The Confusion of Christianity, Part #2 The Four Gospels

Clean Water in a Dirty Pitcher

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The Four Gospels

After being informed that the water would be turned off for repair work my wife informed me of the need to fill a pitcher with water.   In the dishwasher where dishes are sometimes stored after being washed, I found my favourite water pitcher, filling it with water I placed it in the refrigerator.  Later that day after working in the yard in the heat I had a strong urge for a cold drink of water.  Pouring me a glass of water and drinking it down I noticed something strange about the aftertaste.  Questioning my wife about the funny tasting water, she asked me what I later realized was a deep and profound question.  “Did you wash the pitcher before filling it with water?”

Our mental state is determined by the things we come in contact with and the things we are taught.  If a mother teaches her daughter that all men are dogs, then that daughter most likely will come to believe this polluted assessment of men and pass this belief on to her daughters.  The sad truth is she will never gain a true knowledge of her counterpart unless her mind is purged of the contaminated things that she was taught.  Subconsciously she will seek out men with a dog mentality.   The decisions she make, the relationships she foster, even with the father of her children will be tainted by the knowledge of this unfair and inaccurate assessment.  To grasp a deeper knowledge of humanity she must learn to divide or separate, and not to apply a generalization of ideas or concepts to a given subject.  There are times we  need to insure that the pitcher is clean before filling it with water. 

2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  A study of the scripture should not be to prove a point but to learn.

The Four Gospels

When asked to name the four gospels, often the response is, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.  They are no the Gospel, they are just four members a list of Gospel writers. The word "Gospel" means "Good News," and is so familiar that its application is supposed to be uniform. Yet when we read of The Gospel of the KINGDOM, The Gospel of the GRACE OF GOD, The GLORIOUS GOSPEL, and The EVERLASTING GOSPEL, it is often taken for granted that they all refer to one and the same thing. But this is not true. 

1. THE GOSPEL OF THE "KINGDOM." Matthew 24:14.

This is the "Good News" that God purposes to set up a Kingdom on this earth over which David's Son, JESUS, shall reign, as prophesied in Luke 1:32-33. Two preachings of this Gospel are mentioned, one past, beginning with the ministry of John the Baptist, and preached by Jesus and His Disciples, but it ended with the rejection of Jesus as King. This Gospel is to be preached again after the Church is taken out. It will be the fulfilment of Matthew 24:14, where it says: "This Gospel of `THE KINGDOM' shall be preached in all the world for a WITNESS unto all nations; and then shall the end come." This has no reference to the Gospel that is now being preached to the nations. It is the Gospel of SALVATION, but the "Gospel of the Kingdom" is not for "Salvation" but for a WITNESS, that is, it is the announcement that the time has come to SET UP THE KINGDOM. It will be preached by Elijah the forerunner (Malachi 4:5-6), and by others who shall be commissioned to bear the news to all nations as a proclamation of the coming of Christ as King to occupy the "Throne of David," and for the purpose of regathering Israel to the Promised Land.

2. THE GOSPEL OF "THE GRACE OF GOD." Acts 20:24.

This is the "Good News" that Jesus Christ, the rejected King, died on the Cross for our SALVATION. This form of the Gospel is described in many ways. It is called the "GOSPEL OF GOD" (Romans 1:1), because it has its source in the LOVE OF GOD. Joh 3:16. Its Character is GRACE. Ac 20:24. Its Subject is CHRIST (Roman 1:16; 2Co 10:14), and it is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION. And it is the "GOSPEL OF PEACE," because it makes peace between the sinner and God, and brings peace to the soul. Eph 6:15.

3. THE "GLORIOUS" GOSPEL. 2Co 4:4; 1Ti 1:11.

The "GLORIOUS GOSPEL" is that phase of the Gospel of "The Grace of God" that speaks of Him who is in the GLORY, and has been GLORIFIED, and who is bringing many sons TO GLORY. Heb 2:10. It has special reference to His Second Coming, and is especially comforting to those who are looking for His GLORIOUS APPEARING (Tit 2:13), and it is to this Gospel that Satan, the "God of this Age," is particularly anxious to "blind the minds" of those who do not believe in the Pre-Millennial coming of the Lord. 2Co 4:3-4.

