Is Paul's Gospel Different?

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You either explain it, or you explain it away.
I recently heard a radio program where a gentleman proceeded to tell his audience that there is no difference between the gospel of Peter, John, James, and Paul.
He saw absolutely no difference.
So, in turn, what I did is send him an email asking him to show me in the book of James, I said, Hey, I'll make it easy for you, we're just going to start with the book of James, we'll get to Peter and John later, but right now, since you made your claim that in all of the Bible, there is only one gospel, then here's your chance to prove it.
And I even copied and pasted the entire book of James, and I suggested to him that all he had to do was to copy and paste the verse or verses that he has found in the book of James that line up with Paul's gospel.
You know, since they're the same and all.
Well, what do you think happened?
Did I get an email back showing where James preached the same gospel as Paul?
Of course not.
Why not?
Well, because James did not preach Paul's gospel.
And this guy is wrong on so many levels, it's hard to know where to start.
I simply asked him to show me just one place where James preached Paul's gospel, and he failed to do so.
What he did decide to do is to take up 30 minutes of his program, claiming that during the 30 minutes, he would address this listener question and show us all where James preached the same gospel that Paul did, but instead of using a direct approach by just going to the book of James and telling us what chapter and what verse can we all get our Bible out and turn to, to find Paul's gospel, instead of that, he decided to do a little circular reasoning and just talk it away.
You see, you either explain it, or you explain it away.
This guy should be concerned.
He should be concerned that he cannot pick up his Bible, go to the book of James, and find Paul's gospel.
And if he's going to make claims such as, James preaches of the same gospel Paul did, he should be able to back it up with God's word.
You see, what he's used to is people just nodding their head and shouting hallelujah and amen at him, but I wanted him to back his claim with Bible evidence.
Paul's gospel is that Christ died for and rose for everyone's every sin.
1 Corinthians 15 verses 3 and 4.
And where might I find that in the book of James?
Paul's gospel proclaims that Christ satisfied God by being made sin for us, 2 Corinthians 5:21, and where is that in the book of James?
Paul's gospel says God has reconciled the world unto himself and is no longer counting our sins against us, 2 Corinthians 5:19.
And yes, you guessed it, that's absent from the book of James.
What he doesn't seem to get is Paul preached what I just read, not James.
Paul preached the gospel that saves today, not James.
And now that we see what James did not preach, let's see what he did preach.
First of all, James preached law doctrine, not grace.
He preached the law that we're not even under today.
He said, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
And listen to James in James chapter 2, starting with verse 21, Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou, how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
And the scripture was fulfilled, which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.
You see then how that by works, a man is justified and not by faith only.
Now just how hard is it to get these easy to understand words penned here by the Apostle James?
James was a great writer.
This is real clear.
His audience is not justified by faith only, just believe what you read without coloring it with your tradition.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
James is clearly telling that James 1:1 audience, which is by the way, the twelve tribes of Israel, faith only would not save you, faith only would not save, and that's made clear by the Apostle James.
Now this radio preacher also said, James is not talking about being saved, he's talking about what you do after you're saved.
Where do you see that?
James is clearly talking about salvation.
Listen, no one is saved if they're not justified, that's what James plainly said here, justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar.
He was not justified by faith alone.
It was faith alright for a man to go and offer his son, but it was not faith alone.
Don't try to change the context, be honest with your audience.
And in stark contrast, if you believe the words on the page of your Bible, listen to this, Romans 4:5, Paul says, To him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
To him that worketh not.
Worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Meanwhile, you can do a survey at your church asking how to be saved, and you'll get a bucket full of contradictory answers.
And if you think you'll get the same answer from everyone, you're sadly mistaken.
Do a survey, ask them how to be saved, do it one on one, don't let them hear what each other is saying, and see how many answers you get, see how many ways they'll give you to salvation.
But hey, there's only one way.
There's only one way to salvation, and it's through faith in the finished crosswork of Christ.
Salvation is not found in a physical action on your part.
Salvation is found only by your faith in the finished crosswork.
And salvation is no longer found through believing in his name.
In the name of Christ.
You can say, I love the Lord with all my heart.
You can say, I gave my heart to the Lord.
You can say, I was water baptized, walked the aisle for Jesus, confessed my sins daily to be forgiven, and you can say, I believe Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, and trust in his name all you want to, but until you acknowledge the finished crosswork of Christ, and that he accomplished everything needed for your soul salvation, you're lost.
You're lost in unbelief, unbelief that that was enough.
You see, most in church today don't believe that was enough.
