What are you accountable for?

Let’s take time to retrospect some questions which are crucial for you and me to answer. They are as given below:

For Pastors & Church Leadership team:

• What are you accountable for? Define what that means to you?
•  What keeps you in check to be accountable?
•  What are your Church members accountable for? 
•  What are the areas you are holding them accountable as a pastor? (A serious question)

For Church Members:

·      What excites you about Church?

·      How would you like to define your Christian experience?

·      What do you think you are accountable for? 

·      How have you responded to Christ’s Mission call?

·      How many people you have led to Christ in your entire lifetime?

Answering the above questions will give you a perspective of the purpose for your existence.

For many, Christian life is a feel-good factor of going to Church regularly, having fellowship with believers and participate in random activities. If this is the Christian life we are used to, then we are to be pitied. Our understanding has totally ruined our existence as a child of God and believer of God. We are mere “Christians” in religious connotation as misled since Constantine’s period until now. Most of the believers meet week after week as walking spiritual zombies with no life and accountability.

The Gospels emphasize three broad areas we need to be accountable as Christians. They are as given below:

1.        Proving to His disciples that He had indeed risen from the dead — the foundation of the new faith. 

2.        Helping His disciples understand the “big picture” — the kingdom, and

3.        Entrusting to His disciples the Great Commission — the “mission of the church.”

 

The definition of Christians in Acts 11:25, “… the disciples were first called Christians”, tells us that it was the disciple makers who were called as Christians. Today, we have disconnected the disciple makers and Christians into separate entities. However, the Bible emphasizes the priority of these two by mentioning the word ‘disciple’ for 260 times and word ‘Christian’ for only three times in the New Testament.

John the Baptist who was the voice in the wilderness preparing the way for Jesus, himself had the struggle to comprehend if Jesus was the Messiah. John’s misunderstanding had an impact on his disciples.  Mark 2:18 - 'Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees, were fasting. People came and asked him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but your disciples do not fast?”. They fasted when the Messiah was already among them. With all of John’s knowledge and experience with Jesus, he still made an error in discipling. 

We too are like John’s disciples, “I fast twice in a week, and pay tithes regularly.” Luke 18:12. The schedules take precedence to having a relationship with Jesus. Jesus Himself gives a view on this, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.” Mark 2:19-20. It was these very rituals which blinded the people to see the Messiah right before them, to the point that the synagogue wanted Jesus to be a passive member.

The word of God holds us accountable right form Genesis. Let’s analyze some questions raised by God:

First Question - Where are you? Gen 3:9

When man was not in the right place, God’s voice looked for him and held him accountable. You are not that independent that you can live devoid of God. 

Second Question - Where is your brother?  Gen 4:9

Posed to Cain when his brother Abel was missing. God held him accountable for his brother. Similarly, each of us are accountable for our brothers, referring to our blood relationship. Remember when the demon possessed from Gerasenes was restored, God commanded him to go the family and to his own people and report what the Lord has done for him, Mark 5:19. The mission starts from your home. 

Third Question - Where are the nine? Luke 17:17

The example of 10 lepers. When only one out of the nine returned to thank Jesus, He did not just express His surprise but held him accountable for the nine who did not return with him.

Dear pastors this is for you. The Bible holds you accountable for the flocks entrusted to you.

Fourth Question - Where is the flock entrusted to you?  Jeremiah 13:20

You are not responsible to fence your flock so much so that they don’t yield nothing except that your church treasury is taken care. Don’t fence so much that they lose Christ’s mission forever. Here is what William Mcknight former CEO of 3M stated concerning the people. “If you put fences around people, you get sheep.”.

We all are accountable to carry out the purpose of Christ coming to this earth. Luke 18:10 “For the son of man has come to seek and to save the lost.”. Are you doing the same or are you yet to align your accountability to God? It’s time to retrospect.

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Taking Stock of our results 2024!

If I were to ask you some of the significant results of your faith in Christ Jesus and the outcome of your commitment to Church activities, I am not sure if I am prepared for all the answers. Faith in Christ has become a set of schedules or just the fact you are called a Christian. Christian life is shaped in the form of attending Church on Sunday, being part of fellowships, pay your tithes, have tea parties but what is the result of all of this?

