Manifesto

The Christian Manifesto

THE PEOPLE OF THE GOSPEL

True Christians are united in the Truth (John 8:31-32), in the very
One called Jesus who is the truth (John 1:14; 14:6). They are called
"evangelicals," for they are known as those who preach the
"Gospel" the person and work of Christ (1 Cor. 2:2; 15:1-6). To
believe the Gospel, the good news about Christ-is to be saved, for
there is "power" in this message (Rom. 1:16; cf. Eph. 1:12-13; Col.
1:4-5). Specifically, this Gospel presents "the Son" (Rom. 1:9), the
God-man who died for our sins and rose up in power
(Rom. 1:1-4;10:9-13). Christians guard and defend the Gospel (2 Tim.
1:13-14; Jude 3). In truth, those who call themselves "evangelical,"
are held accountable to the clear teaching of God's Word concerning
the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 11:3-4; Gal. 1:6-9).

THE GOSPEL OF THE APOSTLES

In their veneration of the person of Christ, the apostles presented
His deity to the world by way of the Gospel. In his first recorded
salvation message, Peter presents the Jesus who saves us as both Lord
and Christ (Acts 2:21,34,36). To those accepting the person of
Christ, He is "our God and Savior" (2 Pet. 1:1), "our Lord and Savior"
(2 Pet. 1:11). That's why Jesus is "Lord of all" (Acts 10:36)!

Paul's Gospel is centered in the person of Christ, who "was
declared' the Son of God...our Lord." (Rom. 1:4). Both titles are
expressing His deity, for He is "the Lord of glory" (1 Cor. 2:8).
Yet, some don't understand the Gospel because they don't see "the
light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Cor. 4:3-4).
This is Paul's own concise definition of the Gospel:
"the glory of Christ"! The very object of the Gospel is the God-man
(Rom. 10:9-13).

To the Corinthians, Paul declared "Christ" as the One who died and
rose bodily for our salvation (1 Cor. 15:3-4; cf. John 2:18-22).The
apostle preaches "Christ Jesus as Lord" (2 Cor. 4:5). His Christ is
"God" (Rom. 9:5), the "same" "Lord of all" (Rom. 10:12) of the Old
Testament (Rom. 10:13; Joel 2:32; cf. Acts 2:21). Only those taught
by the Holy Spirit will believe that (1 Cor. 12:3). This is the true
confession for salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).

John wrote his gospel "that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his
name" (John 20:31). This apostle declares that to see Jesus as less
than full deity-God in the flesh (John 1:1,14; cf. Acts 20:28)-is to
believe the report of the false prophet-which is a repudiation of the
Gospel (1John 4:1-3).

FAITH AND WORSHIP

"Faith" is trust in the evidence. The Gospel is "the word preached"
(1 Pet. 1:23-25). This is the truth that saves (Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5).
Therefore, saving faith includes assent to it's content (Acts 5:7).
How do we recognize true faith? Immediately when one ceases
"unbelief" (John 20:27) he enters into the worship of God the Son.
While this new believer hasn't yet seen the Lord physically, his
faith is expressed with worship by acknowledgement that Jesus is:
"Lord" and "God" (John 20:27-31).

In this way, true believers obey the first commandment: "You shall
love the Lord your God" (Matt. 22:36). They do this when they
spiritually behold and believe the Son (John 6:40).
We know that God doesn't share His glory with anyone (Isa. 42:8),
yet Jesus demands that very "honor" and "glory" (John 5:23; Phil.
2:9-11; Heb. 1:3; Rev. 5:12-14). All Christians worship the Lord
Jesus through prayer (1 Cor. 1:2; Rom. 10:12-14; Acts 7:59). And He
answers them (John 14:14). So, it is manifest that true faith
expresses true worship.

The one who worships Christ has been prompted by the Holy Spirit,
for He is here to "glorify" the Son (John 16:14). The New Testament
commands that men believe He is the Son of God. This is
only exhibited by worship-resulting in "eternal life" (John 3:16;
5:23-24); otherwise they remain in a state of unbelief. Without
acknowledgement that Jesus is deity, they will perish in that state
John 3:18). According to the New Testament standard, they are not
accepted as real "Christians" if they don't confess and honor Him
as the real Christ-God in the flesh. Without this confession, a man
denies and dishonors both the Son and the Father who sent Him (1 John
2:22-23; John 5:23).

So, the New Testament standard does not allow for two types of
Christians, one that worships Him and another that doesn't. Since all
Christians know Christ as their God, this means there is no time
period (or so-called "grace period") between unbelief and belief in
deity during which a person experiences salvation. Rather, because
saving faith is in the real Christ, it comes instantly upon the
acknowledgement in the heart that Jesus is the God-(resurrected) man
(Rom. 10:9-10). The real Christian can answer the most important
question of all: "But who do you say that I am?" like Peter did,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt.16:15-16).

DEFENDING THE GOSPEL

There is no true Christian faith in the absence of "sound
teaching/words/doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:13-14; Tit. 1:9). It
is this doctrine, or more precisely the truth it contains and
expresses, that was "taught" by the apostles (Acts 2:42) and
"delivered" to the Church (1 Cor. 15:3). Paul cautioned that there
would be those within our churches who undermine the teaching that he
brought us (Acts 20:29-31), for they advocate "a different doctrine"
that "does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(1 Tim. 6:3; see 1 Tim. 1:3,6).

This means that the very foundation of the faith, "the things you
have learned"-especially of the Gospel of the deity of Christ-is
being undermined by false teaching (2 Tim. 3:13-14; cf. 2 Cor.
11:4,13-15).

It is crucial that members of the greater church community be
informed of the salvation viewpoint that is held by any ministry. Why
is it crucial? Peter warned: "But false prophets also arose among
the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who
will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the
Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves."
(2 Pet. 2:1). Here is good apostolic advice by Paul:

"Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause
dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned,
and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord
Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering
speech they deceive the ears of the unsuspecting." (Rom. 16:17-18)

Likewise, we should not yield to false teaching which undermines the
Gospel (Gal. 2:5,14). The deity of the risen Christ is the first thing
Paul preached (Acts 9:20; cf. Rom. 1:4) and the primary thing John
preached (John 20:31). For only by first knowing who Jesus is, does
one have life (John 8:32; 17:3).

To "believe in Him" is to be saved (John 8:30). Eternal life is only
for those who have acknowledged who He is-the Great "I am" (John
8:24,58). Any gospel that doesn't proclaim the deity of Christ is
false because it presents "another" Jesus (2 Cor. 11:3-4; Gal. 1:6-9)
And so we agree with Paul's mission: "I am appointed for the defense
of the gospel" (Phil. 1:16; cf. 1:7,27). These days some so-called
"evangelical" ministries are preaching a gospel devoid of Christ's
deity. As Christians, we stand against them. So, we preach the true
Gospel of the deity of Christ. No matter what men may say, this is
pleasing to Him (Gal. 1:10).