The True Gospel Is Built Upon Bible Truth
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The true gospel is built upon Bible truth, “just as truth is in Jesus.” (Ephesians 4:21 NASB). It is not built upon“a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6), or“a different Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4 NLT).
In prayer to his Father, Jesus said, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Later, “Jesus” said to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, “I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth” (John 18:36 NLT). Many today have the same cynical, skeptical attitude that Pilate had back then. “‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked” (John 18:37). Skepticism notwithstanding, the true gospel is founded upon Bible truth.
Christians therefore are strongly exhorted to be “accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB). Where is this truth? “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching” (2 Timothy 3:16 NASB). The truth of the gospel is “the faith that was once for handed down to the holy ones” (Jude 3 NAB), in the scriptures, the Bible’s 66 inspired books, and does not need to be supplemented, or changed. Extremely serious warnings are given “if anyone who adds anything to” or “if anyone takes anything from” the scriptures (Revelation 22:18,19 GNB). God’s gospel of truth is not to be tampered with.
Gospel
“Consequently it is not from sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything which has been revealed. Therefore both sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same devotion and reverence.”—Second Vatican Council
The Catholic Church enshrines their tradition as being equal to the inspired scriptures of the Bible. There are some other groups which have somewhat similar views that put their doctrines, traditions, dogmas, etc., as at least equal to the Bible and its truth. Bible teachings, expositions, and explanations are fine and good, as long as they are not presented as equal to the scriptures themselves.
The true gospel is not built upon “human traditions” which “nullify the word of God” (Mark 7:8,13 NIV), “man-made ideas” that “cancel the word of God” (Mark 7:7,13 NLT), nor upon “false doctrines” (1 Timothy 6:3 NIV).
“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David, this is my gospel” (2 Timothy 2:8 NIV). The gospel of the Bible is based upon Jesus’ sacrificial death, not “speculations” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB). “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood . . . he did it to demonstrate his righteousness . . . so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25 NIV).
Truth
Notice how the New Testament emphasizes “the truth”:
“Every lie is alien to the truth”—1 John 2:21 NAB
“Established in the truth”—2 Peter 1:12 NAB
“Receiving knowledge of the truth”—Hebrews 10:26 NAB
“The word of truth without deviation”—2 Timothy 2:15 NAB; (also see Ephesians 1:13 NAB; Colossians 1:5 NAB
“Do not boast and be false to the truth”—James 3:14 NAB
“In line with the truth of the gospel”—Galatians 2:14 NIV; (also see verse 5).
“Pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth”—Titus 1:14 NIV
The True Gospel Keeps To The Scriptures
We are told to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2), not “speculations” (1 Timothy 1:3 NIV). The true gospel does not “go beyond what is written in Scripture” (1 Corinthians 4:6 GWT).
The true gospel does not speculate beyond what the Bible says about Jesus’ return and the end of the world. “False doctrines” which go beyond the scriptures, such as the Trinity, Hellfire, Immortality of the soul, involvement in worldly politics, etc, are not part of the true gospel. The true gospel is built exclusively upon Bible truth.
One thought on “The True Gospel Is Built Upon Bible Truth”
BA1: What Is Truth?
GW1: Truth is an accurate description and/or model of reality.
BA1: Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
GW1: It is a category error for any person, including Jesus, to say they are truth. Jesus was a real human person, not an accurate description of reality.
BA1: The true gospel is built upon Bible truth, “just as truth is in Jesus.” (Ephesians 4:21 NASB). It is not built upon”a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6), or”a different Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4 NLT).
GW1: There are truths in the Bible and the Gospels, which are parts of the Bible, but there are more falsehoods there than truths. For example, anytime these authors say or imply that God exists, they are presenting a falsehood.
BA1: In prayer to his Father, Jesus said, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).
GW1: God does not exist and so has not presented any words which could be true or false.
BA1: Later, “Jesus” said to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, “I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth” (John 18:36 NLT).
GW1: Jesus adopted a life purpose of telling truth, just as we have, and that is a good thing. But Jesus often told falsehoods, including the idea that God exists.
BA1: Many today have the same cynical, skeptical attitude that Pilate had back then. “‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked” (John 18:37).
GW1: Contrary to Pilate, we now know what truth is. It is an accurate description and/or model of reality.
BA1: Skepticism notwithstanding, the true gospel is founded upon Bible truth.
GW1: Skepticism is a very good thing. All of the Gospels contain falsehoods, and one is that God exists.
BA1: Christians therefore are strongly exhorted to be “accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NASB).
GW1: Everyone should be exhorted to do this. Tell Donald Trump.
BA1: Where is this truth?
