Many Pastors and even everyday Christians are looking for new ways to present the Gospel. In the hopes that they will be able to share their faith without offending or upsetting anyone. While also trying to make Christianity more appealing and pleasing to the masses. The motive maybe pure for some. But we must question weather or not attempting to fit the Gospel to a person makes it a false Gospel.
You see many of the new ways some are preaching are meant to please people. By making the Gospel fit their wants and needs. Instead of reshaping the people to fit the Gospel. Paul points out that by trying to please man kind we cannot be considered a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 (ESV)
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Just like Paul we should be seeking God’s approval for the message we proclaim about Christ. Not that of mere man. And in order to receive God’s approval we must not change or even choose to leave out information when we share our faith with others. Every Christian should be sharing the same truth that we see the Apostles did. The Apostle Paul took a very firm stance on this.
Galatians 1:8–9 (ESV)
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
We as God’s creation have no right to alter His message to the world. It is not out place to remove things such as Baptism from the plan of salvation as it is clearly presented in Acts 2:38. With the hopes of pleasing the lost. Believing more people will want to be Christians if they don’t have to go down in water.
Acts 2:37–38 (ESV)
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
You can’t try to please people by telling them they can continue to live a sin filled life after receiving salvation. Leading them to expect to receive the gift of eternal life even though the Bible is clear they won’t. This people pleasing doctrine is false and a great disservice to the lost world.
Romans 6:1–3 (ESV)
6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
The doctoring of prosperity is another people pleasing false gospel. That goes against much of the teaching from the scripture. Their is no biblical backing to the idea of giving God $100 to receive $1000 in return. This idea is meant to please the ears of greedy man. And it also aligns perfectly with what Peter about the cleaver false teachers who would come and find away to take the money of others.
2 Peter 2:2–3 (ESV)
2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
These are just a few of the false doctrines in circulation today. By sharing concepts like these you will lost likely gain the favor of men. You may even see growth in Churches the proclaim false doctrine for a time. But the truth is this teaching does not create true disciple. In reality it just causes lost people to be more lost. The Bible teaches that false teacher will come who will change the Gospel.
2 Peter 2:1 (ESV)
2 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
Matthew 7:15 (ESV)
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
If you are reading these do not be one of these false teachers who attempts to alter the Gospel. In order to please and reach more people. Instead study your Bible. Read what Jesus taught in it’s fullness. Study the messages given by the Apostles. Those who spent the most time with our Lord and savior. Then share the very same message they did.
Honestly, the gospel is not pleasing to the ears of the lost and it never will be. It tells us to do things that go against the desires of our sinful nature. But it is the truth of the Bible message that causes us to become true disciples and ensures our salvation. It’s the truth the entire world needs to hear without any alterations. Only by preaching all the Bible will we ever be able to go create disciples as Jesus commanded.
Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Hopefully, this article has helped you to see that the Bible’s message is not meant to be pleasing to the ears of the lost. But it is in fact meant to change the lost into disciples. In the simplest since a gospel that is pleasing to man is in fact a false gospel. So please stick to the true complete teaching of the Bible.
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