4. THE "EVERLASTING" GOSPEL. Re 14:6.

This Gospel will be proclaimed just before the "Vial Judgments," and by an angel. It is the only Gospel committed to an angel. It is neither the Gospel of the "Kingdom," nor of "Grace." Its burden is not SALVATION but JUDGMENT-- "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT IS COME." It is "Good News" to Israel, and all who are passing through the "fires of judgment," because it declares that their troubles will soon end in the judgment and Destruction of Antichrist and his followers. It calls on men to worship God as "CREATOR," and not as "Saviour" and so it is called in the Revised version-- "THE ETERNAL GOSPEL," the Gospel that has been proclaimed from Eden down by Patriarchs and Prophets, and not an "Everlasting Gospel" in the sense that it saves men for all eternity. Its burden is not "Repent," or "do this" or "do that," but "FEAR GOD, and give GLORY TO HIM; for the HOUR OF HIS JUDGMENT IS COME; and WORSHIP HIM THAT MADE HEAVEN, AND EARTH, AND THE SEA, AND THE FOUNTAINS OF WATERS." From this we see how important it is to distinguish between the various Gospels, not only as to their message, but the period to which they apply, otherwise there will be confusion, false teaching and a pollution of the Gospel.

The indoctrinated teaching of denominations places many in an unguarded position of receiving the Word of God in tainted vessels.  The confusion and controversies that exist in the Religious community exist because there is no one to police what one perceives to be a word from God and what actually is a word from God.  There is One God, there is One Bible, yet there are numerous denominations and religious orders, based upon different gospels that the pious elite should attempt to reconcile.  There is one plan of salvation and there is only one Kingdom of God, the question should be how do we reconcile our differences here on earth.   As long as our minds are clouded with our personal desires or denominational doctrines that seeks to divide us, we cannot grasp a deeper understanding of God’s Word.  Jesus alluded to the condition of the mind of a child in Luke 18:17, when he said, “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the (message of the) kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”  What is special about a little child?  The most outstanding attribute is a child’s desire and ability to learn.  He does not come to his Father with, I know the answer, but through his demeanour he says, “teach me Father.”  A child's mind is representative of a clean and pure mind.  The pitcher is clean.

There are many different messages permeating from the pulpits and airways, each one professing to have a direct channel to the father and many proposing a new and different relationship.   Many times the validation of an unfounded truth is, “I got a message from God.”  It does not matter how tainted the message is, if we can state that it came from God, the message must be believed.  Financial gain and positions of power usually is the driving force behind these various and conflicting messages?   The generations that precede us is hurt most by the proliferation of the Gospel.  We treat the God of our salvation like we would an organ grinder, we are taught to throw money at him and and stand back and watch him to perform. Why have we created a God that is doing so much for us, even the things we should be doing ourselves?  The shaping, the shifting and the reshaping of the Word of God leaves many adrift in a sea of confusion.  Luke 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

One group will state that we are to live by the Law, another will say that Grace supersedes the Law.  One says God is a healer and the just shall live by faith.  Another says the working of miracle ended with the original apostles.  Some teach Sunday worship is ok and others say we should worship on Saturday.  To some it is a sin to go to the doctor, and to others it it ok to go to the doctor then claim that you was healed by God.  A test of faith is to be able to dance with snakes and not be bitten.  Many claim that God is in charge directing the affairs of man to insure that everything turn out right, others say  the Devil is at work and is only constrained by the Holy Spirit that seek to guide humanity.  Musical instruments in the house of worship are a no-no to some, and to some a full orchestra is the desired.  One Bible, one God.  To some it is wrong to wear certain clothes to some its come as you are.   Sermonizing,  and the whoops and hollers are a display of the fullness of the spirit, but to some it it is nothing but play acting.   One way, one God, one Bible.  Where is common sense in all of this ?

There is also "ANOTHER GOSPEL" (Ga 1:6-12; 2Co 11:4), which is not another gospel, and which Paul repudiated. It is a perversion of the true Gospel and has many seductive forms, and in the main teaches that "Faith" is not sufficent to Salvation, nor able to keep and perfect, and so emphasizes "good works." Col 2:18-23; Heb 6:1; 9:14. The Apostle Paul pronounces a fearful "Anathema" upon its preachers and teachers. Galatians 1:6-9  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

A man standing before a judge charged with murder used the Bible as his defence. Leviticus 24:20  “Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.”  Deuteronomy 19:21  “And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”  He was judged guilty of killing the man who killed his wife in a car accident.  Rebuffed by the judge's descision  he countered with, Matthew 4:4, “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.”  He questioned the judge’s right to decide what was the, “word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” 

2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 

When my wife question me about washing the water pitcher I was prepared to defend my actions.  My first line of defence was that it came out of the faucet tasting like Kool-Aid.  To validate that assessment, I declared that it was a chemical placed in the water by the water company.   I defiantly waged a defence that I was not responsible for the tainted water.  The water company was at fault.  The truth is, I was trying to shape a simple truth, the pitcher was contaminated and I did not wash the pitcher before filling it with water.