Another Gospel, Another Jesus

Another Gospel Another Jesus

Colossians 2

2:6Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

2:7having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.

2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

2:9For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

2:10and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

The letter to the Colossians emphasizes the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ in all things. There were false teachers in the church at Colossie that were presenting another gospel that were drawing the saints away from the Lord Jesus. One of the major heresies was the teaching of gnosticism which had made major inroads into the church.

Gnosticism is a philosophy which is according to the elements of the world, and is full of the teachings of man. It is a system of teachings that promise perfection to those who pursue this false wisdom. It is a shortcut to perfection without having to go through trials and the cross. In essence it is another gospel with another Jesus.

Through this false teaching we do not have to have a personal relationship with Jesus and submit to Him as Lord of all, but only have a knowledge of His teachings and be able to grasp the principles that are set forth in order to achieve perfection.

It is possible to do great and mighty things in His name and never know Him. Many shall come before Him in that day and say "Lord, Lord, Have we not done many mighty works in thy name"? And He will have to turn and say, "depart from me, you that work iniquity, for I never knew you."

The truth of the Word of God in Colossians is that Christ is the fulness of God. All of the wisdom of God is in Christ. There is no wisdom apart from Christ. We cannot get wisdom apart from Him. There is no spiritual development or growth apart from Christ. All of the fulness of the godhead is dwelling in the Lord Jesus, and we have been made complete or full in Him. God's purpose for our lives is the fulness of Christ. The Body of Christ is fulness of Him, who fills all in all. (Eph. 1:23).

The apostle Paul counted all of his own achievements and wisdom as cow manure, and his goal and aim in life was to know Him and the power of His resurrection. The Christian life is more than being inflated with a lot of knowledge of spiritual facts, but the basis of the Christian life is the intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ. ""This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3). God has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him, that has called us to glory and virtue. (2 Peter 1:3).

It has always been God's ultimate intention for man that he would eat of the tree of life (Christ) and live in total dependence in Him. The enemy has never changed his basic strategy in drawing man away from the tree of life to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Man could eat of this tree of knowledge and experience self development, where man would be his own god and live independently of God. You can walk into most Christian book stores and they are filled with self - help books. Dr. Phil has become a favorite councilor and adviser even among Christians. Much of his advice is good and helpful, but what Christians need to see is that this wisdom and knowledge has its source in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is drawing Christians away from Christ, who is our life source.

The Word of God has been given to us to reveal Christ to us. The Holy Spirit is the teacher of the Church and has come to reveal Jesus "the truth" to the Church. The bible is not merely a book of principles and laws that we are to live by, but God's Word is Spirit and life.

God has freely given us all things through the knowledge of His Son. As we partake of Christ, then His nature is formed in us and we fulfill God's plan and purpose for our lives.

The deception of the enemy is that he will attempt to get us to see the bible as a book of principles and laws that have been given to us by God so that we can fulfill our own vision and dreams and become a success in life. The reason why many businesses and corporations teach the principles of the bible is because they work. There are rich men that do not want to have anything to do with the God of the bible but embrace the principles of the bible because they are a means to an end.

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)

The enemy of our souls really doesn't give a rip about how busy we get working for the kingdom of God as long as we are not progressively becoming more intimate with the Lord Jesus. In much of the church today busy-ness in church work is equated with doing the will of God, but Jesus Christ, who is our pattern, only did what He saw His Father doing. Our Lord never did move out of His own will and self life but committed Himself to knowing and doing the Father's will.

God is calling His church to put first things first and to return to the Word and prayer. Our primary ministry is to minister to the Lord in the inner court. When we spend time with the Lord in His presence, then we will have something spiritual to give to the people in the outer court.

