A Gospel Message For Evangelists

A Gospel Message for Evangelists Hard Questions and Simple Answers for Modern Christian Teachers

Executive Summary Christian evangelists and teachers labor under serious misconceptions that encumber the delivery of their most important message – the gospel that Jesus taught and lived. This article answers the primary question that all evangelists should ask themselves. It provides an altar call, profession of faith, and commitment to action that will bring new and old converts into the new light of Jesus' Gospel.

Bob Hurt

by Copyright © 2007. All Rights Reserved 2460 Persian Drive #70 Clearwater, Florida 33763 USA +1 (727) 657-3754 http://bobhurt.com

4 September 2007

A Gospel Message for Evangelists

by Bob Hurt

Contents

A Hard Question for All Christians .......................................................................... 1 What is the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven?....................................................... 1 What Do the Scriptures Say about the Gospel? ...................................................... 2 Summary of the Main Teachings of Jesus.............................................................5 Spiritual Darkness and How to See the Light ......................................................... 6 Traditional Wrong Teachings............................................................................... 6 The Great Commission Versus the Atonement Doctrine......................................7 Philosophic Problems with Sacrificial Atonement ..........................................7 Divine Efforts to Eliminate Sacrifice .............................................................. 8 Obligation to Truth ..........................................................................................9 How to Bear Spiritual Fruit in Your Ministry ......................................................... 9 Our Nature Requires Us to Bear Spiritual Fruit .................................................. 9 How Can You Walk the Talk of Jesus?................................................................10 Answer the Call of the Gospel Today...................................................................... 11 Summary and Conclusion.......................................................................................12

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A Hard Question for All Christians Do you know the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus taught and lived? Would it surprise you to know that typical Christians do not? If you fancy yourself an evangelist, perhaps you can see the sense in learning the gospel before you decide to share it with others. Yes, you hard-core teachers, preachers, evangelists, deacons, elders, and Sunday School teachers out there, I address YOU.

What is the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven? Learn the actual gospel Jesus taught. Then share it with others as he did.. 1. What is the Kingdom of Heaven?

The kingdom of heaven consists in these three essentials: a. Recognition of the fact of the sovereignty of God; b. Belief in the truth of sonship with God; c. Faith in the effectiveness of the supreme human desire to do the will of God--to be like God. 2. What constitutes the Gospel, the actual “good news?”

a. By faith every mortal may have all the above essentials of salvation. b. In his teachings and his manner of living Jesus focused on the above points of the Kingdom of Heaven, and on the importance of “bearing spiritual fruit” in one’s life. He made it clear that eternal life comes automatically to those who embrace the gospel, and that high status in heaven comes to those who bear spiritual fruits. He plainly claimed that we must love God and our fellows, and forgive those who trespass against us. c. Jesus worked throughout his public ministry to encourage people to show our Heavenly Father’s wise and loving nature to others through the way we live our lives and treat others. He openly proclaimed that all of us have the status of “Sons of God.” He revealed through his own life that Sons of God, through sincerity, do grow spiritually ever more to resemble like their Heavenly Father. 3. Jesus and his apostles taught the following gospel principles:

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a. The kingdom of heaven exists here and now. b. By faith in the fatherhood of God you may enter the kingdom of heaven, thereby becoming the Sons of God. c. Love rules life within the kingdom--supreme devotion to God while loving your fellow as yourself. d. The law of the kingdom consists of obedience to the Father’s will, yielding the fruits of the spirit in one's personal life.

What Do the Scriptures Say about the Gospel? Recall these pivotal scriptures from the 1611 King James Bible: Matthew 5:14-16. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 6:9-15. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 10:42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. Matthew 18:1-6. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Page 2

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kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew 23:8-12. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Mark 9:33-40. And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me. And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part. Luke 12:42-44. And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. Luke 22:24-29. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they Page 3

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which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; Luke 10:25-28. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. Matthew 22:35-40. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Mark 12:28-34. And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. John 13:34-35. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Matthew 7:15-21 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Page 4

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wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission) Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Mark 16:14-19 (The Great Commission) Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Summary of the Main Teachings of Jesus As you can see from the red words, Jesus’ theme consisted of encouragement to: 1.

embrace one’s Sonship with God through childlike faith,

2. love God and one’s fellows, and 3. live loyally according to the Father’s will.

