What are some messages that people falsely claim are the gospel?

What are some messages that people falsely claim are the gospel? http://bit.ly/Ly4F3W

1. God wants to make us rich. Some preachers today say that the good news is that God wants to bless us with loads of money and possessions—all we need to do is ask! But the gospel is a message about spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3): God sent Jesus Christ to die and rise again for us so that we would be justified, reconciled to God, and given eternal life with God (Rom. 3:25-26, 6:23; 2 Cor. 5:18-21). Moreover, the Bible promises that Christians will not have material prosperity in this life, but tribulation (Acts 14:22), persecution (2 Tim 3:12), and suffering (Rom. 8:17), all of which will one day give way to unspeakable glory (2 Cor. 4:17; Rom. 8:18).
2. God is love and we’re okay. Some people think the gospel is that God loves us and accepts us just as we are. But the biblical gospel confronts people as sinners facing the wrath of God (Rom. 3:23, John 3:36) and tells people about God’s radical solution: Jesus’ sin-bearing death on the cross. This gospel calls people to an equally radical response: to repent of their sins and trust in Christ for salvation.
3. We should live right. The gospel is not a message that tells us a live a better life and so make ourselves right with God. In fact the gospel tells us exactly the opposite: we can’t do what pleases God and we can never make ourselves acceptable to him (Rom. 8:5-8). But the good news is that Jesus has done for us what we could never do for ourselves: by living a perfect life and bearing God’s wrath on the cross he has secured the salvation of all those who turn from their sin and trust in him (Rom. 5:6-11, 8:31-34).
4. Jesus came to transform society. Some people believe that Jesus’ mission was to transform society and bring justice to the oppressed through a political revolution. But the Bible teaches that this world will only be made right when Jesus comes again and ushers in a new heaven and new earth (2 Thess. 2:9-10, Rev. 21:1-5). The gospel is fundamentally a message about salvation from the wrath of God through faith in Christ, not the transformation of society in this present age.

Wrestling with Brother Lawrence’s Concept of “Practicing the Presence of God”

Brother Lawrence purports to have found the secret to a higher spiritual life. However, there are several theological and practical problems evident in his teachings. These endanger those who follow his lead to neglect what God has called us to practice — a life centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In what follows, I will highlight several of the deficiencies of “practicing the presence of God” and respond to the question “What then shall we practice?” continue

six common, but ineffective, methods for lasting personal transformation

Many professing Christians seek change in their lives using methods which are contrary to Scripture. As a result, they don’t experience the change which God seeks to produce in his people. In the very helpful booklet, HELP! Want to Change, which I refer to as a primer on progressive sanctification, pastor and biblical counselor Jim Newheiser mentions six common, but ineffective, methods for lasting personal transformation.

1. Deliverance Ministries: Some claim that the source of every personal problem is demonic and that the solution is to identify and cast out the evil spirit(s). Certain preachers claim to have the special powers and methods to perform these deliverances. They often draw large crowds of people desperate for help. While the Bible does teach that we are engaged in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:11–12), it does not teach that all our spiritual problems can be solved by casting out demons.
2. Mysticism: Many believers expect that God will somehow instantly zap away their sin patterns and problems through dramatic answers to certain kinds of prayers. Some seek out spiritual leaders who claim to have special powers in prayer to produce dramatic results. The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that spiritual growth and true wisdom are typically obtained through a persistent disciplined pursuit of God (Proverbs 2:2–12), not through a one-time experience.
3. Medication: While we embrace the use of medicine for true medical problems, many believers are hoping to find quick and easy solutions to their spiritual problems through pills. Some drugs may dull some of the symptoms of our emotional pain, but they do not address the heart issues from which sin comes (Proverbs 4:23; Mark 7:20–23). Wisdom must be exercised.
4. Self-Improvement Formulas: Worldly methods of change typically involve finding the resources within yourself to successfully lose weight, stop smoking, control anger, and so on. This is contrary to Scripture, which teaches that we are totally dependent upon God for meaningful transformation. Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
5. Moralism: Many try to change by seeking to discipline themselves to do the “right thing” by keeping a list of rules. God’s Word teaches that we can’t keep God’s law in our own power (Romans 3:20) and that we cannot be truly changed merely by keeping rules. “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son…” (Romans 8:3). Those pursuing moralistic solutions will either have to lower their standards far below those of Scripture, resulting in pride, or they will endure an endless cycle of failure, resulting in despair.
6. Recovery Programs: Twelve-step programs, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, are very widely used by those who seek to make significant changes in their lives. Such programs typically combine elements of mysticism (relying on an undefined higher power), self-improvement formulas, and moralism, while neglecting the biblical instructions as to how we can change.

In contrast to all these methods, Scripture teaches us that God transforms us as we understand and experience the power of the gospel and then step forward in Spirit-enabled obedience.