There is a “new” gospel which portends that Paul had a different gospel than that of Jesus Christ and the “faith” which was once delivered unto the saints. The argument goes to this effect: Repentance is not needed for the new testament gentile believers as all they need to do is “believe”. The Jews were the only ones who needed to repent from “dead works of the OT law”. Therefore, the Jews have certain expectations given to them by the gospel preached to them from Jesus, and the gentiles have another standard with which to gauge their discipleship, and that is found in “Pauls gospel to the gentiles”. To the tuned ear of the one who hears only the voice of the good shepherd, it is quickly recognized as end time winds of false doctrine that blow to cause men to fall away from the truth which can sanctify us. It is needful for me to address this topic for our church body and for those who may question whether this “new” doctrine they are hearing is truth.
As we are warned in the book of Jude, we MUST CONTEND for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints…the same gospel delivered unto the Jews is the same gospel that was preached to the gentiles. It stated “faith” singular, not “faiths” plural. There is not two faiths, one for the Jew and another for the Gentile! It is the “common” salvation: not that it is plain or mundane, but that it is the same toward all who receive it by faith!
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
First of all, we must go to the foundational principles of the church, and Jesus Christ himself is the chief cornerstone of his church, and HE is the HEAD over all things concerning HIS church! Jesus gave the directions to his apostles along with the doctrines that were to govern the “church” the BODY OF CHRIST! We find this truth in the book of the Acts of the Apostles:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
After that Jesus was taken up into heaven, he continued to teach them, through the HOLY GHOST!
Until the day in which he was taken up,after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
Paul, who was chosen to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, in many ways did not need to explain the Old Testament law to the new gentile believers. However, we find Paul has to address the creeping in to the church the doctrines of the Judaizers, also known as the concision (dividers), and reminds the gentile believers that by the preaching of the gospel of faith they repented of their sins, found faith toward God, and begin to walk onward and upward in their new found faith! And they did it all without the works of the law!
Then when we find Paul addressing the Jews in the book of Hebrews, he is pretty plain about the foundational doctrines of the church, and that they are applicable to Jew and Gentile alike!
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Paul is not saying that we should walk away from the foundational doctrines, but must use them to build the spiritual temple that we are in the Holy Ghost! We must have these basic doctrines or we are not built upon Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone and foundation of it all!
The foundational principles of the doctrines of Christ begin with :
- Repentance from dead works! The works of the law in the Jew is dead works and the works of sin and death in the Gentile is dead works! There must be repentance or there is no salvation! Jesus told his disciples before he left that they must PREACH REPENTANCE AND REMISSION OF SINS beginning at Jerusalem, then to all of Judea, then to all of Samaria, then to the uttermost parts of the earth to every nation! LUKE 24:47And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
- Faith toward God! To come to God you must believe that HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him….and without faith it is impossible to please GOD! And without faith you will receive nothing from GOD! HEBREWS 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
- The doctrine of baptisms! This doctrine contains the baptisms plural! Not just water baptism but spirit baptism! The book of the Acts of the Apostles show this fact many times, but this one instance sums up the doctrine of the baptisms! ACTS 19:3-6 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
- Laying on of hands! Not only is the laying on of hands used for healing ministries, but that through the laying on of hands the Holy Ghost will give gifts to the believers who receive in faith..not only did that happen to the believers in the book of Acts 19 mentioned above in the doctrine of baptisms, but Paul mentions it several other places: I TIMOTHY 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. JAMES 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord
- The resurrection of the dead! This is the blessed hope of the church, that when Jesus Christ the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the trump of God, and with the voice of an archangel, the DEAD IN CHRIST shall rise first! I CORINTHIANS 15;13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. I THESS. 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
- Eternal Judgement! It is the lack of fear of judgement that brought about this discussion to begin with. It is because there will be those who cannot endure SOUND DOCTRINE and so heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears….wanting to be told there is no requirements other than to just believe….II TIM. 4: 1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
- Going on to Perfection! The seventh (perfection doctrine) is just that! 7 is the number representing perfection in the scriptures. We must GROW onward and upward into perfection (maturity) in Christ Jesus who calls us to be perfect! II TIM. 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
These doctrines are what we must have as a foundation to build our spiritual house with! And it matters not if we are Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, king or servant, male or female, young or old. We must all meet the same requirements of faith toward God and bring the fruits meet unto repentance to begin our spiritual journey with Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith!
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Along with those powerful words, Paul prefaced them with the concept that although the gentiles were separated from the plan of God in the Old testament, Jesus abolished in his flesh the enmity of the law of commandments, and became the peace that made the Jew and the Gentile ONE in HIM! If a gentile has been brought nigh by the blood of Christ, then so must the Jew also be brought nigh by that same blood!!!
Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Let me encourage you today, to CONTEND, STAND FIRM in the faith that through the grace of Jesus Christ saved you! Be perfected in Christ today, realizing that your perfection must come by the foundational doctrines that were given by Jesus to his apostles, and in the book of their ACTS, and in their letters to the churches, confirmed the doctrines of JESUS CHRIST!
Be Strong in the LORD, and in the Power of HIS might!
Pastor Stephen