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Without question, Jesus commanded his followers in his “Great Commission” to teach his gospel and commands, not those of any other person.

Spiritual Darkness and How to See the Light Teachers, preachers, parents, and others try to help children form an understanding of human life and the universe we live in. In other words, they program children regarding their view of reality. If children behave as though they refuse to accept that view, others punish them. As children grow up, employers and governments continue programming them. By adulthood, a person has suffered sufficient programming or brainwashing by influential people so that they will reasonably fulfill society’s expectations. Unfortunately, many influencers program children badly, and continue that bad programming into adulthood. The new adults, badly programmed, then badly program others around them, including children. Go back to the scriptures above and read Matthew 18:1-6 several times, and ponder the meaning. Every adult has personal responsibility to act according to fact and reason, not according to bad programming. So, the angels do not let you off the hook if you continue to follow bad programming or if you badly program children or others around you. You must look to your own programming, and correct errors of the past, no matter how difficult. You have no choice unless you wish to plod through life like a robot or automaton doing the bidding of others without any sense of responsibility for yourself. What does this mean in the context of religious beliefs?

Traditional Wrong Teachings It means your teachers taught you wrongly if they taught you anything that differs from the above-rendered teachings of and by Jesus. First of all, they taught you that every word in the bible constitutes the word of God. But Jesus did not teach such an idea, and in fact, many times he rebuked the faulty interpretation of scripture. Modern science also rebukes some of the concepts about creation. Honest students will admit that the bible contains numerous apparent inconsistencies, contradictions, and errors of fact, and most of it reads like a collection of history lessons. Your teachers did not tell you to see the bible as a banquet table laid with a feast, and that you should not eat the plates and tablecloth or consume that part of the food prepared by ignorant, superstitious, primitive cooks. Second, they taught you that all of the authors of bible teachings had equal authority. They did not teach you that as our creator, Jesus had more authority than all of the other authors and teachers put together, and that you should believe him over all others, particularly over his deluded followers.

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The Great Commission Versus the Atonement Doctrine Read the Great Commission in the words of the last excerpts from Matthew and Luke above. They command the apostles to preach Jesus’ gospel and Jesus’ commands to every creature in every nation. They do not order the apostles to preach their own conflicting and conflicted ideas, nor those of people like Paul who never heard Jesus preach or teach. Unfortunately, many, if not most, Christian evangelists have forgotten the Great Commission in their rush to save souls. They have a long way to go before they learn to obey it. They tend to impress upon people the atonement doctrine - the idea that people have a sin nature inherited from Adam and Eve. They stress that only the blood of Jesus can wash away people’s sins if (and only if) people accept on faith that Jesus died on the cross sacrificially to save them from their sins. Most Christian evangelists fail to inform their flocks that the atonement doctrine flies in the face of both logic and Jesus’ direct, unequivocal teachings throughout his 4-year public ministry. Go ahead and search your red-word scriptures and you will find only three amorphous, oblique, indirect references to any such notions. The life and teachings of Jesus do not support the atonement doctrine. Should evangelists ignore the crystal clear gospel message of Jesus so as to embrace the pagan-origin atonement doctrine concepts of the efficacy of sacrifice?

Philosophic Problems with Sacrificial Atonement All such evangelists who have forgotten the real instructions in the Great Commission would do well to stay mindful of these facts: 1. Authority - Jesus taught his Gospel on orders from the Father himself. 2. Chronology - Jesus started teaching the Gospel early in his public ministry (see Matthew 5), but he did not mention his death till just a few months before it occurred; even then he told his apostles to keep quiet about it. Thus, the fact, nature, and manner of his death had nothing to do with the Gospel. 3. Abhorrence - Jesus abhorred sacrifice. He rejected sacrificial meat at his last Passover feast. He drove money changers and their associated sacrificial beasts out of the temple. He agreed that love means more than all the burnt offerings. And he instituted the bread and wine sacrament as a substitute and symbol in order to wean his apostles off the practice of sacrifice. 4. Logic and Consistency - Our immutable Heavenly Father would contradict himself had he ordered his children not to murder one another, and then ordered the murder of his own perfect son, a being nearly his equal, for the paltry sins of his other, wayward children. Our Heavenly

