Preaching the Gospel in a Pluralistic World
December 20, 2006
Pastor Matt Black
Midweek Service
Galatians 1:6-9
Introduction: Open your Bible to Galatians 1:6-9. The title of tonight’s message is “Preaching the Gospel in a Pluralistic World”. We must realize that America can no longer be considered in any way whatsoever as a Christian country. We are now part of a pluralistic world. Pluralism is the exact opposite of the Gospel of Jesus Christ who said in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
We must not stand by when the world says there are many ways to heaven. We must be ready to give an answer! Look at our text in Galatians 1:6-9, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
What is the Gospel? The Gospel or good news is that we can be reconciled to God exclusively through Jesus Christ. There is no other way! He is the only way. That’s the Gospel. But Paul says “there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” He further says “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Friends there are still some that “trouble” us!
Clark Pinnock has said there are “various paths to Jesus Christ," and said many pagans already belong to God's kingdom. He said God's standard of judgment is the individual's "participation in Christ's loving way of life which manifests itself in the service of others."[1]
On June 20th of last year (2005), Joel Osteen, the pastor of the 30,000 member Lakewood Church of Houston, Texas, appeared with Larry King on CNN and was asked by King if atheists go to heaven. His answer was, "I'm very careful about saying who would and wouldn't go to heaven. I don't know." When asked then if Jews or Muslims don't believe in Christ they must be wrong, answered, "Well, I don't know if I believe they're wrong." And, when asked if he calls them 'sinners' he stated, "I don't…it's a word I don't use."
Billy Graham is the prophet of modern evangelicalism. Though he is a false teacher, he has been looked up to by many if not most professing Christian churches today. When asked what is the future of Christianity, he answered, “the Body of Christ…comes from all the Christian groups around the world, [and] outside the Christian groups. I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether they're conscious of it or not, they're members of the Body of Christ…. [God is] calling people out of the world for His name, whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world or the non-believing world, they are members of the Body of Christ because they've been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don't have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think that they are saved, and that they're going to be with us in heaven.”
On June 16th of this year (2006), Rick Warren, author of the best seller book “Purpose Driven Life” (sold 25 million copies) preached at the Jewish Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California. Ron Wolfson, the dean of education at the University of Judaism asked Warren to come to an “interfaith exchange” and preach at the Temple—not about the way of salvation, but on the “new religious awakening”.[2] Did you catch that? Any religious awakening is ok for Warren!
These attitudes are called inclusivism, as opposed to “exclusivism” that Jesus Christ is the exclusive way of salvation. These men teach and promote something entirely different. Graham is the mover and shaker of previous generations. He had more influence of propounding a false gospel than any person in the history of America. Pinnock is dangerous because he is influencing people in our schools and seminaries. Osteen and Warren are now looked up to by many people as the latest church growth gurus. All of them have one thing in common! They deny the Gospel!
I’ll say it again—Paul says “there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” He says “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Friends these men are some that “trouble” the Christian church with a false Gospel!
Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to the Father. Let me repeat again the words of Jesus Christ in John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
It is no wonder that at places like Promises Keepers, Mormons and Jehovah’s witnesses are invited and participate. Modern churches are blurring the lines of the Gospel. Jesus is the only way.
Having said that, would you know how to talk to someone who believed differently? I want to look at three groups tonight, and how you should evangelize them. This is just a brief survey, but in our pluralistic age, we must be “ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”.
The three groups are Mormons, JWs, and Muslims.
1. Let’s look first at Mormons. Mormons are most well known as “Latter Day Saints” (LDS).
i. Smith taught that Adam is God the Father.
ii. He taught Polygamy. The official LDS church record says this man had 33 wives! Smith was a whoremonger! The Bible says something about this.
Ephesians 5:5, “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
iii. Smith died “in a gun battle in which he fired a number of shots. He was in jail at the time, under arrest for having ordered the destruction of a Nauvoo newspaper which dared to print an exposure (which was true) of his secret sexual liaisons. At that time he had announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States, set up a secret government, and secretly had himself crowned ‘King of the Kingdom of God.’”
i. God the Father was once a man like us and progressed until he became God. In reality the Book of Mormon says God has always been God from eternity to eternity (Mosiah 3:5; 2 Nephi 27:23, 29:9; Moroni 7:22, 8:18; Mormon 9:9, 19).
Joseph Smith said: "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! ... I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see .... (MD, p. 321).
ii. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are separate and distinct gods.
iii. God the Father had a father.
... there is "a God above the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ .... Hence if Jesus had a Father, can we not believe that he had a Father also?" (MD, p. 322).
iv. We can progress and become Gods with "all the power, glory, dominion, and knowledge" the Father and Son have.
v. Mormons believe that matter is eternal and all Jesus Christ did in his creation was to organize and form it.
vi. God is married and there is a mother in heaven.
I’ll say it again—Paul says “there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” He says “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Friends the Mormons are the some that “trouble” the Christian church with a false Gospel!
Mormons believe that you must be good to get to heaven. They teach a works salvation. To bring a Mormon to Christ, you must give law to the proud and grace to the humble.
2. Now let us look at so-called “Jehovah’s Witnesses”.
You might also bring them to Isaiah. Isaiah tells us that Jehovah is the First and the Last! Look at Revelation 1:17-18, “I am the first and the last: 18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. You might ask: When did God die?
3. Now let us turn to Muslims. Muslims say they believe Christ is a prophet, but they deny the Scriptures and the resurrection. They believe the Bible has been corrupted. Again, you need to go through the commandments and ask them who will atone for their sin?
Conclusion: Are you ready to preach the Gospel in a pluralistic world? Paul says “there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” He says “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Brethren, are you preaching the Gospel of Christ?
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Closing Hymn: 46 Crown Him With Many Crowns
[1] http://home.hiwaay.net/~contendr/2000/2-15-2000.html Accessed Dec. 20, 2006.
[2] http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=16012 Accessed 20 Dec 2006.
[3] Gospel Principles, pre-1986 editions, pages 291-293 and Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce R. McConkie and published by Bookcraft (Salt Lake City, Utah)