Paul wrote, “But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.”

This verse, when one can see it for what it says, is an indictment against the modern gospel and practice of “Christianity.” To recognize it as such, though, requires that one be free of the “church” paradigm (the preconception and misbelief that “church” practices are the same as is seen in the New Testament or that differences in the way one practices “church” are immaterial) or else one will simply not see anything at all here and will wonder what the fuss is all about. May God be merciful to such blind followers of blind leaders!

The gospel Paul refers to here is not the modern “church” gospel which says, in effect, “Come, listen to our speaker, and, if you like what you hear, you can keep coming back and participate as little or as much as you like.” Paul’s gospel was the gospel of the kingdom wherein Christ the King commands all men everywhere to repent of all sin and selfishness so that they can get off the road to eternal condemnation. These two gospels are very different. Paul was approved by God to preach the gospel of Christ’s kingdom – the “church” has been consigned to preach deception and error.

The “church” is so organized that it must preach error and distortion because it must please men enough to secure finances sufficient for the “pastor’s” and staff’s salaries and to pay for the maintenance, upkeep and construction of each sect’s “church” building. In the next verses, Paul speaks of not using flattering words, a cloak for covetousness nor seeking glory from men (each of these a cornerstone of the modern “church”) but instead he speaks to please God who tests our hearts.

The man who speaks to please God will not be popular in this time of lawlessness (most doing only what is right in their own eyes) but they will bear upon their lives God’s approval. That so few are capable of rightly discerning those who bear His approval, in contrast to those wildly popular speakers and teachers (who speak in His name but do not bear His approval) is simply another confirmation that the apostasy, the great falling away from the faith that occurs before Christ’s return, is upon us.

May God so change our hearts that His kingdom and His righteousness are our highest priorities. Anything else is merely false religion practiced in His name.

Let he who has ears hear.

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