Prof. Biju Issac

One of the stern warnings of Christ concerning the last days, stands out - ‘Take heed that no one deceives you”. What is the deception He is speaking about? It’s nothing but “a presentation of false Christ.” The article below would help you to understand the shrewdness involved in such a gospel presentation. Many young people are confused with such a ‘mixed’ preaching of Christ and they are seeking help to find a true way out. We get questions about the ‘latest manifestations of the Holy Spirit’ where people laugh and fall down without self-control in the name of Jesus. It’s my heart’s desire that such confused young people be guided.

Before we go into that let’s look at the genuine Gospel of Christ.

GENUINE GOSPEL & IT’S EFFECTS:
The Gospel or good news of Christ is God’s own remedy to man’s fall. It was conceived and designed by God even before the foundations of the world were created. It is never man centered, but God centered, where God gets all the glory. The following would be true of this gospel and the effects of it in one’s life.

• Here, a desperate sinner acknowledges his need for a Saviour, for he is sick and is overwhelmed by his load of sins.
• He acknowledges that he is a sinner by birth and is no better than any murderer or adulterer in his private life (where revenge, lust etc. reigns).
• With that load of sin, he meets with Christ on the cross and is forgiven of all his guilt and is born into the family of God.
• His past record of sins are all blotted out and is sunk into the ocean of nonremembrance.
• He wears now the righteousness of Christ by faith and is fully accepted before God.
• He is confirmed about his authority and position in the risen Christ.
• He reiterates again and again that all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’ in Christ and that God never makes a lie out of a Promise.
• He sees that God the Father looks at him, exactly as He looks at Jesus Christ, the Son.
• He is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, and now tastes the heavenly life and power.
• He longs to be a witness of Christ in all places.
• His heart is overflowing with praise and gratitude, for what God has done for him.
• He longs to walk in the light and to be honest before God and people always.
• He is quick to acknowledge his failures and sins.
• He walks with a repenting heart, cleansed in the blood of Christ.
• He is fully justified before God in Christ, and he knows that he stands faultless before the throne of God.
• He is bold to enter in to the immediate presence of God, by the blood of Christ.
• He confesses his faith and position in Christ to Satan and to the demonic world and thus overcomes the accusing darts of discouragement.
• He trusts in God for great possibilities in the realm of faith, seeking to walk in God’s will.
• He hates the worldly system and the spirit behind it, for he knows it is under the sway of Satan - the ruler of this world.
• He takes up his cross daily and denies his selfish desires and follows Christ.
• He counts alhis relationships inferior to the relationship he has toward God in Christ.
• He mentally forsakes alhis possessions to follow Christ and thus be a pilgrim in his life on earth, destined toward the Celestiacity.
• He longs to be with the ‘passion of his heart’ - Christ Jesus.
• He seeks to love people and to be one with the other disciples of Christ cross denominationally, as God the Father and Jesus are one.
• He purifies himself in character, as Christ Jesus is pure.
(If the above qualities are missing in your life, it’ it’s s better to seek God earnestly and to be found in His will)

COUNTERFIET GOSPEL & IT’S EFFECTS:

Satan has invented ways to divert people from the true gospel. It may be difficult for him to get the majority to be God haters. So in his shrewdness, he preaches through false prophets and preaches a ‘false Christ’. How can we identify the fallacy of such preaching? Total consecration and surrender to Christ is never preached. True discipleship is never taught. Separation from the world is an alien concept. Faithfulness in small matters is unheard of. To purify oneself as God is pure, is considered fanatical. The following would be true of such a false Gospel and the effects of it in one’s life:

• The ‘gospel’ presented is prosperity oriented and man-centered. The gist of it would be - “Believe in Jesus and you’lhave health and wealth” (with no emphasis on repentance).
• Here, a person is enticed into the ‘gospel’ without telling him that he is a sinner deserving helfire. So he ‘joins’ the ‘gospegang’ without a proper conviction of sin, being ignorant of the lostness of man.
• He is taught how he can use God to meet his selfish needs and wants. For e.g. he is taught to have faith to get a promotion, to buy a car, to relocate himself to a more comfortable place, to get instant healing etc. In short, instead of being used of God, he is taught how he can use God.
• The holiness of God and the fact that God is a consuming fire is never preached (with an overemphasis on God’s love) Standards of God's purity is so lowered and watered down that compromisers would feeat home.
• Many under such ministries would be enticed by a new concept of ‘faith’, by which they can get things from God. The cost of discipleship and cross bearing (like Jesus who spoke to count the cost before following Him) is never spoken.
• ‘Pleasing men’ would be rampant with such false ministries. Human love and externacode of conduct is emphasized much.
• Such preachers would be constant ‘beggars of money’ for their ministry publicly through television and other newsletters.
• An unbiblical truth of loving this world and God simultaneously is conveniently presented. So the bride of Christ (church) who should be a chaste virgin is portrayed as an adulteress who is in love with the world.
• Rich pagans and influentiafolks would controdecision making of important church issues.
• Newer manifestations of the Holy Spirit (though unscriptural) like laughing, slaying etc. in the spirit are promoted (when any manifestation without self-controis questionable!)
Beware of such a gospel and it’s followers.