Hey Robert,
Lots of organized churches teach everything that you have stated in this post. So lots of organized churches must teach the Gospel as you have defined it.
I am curious about your caps above where you say "faith, plus NOTHING", though. I haven't found a verse that says that in Scripture anywhere. But you probably know your Bible better than I do.
Could you please tell me where that is stated? Thanks. Just curious.
I have never heard of a church that teaches the life of Christ for the believer. What they teach is that you must become like Jesus, which promotes legalism.
If it is faith and the Gospel plus something, then it is no longer the Gospel. Jesus doesn't need our help to save us. The work of Christ on our behalf is sufficient for our salvation.
Many of the apostles did not understand Paul's Gospel and justification by faith. They had to be taught it by Paul. Peter, James and John did not fully understand the Gospel and justification by faith apart from the works of the law.
Peter, James and John understood the gospel perfectly, they walked with Jesus and we're then filled with the holy spirit, just by saying that they didn't understand the gospel, means that you are dismissing Christ's apostles and part of his gospel, they didn't have to be taught by Paul at all, they were all taught of the holy spirit. By the way, where does it say faith plus nothing? It's faith plus everything, giving all our lives to God. We are to become living sacrifices. If we love God and follow Jesus then we are to sacrifice our lives for God, there's no doing nothing about it. And if we don't become like Jesus, then people won't see Christ through us, the holy spirit should be putting our flesh to death so that we become more and more like Jesus every day!
So you teach that people just live their life and carry on regardless because Jesus had done it all! That's not the truth. We are to turn from sin. Nowhere is the Bible does it say that our future sins are forgiven and that we are going to heaven regardless of what we do. We are to turn from sinning once we believe in Jesus and turn to God and obey him.
And it's not just those who don't know Christ that are judged, but all of us.
2 Corinthians 5
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Also, the works Paul is talking about is the works that we do for ourselves and for the glory of men where we help people for our gain or for people to say how nice we are and God isn't in it anywhere. And if we're boasting about our works then we're far from God anyway. The works that James talks of are the works for God, where we do it because God moves our hearts to do so, they would be things that we would never do in the flesh, and we don't tell the whole world but keep to to ourselves, and we don't take praise either, because we know that without God they wouldn't be done. We glorify God by these works. Because without God, we wouldn't do it.
It's like giving a fiver our of thousands of pounds. That's easy, and we'd feel good, but God would have you give out of your last tenner, and give half, give a fiver to someone in need who had nothing and keep a fiver for yourself. This our flesh wouldn't do, because we would put our ourselves first.
Matthew 6
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
There are works to do, without works, our faith is dead. And Jesus didn't tell us to deny ourselves, and take up our cross for nothing! This is also a part of the gospel. And we are obey him. And to deny ourselves is to deny our flesh and bare our cross whatever it may be in each of our lives, and follow Jesus and keep our faith in God to the end.
If we love God, we'll partake in the sufferings of Christ and deny our flesh, if we don't deny our flesh, then others can't Christ through us, because we'll be living to please ourselves and not God. We are to deny ourselves and turn from sin. Jesus hasn't done it all, and it clearly says in the Bible that he came as an example for us to follow. So we are to be doers of the word and not hearers only and we are to walk the walk!
Matthew 16
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
1 John 2
But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
1 Peter 2
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1 Peter 4
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
Philippians 1
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake
Romans 8
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
All the apostles, including Paul preached the same gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ!
