Communication has vastly improved with the advancement in technology. Today, we have the Internet, smartphones, televisions and similar forms of media and technology that convey information to anyone, anywhere in the world. Sadly, people can pass on information through these outlets and many take this information as gospel truth. The reality, however, is that some of the information being circulated is not well researched and cannot be trusted or relied on. This is unlike the message of the apostle Paul concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Tim 1:15). The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is not an old wives’ tale or a myth. It is well proven in Scriptures that Jesus is Lord and Saviour. Indeed, He came to die to pay the penalty of sin, but did not remain in the grave. On the third day, He rose from the dead and will come again.
But how many messages are posted on the Internet, or being preached on television, that say Jesus is just an ordinary man like us? How many are being deceived by those who claim to know Christ, but do not believe that He is the Saviour that the world is waiting for? The truth is that millions are deceived and are led to believe in another gospel. Even in the days of the apostle Paul, many were being misled and he showed his frustration when he wrote to the believers in Galatia: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Gal. 1:6-8). This is a strong warning to false teachers. As for us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, we ought to guard ourselves against false teachers and preachers. We need to listen to His voice and follow Him.
The Bible is the best tool to ward off false teachings. All other sayings and writings are prone to error and could be misleading. If we are well grounded in Scriptures, we can easily spot false teachings because we know the truth. In fact, our constant reading of Scriptures will cause us to grow in our knowledge and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul said that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).
The truth is that when Jesus came, He came to save sinners. He himself said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32). We all have sinned and we need a Saviour. We know that Jesus is able to save to the uttermost and is able to save even the worst of sinners. The apostle Paul called himself the “worst of sinners” and indeed he was. He was not only a blasphemer, but also a murderer in the sense that he persecuted the believers and put them in prison. Many were eventually put to death. Similarly, we fall under the category of the “worst sinners”, because we, too, have committed grievous sins. Reflecting on the message that Jesus delivered about hating our brothers, the apostle John wrote, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15). Yes, we commit murder when we hate our brothers and commit adultery by the manner we look at women, because Jesus said, “I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt. 5:28). Knowing where we stand, we should not look down on others. Even the worst of sinners can be saved, because Jesus came to save them, just as he saved us. The apostle Paul said though he was a sinner, the reason for his salvation was that “Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16). Even to these days, God continues to display this patience, because he does not want that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and be saved. Therefore, let us preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to those we care about, so that they may also be saved. Praise the Lord!