Commenting to one of my Christian blogs that I referred to the ABC (Attendance, Building and Cash) Model through which we usually measure the success of our Church, my friend from Zambia stated how Christendom has misunderstood the true result of being a Christian today. He said, “Today’s Church is also related with three B’s as in Buildings, Banks & Bodies (as a membership of success in ministry).”. This is recognized as success and receive admiration for churches where it’s a matter of biological, generational membership rather than new converts through discipling.

Today’s Christians are excited with entertainment over results. We are carried away by the Pastor, the worship team, the musicians, the church activities, the buildings, the pulpit and the Church facility rather than expected results of the true concept of Church. We have become neither the Salt (Matt 5:13) nor the light (Matt 5:14) of the earth. Forget about becoming a little leaven (Gal 5:9), fragrance (2 Cor 2:15) dragnet (Matt 13:47-50) and many other examples the Bible refers to in terms of Christ Mission to the world.

For people who take their Mission seriously, they want big, specific outcomes... not just random ideas and inspiration. Sure, listening to your favorite Pastors, podcasts, scavenging on Google, and joining dozens of email lists is good for information. Carey Nieuwhof states, “Anyone can spit out random content and make it entertaining these days.”. It is so true in current Christendom where all is entertainment and merchandise. 

So how does a true Church share the gospel, build practical skills and habits of an evangelist, being a witness, can get the results you want? If we were to analyze the top three messages of the Church this whole year, it would be 1. “Come”, “Come” and “Come”, 2. “Give”, “Give” “Give” and 3. Be part of some fellowship. People who don’t feel the connect with the Church are thrown into a guilt trip by saying that they are dishonoring the sabbath, Holy day, reverence to the Lord, holy Sanctuary and so on. We compare today’s Church to the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple to prove our point. In all of this we never feel the alarm that there are members in the Church who have not shared the gospel to even one person and surprisingly, there will be some pastors in this category. There is never a sense of remorse or shame for having violated God’s command of the Great Commission.

Jesus’ 1-12-72 Model is found in Luke 8:1; Luke 9:1; Luke 10:1, which I have brought to your attention repeatedly. Jesus being a leader kept going to villages, towns and cities to share the good news. Later, He appoints 12 as a leadership team and sent them and finally sent also 72 people (in local version 70) two by two. Now my questions are,

·      Is this model happening in your Church?

·      Is your pastor still practicing evangelism and sharing with the non-Christians?

·      Have your Church leadership found time from managing money and facility to sharing the gospel like the 12 Disciples?

·      Does the 72 (the big crowd) replicate the Church going out and sharing the gospel? 

If this ‘1-12-72’ categories are not active in your church, you can count your Church as a dead church. If my Master, Christ Jesus was fully active taking the gospel to relative and friends, then what gives us the audacity to warm the pews in the Church singing Amazing Grace. Dear friends, I implore you to confess your failures for not having shared the gospel this year and make amends by sharing the same this Christmas season, which is a great initiator for gospel conversation. Information and entertainment are good, but result is what the Lord is looking for. 

 

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The other side of the Church- Jesus’ Model!

A well-established famous in the locality is our idea of Church whereas it was very different for Jesus. The local synagogue in Jesus’ time was so self-involved that they failed to notice Jesus, who is the true temple. Jesus in whom we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28) is the fulfilment of all promises. Some chose to follow the mobile temple like Jesus and followed Him, while many chose to stay within the four walls of the synagogue for affiliation and perks. We see this in the story of the man born blind (John 9:22). Temple affiliation and approval overtook the mission of Jesus which is still cancerous among churches today.

There are few passages that show Jesus not being excited about large crowds gathering in a locality. In Matthew 8:18 it is recorded, “when Jesus saw a large crowd around Him, he gave the order to go to the other side of the sea.”. Does this mean Jesus was afraid of crowds? Of course not. It would have been easy for Jesus to stay with this crowd like our churches today. Rather He ordered the disciples to go to the other side.  Similarly, Gospel of Mark records a scenario where Jesus along with His disciples stayed in a place and early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, went out and made His way to deserted place; and there He was praying. Simon and his companions searched for Jesus and when they found Him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” The Bible records Jesus replying, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. That is why I have come.” (Marks 1:35-38). 

Is Jesus teaching us something here? Today, we are happy to set up a facility in a locality where crowds come and call it a Church. We are excited to serve them, pray for them, pray for their sickness and their well-being and do a self-help program. It compels us to create an institution and increase our wealth though offerings and tithes. This becomes the definition of a successful Church, which I call it as ABC Model - Attendance, Building and Cash. We revel in the soaring attendance, splendid building and stabilized fund flow.

