How can we know if someone is preaching a false Gospel?
Before determining if the true Gospel is being preached, the first priority is knowing what the true Gospel is. The following points outline the Gospel:
• Christ is God (John 1:1–3, 14).
• Christ was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life (Matt. 1:23, 1 Peter 1:19, Luke 23:47).
• Christ died on the cross for our sins, not His own (Isaiah 53:4–6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18).
• Christ rose after three days and now sits at the right hand of God making intercession for the saints (Luke 24:6–7, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25).
• We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by works (Ephesians 2:8–9).
• Christ is God (John 1:1–3, 14).
• Christ was born of a virgin and lived a sinless life (Matt. 1:23, 1 Peter 1:19, Luke 23:47).
• Christ died on the cross for our sins, not His own (Isaiah 53:4–6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:18).
• Christ rose after three days and now sits at the right hand of God making intercession for the saints (Luke 24:6–7, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25).
• We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by works (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Six More Ways to Know
Once we establish what the true Gospel is, we can learn better how to discern if someone is preaching a false Gospel:
1. Are they preaching another Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4)? If so, stay away.
1. Are they preaching another Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4)? If so, stay away.
2. We ought to imitate the Bereans who checked the Scriptures to see if Paul was speaking accurately (Acts 17:11). If the Bereans checked even the Apostle Paul, we certainly need to be checking what modern-day evangelists are saying.
3. We should study the Scriptures so as not to be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). Are we verifying what the evangelist is preaching with what the Bible says? If not, we may one day be ashamed before God.
4. Christ told the Jews to search the Scriptures to learn of Him (John 5:39). Is the evangelist digging into the Scriptures?
5. Christ expounded the Scriptures to the disciples in Luke 24:44–49, saying the Scriptures concerned Him. Is Christ in the evangelist’s message? Is he expounding on the Scriptures—comparing Scripture with Scripture? Remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
6. Is the “evangelist” adding to or taking away from the word of God (Rev. 22:18–19)? If so, it’s a dangerous place to be.
Bottom Line
We can know if someone is preaching the true Gospel if we first know what the true Gospel is as revealed in the Scriptures. Then, we can examine what they are preaching by the word of God.
END
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Author: Jerry S., Pastor, OLBC
Author Bio: Jerry is a bi-vocational missionary pastor-teacher and an avid writer on practical theology currently residing in the Philippines. He has a wide range of experience and education from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields and writes articles, blogs, devotions, e-books, academic papers, and more.
Photo by: Kevin Gonzalez on Unsplash
________
Author: Jerry S., Pastor, OLBC
Author Bio: Jerry is a bi-vocational missionary pastor-teacher and an avid writer on practical theology currently residing in the Philippines. He has a wide range of experience and education from bachelor to doctorate degrees in various fields and writes articles, blogs, devotions, e-books, academic papers, and more.
Photo by: Kevin Gonzalez on Unsplash
