If Jesus and the entire apostle had one message, has the gospel changed now? Why divers messages?
Illustration
In a shooting competition, they plant in the ground a fixed target encircled with different scoring points.
For, one to earn points has to aim and hit the target. Outside the target, there are no points. No matter the number of rounds you have fired; no matter the supporters behind you, as long as you are missing the target, your points will remain at zero.
The stubborn reality is that the target does not move. It remains stationary. When a competitor misses the target, the problem is not the target but the one holding the firearm. To hit the target, the competitor must reposition himself/herself.
In like manner, the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus is the target, henceforth, it changes not. Once a preacher misses the target, he must realign himself and preach the death, burial and resurrection. The bible does not change to suit the desires of a preacher or what the congregation wants to hear.
Tailoring the bible to suit the desires of the congregation only leads to deception. The bible has only one message which is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. This message is the foundation of Christianity and it is the power of God to save. Human needs pertaining to godliness are meant in Christ.
Because by his power he has given us everything necessary for life and righteousness, through the knowledge of him who has been our guide by his glory and virtue; (2Pe 1:3) BBE
Christ is the target, Christ is the goal, and Christ is the message of the whole Bible. Christ is the beginning; Christ is the centre, and Christ is the end.
Look at this:
(1Co 15:3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Paul delivered the gospel he had received; the same gospel which he received is the same gospel that he preached.
What did he receive?
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Cor 15:3)
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1Co 15:4)
Never at one time did Paul changed the gospel. In his epistle to Timothy, a pastor of the church at Ephesus, he had this to say:
(2Ti 2:2) And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Observe, he is instructing Pastor Timothy to take the teachings he heard him proclaiming in the presence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will also teach others.
What are these teachings which Timothy is to pass to the faithful men who will teach others?
The context of discourse is clear.
(2Ti 2:8) Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
And Apostle John further confirms 1 John 1:10-11 that there is only one doctrine which ought to be taught the doctrine of Christ.
(2Jn 1:9) Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
(2Jn 1:10) If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
(2Jn 1:11) For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
The word doctrine is from the Greek word “didache¯” which means teaching or that which is taught.
Further evidence from other texts of the Bible
(Act 2:42) And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
(Rom 6:17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
(Rom 16:17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
(1Ti 1:3) As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
(Tit 2:10) Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
(Heb 6:1) 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,
What is the instruction to the church for the teachers of other doctrines?
(1Ti 1:3) I want you to stay in Ephesus, just as I urged you when I was on my way to Macedonia. Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop. (GNB)
Those propelling any other doctrine which is not of Christ must be charged or instructed to stop.
John had no kind words. Watch what he said in 2 John 11.
(2 John 11) For he who wishes him success [who encourages him, wishing him Godspeed] is a partaker in his evil doings. (AMP)
Apostle Paul also condemned preachers of another gospel or another doctrine in Galatians 1:6-9.
(Gal 1:6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(Gal 1:7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
(Gal 1:8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(Gal 1:9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
You can see Paul’s stern warning to the church at Galatians. He is saying if any man preaches any other gospel let that man be accursed.
Notice, he did not spare himself, any man includes a prophet, an apostle, an evangelist, a pastor and a teacher or even an angel from heaven.
The word accursed is a Greek word ‘anathema’ which implies a ban or excommunicated, not to associate with.
He further pronounced another gospel as trouble and perversion.
Why this stern warning against another gospel?
The mission of another gospel is to drive your focus away from the saviour Christ Jesus to yourself and material things. It forces you to be your own saviour and it creates a desire to feed the ego of self-effort — man’s attempt to reach and please God with his own performance. It’s a futile exercise. It's like a dog chasing its own tail.
When you see yourself instead of seeing Christ, it’s a sign that you are under deception because your real identity is in Christ. For in him we live, and move, and have our being. (Acts 17:28).
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2Co 5:17)
The false gospel will drive your focus away from Christ and yokes you inside another identity. And in this false identity, you will see yourself unsaved, condemned, defeated, unworthy and unrighteous.
The writer of Proverbs says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: (Prov 23:7)
When you think you are defeated, definitely the defeat will follow you. And if you think you are poor, surely, poverty will torment you. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. (Prov 23:18)
The bottom line is that, when you believe another gospel It will pile misery upon you and you will be defeated in all your life endeavors.
And the worst part;
It can lead many on an endless wild goose chase with no positive destination. It creates unattainable conditions that you can never achieve `in a lifetime.
As a result, you will remain in the colonial cocoon of bondage despite the liberty in Christ.
The truth is;
We are not performing to arrive; rather we have arrived that’s why we are performing. Christ is the end of the performance.
What must sink in your head is that the gospel does not change. It is ever constant. Nothing can be added or subtracted. The same gospel Jesus preached is the same gospel the apostles preached and it is also the same gospel that everyone must preach today.
