When studying in 1 Corinthians 3 this week, it became obvious the LORD was building upon the last few weeks of my previous articles.  Over the years the teachings of the original disciples has been altered, watered down, or downright changed. Keep in mind what Paul said in Galatians 1:6- 9.  And we wonder why we don’t see the power of the Gospel of Christ Jesus working these days like it did then?

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.

I’m not sure how many denominations there are now, but in reality, there is only ONE Gospel. Yet every flavor of denomination out there says THEY have the true Gospel and the others don’t.  And I haven’t been in even one of them that consistently produces the fruit of the Spirit OR the miracles that the original disciples moved in, and taught their disciples.  Last week I wrote about the fruit falls close to the tree, remember?  Apple trees produce apples, not pears.  Christians should produce the fruit of Christ Jesus.  It can be no other way if they have Christ Jesus inside. Jude warned the disciples of the day to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.  Why?

Jud 1:3  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.
Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Denominations” are merely “divisions of”, and you know what God says about division, that it is not good.  That’s how the devil defeats people, by using the old “divide and conquer” trick.  If you can defeat entire armies with that tactic, you can defeat churches the same way, and thus negate the effects of the Gospel, and that’s exactly what the devil has managed to do. If I had my way, I’d tear down every church sign in the world and put up a new one in its place that says “CHURCH OF GOD”.   Not “Baptist” church, not “Methodist” church, or “Pentecostal church” or “Catholic” church, or “Presbyterian” church,  just “CHURCH OF GOD”.  If there’s only ONE true GOD, and there is, then He only needs one church, not this scattered, divided, bickering mess we see today. Every church should be preaching the same Gospel, period, for there is only one Gospel.  Christ Jesus is coming back for HIS church.  Ever wonder which one it will be?  Of course, each denomination knows it will be THEIR church Jesus is coming back for.  That being the case, everyone in every denomination will be saved, right?  Well that isn’t what the Bible says, for Jesus himself said:

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

What can I say more than this?  Most churches I go into say we are under grace and we don’t have to keep any commandments anymore. To them I say, Ok, where there’s no law, there’s no sin, right?  Then it’s ok if I steal your car and your money, and run off with your wife. They say, “Oh no! You can’t do that”. Uhhhhh, wait a minute: you just said we aren’t under the law anymore, which is it?

Well, as for me and my house, we’re going to do what Jesus said, regardless of what anyone else does, because if anyone knows the heart of the heavenly Father, it’s Jesus.  And if YOU want to be among those the Lord Jesus is coming back for, if you’re smart, you will do what He says. Notice I’m not saying anything about any church or denomination. I’m sure there will be those in any given denomination that will be found in Christ Jesus, but according to the words of Jesus, they will be FEW.  I don’t know about you, but I want to be among that few who make it to the Kingdom of God.  Thus, I’m spending a great deal of time warning you, for the majority will not make it, Jesus himself said so.  And I’m doing the best I can to be obedient to God, knowing we aren’t saved by works, but by what Christ Jesus did on the cross, yet I will bring myself into subjection to God and my works will show it.  And if I’m subjecting myself as a disciple of Christ Jesus, then I expect to bear the fruit thereof, so I can be of help to the body of Christ and give glory to the heavenly Father.  Which brings me back to what I started to say:

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

It is clearly shown in the Bible that the Word of God is pure and holy.  Now, that’s the foundation of GOLD.  What are we building upon it?  A little change of the Word here and a little added there, and a little left out over here, and a little personal interpretation there, and before long, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is another gospel altogether, not even resembling the original.  Now if you put a document in a copy machine, you can rest well assured that you don’t have to read the copy to make sure it says the same as the original, for it will, even if you make ten thousand or more copies. So it stands to reason if we are receiving the same Gospel as Jesus taught His disciples, they taught the same to THEIR disciples, and on down the line, then we should be able to do what they did.  But that isn’t happening, so somewhere along the way, our train jumped the track and it’s driving down a dirt road hoping to get the same results as it did when it was on the tracks.

Even back in Jude’s day, he saw the Gospel of Jesus Christ was being perverted already, because the devil wastes no time in deceiving people.  We need to get back to the ORIGINAL Gospel that Jesus preached, not the watered down skimmed milk, powerless gospel being preached in our churches today.  I’m contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.  And I hope you’ll join me!

But know this, if you do, you will be rejected by mainstream “Christians”, even as I am many times.  But I don’t care, I’m not here to please men, but to please God, for He is the one who paid for my salvation, not someone in church that disagrees with me.  There is only one Gospel by which we may be saved, and one door to the heavenly Father, not “many ways” as people try to tell us.  We should be seeking only the Gospel made of pure gold, silver and precious stones, not the wood, hay, or stubble version being presented today. The original disciples weren’t liked by the “establishment”, because they wouldn’t compromise the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   But they sure walked in the power of the Spirit, didn’t they? Don’t you wish YOU did?  Don’t be deceived; there is a high cost to being a disciple of Christ Jesus, and only a FEW will pay it, but it’s worth it. The majority are satisfied with the wood, hay, or stubble.

How about YOU?