DO WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE GOSPEL?

 THE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Like the training to enable bank clerks to spot counterfeit money by focusing on genuine currency, we must know and clearly understand the true gospel of Jesus Christ to be able to spot the false. Today, I'll begin with the foundational principle of Jesus's Gospel from Scripture:

THE LOVE PRINCIPLE--Mark 12:30-31: "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these." (NKJ)

I recall a story written by a pastor about his church. As he witnessed the behavior of his congregants, he was dismayed by their self-centeredness and lack of love for one another, other Christians and unbelievers. In fact, what he saw was tribal behavior that actually manifested in hatred for anyone different that his church members. The only love he saw being expressed was human self-love. He made a decision to begin preaching on love each Sunday. This he planned to do until he saw some demonstrations of the genuine Godkind of love in his midst. He shared that he preached on love for so long that some members began leaving in search of "something new."

I think this is where some people have found themselves today. Looking for something new and exciting to keep our interest, we may become "cruiseamatics" looking for new experiences. There is nothing wrong, of course, in seeking new revelations of Christ and who we are in Him. As I look at my life, however, I tried to build my house before the foundation was dry.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CEMENT IS NOT DRY?

Jesus presents the parable of the sower in Mt. 13:1-9, which tells us that only "good ground" can produce fruit from the seed of the Word. All I knew throughout my life was human love and such love changed with conditions. Only the love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit can produce actions based on God's unconditional love.

I attended a small home group not long ago when the leader was sharing from the Book of Galatians, particularly the tendency we have to make alternative gospels. During the discussion several people made biased political comments in response to the teaching. My contrarian nature blurted out that politics have become an alternative gospel that takes us outside of love and causes us to judge, even denigrate, others. People were silent then but afterwards, as I spoke to someone over coffee, a former pastor was so enraged with what I said he could not even speak. We all think we are operating in love and are offended if someone indicates we could be otherwise.

David Brooks, New York Times columnist, PBS commentator and book author, makes one of my favorite statements: "The essence of evil is the tendency to denigrate the humanity of a person." Is this our alternative gospel of politics?