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Father does not, never has, and never will murder or conspire in the murder of his children. In spite of all tales to the contrary, our Heavenly Father has a loving, not a murderous nature. 5. Bribery - Even though God needs nothing that man could sacrifice to him, people have tended to sacrifice perfect, living creatures since before the times of Melchizedek in order to appease God. Such sacrifices amounted to nothing more than bold-faced bribes, for they served as an effort to buy God’s favor and forgiveness when God only wanted righteousness. No sacrifice ever could bribe God or stand as a substitute for righteous behavior. 6. Money - The priesthood perpetuated the sacrifice and tithing rituals in order to sustain priests who did no productive work, and to amass wealth. At the end of Jesus’ life on this world, the Temple rulers had the equivalent of 50 million dollars’ in the Temple treasury, and they used it to maintain an iron-fisted grip on Jewish society. They could, would, and did ostracize those who refused to pay tithes or Temple taxes and make ritual sacrifices, and it ruined their lives. 7. Alienation - Rather than drawing people to the gospel and the love of God and fellow man, the atonement doctrine alienates people and drives them away from the religion of Jesus. It makes children distrust and fear God. As just one example, the atonement doctrine and other practices that grew up around the mysteries of Jesus birth and death contributed mightily to the rise of Islam in the 7th century. For proof of this, Christian evangelists should take note of the negative comments the proponents of other religions offer about Christianity.

Divine Efforts to Eliminate Sacrifice Most Christians seem to have forgotten (if they ever knew) the monumental efforts made by great religious leaders to wean people from the practice of sacrificing creatures in an effort to bribe God for his favor. 1. Abraham would have murdered his own son Isaac in keeping with the pagan traditions of sacrificing the first-born son. 2. 500 years later, Moses finally eliminated the practice of giving up the firstborn son either to a sacrificial death or the priesthood. He did that by instituting the Ransom program whereby the father could pay a ransom to the priesthood in exchange for keeping the first-born son, and keeping him alive. 3. 1500 years later, Jesus finally eliminated the practice of animal sacrifice by replacing it with the bread and wine ritual.

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Obligation to Truth Christianity has retained more of the gospel truths than any other religion, but many Christians give the above “real” gospel short shrift because they have instead embraced Paul’s personal religious philosophy (the above atonement doctrine). The greatest imaginable benefit will come to the world if evangelists abandon the atonement doctrine once and for all and give new life to the original gospel of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus taught and lived. That act would breathe new life into Christianity and open Christianity to the embrace of nearly all religionists on this world. And it would constitute the only way to fulfill the Great Commission. Remember that the atonement doctrine frightens children and makes them think of God as untrustworthy and disloyal. A good evangelist should never tell anyone anything about the atonement doctrine, for it will only distract, confuse, and mislead. Besides, if Jesus had wanted us to propound Paul’s atonement philosophy, he would have clearly told us to do so. And, as you know, he did not.

How to Bear Spiritual Fruit in Your Ministry You can bear more spiritual fruit by focusing on the positive, ennobling, uplifting, encouraging teachings of Jesus, both in how you live and in how you teach others. “Spiritual fruit” means “demonstrate your nature as a Son of God through love, mercy, and ministry.” We start as children interested only in our own physical gratification. With proper guidance by adult associates, we mature into people who show our Heavenly Father’s loving, wise nature to others through the way we live.

