A Counterfeit Gospel Series

In fact, he clarifies his position and writes that the “different gospel” that the Judiazers are promoting is “really no Gospel at all.”

Chuck Swindoll writes that this other gospel was different from the true Gospel like “night is different from day, like fire is different from water, like a lie is different from the truth, like death is different from life.”

Aaron Rodgers grew up in church but he saw it as just a bunch of rules. But in high school, he discovered Young Life. He loved the welcoming atmosphere at Young Life and said it was so different than the church attended.

At Young Life it was “come as you are,” but at church you had to dress a certain way and talk a certain way to be accepted.

In Young Life, he went on several mission trips and built houses for people in Mexico and he said that was very meaningful for him.

But in 2008, after a chapel service he met Rob Bell, then pastor at Mars Hill in Michigan. Rob wrote several books, including the best seller “Love Wins,’ in which he teaches that hell doesn’t exist and that, in the end, everyone will be at home with God. Soon after that, Rob left Mars Hill and become a “film maker” and now hangs out with Oprah.

In an interview with his girlfriend, Danica Patrick, you can hear Rob Bell’s influence on his thinking about God:

“i don’t know how you can believe in a God who wants to condemn most of the planet to a fiery hell. What type of loving, sensitive, omnipresent, omnipotent, being wants to condemn most of his beautiful creation to a fiery hell?”

As I watched that video this week, I was so sad. At Young Life, Aaron was taught the truth of the Gospel - that God doesn’t want anyone to perish and He loves us so much that He sent his only Son to make a way for us to go to heaven. Despite what Rob Bell teaches, “love does win” but it was on a bloody cross that Christ won the victory for us!

It reminded me that often the greatest threat to Gospel doesn’t come from outside the church but from people inside the church.

Aaron has deserted the true Gospel. But as long as he’s still breathing, there is still hope for him to turn back.

Paul’s Adversaries

“Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Gal 1:7b)

The Judiazers were Jewish-Christians from Jerusalem who claimed their authority from James, the half brother of Jesus and the leader of the church.

These false teachers questioned Paul’s authority. Their teaching went something like this:

Listen, we agree that faith in Christ is important but there’s just more to it. Paul, whoever he is, watered it down for you so you would accept his message.

Jesus? Yes. But you also need to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic dietary laws. In other words, you Gentiles need to become Jewish first.

Paul writes that they were “throwing them into confusion.” This means to “shake or agitate.”

Have you ever done laundry at a laundromat? I remember doing that as a a college student. I would sit and watch the clothes tumble and it was almost hypnotic.