biblical confusion. Unfortunately, this confusion has found its way into the Church. One study after another has revealed theological and biblical ignorance within the local church. Where there is such confusion and ignorance, heresy is inevitable. The gospel is not exempt. Throughout the centuries there have been heretical teachings concerning the gospel. There has been (and continues to be) an attempt to reduce Christianity to a pattern of behavior and symbols. However, the Church must declare Jesus is who scripture says He is.

Most Christians today want to be flexible in orthodoxy, that is, what they believe. Today, most church members who profess Jesus Christ are more concerned with, “How do you see it,” rather than, “What does the Bible say?” Unfortunately, this is often times the case with the gospel. Paul says the gospel (which means good news) is a reality. In his letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul leaves no room for negotiation. In verses 1 and 2 he says this about the gospel – It is that which I preached to you. It is that which you received and in which you stand. Finally, this gospel is that by which you are saved. It is important we understand exactly what this “gospel” is Paul speaks of.  The reality of the gospel is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3). Why did He die? He died for our redemption. This is the central and non-negotiable understanding of the death of Christ. He was and is our substitute. Through His substitutionary death, God has brought salvation to all those who believe. The simple yet profound gospel message is this: “That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4). This is the Word of the Lord!

The Scriptures – This was Paul’s authority by which he proclaimed the gospel! So it is not a matter of “How do you see it?” The question is, “What does God’s Word say?” Our claims must be in Scripture alone! Tradition will fail us. Opinions will change. However, Scripture will remain! All Scripture is a testimony to Jesus Christ. God has revealed Himself in Scripture. It is all, “according to the Scriptures.” To deny the gospel is to believe in vain. Christianity stands or falls on the claims of the gospel.  So, if God is who He says He is in the Scripture, and Christ too, then this gospel, “by which also you are saved,” that is, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” is irrefutable and non-negotiable! Furthermore, if God is who He says He is, and Christ too, then our only hope for the forgiveness of sins and gift of eternal life is found in Christ alone. Salvation is the deliverance and preservation from all spiritual dangers and the bestowal of all spiritual blessings. Such salvation is found in Christ alone! He is our redeemer!

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). Spirit-anointed preaching is still the greatest instrument the Church possesses. Every preacher should ask himself, “Do I have the anointing?” And, “If not, why?” Unless the man of God has the anointing of God’s Spirit, he cannot bring the message of the gospel with authority and power. Furthermore, when a preacher stands behind the sacred desk with God’s anointing upon him, like John the Baptist, he will understand, “I must decrease; He must increase” (John 3:30).

Three things can be said of Spirit-anointed preaching. First of all, it is due to the Spirit of God. Jesus promised, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). Secondly, Spirit-anointed preaching is expository preaching. By expository, I mean the verse-by-verse preaching of God’s Word. Far too many preachers today are more often prone to preach in a way that panders to the self-centered “felt needs” of people while ignoring their deepest, eternal needs. It seems too many preachers have become “seeker-sensitive” at the expense of expository preaching. Now don’t misunderstand. My goal here is not to knock so called seeker-sensitive churches. However, we must understand, in reality, apart from the Spirit of God there is no one who seeks after God (see Romans 3:11). Furthermore, there really is only one seeker, and His name is Jesus Christ. He said, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Finally, Spirit-anointed preaching is Christ centered. This should be no surprise. After all, all Scripture centers in the person and work of Jesus Christ. In John 5:39, Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that bear witness of Me.”

Spirit-anointed preaching is preaching God uses. It is centered in Christ and always true to the text. It lets the Bible tell its own eternal message. It is less interested in felt needs but wholly interested in deep, eternal needs. Think about it, God’s Word says that He is “well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Ministers of the Gospel should preach expository, Christ-centered messages over feel good man-centered messages. It’s no wonder many churches aren’t growing today. They have departed from the clear expository, Christ-centered preaching of God’s Word. Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32).

