The Evangelical Falsehood - C.T.C. Ministry

The Evangelical Falsehood

Welcome to a special episode of Living a True Christian Life and today’s topic deals with what I call The Evangelical Falsehood. Now I know that many of you folks who listen to my messages are probably irritated by what I just said, and that’s alright. In fact, if you’re upset that’s good, because too many folks have fallen under the spell of the Evangelical Falsehood and people need to wake up and think.

What do I mean by Evangelical Falsehood? Many denominations preach the idea that all it takes to be saved is to simply say, I believe in Jesus. They have taken what Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” And then in Romans 3:28, “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” Martin Luther actually changed the text to read, “So now we hold, that man is justified without the help of the works of the law, alone through faith” The fundamental statement is that all a person has to do to have salvation is to profess a belief in Jesus.

That makes being a Christian incredibly easy, doesn’t it? Nothing to do, nothing to worry about, live your life completely disregarding the teachings of Jesus and what he commanded us to do. If you look around American society today, especially many of those who profess to be Christians, you notice that not many actually DO anything to live as Jesus commanded. Why? Because they’ve been taught, they don’t have to DO anything. Even though many early Church leaders absolutely said that people had to DO, that they couldn’t just sit and be content.

One of the earliest leaders of the church who actually knew Jesus was James. In Chapter 1 verses 19-26 he discussed what is “REQUIRED” “19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

26 If anyone thinks himself to be religious and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.”

He emphasizes that point about faith by itself, in Chapter 2 verses 14-26, “14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. “

Understand that works by themselves are just as useless as faith by itself is, and yet American preachers keep insisting that we can be greedy, focus on material wealth, hate our enemies, commit adultery, start wars, and as long as we say, ‘oh I believe in Jesus, it’s all good, we’ll still go to heaven.” That nonsense, and the early church leaders knew it was nonsense. Even Paul knew you had to change how you behaved, that you had to be a better person.

One of the earliest church leaders who came along right after the apostles was Justin Martyr. He was born around 100 AD in Palestine, was raised under Greek philosophy and converted to Christianity around 132 AD. From that time on he travelled and as he travelled, he proclaimed and taught others about his newfound faith. He was an apologist, someone who defended Christianity against the attacks from non-believers. He was a prolific writer and his works helped to form the foundations for how early Christians came to believe and behave. Even though he laid out those guidelines almost 2,000 years ago they are as valid today as they were then. As I said a little earlier many modern church leaders and their followers have strayed from the teachings of Jesus and have become followers of the world. They have put the secular world and their desire for wealth and power ahead of their brothers and sisters. While they talk about being Christians, they live as if they are not.

Justin writes in his ‘The Apologies” in book 1 Chapter 16, he writes, “And let those who are not found living as He taught, be understood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the precepts of Christ; for not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved, according to His word: “ At this point Justin quotes the words of Jesus “Not every one who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven. For whosoever hears Me, and does My sayings, hears Him that sent Me. And many will say unto Me, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Your name, and done wonders? And then will I say unto them, Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. Then shall there be wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the righteous shall shine as the sun, and the wicked are sent into everlasting fire. For many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly being ravening wolves. By their works you shall know them. And every tree that brings not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.”

Justin then goes on to say, “And as to those who are not living pursuant to these His teachings, and are Christians only in name, we demand that all such be punished by you.”

For the next 200 years, those were the types of teachings that Christians followed. They followed the actual teachings of Jesus, sadly that all changed once Roman emperor Constantine made Christianity not only legal but also the official religion of the empire. From that point on church leaders became consumed with power and wealth. For examples all a person has to do is look at the basilicas they built, the extreme wealth they acquired, and finally how they came to be the actual rulers of kingdoms on earth. All of which was completely opposite of the teachings of Jesus. That trend continues today, especially here in the United States.

Look at the mega churches, the slickly produced television shows. It’s more about the money then it is about the gospel. Religious leaders are not interested in the poor, the sick, the naked, the hungry. They are interested in telling each of us what to read, how to think, all the while they seek to acquire more wealth and power. If you want to BE a true Christian, if you want to LIVE a true Christian life, then you and I have to demand that our church leaders, our pastors, our politicians quit selling a false doctrine. Quit being hypocrites, remember Jesus said in Matthew 25: 31-46 “31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Think about the actions of your local political leaders who profess to be Christian who are busy denying food and medical help to the poor to the needy, but who all say, “I believe in Jesus, so I’m saved” It’s not too late to return to the basics and to start living a true Christian life once again.

I’ll talk to you soon. God bless y’all