They believe in it, they believe in the cross, but they don't believe it was enough.
They believe in the cross plus an action.
The cross plus opening up their mouth and saying some words, confessing their sins, asking for forgiveness, turning from their sins, church membership, water baptism, and they believe you can lose your salvation, which would mean that you would have to do something to get it back.
Well then, that makes salvation part you, part God.
Now consider this, if Peter, James, and John preach the same gospel as Paul, what book chapter and verse might I go to, to find the quote, "Rapture?"
Where can I go in their books to find the rapture?
Point me to it so I can turn in my Bible and find the 1 Thessalonians 4:17 catching away.
You see, last week I issued a challenge, and listen, this challenge is for anyone.
This challenge could be for you.
I issued a challenge last week for those who claim that John preaches the same gospel as Paul, to send me one verse, just one, showing where Paul tells the body of Christ to confess your sins to get 'em forgiven.
And no one has yet to find that verse, and while I understand it's only been a week, hey, I'll give it two weeks, I'll give it a month, I'll give it two years, but guess what, I will have still yet to receive that email or phone call because it's not there.
So, let me see if I've got this right.
It's in John's gospel, not Paul's, but you say they preach the same thing.
Incredible.
Oh, but Paul's preaching the same gospel.
No he's not.
And hear me well, the days are over for you convincing others of your error.
Oh, there'll always be a few blind sheeple that'll tag along behind you, no matter what comes out of your mouth.
But as Bob Dylan once said, The times they are a changing.
People are longing for truth like never before and they're going to find it with or without you.
Now, while we continue to wait for someone to answer my challenge from last week, let's move on to this week's challenge.
This week's challenge is, what book, chapter, and verse can you point me to, where I can turn in my Bible, and find the 1 Thessalonians 4:17 catching away.
Apart from Paul's letters, please show me where I can go and find the quote, "Rapture."
Is it not the gospel that God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ?
1 Thessalonians 5:9?
Is it not the gospel that we're awaiting for Jesus to deliver us from the wrath to come 1 Thessalonians 1:10?
Yes, everything we just mentioned is the gospel, the good news, and everything we just mentioned is from the pen of Paul.
This is what Christ told him to write to us, and you claim that there's no difference between Paul's gospel and the gospel of Peter, James, or John.
Okay, then surely you're going to accept my challenge, email, write, or phone me, and correct me by showing me where they, like Paul, tell us of this outstanding, this fantastic wonderful news of our departure and escape from the wrath to come.
You see, the reason these challenges I put forth go unanswered is, they're not there.
You can't find them outside of Paul's gospel with a dozen boy scouts, a Sherlock Holmes magnifying glass, and a seven day head start.
If you'll only study without prejudice, you'll quickly see that the twelve apostles knew nothing of the catching away.
Jesus taught them, and Jesus later taught Paul, however he did not teach them of any such thing.
They weren't taught about the rapture.
There were Ephesians 3:8, many unsearchable riches that he only later revealed to Paul.
One day you're going to decide to believe the Bible and stop parroting what you've heard.
Some don't like to hear this, but facts are facts nonetheless.
The twelve were always without exception looking for Christ to return to earth.
Not once will you find where they were ever looking to go anywhere.
They were looking for Christ to come back and set up his kingdom, the one they had been promised.
You know, the twelve apostles sitting on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
There was no need for them to be caught up in the air, their kingdom's going to be on earth.
It's just this simple.
If neither Peter, James, or John preached it, they didn't preach the same gospel as Paul.
How about that?
This is Truth Time Radio, I'm Trey Searcy.
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Kevin writes, I had a question.
I myself believe in eternal salvation but my brother does not.
What would be your recommended rebuttal towards the situation?
Can someone who is saved lose their salvation if they blaspheme the Holy Spirit, since that is the only sin that is not forgivable?
Also, my brother who believes people can lose their salvation, loves to bring up the fact of people's names being blotted out of the book of life.
What would your response to that be?
And what is your response to someone who claims that a person can lose their salvation based on the New Testament verse, You should work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
I would sincerely appreciate your response to these questions, and I am an adamant believer seeking the truth.
Well, Paul says, Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
So let's put that to the test.
Let's see if we, through the pen of Paul, can find some information here, some information that will help you to fend your faith, Titus 1:9, and convince the gainsayers.
I've been involved in Christian ministry in one way or the other for about 26 years now, in television and radio.
And loss of salvation has been a very troublesome question for many.
The problem is, loss of salvation and eternal security are both in the same Bible.
