There is a false gospel that does not preach repentance. Sin is a problem with the universe; the world is broken and fallen. But your own personal fallenness is downplayed or even ignored. It’s not your sin that needs to be forgiven, but the universe that needs to be repaired. Your problem isn’t that you sinned against a most holy and righteous God whose indignation burns against you, but that you are part of a system that’s broken, and there is a loving God out there who is for you.
This false gospel preaches to you that you have a divine destiny and that if you come to Christ you can claim it. Is this true? Sort of. But is this the gospel message? Absolutely not! The spiritual mind understands that our destiny is to be glorified and united with Christ forever. We also understand that God gives us a purpose, to His glory. The carnal mind cannot understand this. It is beyond him. And so, when the preachers tells him he has a divine destiny, his unregenerate nature is summoned to pride. The regenerate and unregenerate man are both inspired by greatness, but the regenerate man searches for greatness in the glory and pleasure of Christ. The unregenerate seeks it in the flesh, whether that be better sex, more money or power or fame, or just significance and meaning. But these are never for God’s glory, because they have no cognizance of what that is.
There is only one portal to righteousness for the unbeliever, and that is through brokenness and contrition. Jesus said that those who are poor in spirit are the ones who would be blessed. The call of the Holy Spirit to the unbeliever is not upward to greatness, but downward to repentance. Any other calling is not from Him. Sin – personal sin – must be dealt with first. Repentance and faith must ensue. Then comes the greatness. But that greatness has no resemblance to the greatness before.
This false gospel preaches to you that you have a divine destiny and that if you come to Christ you can claim it. Is this true? Sort of. But is this the gospel message? Absolutely not! The spiritual mind understands that our destiny is to be glorified and united with Christ forever. We also understand that God gives us a purpose, to His glory. The carnal mind cannot understand this. It is beyond him. And so, when the preachers tells him he has a divine destiny, his unregenerate nature is summoned to pride. The regenerate and unregenerate man are both inspired by greatness, but the regenerate man searches for greatness in the glory and pleasure of Christ. The unregenerate seeks it in the flesh, whether that be better sex, more money or power or fame, or just significance and meaning. But these are never for God’s glory, because they have no cognizance of what that is.
There is only one portal to righteousness for the unbeliever, and that is through brokenness and contrition. Jesus said that those who are poor in spirit are the ones who would be blessed. The call of the Holy Spirit to the unbeliever is not upward to greatness, but downward to repentance. Any other calling is not from Him. Sin – personal sin – must be dealt with first. Repentance and faith must ensue. Then comes the greatness. But that greatness has no resemblance to the greatness before.
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