Are you a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? If so, is your preaching expository and Christ-centered? If not, why? Is your preaching anointed by the Spirit of God? If not, why? The anointing of the Holy Spirit is essential for life-changing preaching. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel…”

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14). The Agnostic would say it is impossible to know the truth in matters such as God and the future life with which Christianity is concerned. The Atheist would say God does not exist. Many others would say all religions in the world lead to God. But, with Paul, I say, “For I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 2:12). What have I entrusted to Him? I have entrusted my whole life, here and now, and my whole eternal future.

Let me tell you about the one the Bible speaks of. Let me tell you about the one who rescued me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to the kingdom of His beloved Son. His name is Jesus. His name “is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). The Bible further speaks of this Jesus in that “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). He is “the First and the Last, and the Living One. [He] was dead, but look – [He] is alive forever and ever, and [He] holds the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18). He is the one who died for my sins. He is the one who was raised from the dead never to die again. He is the God and Creator who became a man, without ceasing to be God (Hebrews 1). He is my only hope! And I believe! Do you believe?

I cannot explain it. Like the blind man Jesus healed in John 9, “one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (9:25). It is a matter of faith. The Bible says I am a sinner and I deserve judgment. The Bible also says God is a God of grace and freely extends forgiveness and salvation to all who believe. But the question is, believe what. In answering that question, let’s think for a few moments about faith. It is important we understand what the Bible teaches about faith. The word itself is never plural. In other words, the Christian faith does not mean believing in a number of things. It is a single disposition of mind and heart towards Jesus Christ. This faith in the Lord Jesus Christ involves a desire for eternal life. This is what the writer of Hebrews means by “things hoped for” (11:1). It is looking for more than is on the surface. So when the Bible talks about having faith in Jesus Christ, one must understand that faith is only as good as its object. The object of faith in salvation is Jesus Christ. Therefore, one must believe in Jesus Christ. But what does it mean to believe?

Saving faith in Jesus Christ produces three elements. First of all, there is knowledge of Christ. Such knowledge would include the historic facts about the person and work of Christ. This is the gospel! Peter presented the basic facts of the gospel on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). Paul mentioned the basic content of the gospel in his first letter to the Corinthian believers (1 Cor. 15:1-3). However, mere knowledge is not enough. There is a second element to faith known as assent to Christ. We must be convinced that these historic facts (knowledge) about Christ are true. We must believe that Jesus is able to do what He said he could do –forgive sins and guarantee eternal life! 

However, just as mere knowledge is not enough, neither is mere assent. There is a third element known as commitment to Christ. By commitment I mean whole-hearted committal to Jesus Christ. In John’s Gospel, the Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12). Believe here means to believe “in, into,” or “upon.” You must believe in, into and upon Jesus Christ. It is a belief that brings about a change. This change is known as conversion (salvation). When a person is saved, he or she does not take three distinct steps. However, that person’s salvation does begin with knowledge of the Savior leading to assent to the Savior, which brings about commitment to the Savior. Saving faith is simply committing oneself to Jesus Christ. This is clearly expressed in Acts 16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” When we put the sum total of our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation, then we pass from spiritual death to spiritual life. We experience conversion! He changed my life. He’ll change your life, too! But it all begins with faith—Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross. Will you believe? The Bible says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

As believers, it is very important that we know what we believe and why we believe it. Unfortunately, too many people who profess Jesus Christ have no idea what they believe or why they believe it. Furthermore, if asked to give a defense for what they believe, many Christians would be unable to do so. It ought not to be this way. The Bible says we are to “always [be] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

Often times, when I speak in churches, I will ask the congregation if they believe the Bible contains the Word of God. Without hesitation, I usually get 100 percent of those in attendance responding with a resounding Yes! Then they are all shocked to learn that I do not hold this same belief. Because the truth is, the Bible does not contain the Word of God – the Bible is the Word of God. When I say the Bible contains the Word of God then I am free to pick and choose just what part of the Word of God is contained therein. However, when I understand the Bible is the Word of God, then there is no room for picking and choosing. I have to accept the entire Bible for what it is – The Word of God (to the exclusion of all other writings said to be God’s Word). Then I can proceed to explain to those in attendance exactly what I believe about the Bible.

I believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). This means that the whole Bible is the Word of God. It is infallible, that is to say, that everything that it affirms is absolutely true. It is inerrant, that is to say, it is without error. It is complete, that is to say, it is all God wanted to inspire. It is authoritative, that is to say, when it speaks, we would do well to listen. It is sufficient, that is to say, it is all God wanted to say. It is effective, that is to say, it is powerful, it impacts lives, and it accomplishes divine purpose. It is determinative, that is to say, it distinguishes between those who will go to heaven and those who will spend eternity in hell. Furthermore, the entire theme of all Scripture is God’s glory and its central character is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible says we must be prepared to defend what we believe. This is especially true given the times in which we live. What makes Christianity different from Islam? How is it different from Mormonism? What about the Watchtower (Jehovah’s Witnesses)? What sets the Bible apart from the Book of Mormon, the Koran, and others? How is it that only those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ will be in heaven? As believers, we must be able to answer these kinds of questions. The only way we will be able to give a satisfactory answer is we must know what we believe and why we believe it.

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14).

What is the gospel? I saw a bumper sticker one time that referred to the gospel as insurance. The bumper sticker read, “Need insurance? Romans 10:9.” I am not too sure God would appreciate the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ being referred to as insurance. The word itself means good news. The Bible says, “Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23). In other words, Jesus was proclaiming the good news! It is the good news that the King of kings had brought about the rule of God on earth, thus fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies (over 300 to be exact). This, of course, is God’s glory, the ultimate reason for the gospel. The night before He was to die for the sins of all believers, Jesus prayed, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You. I have glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (John 17:1, 4-5). Jesus died to glorify the Father. The gospel is all about the glory of God. However, it is much more than that. Paul referred to the gospel as, “the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians 1:13). In other words, Jesus not only died to glorify the Father. He also died for me personally. How else can we, like Paul, say, “I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20), and “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)? This is the Word of the Lord!

So whenever we think about or share the gospel we must remember two things. It is all about God’s glory and it is all about me personally. It is all about Jesus’ love for the Father resulting in His obedience to the Father, even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8), and it is all about His love for me (John 3:16). We must not allow ourselves to get so wrapped up in one aspect of the gospel that we lose sight of the other. Paul said it is “the gospel of your salvation,” but he also said it was “to the praise of His glory.” Christ died for me but He also died to glorify the Father. Furthermore He died for me in order that I could be saved, and that I too, could glorify the Father. So that negates any possibility of the gospel being insurance. The gospel is not fire insurance. It is my salvation to the praise of His glory! So my question to you is have you believed the gospel thus resulting in salvation? And if so, are you living your life to the glory of God?

If you answered no to the first question, hear now the words of Paul: “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:9-10, 13). If you answered yes to the first question and no to the second, then I would encourage you to make sure you understand exactly what the gospel is and exactly what salvation is. Then meditate on this truth: It is “your salvation…to the praise of His glory.”

"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20).

"Go therefore and make disciples…" These are our marching orders from our Commander-in-Chief. We are to go into all the world and preach the gospel. It is here that we see the power, purpose and promise of our Saviour. His power is seen in that He has all authority. His purpose is seen in that we are to proclaim His message. His promise is seen in that He will always be with us. Unfortunately, far too many believers have adopted a "let’s stay at home" approach to missions following the events of September 11, 2001. I’ve heard it over and over and over again, "There’s plenty of work to be done here." But how is the missions minded believer to respond to such statements?

Jesus said, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations" (Matt. 24:14). He also said, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). This is the Word of the Lord!

Bill Cashion says, "Fear and caution should never dictate how we respond to the Great Commission. Never should circumstances, no matter how terrible, influence us to make our world smaller than the one Jesus died to save. Osama Bin Laden and al Qaida are not the first of their kind. Their sort has afflicted God’s people throughout history. Now is not the time to circle the wagons. To the contrary, now is the time to go forth in Jesus name!" THE GOSPEL MUST BE PREACHED!