Keith Green, A. W. Tozer: What's Wrong With The Gospel?

I have been browsing through some of my old files and came across two old companion pamphlets titled, “What’s Wrong With The Gospel?” Part one was titled, “The Missing Parts” and part two, “The Added Parts.” In 1981 Christian singer and songwriter, Keith Green published them as his own but there is sufficient evidence that the real credit for the material must be given to A. W. Tozer.

The content is relevant and quite insightful, coming from a non-Calvinist. It is certain to irritate some but it definitely presents a deserving criticism of the sloppy and irresponsible methods of evangelism in much of modern Christian evangelicalism.

The pamphlets, as written, are much too long to reproduce in blog form. The full original text can be located in the Keith Green archives. I have taken liberties to edit and abridged the content and I am posting them together here in two parts.

What's Wrong With the Gospel?

Part 1: "The Missing Parts"

The BloodThe blood of Jesus is God’s only cleansing agent for a sin-sick soul. What we present today is a bloodless or anemic gospel! The whole concept of Jesus being the Passover Lamb of the Old Testament has been lost. We often reason that it takes too much time and thought to explain or that we need to simplify the Gospel so that we can reach the masses. But when we remove the blood from the preaching of the Gospel, we remove the power of the gospel.

The CrossPaul said, "I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (I Cor. 2:2)

Today it's all about what Jesus can do for you! The Bible's Christ-centered Gospel and our modern, cross-less, me-centered gospel are in diametric opposition.

Sin, Guilt, and HellSin has been redefined as “missing the mark,” “shortcomings,” or “failing to live up to our potentials.” There is very little preaching about hell anymore. It is seen as unnecessary scare tactics. Sinners are just unfortunate, misguided souls.

In our worldly wisdom, we act as though God needs our help to communicate with our contemporary generation in a gentler, more loving tone. We talk about heaven and the temporal rewards of being born-again, but we completely neglect the warnings of Jesus and the Apostles about the consequences of sin and rebellion against God.

But the Bible clearly shows that all men, in their unregenerate condition, are rebels who have robbed and dishonored the living God, infinitely offending Him. We have no right to allow them to see themselves in any other light.

The Convicting Law of GodWhen the rich young ruler came to Jesus, he asked a very direct question: "Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" How would we answer him today? "Just admit you're a sinner, accept Jesus as your Personal Savior, go to church, pay your tithes, try to be good, and you're in!"

But what was Jesus' answer? He said, "You know the commandments... if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." The commandments?? Isn't this the "age of grace"? Jesus wasn't preaching the commandments to him as the way of salvation. He was using the commandments to specifically convict him of his particular sin – greed, and Jesus knew just how to do it - preach the Law! And that's exactly what the Law is for-"For through the Law comes the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). The Law must be preached - not as the way of salvation, but as a searchlight on the sinner's heart so he can see how utterly rotten he is compared to God’s requirement for sinless perfection.

Our modern gospel emphasizes all the good things God will do for us if we just “accept” Him! Today we don't want to scare the "liberated generation" away with rules. If we say that fornication or drugs or abortion, or any other specific sin is wrong, people will feel all condemned and then how could they get saved? But that's just the point, Jesus preached the Law to the rich young ruler so that, after feeling condemned about his greed, he could turn and obey Jesus and find true treasure in heaven."Go and sell all you possess and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me." (Mark 10:21) Unless people are truly convicted of their sin and totally condemned by God’s Law, then it is impossible to convince them of the need for a savior. Only by the preaching of the Law can a man fully desire to be saved from the penalty of his sin. For, "I would not have come to know sin except through the Law."(Rom. 7:7)

The Fear of God and the Judgment Seat of ChristInstead of the awesome majesty of Jehovah, today the Lord is presented as a sort of benevolent Santa Claus and the Church is the toy store where you can get every goodie your heart desires. Jesus is portrayed only as a good, loving, and forgiving friend. But what does the Scripture say? "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31) and "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'? (Proverbs 9:10)

Modern preaching presents an unbalanced view of God by ignoring the severity of His justice and judgment while emphasizing His kindness. "Behold then the kindness and severity of God." (Rom. 11:22)

RepentanceConversion without repentance is impossible. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles are full of commands to "repent and be saved!" True repentance is not just "being sorry" – genuine sorrow is only conviction.  Repentance is a change of heart and a change of mind that results in a decisive change of action by turning away from sin. God blesses those decisions and commitments with abundant grace and power to fulfill the desires of the Spirit within us. Repentance is a natural response of one who sees how ugly and horrible his sin is but it is impossible where the Law does not convince the sinner of his wicked heart. Because our modern preaching generates so little real conviction of sin, there is no compulsion for repentance. You see, all these removed parts of the Gospel are connected. In God's wisdom, every aspect of the appointed way of salvation is irreplaceable. It is true that without God loving us first, we could not be saved. And when He saves us, He requires that we repent!