Consumerism culture has infiltrated our Churches where people want to receive benefits. In John 6:1 it is recorded ‘that a huge crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was performing by healing sick’. Then there is the miracle of five barley loaves, and 2 fish which was blessed and 5000 men with their families were satisfied. The story continues to state that the people wanted to make Jesus the king. However, Jesus reacted by slipping from the crowd to a lonely place in the mountain. They followed Him in boats to Capernaum. John 6:26 states “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs but because you ate loaves and were filled.”.  He warns them and asked to look for food that will lasts for eternal life (John 6:27). Today, we are excited with signs and healing as it guarantees huge crowd following eventually making us rich and famous.

Jesus was not running philanthropy or healing crusades. “Jesus came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). This requires us to step out of our comfort zone, i.e. the Church. Please do not misread me that it’s wrong to go to Church. My desire here is to redefine the meaning of Church. Statistics say 95% Christians or more have never shared the gospel even once in their lifetime as they have found comfort within the four walls of the Church. As leaders of the Church, we are supposed to empower and help believers to reach out to the lost. Like how Jesus did in Luke 8:1. He was travelling to towns and villages, preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God, and then appointed 12 disciples and sent them in Luke 9:1, and finally in Luke 10:1 added 72 more people (70 in local versions) and sent them two by two. I call it as Jesus 1-12-72 model. 

Being church leaders, how will an honest analysis of the condition of your church make you feel? Content or miserable? Unless you share the good news as a pastor, your Church elders/leadership share the gospel which influences your congregation to share the gospel, revival will be far-fetched. You will exist with good funds, but you will be a dead church.

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Dare to correct your misinterpretations!

 

If all that is required in Christian life is that you have significant faith, to get whatever you want, claim what you desire, conquer any mountain, heal all sickness and raise the dead, then you are not any less than a god. And by this standard, you should not die too. Do you realise how people are seen contradicting with God and the theology of the Bible? Think about it! Let’s analyze few prominent verses that are recurrently misinterpreted and used out of context to support our selfish motives. 

Allow me to discuss the “faith of a mustard seed.” 

“And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. (Luke 17:6 KJV)

Jesus said this in a context explaining about forgiveness in the 17:3 of the same chapter. He chose to use this tree as an example of bitterness and unforgiveness in Luke 17:6. In that verse, Jesus told His disciples, “… If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you”. Notice what Jesus said, “…Ye might say unto this sycamine tree.…” The word “this” indicates that Jesus was pointing out something very specific to them. The sycamine tree was known to have one of the deepest root structures of all trees in the Middle East. It was a vigorous and robust tree that grew to a height of thirty feet or more with its roots going down deep into the earth. It was very difficult to kill. Hot weather and blistering temperatures had little effect on this tree because it taps into a water source down deep under the earth. Even cutting it to its base would not guarantee its death because its roots, hidden deep under the ground, would draw from underground sources of water, enabling it to keep resurfacing again and again. In other words, this tree was very difficult to eradicate.

The bottom line is that the Lord isn’t saying that if you had the very least amount of faith then you could command sycamore trees to replant themselves into the ocean. Rather, Jesus is giving us an amazing example of faith that should be an encouragement to all who believe.  There are no incidents that someone exercised his/her faith to us this in literal terms.  Jesus' teachings and parables are meant to transform us in a specific manner.  Douglas  D Webster states this beautifully, "Parables are time bombs that only explode after they have penetrated our hearts. Their purpose is to turn admirers into followers."

Well,  if  you are steadfast to take such verses in a literal meaning, then how do you explain this verse: 

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him” (Luke 14:28-29)

Why Jesus had to give this piece of instruction to count the cost and plan a strategy in the first place before one starts to lay the foundation?  Shouldn’t the same emphasis on faith to move the mountains be working here too? We seem to confuse things and contradict what Jesus was emphasizing to something else that we think will work in a particular way and is fancy to our thinking process. This is called a bad theology.

It is important to translate most of the scripture portion based on the “Context” and “Content” failing which we will have our own takeaways which can be detrimental in the journey of faith. Let’s take this verse for example.

 “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Matthew 17:20. While the disciples were unable to cast out the devil from the only child of the father, they approached Jesus disappointed, and He immediately rekindles the faith in them. 