Our Nature Requires Us to Bear Spiritual Fruit Just as a tree bears seasonal fruit in its maturity, so must we. We have that nature. Operating as a son or daughter of God requires bearing spiritual fruit. Both

John the Baptist, before Jesus, and the Apostle Paul, after Jesus, recognized this when they said:

Matthew 3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And as to your obligations to bring forth spiritual fruit, Jesus said this: Matthew 7:15-21 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening Page 9

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wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Evangelists should have the discernment to recognize the importance of spreading the good news of Jesus’ gospel of the kingdom of heaven even among today’s Christians, and among non-Christians as well. A good evangelist will do these things both in word and in personal living: 1. Remind fellow Christians of the sovereignty and love of God as our Heavenly Father, and encourage them to love him and seek to be like him. 2. Remind fellow Christians of their status as “sons and daughters of God,” and let them know that they have the obligation to show our Heavenly Father’s love and wisdom to others as brothers and sisters should. 3. Remind fellow Christians that their effort to know, love, and become like God amounts to a pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness, and that they must manifest those principles through love, mercy and ministry, just as Jesus did. 4. Tell fellow Christians that the more they strive to know, live, and become like God, the more they do reflect God’s wise and loving nature in their behavior and their relationships. 5. Tell fellow Christians of their single, most important purpose of life: to develop a well-balanced and majestic personality.

How Can You Walk the Talk of Jesus? To tell the truth, I suffered decades of twisted spiritual agony, unable to reconcile the concepts of Jesus’ teachings about God’s love with my Baptist preachers’ teachings about God’s hate, hell fire and damnation, and everlasting torture which I would experience if I did not believe Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sins. I had a hard time overcoming the prejudices jammed into my psyche by pulpitpounding preachers who exhorted me and others to accept the apostle Paul’s religious philosophy in the name of Jesus. They made me fear I would burn in hell, even though that idea defied the common sense teachings of Jesus.

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One day, I merely decided to start believing the direct, unequivocal teachings of Jesus himself, rather than those alternate teachings of his followers, including my parents, Sunday School teachers, preachers, and television evangelists. I restudied Jesus’s teachings. I took them to heart. I embraced them intellectually. After decades of suffering the browbeating of ignorant men and women who simply would not trust the red words of Jesus, I realized that I could live my religion, the religion of Jesus, much more easily if I focused on the spiritually delicious teachings in those red words. You can do the same. And you should, even if it scares you half to death. Then you should teach them to others with a new light of understanding.

Answer the Call of the Gospel Today If you have a fundamentalist Christian background, you can in your own mind, walk down the aisle of new understanding, and say to the Pastor of all pastors standing before the congregation: “Lord Jesus, I accept your original gospel as my own, and so with full faith, I wholeheartedly embrace my sonship with God. “I shall henceforth go about my life in devotion to our Heavenly Father’s will. “I shall let sincerity and devotion to truth, beauty, and goodness guide my steps. “I shall bear spiritual fruit by loving myself and others as our you and our Father love me, by ministering unselfishly, lovingly, and with common sense to my fellows, and by finding joy in every part of life. “I shall master self-restraint and propriety, and vigorously act when I should. “I shall grow in majesty and balance of personality. I shall grow in spiritual power. I shall become my soul in loyalty to the principles your spirit teaches me. “I shall lead others to you and your salvation through love, forgiveness, and unselfish, loving service.” You can say those words and mean them without violating any vestige of your Christian heritage or upbringing. You do not need to focus your attention on any uncomfortable negative feelings. You simply focus on the gospel Jesus taught and lived, and irreversibly decide to teach and live it yourself. Can you think of any reason not to do that this moment? Page 11

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Summary and Conclusion I have shown in this article, directly from the words of Jesus himself, the one authority all Christians should respect and follow, the true nature of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, the spiritual danger of teaching the atonement doctrine as though it constituted the gospel, and the importance of bearing spiritual fruit so as to develop a well-balanced and majestic personality. I have encouraged you, the Evangelist, to walk the talk of Jesus, and through your ministry to encourage others to do the same. I invite all feedback and comment, for the truths I have espoused herein can easily withstand honest investigation. Send feedback through my contact form at my web site or the mailing address on the title page. Meanwhile, I wish our Heavenly Father’s guidance and blessings on your ministry. Bob Hurt ###

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