God's Sorrow and Broken Heart Over SinModern preaching paints an inaccurate picture of God as carefree, cheerful, understanding, and tolerant of our sin. The Church doesn't want a God who's grieved with sin because He would be grieved with them (and He is!).

The Bible indicates that God is greatly grieved by our sin. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. And God pleads with the nation of Israel through the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. The God of the Bible is continually striving with men through His Spirit. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). That means that God sees every rape, every murder, every starving person, every pornographic film and book, and every abused and battered child. Scripture warns us to not “grieve the Holy Spirit of God?” (Eph. 4:30)The Necessity of HolinessWithout holiness "no one shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Jesus commands us to be perfect. Yet none of us can achieve perfection. Nevertheless, we still have those uncomfortable words of the Lord, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Because of that dilemma, we have invented some pretty interesting (but unscriptural) doctrines. Some teach that when God looks at us, He doesn't really see us anymore, He sees Jesus instead. And whenever there's sin in our hearts, if God should happen to look at the wrong moment, He'll see a smiling face of Jesus there, instead of seeing our sin. So God sees us as holy - even though we’re not! Another stranger-than-truth doctrine is that blessed refuge of backsliders called "the carnal Christian." In this example of pretzel-logic, we have solved the problem of “so-called believers” who do not walk with the Lord but continue to indulge in the things of the world and the lusts of the flesh. They are another class of Christians called “carnal Christians.

Here we have a case of a "believer" who doesn't believe. Oh, he still "believes" that God is God, and that there is a heaven and a hell, and so on (but don't forget, the devil believes all these things too!-James 2:19). He knows all the right things to say to convince granny, the pastor, and his Christian friends that he's still hanging in there. He even sort of believes it himself. Seems he's got everybody fooled - everybody that is, except God! The Bible is clear that"If we say we' have fellowship with Him, and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth " (I John 1:6).

Today the preaching of holiness for the Christian is largely neglected. Jesus wants to impart His holiness to us by the Holy Spirit. But because people are not being driven to the cross, convicted by His Law to repentance and real rebirth, then we have to spend hours in our seminaries trying to find suitable, complicated ways to explain away the obvious meanings of Scripture. To this, you might say, "…what about all those people getting saved by the efforts of good men and ministries out there? They're not preaching the way you say they should, and they still have converts!"

Well, the immediate answer to that question is, "The people are not getting saved because of their messages, they're getting saved in spite of them." But many of the people who make "decisions for Christ" do not even continue to attend church following their experiences. Let's take a closer look at what kind of "converts" today's gospel usually produces.

What, Specifically, Is Wrong With Our Modern Gospel?

It is Me-Centered Instead of Christ-Centered
First and foremost, it is a gospel that appeals to the self. Instead of honoring God, it places the sinner at the center of God's love and plan. But the Bible places Jesus at the center of God's plan, not the sinner.

One of the most well-known phrases of modern evangelism is "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!" But the sober, biblical truth that needs to penetrate the sinner's mind is "You have made yourself an enemy of God, and in your present state of rebellion there is absolutely no hope for you." In fact, God's "plan" for the sinner at this point in his life is to separate him from His presence forever, in hell. However unpopular or unlovely that may sound, it is the only truth and reality about anyone who is an enemy of God through sin.

The error continues. Sin, they are told, has separated us from God and “His wonderful plan for your life.” Jesus came and died on the cross, so that you may experience “His wonderful plan for your life.” You must accept Jesus now so that you will not miss out on “His wonderful plan for your life!" You, you, you, you!!! It's all about YOU! The fact of the matter is, Jesus did it all in obedience for His Father's glory.

Of course, it infinitely benefits those who love, serve, and honor Him, but that is a secondary result; not the primary one. If people come to Jesus mainly to get a blessing, or only to get forgiveness, they will ultimately be disappointed. But if they come to Him in faith, giving Him their lives in honor and worship, then they will truly have forgiveness and joy - more than they could ever imagine!

