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Warning: “Another Gospel”

Recently we were startled to hear a prominent television evangelist make a strictly partisan political statement, claiming that his avowed political stance was “the Gospel.”
The following Scriptures speak of “another Gospel” which is a perversion of the Truth:

Galatians 1:6-9 KJV – “6 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.


2 Corinthians 11:4 KJV – “4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].

Amplified Version 2 Corinthians 11:4: “For you seem readily to endure it if a man comes and preaches another Jesus than the One we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you once received or a different gospel from the one you then received and welcomed; you tolerate all that well enough!”

The true Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus is the King of King’s and the Lord of Lords, Revelation 19:16. There is no salvation in any other:

Act 4:12 KJV – 12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Restoration of Israel

“Act 1:4-8 KJV – 4 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

When Was Israel Restored?

The Jews In the New Testament era were expecting the promised Messiah and the restoration of Israel. The Pharisees believed this would be a great conquering military man who would lead an army into a war that would deliver Israel from the power of Rome through carnal warfare. So they crucified their Messiah.

But the promised restoration was not to be through carnal warfare, but through the deliverance of salvation from their sins. Their big enemy was sin, not Rome; it was sin that caused death. Jesus had fully taught His disciples the Truth by demonstration of the power of the Spirit of the true Kingdom of God. Then they had watched in surprise as their Messiah submitted to the cross and was buried in a tomb. But they had also been surprised by His resurrection. He had truly triumphed, not merely over Caesar, but over death, hell and the grave.

A Forty-Day Seminar

After His resurrection, for forty days He taught them the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, (Acts 1:4). Now He is telling them to go to Jerusalem and “wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

This Didn’t Fit Their Template

But this wasn’t the scenario they thought was to be carried out. When was the Kingdom going to be restored to Israel? So Jesus gave them the answer, but not according to their questioning:

7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

His Way Worked!

Follow the story through the Book of Acts. They obeyed His command and were filled with the Holy Ghost. Jews from all over the earth were there to witness this miraculous event, Acts 2:5-11. But Peter, under the unction of the Holy Ghost, rose up to preach and to interpret for them what was happening. Read it in Acts 2:40.

He declares to them that the prophesy of David is being fulfilled. He quotes from the Psalms to show that Jesus is the promised Seed of David that would sit on the Throne of Israel, Acts 2:30-36. The Kingdom has been restored to Israel for they now have their eternal King upon the throne!

So What Happened to the Old Israel?

And the rest of the Book of Acts and the Epistles are the record of how that Kingdom was preached throughout the known world at that time, (Colossians 1:6, 23). The Kingdom was being filled with the Gentiles and all those Jews who would believe. Therefore they knew it was time for Jesus’ words concerning the end of the old order of the fleshly kingdom to end:

Matthew 24:14, 34-35 KJV – 14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. … 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

The old Jerusalem had become Sodom and Gomorrah when they crucified Christ, Revelation 11:8. The New Jerusalem, the Church, became the Bride of Christ and was bearing children to Him:

Galatians 4:25-31 KJV – “25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27 For it is written, Rejoice, [thou] barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.

30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

And even now, this New Jerusalem, the Church, the Bride of Christ, is ready to welcome all who will come;

Revelation  22:17, 20 KJV – 17 “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. … 20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus”.

The Re-Gathering of Israel

Is the modern state called “Israel” the fulfilling of Biblical prophecy regarding the re-gathering of the nation of Israel? Look what the Bible actually says about it:

It was foretold by the Old Testament Prophecies:

Genesis 49:10 KJV – 10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people [be]. [‘Shiloh’ means the Messiah, Jesus.]

Isaiah 11:10-12 KJV – 10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. 11 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” [This was fulfilled in Jesus as the Scriptures reveal.]

Even the Law allowed the “Stranger” to become as the natural born through faith:

Under the law, there were many who qualified as ‘Jews’ who were not necessarily of the genetic bloodline of Abraham, but followed his faith, and kept the Covenant :

Exodus 12:48-50 KJV – “48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. 50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.” [To “come near” means to become a naturalized citizen.]

Numbers 15:14-16 KJV – “14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever [be] among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do. 15 One ordinance [shall be both] for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth [with you], an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye [are], so shall the stranger be before the LORD. 16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.”

Jesus Birth Was In Fulfillment of These Promises

The angel’s message to Mary shows that Jesus’ birth was the fulfillment of prophecy :
Luke 1:31-33 KJV – “31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Luke 1:54-55 KJV – 54 “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”

Zecharias’ Prophecy:

Luke 1:68-74 KJV – 68 Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear.”

Devout Jews And Proselytes From Every Nation Witnessed the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit:

Acts 2:5-11 KJV – “5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

Jesus Gathered Together All of His Own

John 11:49-52 KJV – “49 And one of them, [named] Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.”

Ephesians 3:3-6 KJV – “3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”

Galatians 3:28-29 KJV – “28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The true Israel of God was, and is, gathered together in Christ! Beware of false pretenders!

The Remnant of Israel

Who Are “The Remnant” who escape the ‘Mark of the Beast’?

Revelation 19:20-21 KJV – “20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

“21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.”

The Remnant Were Slain

How were they slain? By the sword of the Rider Upon the White Horse, Revelation 19:11-16:   “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

“12 His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

“13 And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

“14 And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

“15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

What is this “sword” out of His mouth? Ephesians 6:17:  “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” 

The Rider on the White Horse is Jesus. The sword of His mouth is the Word of God.

Must we die to live?

Rom 8:10- “And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

“Col 3:3-6 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.”

2 Timothy  2:11:  “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him].”

JESUS IS THE TRUE VINE – ISRAEL

John 15:1-7 KJV:

“1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

For those who heard Him speak these words, the context was found in Isaiah 5:7:

Isa 5:7 KJV – 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

For more of the context read Isaiah chapter 5. Back in Isaiah’s time, Israel had become so corrupt that God was required to fulfill His covenant promises of dispersion and destruction.  For those who knew these Scriptures and the history of Israel, they knew that the prophesies of Isaiah 5 were fulfilled when the king of Assyria invaded and conquered the ten-tribe nation called ‘Israel’ in about 722-3 BC. Many were slain; many others taken captive and were settled in Assyria; while many of the Assyrians were transferred to the land previously occupied by the ten-tribe nation of ‘Israel,’ later known as ‘Samaria.’ This resulted in a mixture of the races which in New Testament times, the Jews called ‘Samaritans,’ not recognizing them as Israelites, but rather considering them gentile dogs.

Jesus was reminding His audience of what happened to the Israel of old when they turned away from God in flagrant disobedience when He said:

“If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned,” John 15:6.

 Tragically, multitudes of them refused to believe His warning and so men cast them into the fires of death, dispersion and destruction in 70 AD when Jerusalem was captured by the Roman armies. Millions were killed; almost another million were taken to Rome and sold as slaves, while millions more were dispersed throughout the world.

But for those who believed and heeded the words of Jesus; they were spared as a group and became the Church, the Body of Christ, the True Vine and went throughout the known world of that era, preaching and teaching the Kingdom of God in Christ.