ARE WE PREACHING & PRACTICING A CHEAP GOSPEL?

We have been on holiday for a week or so, and have had a lovely time visiting family interstate to where we live, but I have still had time to meditate on the Word of God and have really been challenged, in my thinking and attitudes.

I wrote recently that I was so blest and moved to tears as I listened a number of times to the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir singing “He’s been faithful”, and I can sure relate to the words of the song and the Scripture that reminds us than even when we have not been faithful OUR GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAITHFUL TO ME, AND I BELIEVE HE ALWAYS WILL BE. Paul writing to Timothy tells us in 2 Tim. 2:13 KJV If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

There are many of the modern Christian choruses and songs that write about how we “fail the Lord so often, but He is always there to forgive us and receive us back”, and I love them and they bless me so much, as of course that has been my experience so many times.

BUT ARE WE SELLING THE GOSPEL TOO CHEAPLY???????

John Piper (for example) reminds us that the grace of God is not just pardon from sin, but power to live above sin, not that we cannot sin, but need not sin, because the work of Jesus on the CROSS broke the power of sin, and the indwelling Holy Spirit in the Believer also want to enable us to live holy victorious lives.

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON THIS TYPE OF DEFEATIST CHRISTIAN LIVING??

Is it because of the crazy (social media) world we live in, and the crazy busy world we embrace, that there is no real time to spend quality time with God?

Is it because of the lack of Biblical Discipleship today, that no one walks with the new believer to assist him to build into his life these new disciplines of spending quality time in prayer and the Word of God, and finding out all that is available to the Believer on how he can be the person the Bible says he can be?

Isn’t it time that we started mediating on and believing the Word of God? and discovering that Rom.8:37 KJV is for every Believer Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. NOT JUST CONQUERORS BUT MORE THAN CONQUERORS.

And say with Paul in Phil. 4:13 KJV I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me, NOT JUST VICTORY OVER SOME SINS BUT ALL SINS.

What about 1 Cor. 10:13 KJV There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. IN THE MIDST OF EVERY TEMPTATION THERE IS A WAY OF ESCAPE.

I am not writing this to condemn a single person, but I want us to lift our teaching and lifestyle up to the level of the Word of God, and to disciple every new Believer so that they can be all they are meant to be amen.