It is Shallow, Cheap, and Offered as a "Bargain"Our gospel presents the good news on a "come and get it while you can" basis. We make every effort to make it easy. We remove everything that might offend someone or might make them hesitate or postpone their decision. Jesus never lowered the requirements for anyone. One had to be completely sincere, totally humbled, having counted the cost, willing to leave everything- family and property, "count all things loss" so that they might "gain Christ" (Phil 3:7-8). When that rich young ruler "went away sad, for he had many possessions" (Matt. 19:22), Jesus didn't go running after him shouting, "Hey, wait a minute! Let's talk about this; it isn't as bad as it might sound. Maybe I was a little too harsh!" Maybe we're so eager to "see converts" or to publish "how many got saved at our last concert" that we'll do anything to rush someone into a "decision" before he's had a chance to really make one. The problem is, if you have to rush him into it, he probably will change his mind later anyway. For as a friend of mine says, "If somebody can talk them into it, somebody can talk them out of it!" (I Cor. 1:17)

Salvation is Presented as a Barter or Trade, Instead of the Result of Obedience by FaithWe offer forgiveness of sin like as something we can negotiate. I've even heard, "You give Jesus your sin, and He'll give you salvation in return!" No one in the Bible ever thought so low of the grace of God to talk about the gift of eternal life like it was for trade. It is a gift! You can't earn it, buy it, or give anything in return for it. How it must offend God to hear people talk that way about the redemptive work of Christ.

It Produces Selfish, "Blessed," and Feelings-Oriented "Converts"
Anyone who is made to believe he becomes a Christian under such preaching will seldom bring forth the true fruits of a real convert. He will remain self-serving only now his selfishness will take on a religious form. If he wants something for himself, he will say he "has a burden" for something, or he will say, "It is the desire of my heart," or some other religious-sounding phrase like that. He will pray selfishly, desiring blessings for himself, and even if he does pray for others, it is often for selfish reasons. After all, when he "accepted the Lord," he was told how much Jesus wanted to bless him and how much God had stored up for his account, and how the Bible was like "a checkbook full of promises, just waiting to be cashed!" Such a person always seeks to "feel" good about himself, his church, his pastor, etc. His whole world is built on feeling blessed. He was never shown how he was created to bless God... God was not created to bless him.

The kinds of "converts" described above are not like those described in the book of Acts where the tender spirit of love and the mighty spirit of power prevailed among the brethren in those early days. I believe that one of the great reasons that"everyone kept feeling a sense of awe" (Acts 2:43), was because "they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to prayer " (vs. 42). The Spirit of God anointed and blessed the new converts with power because Peter and the others made every effort to convey the whole message of the Gospel when they preached and taught. God always anoints the truth.

Part 2: "The Added Parts"

The following is a list of some of the inventions of man that have become so essential to our modern Gospel, that they have become almost inseparable from it. In fact, they are considered so necessary that some Christians can hardly believe that anyone can be saved without them.

The "Personal Savior" The use of the term "Personal Savior" isn't very harmful in itself, but it shows a kind of mindset that is willing to "invent" terms, and then treat them as if they were actually found in the Bible. Would you ever introduce your sister like this: "This is Sheila, my personal sister"?! Or would you point to your navel and say, "This is my personal bellybutton"? Ridiculous! But nevertheless, people solemnly speak of Christ as their personal Savior, as if they've got Him right there in their shirt pocket - and as if when He returns, He will not have two, but three titles written across His thigh: King of kings, Lord of lords, and PERSONAL SAVIOR! This is only one example of how a non-biblical term can be elevated to reverence by the Church, as if to say, "Well even if it isn't in the Bible - it should be!"

The Alter CallImagine Jesus having people bow their heads after hearing the Sermon on the Mount, and then very slowly and softly (while Bartholomew plays "How Great Thou Art" on the accordion) saying to the crowd, "While your heads are bowed and your eyes are closed, if you really want to be My disciple tonight, if you really want to show My Father that you truly mean to follow this sermon I have given, then I want you to slip your hand up slowly, so that I may see it. There now... yes... yes... I see that hand ... and that one ... and the one way back by the fig tree ... yes! Now, please, while Bart plays another chorus, I'd like you to start moving down through the center of the crowd ... yes, those who raised their hand. I want to know if you really mean business. I'd like to lead you in a prayer...