This is why it's an absolute necessity that we rightly divide the word of truth.
You see, the word of truth is not the Bible.
The Bible is words of truth, but that's not what Paul refers to when he says the word of truth in 2 Timothy 2:15.
When we simply allow the Bible to be its own dictionary, we quickly see that the quote, "word of truth," is quote, "the gospel of your salvation."
There's our answer.
The word of truth is not the entire Bible as some would have us to believe.
How do we know this?
By letting the Bible be its own dictionary, Ephesians 1:13, and it's there that we find what God says, what God says the word of truth means.
What a concept.
Listening to God instead of man for a change.
Now here's your definition of the word of truth, Ephesians 1:13, In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
So, when we connect the dots and put it all together, we understand that to rightly divide the word of truth means to rightly divide the gospel of your salvation, meaning, there has to be more than one gospel of salvation found in scripture.
The god of this world, through man's vain tradition and his religious establishments, denominational divisions and so on, they've muddied the waters claiming there is only one gospel in the Bible.
Not so as we just proved.
So, now that we have a proper premise, a firm foundation to build from, here is some ironclad scriptural evidence for you to present to your brother, and the only way he'll miss it is if he does it on purpose.
Now, one of your questions was, Can someone who has saved, lose their salvation, if they blaspheme the Holy Spirit, since that is the only sin that is not forgivable?
Okay, prior to Paul, yes, but now, no.
Listen to Paul's words carefully, 1 Timothy 1:12, And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause, I obtained mercy that in me first, Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter, believe on him to life everlasting.
Did you catch that?
In verse 13, Paul confesses that he was a blasphemer, and in verse 16 he says that he was the first to be forgiven for blasphemy, which before was not forgivable as you correctly said.
And it's also noteworthy to see that a new pattern began with Paul, and that's why he wrote, For a pattern to them which should hereafter, believe on him to life everlasting.
We are the quote, "them," and the quote, "hereafter," is now.
I remember when a caller once told me that, while Paul says he was a blasphemer, he does not say he was a blasphemer of the Holy Ghost.
But what the caller missed is what Paul does say.
Paul said in verse 15, He was chief of sinners.
You wouldn't call yourself chief of sinners unless you were guilty of the most egregious sin known to mankind.
In a group of natives, they have a chief, meaning highest rank.
So, Paul says that when it comes to sinners, he was the highest ranking sinner of them all.
Those who commit the unforgivable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
No one at that time had done more damage to the Jewish church than the notorious Saul of Tarsus.
Consider this, 2 Corinthians 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
It's important to note that Paul did not say that Christ was made to be sin for us, except for the sin of blasphemy.
No, Christ was made to be all sin, and that's why he told us we've been forgiven of all sin, Colossians 2:13.
All means all, and there's simply no denying that.
Unto your next question you say, My brother who believes people can lose their salvation, loves to bring up the fact of people's names being blotted out of the book of life.
Well, the book of life is for those who will be judged here on earth, and has nothing to do with the members of the body of Christ.
And you ask, What is your response to someone who claims that a person can lose their salvation, based on the New Testament verse, you should work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
My response would be, we're not saved by works of any kind at any time, Romans 3:27, 4:5, 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Timothy 1:9, and Titus 3:5.
And in fact, the Bible is clear in that anyone who thinks their works play a part in their salvation are, quote, "under a curse," Galatians 3:10.
Philippians 2:12, you see, that's the verse your brother refers to.
And he does so because, well, more than likely he's only parroting what he's heard.
Here Paul writes, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Question: What is the opposite of out?
That's right, in.
You can't work it out if it's not already in.
Paul is speaking to people who are already saved, and he's simply telling these saved Philippians to demonstrate it by doing good works, by working it out.
The main focus, the main work would be for saved people to go out and proclaim Paul's gospel to the lost, and we know that it's God's will that all are saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth, 1 Timothy 2:4.
And what work would they need to do first before doing this, before going out and speaking forth the gospel?
Study to show themselves approved unto God, a workman that rightly divides Paul's gospel, the gospel that saves today from the previous gospel.
The reason Paul says to do it with, quote, "Fear and trembling," is because they could suffer loss, not loss of salvation, but loss of reward.
Let's support what I said with Scripture.
1 Corinthians 3:15, If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.
Loss of salvation, Paul?
No, keep reading, But he himself shall be saved.
So, why did Paul write for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling?
So that at the judgment seat of Christ, we don't suffer loss of reward, verse 14.
It has nothing whatsoever to do with losing your salvation.
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