There’s a reason why people are being confused about the Gospel today: confusing statements are being made about it.

There are those who add to the good news such things such as baptism, joining their church, the laying on of hands, etc. If you are wondering about his, remember, the Gospel is good news to be believed; not good works to be done.

Others are confused because of the recent revival of an old error: confounding Justification by faith with Sanctification by the work of the Spirit. The Spirit works His fruit in us by enabling us to understand the Word, by giving us the desire to obey it, and by enabling us to do so.

In the revival of this teaching, passages that speak of justification by faith are related to sanctification. As a result, instead of encouraging Christians to obey God’s admonitions in the Bible, they are told that they can’t do so, and that—in one way or another (not everyone agrees how)—God must do it to them, for them, instead of them.

When meeting up with those who have been taught this sort of thing in your counseling, and who are confused because it “didn’t work,” you should ask them to do something like the following :

1. List all of the commands in 1 Corinthians (for instance).
2. Write down how many times Christ, the Holy Spirit or the Father is the One Who is thus commanded.
3. The write down how many times you (or the Corinthians, if you will) are commanded to do them.

Let us know the results.