I realize that there are some who will see such an illustration as sacrilegious. And that's just the point. They think that making fun of the "altar call" is making fun of God. But it isn't. Traditions die hard because they take so long to form. Once I received a very intense letter from the pastor of a church who had sponsored me in a city-wide concert in his area. He was upset that I had "let several hundred souls go ungathered" because I had not given an altar call. He said, "It seems you have no burden for souls." (Nothing could be further from the truth.) But because I had not given the recognized "official invitation," this pastor could see no value in my presentation of the Gospel. Or as Tony Salerno, (director of "The Agape Force"), once remarked, "If you don't give an altar call, they think you have committed the 'unpardonable sin!'"

The altar call was invented only about 150 years ago. It was first used by the American evangelist, Charles Finney, as a means of separating out those who wanted to talk further about the subject of salvation. Finney called the front pew "the anxious seat" (for those who were "anxious" about the state of their souls) or "the mourner's bench." Finney never "led them in a prayer," but he and a few others would spend a great deal of time praying with and giving specific instruction to each, one by one, until finally, everyone was sent home to pray and continue seeking God until "they had broken through and expressed hope in Christ," as Finney would say.The early Salvation Army, going a bit further on Finney's innovation, developed what they called "the penitent form" or "the mercy seat." After a rousing time of singing and preaching, they would invite any sinner present who wanted to confess his sins to God and repent, to come to the front, and they would be prayed for individually.

I have met a few older Christians who used to attend some of these early meetings, and they said that sometimes people would stay there all night, and on a few occasions, even a few days, weeping and confessing their sins with broken hearts. There were always some who would stay right there to instruct them further, encouraging them to make a clean sweep of sin from their lives.This is what the early "altar call" was like. But gradually, it began to become a fixed part of every meeting, and like all other traditions, it began to lose its original spirit. The "coming forward" part started to be more important than the "sorrow, confession, repentance, and instruction" parts. Eventually, anyone who would "come down the aisle" was excitedly proclaimed "a new believer in Christ!" No matter how they felt, they still were told, "Your sins are forgiven, brother! Rejoice in Christ!" How many a miserable, defeated, and confused person has come away from a meeting like this?

The Sinner's PrayerCan you also imagine this scene where Jesus is leading some new "disciples" in the "sinner's prayer"?"Wow! There are so many that came forward for salvation tonight!" (The multitude applauds.) "Now, it is very simple. You just repeat this little prayer after Me, and then you're a Christian! Now it doesn't really matter whether you fully understand the prayer . . . it works just the same. Ready? Repeat after Me... 'Dear Jesus... Come into my heart...'" and so on ...When we try to picture Jesus Himself using our modern methods of evangelism, it seems completely foolish. I think this is a very good test for any method.

Obviously, there is no "set" sinner's prayer. There are many variations, with different lengths, different wordings, different endings, etc., but the contents are usually the same. The prayer usually includes phrases like, "Dear Jesus," "Come into my heart," "I admit I have sinned" (at least the better ones contain this last statement - there are some who do not even like to mention sin in their "sinner's prayer"), "Fill me with Your Spirit," "In Jesus' name. Amen." Extremely harmless . . . nothing wrong with a prayer like that, right? Wrong!

A true "sinner's prayer" will naturally burst out from the heart of anyone who is truly convicted by their sin, and in repentance, seeks God’s forgiveness. The very act of "leading someone in a prayer" is often a device of crowd manipulation and brainwashing. You will find nothing even remotely like it in the Bible, or among the writings and biographies in Church history. Jesus never called His disciples to "repeat after Me," He called them to “come follow Me.”

The practice of having someone repeat a prayer with the minister probably originated with good intentions. And, no doubt, there are many who have been truly born again by God’s grace. But also, like the altar call, the "sinner's prayer" is one of those tools that can be confusing and abusive when people are led to believe they are saved when they really are not.

The greatest problem with these modern techniques is that they often circumvent the natural birth process. They leave no time for the convicting work of the Holy Spirit to bring about repentance that leads to salvation. With an emotional splash that usually doesn't last more than a few weeks, we believe we're leading people into the Kingdom, when really we're trying to force a premature birth or even worse, we perform a "spiritual abortion." Sometimes it seems that we would rather rush someone into a shallow decision, and get the personal gratification of seeing him "go down the aisle," than take the time to fully explain things to him, even if it takes long hours and nights of travailing prayer for his soul. We just don't "have the time" to do things God's way anymore. We should rather see one true convert than an ocean full of "decisions."

Quick and Easy "Steps-To-Salvation" Booklets

One of the best known of these booklets has been printed in over 30 languages and has over 100 million copies in circulation. With that in view, it is even more urgent for me to say that unless these or any other "gospel" booklets contain the same message that our Lord preached (and commanded His disciples to spread "to every kindred and nation"), then they are worse than "inadequate tools," they are wicked!

