hearing the songs of a false gospel

The other day I attended a benefit concert at a church on the other side of town. The singer was a female folk artist/songwriter, She had grown up in the south during the civil rights era. I knew that the church and producers had a reputation for being on the evangelical left. So I was not surprised or upset that she also had such views. I simply expected an entertaining evening, which is exactly what she had brought. She apparently had a large secular following as a folk artist and also sang a few worship songs and described her faith. Her background was Baptist although she was greatly influenced by Roman Catholicism. In fact she said that Catholic writers had a great influence upon her devotional life.
One writer was an internationally famous Catholic poet named Thomas Merton. Merton I think, was a catholic monk. She decided to sing one of his prayers as a tribute to him.
The prayer opens with Mertons confession that he has absolutely no assurance of salvation. Yet in his despair he decides to place faith in the fact that he has a desire to please God and that his desire itself would somehow please God.
As usual this song was met with applause, however it startled me in the fact that it was a denial of the gospel.
First of all the Bible shows us how to have assurance of our salvation.
Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
1Jo 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
Secondly and even more important is the fact that we can not please God in of ourselves.
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But one may ask, what about the motivation of the Heart, doesn’t God desire that for his worship.
If our deeds are not good then are desires cannot be purely good either.
Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Besides our desires do not save us, only God’s Mercy.
Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
At the heart of this poem and performance is a false gospel. Earlier in the show the singer shared a song she wrote. The song asked why good men were killed. She sang of Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King, then she sang of Jesus. She confessed in her song that he was the Son of God, but she described his death as a meaningless murder.
But that is not the Gospel! Jesus was not simply a victim. He was preordained to be a sacrifice for our sin and take penalty of sin for us.
Joh 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Act 3:17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.
Act 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
The Gospel is about how Jesus has given us his righteousness so that we are now judge righteous in God’s sight and we can enter heaven.

Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Phi 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Phi 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

I have no doubt that the folk singer and Merton were strongly devoted to God. I have no doubt that they believed in the deity and resurrection of Christ. But if they did not accept his sacrifice on the cross then how could they receive his forgiveness?
Their telling of the gospel is maimed and missing key elements. The Apostle Paul warns us however that there is only one gospel and only it can save.

Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Gal 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 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.
Gal 1:9 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.
Notice in verse seven, Christians are not seduced by a purely different gospel just one where the story is twisted a little. The end result is to be “accursed” meaning to burn in Hell.
There any distortion of the gospel will not save, but condemn.
I bring up this subject not to condemn these types of people. I bring up this subject because these people need life. Today in America, as in the entire world there are millions people who believe in Jesus, but do not understand the gospel enough to be saved.
In the past many Bible believers assumed liberal Christians to be believers with a different point of view. Many though came to the conclusion that what they teach is not Christianity. While many others have joined along. But, what I am suggesting is that these people need Jesus too.
It is a shame that these people come so close to the truth without receiving. We need to stop grimacing at heresy, and start healing the sinner. If a man has a sprain in his ankle and he can barely walk to you simply let him fall to the ground repeatedly or do you help him up and maybe give him a leg brace. We need to brace these Christians with the truth and not let them live out a deadly lie.
So many people would believe the truth if someone just told them.
And if there is anyone out there who knows of Jesus, but does not know for certain if they really are going to make it to heaven when they die let me give you the following instructions.

A. Rely upon the authority of the Bible because it is God’s Word
B. Admit that you have not completely followed God’s law and that throughout your life you have been guilty of sin/evil deeds
C. Trust that Jesus really is who he says he is: The Son of God, God in human flesh. The Messiah of the Jews who was born of a virgin, healer of the sick, and that he really died on the cross and he physically died and physically arose from death and he literally ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father.
D. Believe that Jesus died for your sins personally
E. Ask for Him to forgive you sins
F. Ask that God would give you though Holy Spirit to change your heart and life
G. Surrender to Him as your Lord.
H. Trust that Jesus has indeed saved your soul.
I. Follow Him by reading the Bible, and joining a Bible believing church, and being baptized in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

I may right articles more specific on salvation later. But remember, tell the Gospel of Christ to people and make sure that you tell it correctly!