BEWARE OF COUNTERFEIT GOSPEL

GALATIANS 1:6

A. NEVER BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST HAS THERE BEEN GREATER DANGER TO THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST TO BE MISLED AS THERE IS TODAY
  1. The very atmosphere seems to be filled with 'lo here and lo there' announcements by opposing religionists:
  2. Our Lord and Paul, both, warn us against what we see and hear today: Matt. 24:23; Acts 20:28-34
B. OUR TEXT STATES PLAINLY THAT THERE WILL BE A COUNTERFEIT GOSPEL
  1. Preached by Satan's agents: 2 Cor. 11:13-15
  2. Supported by miracles and lying wonders: 2 Thess. 2:9-11; Rev. 13:13, 14
  3. This gospel attracts untold numbers of misguided souls to its lying message: Matt. 24:24; Rev. 13:8; Matt. 7:13, 14
  4. A counterfeit gospel offers to the world:
    1. A counterfeit Christ - Matt. 24:24
    2. A counterfeit sacrifice - 1 Cor. 10:15-18
    3. Counterfeit rituals - 2 Tim. 4:1-6; Mark 7:7-13
    4. A false hope - 2 Pet. 2:10-22; Luke 13:25-29; Matt. 7:21-26
  5. Objective of this gospel:
    1. To lead men to disregard and disobey God's law - 1 John 2:4- 7; Isa. 30:8, 9
    2. To use the influence and means of the deceived against God and His Word.
    3. To lead large numbers to final doom and destruction - Matt. 7:13, 14
    4. This deception is universal - Rev. 12:9
    5. Satan works with renewed effort to do the dirty work because he knows that he has very little time left to finish his work - Rev. 12:12
C. HOW WE MAY PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST THIS COUNTERFEIT GOSPEL
  1. Know the Word of God; that is as fundamental as life itself; ignorance is blindness, and blindness exposes us to anything: Matt. 22:29; Isa. 29:13
  2. Apply God's rule to all claims made in the name of religion - "To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20
    1. God's law is a revelation of God's eternal will, binding upon all morally responsible persons - Ex. 20:3-17; Eccl. 12:13, 14
    2. By it is the knowledge of sin - Rom. 3:20; 7:7; 1 John 3:4
    3. Christ's attitude toward that law was plainly foretold in prophecy; and plainly stated when He was in this world - Isa. 42:19-21; Ps. 40:8; Matt. 5:17-20; Luke 16:17; Matt. 22:34-38
    4. John states how we know whether the claims to truth made by anyone are true - 1 John 2:4-7; Rev. 14:12; 22:14
  3. Avoid being carried away:
    1. By eye appeal - Rev. 13:9-11; 17:1, 2; 2 Thess. 2:9-11
    2. Easy entrance - This is important because the nominal churches have lowered their standards of church membership and many are ready to make it easy for people to join.
    3. Large numbers - here is another catch for the uninformed, but heed the words of Christ - Matt. 7:13, 14; 21-26; Luke 12:32; Rev. 13:3
    4. Enjoyment of the things the world has to offer, without paying any attention to the warning of the world against worldliness - 1 John 2:15, 16


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