The True Gospel of Christ vs. The False Gospel of Carnal Christianity by L. R. Shelton, Jr.

This is why I believe that there is no Love in the Church today, by in large the church is so full of lost "carnal Christians" that there affections have not been affected. Have our affections changed?

The False Gospel: No Change in Affections
“Without Natural Affection”

2 “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 “Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 “Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” - II Timothy 3:2-5

Introduction

Truly these are dark and perilous days in which we live, when voices from every quarter are heard saying, “Follow me, for I have the truth.” But surely we should heed the Scripture which warns us, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (I John 4:1). Therefore, based upon this Scripture of warning and others, I have been warning of the false gospel of carnal Christianity which has swept the world, and our nation more than any other, today.

Why is this so? Because it is a false “gospel” that allures the flesh; a false doctrine that has a form of godliness, but denies the power to deliver from the tyranny and power of sin. For it takes the Word of God and makes it teach that all a man has to do to be saved for heaven and made safe from hell, is to make a decision for Christ-give a mental assent to a set pattern o Scriptures-and just as long as a man or woman, young person or child has “believed,” it doesn’t really make any difference how they live, even if it be in open rebellion against God! So with God’s Word we have been waging war against this false gospel of carnal Christianity, showing the fruitage of the vast majority of Christendom today, the professors or converts of this false “gospel,” whose conduct belies the genuineness of their profession.

Reading now from II Timothy 3 in the Ampli­fied Bible:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will set in perilous times of great stress and trouble-hard to deal with and hard to bear. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an in­ordinate (greedy) desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffers), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and pro­fane. [They will be] without natural (human) affection (callous and inhuman), relentless-,admitting of no truce or appease­ment. [They will be] slanderers-false accusers, trouble makers; intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. [They will be] treacherous (betrayers), rash (and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it-their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession. Avoid [all] such people-turn away from them. For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins, [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses. [These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are for ever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth” (vv. 1-7).

Oh what a picture the Holy Spirit has painted here of the fruits of this false gospel of carnal Christianity! May our eyes be open to see the depths of this deception. We have shown how these false converts behavior is all wrong, described under the words and expressions, “blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, traitors, and heady.” Then we have seen how their opinion-of themselves and others-is all wrong, described under the following words and expressions: “boasters, proud, high-minded, and despisers of those that are good.”

Their Affection Is All Wrong

Thus it logically follows that their affection is all wrong, as these words and four expressions describe: “without natural affection” (v 3), “lovers of their own selves, covetous” (v 2), and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (v 4). Remember the apostle is speaking of those who profess to be saved-not the out-and-out worldlings who have never made a profession of religion-but those who have been deceived by the false gospel of carnal Christianity, who have a form of godliness.

The first of these last four expressions is: “without natural affection.” What an expression! What a description of our present day “Christian” society! Without natural affection means that they are callous, and have no respect, love or obedience to one another or to the Lord. Husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, all living under strained relationships, have no communications, not caring for or loving each other!

How has all of this come to pass? Sin is the tap root of our home problems today. What sin? The sin of disobedience! God’s order in the home has been destroyed; God’s Word in the home has been destroyed; God’s name in the home has been destroyed; and God’s worship in the home has been destroyed. Therefore, all natural affection has been lost and men have become lovers of their own selves.

Husbands and Wives

God’s Word declares that His order for the home is Christ, the Head of the man; the husband, the head of the wife; and the parents, the head of the children (I Cor 11:3; Eph 6). When that order is destroyed, then the home is destroyed; and the fruit of all this is “without natural affection.” Let us face it and face it squarely: Our trouble today lies in the government of our homes, and not in the government of our land! There is chaos and confusion because men have not taken their place in the home obedient to their Head, Christ. They know nothing about being the head of wife and children, or of ruling them in love and by example. Many claim to be saved, and yet have not bowed to the Lordship of Christ as rightful Head! Therefore, the line of least resistance is taken in their home.

Also, many homes are in a state of confusion today because the whole home revolves around wives who have never submitted to the lordship of their husbands. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church” (Eph 5:22). “Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands... even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord” (I Peter 3:1,6). Women’s Lib. is not biblical; it is of this false gospel of carnal Christianity which allows women to preach and to usurp authority over the man! Certainly God’s Word is not against the woman, but He has graciously and lovingly laid down the order for the woman in the home. And only as she bows to the authority of God’s Word in obedience will there be peace and harmony, love and affection.

Children

And we see the children today are also in rebellion against God’s Word. They have risen up to take the command in the home, in the school, in the college and university. There is not natural affection for the parents, nor for the Word of God, which says: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Eph 6:1). Yes, this is right because it is God’s way, God’s order. Oh, what a sad picture we see today of children growing up in the home and church, with no sense of sin, no sense of responsibility, living, coming and going as they please; and yet being told they are saved because they have made a profession of faith! I make no apology for saying: No child or young person is saved or will ever be saved, unless he has learned obedience to his parents. In salvation, God breaks our wills, breaks our hearts, and gives us a hatred for rebellion and a love of obedience. Yes, I believe God’s Word is very plain that obedience is one of the truest marks of a saved soul.

Personal Application

What is our hope in all of this confusion that the preaching and practicing of the false gospel of carnal Christianity has taught us? Listen and I will tell you: My dear father, go on your knees before God and confess that you have rebelled against His authority and His Christ. Confess that you have taken the role of least resistance with your family; confess that you have neglected God’s Word and His worship in the home. Call upon the name of our living God in Christ’s name, asking for mercy. Tell God that you deserve hell, but ask for His mercy in Christ. Cry unto Him for faith to trust Him in sincerity and reality, and to work His work of grace in your heart. Then start your family worship. Read the Scriptures with your family, praying for and with them. Take your place in the home as its head, looking to Christ by His Spirit to work in you and your family all that is needed for salvation and your walk here upon this earth. Do not give your affection and time to anything else!

To you, my dear mother and wife, go to you knees with your husband; confess to God that you have lived in rebellion against Him and His Word, His authority and your place in the home. Cry unto Him for the grace to take your place in the home as an obedient wife, recognizing your husband as your head, and submitting yourself unto him as unto the Lord. Ask God to give you by His Spirit a broken heart and a contrite spirit, so you will be enabled to take your place in the home. Come to Christ for repentance and faith; trust Him with all your heart, and look to Him to work out each and every problem in your life and home.

Then to you, dear children and young people, I will say that the only place of true happiness is found at the feet of Christ in obedience to Him and to His authority over you, which is your parents-your father and mother.

Our blessed Lord loves to hear precious souls crying unto Him for mercy and laying down their arms of rebellion against Him in repentance. Remember, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels when a poor sinner comes to God in repentance (Luke 15:10). It is Christ Himself Who is rejoicing, for He is seeing of the travail of His soul and is surely satisfied. You see, He desires to save you; He waits to be gracious to repenting sinners. He delights to give new hearts and new lives, for this is the very reason He came down to earth’s depths and suffered and bled and died and arose from the grave-so poor sinners like you and me may be reconciled to the thrice Holy God. But He will only receive you as a repenting sinner, and this grace of repentance He will Himself give you (Acts 5:31).

I tell you from His Word and from my own personal experi­ence that the Lord Jesus Christ waits to be gracious to you; He will receive repenting, believing sinners, just as you are, and will make you and your homes over! And my dear father, mother, and young person, when He gives you a new life and a new home, you will no longer be without natural affection, but love will flow from your heart. You will then begin to live in peace, love, hope, and joy, and in the blessings of your eternal God, who loved you and gave Himself for you in Christ.