The Bible says in Proverbs 10:26,"Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the unfaithful messenger to him who sends him." Paul said that if we are really Christians, then we are "ambassadors of Christ." That means we are His representatives in this foreign land called "the world" and we are under orders to accurately communicate His message, regardless how unpleasant it may seem.

Most of these little booklets usually mention a "sort-of" repentance like, "you must turn from your sins to Jesus." But they rarely explain what "turning" really means. This is also true of other vital terms such as "Lord" - they usually refer to Jesus as "Lord," but again, they seldom define what "lordship" means - and people go their merry way, believing they have the full right to continue running their own lives as long as they call Jesus "Lord."

The "Poor Jesus" Syndrome

This is the form of preaching that misuses the Scripture in Rev. 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock . . . " That passage describes Jesus outside of His CHURCH.

But How many evangelists have misapplied that Scripture to paint a pathetic picture of Jesus standing outside a door, waiting, knocking, knocking, waiting, for the sinner to open up and let Jesus in? Sometimes these preachers go on and on until it starts to sound like, "Aw, poor Jesus is out there in the cold, shivering, waiting for someone to let Him in. Won't you go ahead and let poor Jesus into your heart?"The truth of the matter for sinners is the exact opposite. Jesus is not outside of their world, knocking to come in - they are outside of His Kingdom! And they can knock all night like the five foolish virgins but Jesus will never let them in unless they meet His requirements: a humble and contrite heart, and a complete disgust for sin. Then, and only then, will God deliver them from their slavery to sin - and transfer them by His grace to the Kingdom of His loving kindness. God will never repent for someone - He makes it possible for the sinner to see the folly of his ways, surrender, and desperately gasp, "I am a fool to run my own life! Lord, show me the way to your door, and I'll knock and knock, and beg forgiveness ...I'll do anything, anything, ANYTHING YOU SAY!" Then, and only then, will God save a sinner.

Bumper Stickers, Cheap Clichés, and "Christian" Slogans

It pains me to see the beautiful truths of Scripture being plastered about like beer advertisements. People become numb to the truth when we splash our gaudy sayings in their eyes at every opportunity. Do we really think this opens them up to the Gospel? Or is it really just another way for us to get smiles, waves, and approval from others in the "born-again club" out in the supermarket parking lot, who blow their horns with glee when they see your "Honk if you love Jesus!" bumper sticker?

And what about those other quasi-biblical sayings like "Please be patient, God isn't finished with me yet," (which can really be a horrible replacement for "I'm sorry" and besides, it puts the blame on the wrong person - "The reason I'm such a creep is because God isn't finished with me yet."). And if you really want to "Stretch the Bible" there is that other fabulously convenient excuse for our lack of holiness: "Christians aren't perfect... just forgiven.

Maybe I've gone a little too far to make a point, but I think the world is disgusted with our pithy little sound bites and "witnessing tools." It's time for us to be expressing the truth with our lives, and then the whole truth of God with our lips!"

The Follow-Up Program

There is another practice in our modern evangelism called "follow-up" and it usually follows our miserable and incomplete gospel with a miserable, incomplete, and false replacement for what the Bible calls "discipleship." Our "follow-up" usually consists of a packet of literature which almost always includes a complete list of all church services and functions. The packet may also include many "essential" items like a complete Bible study on "tithing" along with a starter supply of tithing envelopes (this is one "principle" that nearly every new believer learns right away!). In my studies of the life of Jesus, it has amazed me that He never had "a follow-up program." It was usually His habit to let people "follow Him up." He never had to go door to door, looking for that fellow who He healed last week, wanting to share another parable or two. He always seemed to have the attitude of, "If they want life, then they'll have to come and follow Me."

We preach a man-made, plastic gospel. We get people to come forward to "the altar" by bringing psychological pressures that have nothing to do with God. We "lead them" in a prayer that they are not yet convinced they need to say. And then to top it all off, we give them "counseling," telling them it is a sin to doubt that they're really saved!

Conclusion

I realize that these articles will step on many toes, and some might even be deeply offended, but that is not my intention at all. My prayer is that some will begin to take up the cross and preach the good news of our salvation with the same power and anointing that Jesus promised and gave to the early Church, and that when we stand before Him on that great day, we will be able to say with Paul, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith . . . I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ" (II Tim. 4:7; Rom. 15:19), so that we may hear those sweet words from our King's lips, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (Matt. 25:21)