The Gospel of Man

There is a growing theme in some “Christian” circles today that causes me great concern. The theme centers on man, and his purpose, rather than on God and His will. No longer do we hear prolific messages on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, the modern message today is the Gospel of Man.

Some of the buzzwords words associated with this man-centered gospel include, but are not limited to:

• success
• achievement
• accomplishment
• prosperity
• wealth
• goals
• health
• happiness
• objectives
• fulfillment
• satisfaction
• destiny
• affluence
• victory
• ambition

Scores of books, sermons and songs of our day focus on man, center on human beings, and concentrate on what we want to do and what we want to become with God’s help. Note that last phrase…with God’s help. That is the heart cry of many messages today. You can do it...with God’s help. You can succeed…if you will let God help you. Your destiny awaits you…if God is your guide. You will be rich…when you plant the right seed in the right ministry (which just so happens to be their ministry).

Various teachers and preachers of the church in America propagate the message that God is here to help us. The widespread followers of these preachers are convinced that God is our servant, and that He exists to make us happy, healthy, wealthy and wise.

Countless have reduced the Bible to a book of principles about success. Some have so humanized God that He has become nothing more than a benevolent grandfather who exists to help us prosper. The Gospel is no longer a message of sin; it is now a talk about self-fulfillment. Perhaps I am just super sensitive to the subject, but the more I read and listen to the modern day “preacher” the more I am repulsed by his message.

I have read the Bible through several times. I have studied several different books of the Bible through my years of preaching and teaching. If I have gained anything from reading and studying the Scripture it is this—the Bible is not about us, the Bible is about God.

How did we move so far away from the truth?

Allow me to take some space to bring to light some common biblical misrepresentations:

• The Bible does not say God sent His Son to make me successful. The Bible says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

  God’s Word does not teach that those who follow Christ will live a trouble-free, self-satisfying life. Instead, God’s Word says, “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:13).

  The Bible does not teach man’s purpose is to fulfill his destiny. The Bible teaches. “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…” (1 Peter 1:15).

  God’s Word does not teach that God is my spiritual advisor, available to guide me through life. God’s Word teaches, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord’” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

  The Bible does not teach that every human is basically good and desires to be spiritual. The Bible teaches, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23).
  

There are countless other spurious examples that could be sighted. Surely by now you get the point.

And what is the point?

For those of you who still do not get it, perhaps this will help:

• The Bible is not about us, the Bible is about God.

  The Bible is not about goals, the Bible is about faithfulness.

  The Gospel is not God’s plan for success; the Gospel is God’s plan of salvation.

  Jesus did not die for our destiny, Jesus died for our sins.
  

I just do not get it. And what amazes more than the false messengers preaching false messages, is the great numbers of misguided people falling for the counterfeit messages. What are these people thinking?

Ah, I may have just answered my own question by asking, “What are they thinking?” They are not thinking. Neither are they reading, praying and studying God’s Word. For if they were practicing these disciplines they would see the error of this heresy.

Recently I have had more than a few people tell me they like the way CrossPoint uses the Bible in worship and the way in which I refer to it so much in my preaching. The question I want to ask is, “What else is there to use?”

I dare you to do something extremely novel today. I dare you to read and study God’s Word to learn what it actually says, rather than listening to someone’s preconceived notions about what they think the Bible says. Perhaps if more people would do just that, less people would buy the next book or listen to the next sermon or sing the next song or attend the next seminar which glorifies man.