Is there a preacher left that preaches the Gospel? By Alan Ballou
You might say, “That’s a stupid question,” but you would be asking the same question if you knew what was in the Gospel according to your Bible. The Gospel of the Kingdom, which Jesus preached, and the Apostles preached, is the same Gospel that we should be hearing, and it contains much more than what we might hear in a typical Bible belt church today.
In fact, you will probably never hear a complete Gospel. Yes Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Praise God! However, that is far from a complete Gospel. In fact, we can get saved, and then reject the Gospel, as many are doing today (John 6:60-69). Here are the parts of the Gospel that you will not hear.
According to Romans 1:16-17, the righteousness of God is explained, revealed, or made known in the Gospel message itself.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” NKJV
Clearly, according to the verses above, the righteousness of God is revealed (exposed, uncovered) within the Gospel message itself. If you have not heard about the righteousness of God, and how to obtain it through faith in Jesus Christ, then you have not heard a complete Gospel message. It’s just that simple.
How important is the righteousness of God? Well, do we have to be righteous in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven according to the Words of Jesus Christ, written in Matthew 5:20? Yes we do. According to Jesus Christ, God’s righteousness is a part of what every Christian should be seeking first place in their life (Matthew 6:33). However, many have rejected His teaching. Can they possibly be sealed for the day of redemption, if they reject part of the Gospel (Ephesians 1:13)? Nope.
The Gospel that the Bible describes, contains a call to sanctification, and belief in the truth, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 below.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. NKJV
The Gospel that the Apostle Paul preached contained a call to sanctification, and believing the truth. Does that sound like the Gospel you have heard? Nope! Nobody is preaching that. In fact, almost all preach the exact opposite; that we do not have to be sanctified (made holy).
God’s will for every Christian is to be sanctified; holy in conduct (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7), and we have to do the will of the Father in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven according to the Words of Jesus Christ, written in Matthew 7:21.
So, if we do not preach sanctification by the Spirit, and teach people that they must believe the truth, how are we expecting them to make it? They won’t according to Hebrews 12:14-15. Now you can see why there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth on the last day among those who were expecting to be able to enter (Luke 13:22-28).
Do we have to believe, and hold to the teachings? The Gospel that is written in the Bible, requires us to hold to the teachings, which is also mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 above.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. NKJV
No one will be able to stop sinning, unless they hold to the teachings according to the Words of Jesus Christ (John 8:31-37), and those who remain slaves to sin will not remain in the family forever (John 8:35). However, here again, no sermons today contain this part of the Gospel, and most even preach the opposite.
Notice that it says “saved if” in verse 2 above. Now you know why those who preach “once saved always saved,” which is not in the Bible, never preach 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 above. They avoid that passage of scripture like the plague.
That’s how far we have drifted away from the truth. Some will even stand up against what is written in the Bible in order to support what is not written. May the Lord have mercy on us all.
The Gospel of the Kingdom contains a call to obedience. In fact, everything that the Apostle Paul did, including every miracle, was to make the people that he ministered to obedient.
Romans 15:14-20 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, 16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient — 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. NKJV
Do we have to obey the Gospel? Most Christians do not even know that there is a part of the Gospel that we must obey. Again, that shows just how far we have drifted away from what is actually written in our Bibles. However, do the following verses tell you anything about those who “do not obey” the Gospel? They won’t make it!
1 Peter 4:17-19 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. NKJV
2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. NKJV
Hebrews 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him NKJV
Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for who? Those who obey Him! We have to mix faith with the Gospel message, or it will be of no value to us. That too is a part of the Gospel that you will never hear today.
Hebrews 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. NKJV
Now are you beginning to see how far we have drifted away from the truth? Most of the verses I have mentioned to you so far cannot even be mentioned in church today because the people have been taught the opposite. Jesus Himself would be rejected as the guest preacher. He would not be able to preach the Word of God like it is written. Imagine that.
Many say that we only have to preach Christ crucified in accordance with 1 Corinthians 2:2, and that sounds good and seems right, if all you knew was that one verse.
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. NKJV
However, when that verse is put into the context of the chapter, it becomes evident that those who use that verse to justify their preaching, don’t know what they are talking about, since they mix it with their own worldly wisdom. Read the following passage and notice that the Apostle Paul was preaching a Gospel, not with the wisdom of words, but with a demonstration of the power of the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. NKJV
So now, if all we are preaching is Christ crucified, as it is written above, where is the demonstration of power, and why do we mix our persuasive words in with it? Our words take the power out of the message!
1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. NKJV
Where is the power? There isn’t any power because the sermon is full of human wisdom! Take a look at verse 4 again.
1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. NKJV
Where the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached, there is power! That’s one thing that you will not see in a sermon full of man-made philosophy. We should never preach in accordance with a man’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:13, 3:18-19, Luke 16:15).
So why do we always hear that so and so said this, and the Greek says that. Do you think that God sent the Apostle Paul to impress the Gentiles with his Hebrew language or to preach His Word? If God sent you to preach, prove it by preaching His Word to His people (2 Timothy 4:1-2, Jeremiah 23:22)!
What type of Gospel did the Thessalonians hear and receive according to the following verse, and did the Apostle Paul use flattering speech, or seek glory from men?
1 Thessalonians 1:4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. NKJV
1 Thessalonians 2:4-7 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness — God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. NKJV
People who are approved by God to preach the Gospel, do not speak to please men, or use flattering words, or seek glory from men. That one passage of scripture would certainly disqualify 99% of the sermons I have heard over the past twenty years.
We are that close to the end. Once Jesus is taken out of the way, the lawless one will be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3-7).
The Gospel we hear should contain a message of justification by faith in Jesus Christ, which is separate from the Laws of Moses (Romans 3:21-26).
Galatians 3:5-12 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? — 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” NKJV
If we are only justified by faith, why are many denominations still Law based? Don’t they preach the Gospel? No my friend they don’t preach a complete Gospel. Nobody does. We only preach the parts that agree with what we want to hear.
However, understand this. The promised inheritance is through the righteousness of faith, and not by the Law. Therefore, where will those who belong to Law-based denominations end up according to Romans 4:13-15 below? Are they heirs along with those who are of faith?
Romans 4:13-15 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. NKJV
What do those verses say to you? You might think that this teaching is negative, but there are millions of well-meaning, church-attending people who could be saved through this teaching, since there are millions who belong to Law based organizations today. Allow me to show you my mission statement;
James 5:19-20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. NKJV
If the Gospel was preached like it is written, it would bring forth fruit (Colossians 1:3-6). What type of fruit?
2 Corinthians 9:10-15 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! NKJV
Notice that if we confessed to be following the Gospel of Christ (verse 13 above), we would be helping the saints (the faithful in Christ), who were in need (verse 12 above). Well, that may very well identify the reason why we do not preach a complete Gospel, since if we did, people would start helping one another like the early church. However, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Welcome to the last days!
Let me ask you again. Is there anyone left who preaches the Gospel, according to what is actually written even in their Bible; the same Bible they have been carrying for the past twenty years? No, not one, no not one. Some might say, well you may be right, but you’re going about it the wrong way, but let me ask you this. If I never mentioned these things, would you mention them in your church? No you wouldn’t, but would Jesus sit back and watch millions perish without sending a servant to warn them?
I have found several families in my area who are looking for a place where God’s Word is the authority, and where the Gospel is preached. If you know of a place, please let me know. I really don’t believe that there is such a place left in this country. Let us repent and return to the Lord our God!
I’m Alan Ballou; a servant.