If our eye is single then our whole body shall be flooded with light. True change and transformation comes through beholding the Lord. It is as we seek His face, and see the glory of His wondrous Person, His character and nature, that we are becoming more and more like Him

In His Love,

Mike

When anyone comes promising salvation to those ‘who make full surrender' of all that they have to God, and who 'pay the price of full salvation' he is preaching another gospel, for the price was paid on Calvary's cross and the work that saves is finished. It was Christ Jesus who made the full surrender when He yielded His life on Calvary that saves us, not our surrender in any way to Him."

If we say that people can pay for their salvation by making full surrender, that would be another gospel just as if we would understand the words of our Lord to the rich young ruler that he can buy his way to heaven by selling all he has and giving it to the poor.

Full surrender or giving all that we have by no means purchase salvation for us. Salvation is a gift of God that can only be purchased by the eternal payment which was paid by the eternal Son of God. Since sin commited against the eternal and infinite God our maker requires no less than an eternal and infinite sacrifice only purchasable by the blood of Jesus.

Full surrender is not a payment for salvation but a condition for salvation in the same way that repentance and faith are conditions for salvation.

It does not in itself purchase salvation but no salvation is given without it.

We know that he rich young ruler was not saved because he refused to surrender everthing to Jesus because he loved his money. But if he had surrendered everything and met the condition, he can never claim that that was what saved Him.

When we tell people you have to do nothing in order to be saved, we are giving them another gospel. When the people in the Book of Acts asked the Apostles " What must we do to be saved?" They were not told: " Nothing, you have to do nothing to be saved." That would be another gospel. THey were told: " Repent, and believe on the Son of God." Their repentace and faith by no means purchased their salvation. but they will be saved without repenting and believing, in the same way that they will not be saved if they did not surrender everthing including their very lives upfront to the Lordship of Christ. THis is the gospel of Christ in a short sentance: " If any one wishes to come after me, let him sell everthing he has, carry his cross daily and follow me." Anything else is another gospel.

I perfectly understand what Ironside says and agree with it, on the other hand, if I am given the choice to take the gospel massage from any preacher, Apostle, or an angel from heaven, or from the Lord Jesus, it would be much safer to take it from Jesus himself, for He is the one who paid for our salvation with His own blood, and He is the only one that has the right to set the rules.

When I wake up every morning, I ask the Lord to be all in every thought, action, and word. I give Him everything I have. To the best of my knowledge, if He decides to have not only me but everything I have. My heart's cry would be : "The Lord gave, and the Lord took away, blessed be the name of the Lord." I am not gloring in any self righteousness. What the Lord demands is that He be Lord of all. We do not really have a choice. There is no true salvation apart from this. When I sin, I humbly come to Him asking forgivness that I made self my God instead of Him. I ask for pardon on the bases of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus, but I can never presume that I can live in sin and be forgiven automatically.

In fact the idea of full trust also carries the idea of absence of sin. In the Book of Hebrew the author equates murmering, sexual immorality to lack of trust. When the children of israel crossed the sea, that was an act of faith, but those same people did not retain the faith when they murmured against Moses and God. If they have fully believed God's promise, they would not have been distracted with the flesh.

That is why FULL surrender is not a requirement for salvation, but FULL trust is.

If I may ask you the same question. If you have ever come to full trust, why do you still sin? Do we ever come to full trust in this life, and if the answer is yes? Then how do you explain the existance of sin in your life?

If we study the highest outpouring of who Christ is in Eph 1-3, we find it is all of Christ who is the new man we are in Him.

Eph 4 speaks to how we are to walk in this new man. We still have the old man mind, but the New Man is the Christ in us, by whose Spirit we are His, for without the Spirit of Christ, "we are none of His". The war is in our minds which are being renewed to the mind of Christ. Our Spirit is perfect before God, our minds are being perfected by the Holy Spirit, bringing us to the understanding of our new birth of the Incorruptable Seed of the Father in us.

This is, if we understand it by the Holy Spirit which we have in us by the prayer of Jesus Christ answered by the Father, how we are to find rest in Him, renew our old man minds to the New Man mind which we now have.

