Many teachers of the Word today, are teaching the message of JOHN THE BAPTIST…instead of teaching the message of JESUS CHRIST! Hmm… Now I’m sure you are keen to know what these two messages are! Well, I’m also excited to show you!!!
Now listen carefully: To restore a TRUE revival into the church, it is good we learn about the difference between the messages of JOHN THE BAPTIST…and that of JESUS CHRIST!
The book of Mark, chapter one, outlines what these two messages are. In mark 1:4, the Bible says:…
‘John did baptize in the wilderness, and PREACH THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS’! (Mark 1:4)
Did you see that! Now many teachers are still disciples of John of Baptist! In fact, in vs 5, the bible says:
‘…and there went out unto him (John the Baptist) all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, CONFESSING THEIR SINS!
Hmm… Now that was JOHN’s message! Repentance for the remission of sins, which makes men come to ‘church’, CONFESSING THEIR SINS! This means that this message makes men begin to see their sinfulness and depend on their self effort and confessions in order to be close to God! If you look closely at our churches today, you will see that many teachers are still teaching the message of John the Baptist! Hmm…
But that is not the message God expects the church to teach! John was a prophet of the LAW! We are NOT called to teach repentance according to the LAW!!! No!!! There is a higher calling for repentance that does not come by the LAW at all! Hmm… Let’s continue in our study of Mark 1 as we see the actual message God expects the New Covenant teachers to teach! In vs 7 and 8, John the Baptist said:
‘…there cometh ONE (Jesus) MIGHTIER THAN I after me…..I indeed have baptized you with WATER: BUT HE (Jesus) SHALL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLYGHOST’!
Wow! The difference is now coming up! John came with a temporary solution to sin…which is by the washing of WATER! But water cannot wash away sins!!! Hmm… According to John in the verses quoted above, Jesus came with the permanent solution to sin…which is by the HOLY GHOST! Wow! Now what is the message of Jesus Christ? In vs 14, the Bible says:
‘Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD’!
Oh! Did you see that! Are you noticing the difference from that of John (in vs 4)? Let’s see the next verse:
‘Jesus came into Galilee, PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD saying, the time is fulfilled, and the KINGDOM OF GOD is at hand: REPENT ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!!!
Wow! Same chapter! Different messages on REPENTANCE! Hmm… This is the message of JESUS! He preached the KINGDOM OF GOD and asked them to repent and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL! John told them to repent for the REMISSION of their sins but Jesus told them to repent and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!
The Law makes you ‘SIN-CONSCIOUS’! Grace makes you ‘CHRIST-CONSCIOUS’! What Jesus preached was for everyone one to BELIEVE THE GOSPEL!
What is the GOSPEL? Hmm… Paul described it thus:
‘And by Him (Jesus), ALL THAT BELIEVE are JUSTIFIED from ALL THINGS…from which ye could not be justified by the LAW OF MOSES’! (Acts 13:39)
That is the GOSPEL!!! Telling believers about their irreversible Right Standing with God…is the GOSPEL!!!
‘Therefore being JUSTIFIED BY FAITH…we have PEACE WITH GOD’!!! (Romans 5:1)
That is the GOSPEL!!! Because of Jesus’ sacrifice…you now have peace with God!
‘Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will NOT IMPUTE SIN’! (Romans 4:8)
That is the GOSPEL!!! God can NEVER impute SIN into a BELIEVER! Not because God has gone soft on sin…but because it is unjust for God to punish the same SIN twice!!! (Romans 3:36) Hmm…
‘There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus’! (Romans 8:1)
That is the GOSPEL!!! By the finished work of the Cross…a believer in Jesus can NEVER come into God’s condemnation anymore! Wow! I know all these are mind blowing but…
‘I am NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST (not gospel of John the Baptist)…for it is the POWER OF GOD unto salvation to EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES’! (Romans 1:17)
I hope you are not ashamed too? Now listen carefully: choosing to teach the LAW…after God has revealed GRACE to you….is a proof that you are ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!!!
It is dangerous to be ashamed of Jesus and His Gospel! You won’t lose your salvation but you will lose your rewards!!! (Mark 8:38, 1Cor 3:15, 1John 2:28) Hmm… Teach GRACE…and allow GRACE to teach people how to DENY UNGODLINESS and WORLDLY LUST! (Titus 2:11-12) GRACE is the best TEACHER! Hallelujah!
I’m sure you had a nice time going through the book of Mark 1 with me today!
In conclusion, if you must teach the message of John the Baptist, let me tell you what you should teach:
‘The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, WHICH TAKETH AWAY…TAKETH AWAY…TAKETH AWAY…the sins of the world’! (John 1:29)
Amen.
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