There Is Only One True Gospel        

Galatians 1:6-9

 

     There is only one true gospel, only one message of good news from God in heaven to perishing sinners on the earth. Every other gospel is a sham, a pretense, a fake, a false gospel, invented by satan for the damning of men's souls; and those who preach it are messengers of satan. God saves sinners through the preaching of the gospel. He does not save sinners through the preaching of a false gospel.

     EVERY FALSE GOSPEL makes salvation to be, in some measure, dependent upon or determined by the worth of man, the work of man, or the will of man. It matters not whether the gospel you believe is liberal or conservative, papist or protestant, pagan or evangelical. If your gospel (the message of salvation upon which you hang the hope of your immortal soul for eternal salvation) makes salvation to be in anyway dependent upon or determined by you, you are a lost, unregenerate soul. Your god is an idol. Your religion is idolatry. The old whore of Revelation, Babylon, has made you drunk with the wine of her fornication. Unless you come out of her, you will perish with her (Rev. 18:4; II Cor. 6:14-7:1).

     THE ONLY TRUE GOSPEL is a message of free salvation by the unconditional grace of God, purchased for chosen sinners by the sin-atoning blood of Christ, and effectually wrought in those same chosen sinners by the sovereign, irresistible power and grace of God the Holy Spirit. It can always be identified by these three things: (1.) IT DESCRIBES MAN IN HIS TRUE CHARACTER. The gospel always represents man as a fallen, depraved, helpless, spiritually dead sinner, cursed and condemned by the law of God. (2.) IT REVEALS GOD IN HIS TRUE CHARACTER, sovereign, gracious, just, and holy. Any message that lowers the character of God, or presents him as somewhat weak and frustrated, is a false gospel. (3.) IT PROCLAIMS SALVATION AS A GRACIOUS WORK OF GOD ALONE. The gospel of God is a declaration of salvation by the purpose of God the Father, the purchase of God the Son, and the power of God the Holy Spirit. It declares salvation to be entirely the result of the gracious, sovereign operations of the triune God for and upon chosen sinners.

 

Don Fortner