GW1: Truths and falsehoods exist in our minds. They are descriptions of reality which are accurate and inaccurate, respectively. For example, “Jesus came back to life” is an inaccurate description. “Jesus died and stayed dead” is an accurate description.
BA1: “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching” (2 Timothy 3:16 NASB).
GW1: False. God does not exist. We now know this. It has been proven.
BA1: The truth of the gospel is “the faith that was once for handed down to the holy ones” (Jude 3 NAB), in the scriptures, the Bible’s 66 inspired books, and does not need to be supplemented, or changed.
GW1: More than half the Bible is false.
BA1: Extremely serious warnings are given “if anyone who adds anything to” or “if anyone takes anything from” the scriptures (Revelation 22:18,19 GNB). God’s gospel of truth is not to be tampered with.
GW1: But unfortunately for us all, God does not exist. This has been proven.
BA1: “Consequently it is not from sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty about everything which has been revealed. Therefore both sacred Tradition and sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same devotion and reverence.”—Second Vatican Council
GW1: Nobody should trust this Council, especially Protestants like you and atheists like me. Nothing is sacred since God does not exist. Some things are valuable, precious, or important, but not sacred.
BA1: The Catholic Church enshrines their tradition as being equal to the inspired scriptures of the Bible. There are some other groups which have somewhat similar views that put their doctrines, traditions, dogmas, etc., as at least equal to the Bible and its truth. Bible teachings, expositions, and explanations are fine and good, as long as they are not presented as equal to the scriptures themselves.
GW1: They all contain speculations, hypotheses, beliefs, falsehoods, truths – a mixed bag.
BA1: The true gospel is not built upon “human traditions” which “nullify the word of God” (Mark 7:8,13 NIV), “man-made ideas” that “cancel the word of God” (Mark 7:7,13 NLT), nor upon “false doctrines” (1 Timothy 6:3 NIV).
GW1: There is no word of God. God does not exist. This has been proven. If God did exist, there would be no disagreements about his word since he would regularly speak TO ALL LIVING PERSONS SIMULTANEOUSLY! Duh. Five-point bonus question: According to the Bible stories, when was the only time that God spoke to all living persons at the same time?
BA1: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David, this is my gospel” (2 Timothy 2:8 NIV).
GW1: Jesus of Nazareth was a real human person, whereas Jesus Christ is just a mythical or legendary figure. Jesus died and did not come back to life. In fact, there are no verified documented cases of anybody dying and coming back to life.
BA1: The gospel of the Bible is based upon Jesus’ sacrificial death, not “speculations” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NASB). “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood . . . he did it to demonstrate his righteousness . . . so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25 NIV).
GW1: Complete nonsense! If God did exist, he would never set up a system of atonement. Instead, he would set up a system of perfect justice. Sins and penalties cannot be substituted. Individual accountability is the only way.
BA1: Notice how the New Testament emphasizes “the truth”:
GW1: And notice how it abuses the truth.
BA1: “Every lie is alien to the truth”—1 John 2:21 NAB
GW1: Well of course it is. Duh.
BA1: “Established in the truth”—2 Peter 1:12 NAB
GW1: Not the Bible.
BA1: “Receiving knowledge of the truth”—Hebrews 10:26 NAB
GW1: This is not a sentence.
BA1: “The word of truth without deviation”—2 Timothy 2:15 NAB; (also see Ephesians 1:13 NAB; Colossians 1:5 NAB
GW1: Not a sentence.
BA1: “Do not boast and be false to the truth”—James 3:14 NAB
GW1: Good advice.
BA1: “In line with the truth of the gospel”—Galatians 2:14 NIV; (also see verse 5).
GW1: The main theme of the Gospels is false.
BA1: “Pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth”—Titus 1:14 NIV
GW1: The Jews and the Christians disagree? Surprise, surprise! If God did exist, there would be no disagreements about him. He would make sure of that.
BA1: We are told to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2), not “speculations” (1 Timothy 1:3 NIV). The true gospel does not “go beyond what is written in Scripture” (1 Corinthians 4:6 GWT).
GW1: The main theme of the Gospels is false.
BA1: The true gospel does not speculate beyond what the Bible says about Jesus’ return and the end of the world.
GW1: Jesus spoke a falsehood. He said he would “return” before those who heard him would die. False. Didn’t happen.
BA1: “False doctrines” which go beyond the scriptures, such as the Trinity, Hellfire, Immortality of the soul, involvement in worldly politics, etc, are not part of the true gospel. The true gospel is built exclusively upon Bible truth.
GW1: But the Bible is built on falsehood too – the falsehood that God exists. We now know he doesn’t exist. This has been proven. Belief in God is just like belief in a flat Earth, once popular, now dying.