As God’s children or servant, it is not your place to ask or worse to demand that God move a mountain for you. God is not your servant, slave, or puppet. That was never His purpose in calling you to be His servant.  If He tells you to move a mountain, then go tell that mountain to move by His authority knowing ahead of time that it will obey you. 

Are you aware there are Churches, pastors and many Christians who are going to the forest to catch venomous snakes and prove to people that they remain unharmed based on Jesus said in Mark 16:18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them…”.  Today, Christianity is also striving to be identified as a fancy religion as there are many Christians who have developed their own Bible interpretation. Lord have mercy on us! 

I keep saying this often in the passage where Hebrews 11 discusses about the heroes of faith were also people who did not get what was promised to them. Your faith should be on Christ preparing you for here and most importantly,  the eternity.  Don’t misread passages for your convenience and miss the whole point. The God who taught us various lessons on faith also said the following would happen: 

You will have suffering in this world (John 16:33)

You will be persecuted (Matt 10:22-23; 24:9, 11; 2 Tim 3:12)

You will be hated by people (Luke 21:17)

You may be thrown in prison (Revelation 2:10)

You will be brought before kings and governors (Luke 21:12)

Many will be killed for His name’s sake (Matthew 24:9)

Will be betrayed by own family members (Luke 21:16-18)

Seek God for answers especially, while you go through a difficult situation. Remember, everything happens for the glory of God. Sometimes He allows tough situations to shape us and transforms us into a new person with a heavenly perspective.  It's good to be reminded from the scriptures, when Paul went to the town they preached the gospel, they encouraged the disciples by telling this “it is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22. You continue to be a co-labourer in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9) for the mission Christ initiated i.e. to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)

 

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Mission to the unreached- The custodial dilemma!

 

Christian identity is one of the highest priorities in Christendom today.  Sentiments towards Church institutions, mission organizations, denominations, and Christian facilities is at its high and people are scrambling to protect it. On the other hand, there are the custodians of global missions adored and favored by people. It could be a mission leader, famous televangelist, person with gifts of healing, prophet, etc. Unfortunately, they are also fragmented to the point of showing superiority over one another in being authentic.  

Churches and organizations do believe that mission to the unreached is part of their denominational goals. Many of them have great strategy, funds, manpower, global connection, models, tools with a good Follower base. Surreptitiously, the models and concepts are given more attention and made popular than the mission towards reaching the unreached. The Christian leaders gain more following than God Himself.

I had already addressed in one of my blogs HERE on the incident of a slave girl in Acts 16:17. Though she was demon possessed she endorses what Apostle Paul was doing by crying out, “These men, who are proclaiming to you a way of salvation, are the servants of the Most High God.”. She was someone who was making huge profit for her master under the influence of this evil spirit. Apparently, Apostle Paul cast’s out the demon from her. To draw parallels, there are similar Christian leaders like the slave girl endorsing and propagating Christ’s mission with a questionable spirit. Money, power, falsehood has seeped into the mission world. Too many noises that needs to be well discerned and if needed stopped for good. 

Another incident on 1 Samuel 4 where the Philistines defeat Israel and four thousand men on the battlefield. In 1 Samuel 4:4 it is recorded, 'So the people sent men to Shiloh to bring back the ark of the covenant of the Lord of Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.' Eli’s sons were custodians of the ark of the covenant at this point, who were rogues by nature (1 Samuel 2: 12-17). They died of God’s judgement on them and the custodians of the Ark of the covenant were killed. The ark of the covenant was captured by the Philistines. 

How relevant it is in today’s scenario, where leaders project themselves as custodians of the mission camouflaging their selfish agenda. Christ’s mission has become their personal profit and enterprise. Apostle Paul brings an important principle while he writes in his letter to Galatians, 'because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.' Galatians 6:8. Today, it is so sad to see many organizations and Churches have their own numbers of accomplishments to promote, projects to sustain, models to sell and coalitions to benefit. Your mission can sound holy but at the end it may not serve the divine purpose if there is a hidden personal agenda. The Bible warns us that our works will be tried with fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13 states, “each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.”. God’s mission does not necessarily survive by our efforts.  “For we are God’s coworkers…”.  We are privileged to exist as coworker and work alongside. Churches are meant for this same purpose. If this is not the case, then we are not in the right direction. 

 

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What’s your influence – Merchandise or Mission!