Ephesians 4:17-32 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

(((((((But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.))))))

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

(This is our assurance of who we are in Christ by the answered prayer of Jesus Himself, fully Sealed in The Holy Spirit of God, who is changing the old for the New Man.)

((((((And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.))))))

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

So we are before God perfect, Presenting to us this mystery; "Christ in you", "striving according to His working", by the Holy Spirit teaching us this Mystery, afore unrevealed, "striving according to His working, which works in us mightily".

Is it His working? Is it our striving?

Colossians 1:27-29 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Ro 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1Jo 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jo 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jo 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Born of God, In Christ: Phillip

Amen, it is both.

I cannot be a son, without God working as Father.

God cannot be a Father, without me striving to be his son.

God is our Creator and Father and has every right to make of Me what He wants.

Colossians 1:29 Whereunto I also labour , striving according to his working , which worketh in me mightily .

God worketh, we labor in that work.
worketh;
Strong's Greek Dictionary
1754. energeo
Search for G1754 in KJVSL
energew energeo en-erg-eh'-o
from 1756; to be active, efficient:--do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).

Our Labor; Strong's Greek Dictionary
2872. kopiao
Search for G2872 in KJVSL
kopiaw kopiao kop-ee-ah'-o
from a derivative of 2873; to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard:--(bestow) labour, toil, be wearied.

And according to that working we
Strive; Strong's Greek Dictionary
75. agonizomai
Search for G75 in KJVSL
agwnizomai agonizomai ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee
from 73; to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something):--fight, labor fervently, strive.

Who is our adversary? my old man mind of Satan and self.

In Christ my new man and self, by the Fathers Seed: Phillip

None of this can be accomplished without Christ in us, that includes His love affair with our Father, No love affair with God, all striving is vain, all labor is worthless.

What does a Father an Mother want most from their children, obedience or LOVE, LOVE which will freely give obedience.

Quote:

"""
I cannot be a son, without God working as Father.

God cannot be a Father, without me striving to be his son.

God is our Creator and Father and has every right to make of Me what He wants.

Colossians 1:29 Whereunto I also labour , striving according to his working , which worketh in me mightily .

God worketh, we labor in that work.
worketh;
Strong's Greek Dictionary
1754. energeo
Search for G1754 in KJVSL
energew energeo en-erg-eh'-o
from 1756; to be active, efficient:--do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).

Our Labor; Strong's Greek Dictionary
2872. kopiao
Search for G2872 in KJVSL
kopiaw kopiao kop-ee-ah'-o
from a derivative of 2873; to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard:--(bestow) labour, toil, be wearied.

And according to that working we
Strive; Strong's Greek Dictionary
75. agonizomai
Search for G75 in KJVSL
agwnizomai agonizomai ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee
from 73; to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something):--fight, labor fervently, strive.

Who is our adversary? my old man mind of Satan and self.

In Christ my new man and self, by the Fathers Seed: Phillip"""

Without Love all this is a clanging cymbal, ""I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.""

Who's Love are we? In Christ: Phillip

Thank you Mike for keeping us on target. This following part particularly struck me as vital...

God is calling His church to put first things first and to return to the Word and prayer. Our primary ministry is to minister to the Lord in the inner court. When we spend time with the Lord in His presence, then we will have something spiritual to give to the people in the outer court.

I am reminded of the following passage of Scripture...

And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.
(Luke 17:5-10)

In Christ,

Ron

Amen JiG!

This is what it's all about. We were created to have fellowship with God. We are changed by being in His Presence - from Glory to Glory. The more we get to know Him the more we will fall in love with Him. Spending time & seeking His face is different than studying. Spending time is reading His Word, meditating on Him, allowing Him to speak to us. Be still and know that He is God. He has things to share with us intimately. He longs for this kind of fellowship. He is worthy of our time and fellowship. Glory to His Name.