Kyle begins his video by citing Paul’s words in Philippians 1:15-18. The apostle wrote,
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
Does this mean that regardless of the motivations and messages of those who preach the gospel, or purport to preach it, we should only rejoice that people learn about Christ without ever challenging the messages conveyed or the preachers declaring them? No. Indeed, we must call out those who fail to declare declare the clear truth about who Christ is and why He came. In Philippians 3, Paul himself called out the preachers who were adding to the gospel by preaching that circumcision also was necessary for salvation. He warned the Christians in Philippi, ” 2Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
Kyle’s point is important. We rejoice when people learn about Christ, but we can never be content for people to learn about Him and His mission on earth when or if they’re also being told something more than repenting of one’s sin and placing one’s faith in Christ is necessary for salvation. The basis for divine forgiveness is the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross — nothing more and nothing else.
Yet, at the North American Mission Board, church planters and the people they are working to reach are learning that something more is required. This is a false gospel, and Kyle is right to say so.
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