The Great Commission is always the highest priority of every Church and Christians. Jesus constantly clarified this purpose during the three and a half years. He addressed the issue of the heart, moved us from ethical moral standard to becoming holy, redefined the meaning of worship, redesigned the meaning of Church (moving from locatable place to person), and making us His image bearers. God’s plan for man’s redemption through His son Jesus made all the difference who clarified His mission and the core priority, ‘to seek and save the lost’ which is also the mission for us all. Today, most of Christians and Churches are focusing on good moral living and commitment only to the Church’s obligation. The reality and the priority have been changed drastically. Weekly, monthly and yearly activities have been successful in bringing the Christian community together. The funny part is every Church or organization, or so-called Mission leaders are holding to parts convenient for their identification and security.

This is no compromise when it comes to holy life, but then becoming like Christ enables a person to also be His witness for Him, becoming a carrier of the gospel and a powerful influencer. Let me remind you to refocus on Christ’s primary Mission which is the ultimate core responsibility of every Christian.

 

Matt 15:24 “I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Matthew 9:37-38 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

John 17:18 “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.”  

John 20:21 “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”. (This is after resurrection)

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.". 

Matt 28:18 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,”

Jesus Christ’s Mandate is mandatory for all, and is therefore called 1. Great Commission Mark 16:15, Matt 28:18-19) and 2. Supplement commandment to the Great Commission, Acts 1:8 “you shall be witnesses to Me…”

Let me remind you of some of the metaphors Jesus used to help us understand that our life must add value to others and attract them to Christ who promised abundant life and eternal life. I am pointing out few metaphors, out of many that Jesus used. The first four what Christ described and the last two by Apostle Paul who continued to explain to us through metaphors.

1) Leaven 

Matthew 13:33 “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.”.  The little leaven that gets lost in 50 pounds close to 23 kgs and yet influences the whole flour. This resembles the Christian life. We are supposed to be like this powerful influencer. Brian Zahnd states, “We change the world, not in loud, forceful ways, but in quiet, hidden ways. We hide the kingdom leaven of gospel and grace in the three measures of mean around us- family friends and neighbors. Eventually things rise.”. 

2) Salt

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth.” (The most essential and important part in human life). It is very difficult to live without it. Salt is not expensive at all but it is crucial to add taste and flavor. Likewise, we are expected to add taste and flavor in the lives of people. 

3) Light

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world”. Today instead of becoming a light to show direction to people we want to be in the spotlight of being famous. Christ meant that this light should be powerful enough to evict all darkness from people’s life. In verse 16 the purpose is defined that people see our good works and glorify our father. 

4) Large net

Matt 13:47-48 “…Large net thrown into sea. It collected every kind of fish...”. You are a large net. Never forget this fact. To catch people of all kinds without being prejudiced.

5) Fragrance

2 Corinthians 2:15 “For God we are the fragrance of Christ…”.  With good perfume you are sure to catch attention of all the passersby. Similarly, if you have Christ in you then for sure you have the capacity to draw people to Him.

6) Epistle

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 An epistle where people find an opportunity to read us and know Christ. What are people reading from us. Is it the still gospel to lead them to life, or success, career, commodity, materialistic blessings, positive living, etc?

Study shows Jesus spent three and a half years, 1,230 days, visited close to 175 towns and villages in Galilee, and influenced approximately 200,000 people that is 162 people daily. There is no other purpose than influencing lives and drawing them to Christ. Stop merchandising mission, ministry and Church.

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Another Jesus!

We all understand that that there are different ways by which one finds Christ.  Example: through someone sharing the gospel, association with Christian friends, encountering Jesus through dreams & vision, gospel tracts, getting to read through the New Testament, making investigation of gods and finding Christian faith convincing, healed of their sickness, going through near-death experience. There is also a big group which is born in a Christian family, encountered Christ personally and becoming a follower of Christ. However, if we interview Christians from different countries, contexts and denominations about their faith and belief system we are sure to get diversified answers that contradicts with the core foundation of the Biblical worldview. Everyone assumes they are right in their understanding of who  Christ and His mission is.

Paul in the letter to Ephesians states, “There is one body, one spirit - just as you were called to one hope at your calling - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”.  Ephesians 4:5-6. Why then there is so much of fragmentation in Christianity? Why there are so much of doctrinal confusion? Why Churches have become institutionalized to an extent that it exists as a religious shrine? Why is Church facility posed as God’s dwelling place? Why attendance to Church on Sundays made to look that it is a qualifier to entering the kingdom of God? Why are offerings and tithes shown as the fulfilment of Christian obligations?  Why Pastors and leaders represent as saviors? If you ponder carefully you would find that there are many more “why’s” that are points of contradiction from the Biblical pattern and principle. Most of the “why’s” are still lingering because of its selfish agenda which is turning Church and His mission into an enterprise.

Let me bring to you what Paul addressed to the Corinthians to your attention. “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or different Gospel which you have not accepted you may well put up with it”. 2 Corinthians 11:4 CSB. Eugene Peterson in his message version puts it this way. “It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot “apostles,” why can’t you put up with simple me? I’m as good as they are. It’s true that I don’t have their voice, haven’t mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I’m talking about. We haven’t kept anything back. We let you in on everything.”. Paul is surprised knowing how they were attracted to the people who spoke about another Jesus. People then, and now are still preaching another Jesus. There are still people falling for it and are comfortable with a compromised gospel that preaches Christ no doubt, but robs and negates a person  from being a witness, and obeying the Great Commission. A God who demands from you nothing is just an idol.  

Today, we preach Jesus as a bridge to success through philosophies like, name it and claim it, profess it and possess it, blab it and grab it, declare and decree and many such so called unsupported Christian philosophies. We assume we can achieve whatever we want if we exercise the power to claim for oneself. Where is God's sovereign will in all these? Many Churches today have become a life coaching program center teaching them how to live, how to lead a happy life, how to raise kids, how to pray and get things, how to be blessed. Every testimony shared in the Church of their material success is made to look God has made a better progress in their life compared to some who are still struggling in their day-to-day life. I am not sure if the apostles of Jesus would be seen as blessed or stupid losers. Everything revolves in Christendom around commercialization, business deals and sustaining the cash flow.  Eventually, people have learned to drag  God into it. Don Wilton puts his thoughts so beautifully, “we have become an increasingly idolatrous people. God cannot be pleased. We worship so many of our blessings instead of simply thanking God and enjoying them. We worship sports, celebrities, clothes, money, church buildings, politics, positions, abilities, and capabilities. Idolatry is the worship of anything and anyone other than God.”

The book titled “Third Jesus,” Deepak Chopra talks about transcendental meditation famous in Hindu theology. He states that there is not one Jesus, but three. First, there is the historical Jesus, the man who lived more than two thousand years ago and whose teachings are the foundation of Christian theology and thought. Next there is Jesus the Son of God, who has come to embody an institutional religion with specific dogma, a priesthood, and devout believers. And finally, there is the third Jesus, the cosmic Christ, the spiritual guide whose teaching embraces all humanity, not just the church built in His name. He speaks to the individual who wants to find God as a personal experience, to attain what some might call grace, or God-consciousness, or enlightenment. Ultimately, Chopra argues, Christianity needs to overcome its tendency to be exclusionary and refocus on being a religion of personal insight and spiritual growth. In this way Jesus can be seen for the universal teacher He truly is – someone whose teachings of compassion, tolerance, and understanding can embrace and be embraced by all of us. People like Him in a tactful way subtly attempt to deconstruct the faith of those many so called Christians whose belief system are on everything other the true essence of what Christ taught and entrusted to all.  I wouldn’t blame Deepak Chopra much on this. If in Christendom there are so many who are preaching another Jesus and a different gospel, I am not surprised if people who are not from Christendom take the courage to  skew the truth.

Let us not forget even in Jesus’ time there were big majority of people who clung to another Jesus and a different gospel that satisfied their hunger and addressed their need of the physical body. It is stated in the gospel that a large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs He was performing on those who were sick.  John 6:2 summarizes the result as follows:

1. They followed Him because of the miracles.

2. They exalted Him because of the meals and,

3. They abandoned Him because of the message.

In John 6:66: As a result of this ("this" = all that Jesus had said to them from John 6:26 through John 6:65) many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. Is this not the same today - both in the church and in the world? Mark what Jesus stated, then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24.

Stop preaching another Jesus and a different gospel. How do you know that you are preaching the right Jesus and the correct gospel? Simple, at least 75% of your believers are witnessing Christ and sharing the gospel on a monthly, weekly and a daily basis. May the Lord help us to find the truth. Let us fight against heresies of all kind. 

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