I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:6-9

It’s hard to start this post without saying “500 years ago,” so I just want to own and acknowledge that up front. And then start it that way.

500 years ago today, Martin Luther launched the Reformation by nailing 95 thesis on the subject of indulgences to the door of a Cathedral in Wittenburg. Far from an act of vandalism, this was a traditional way to make an announcement and start an academic discourse. Luther’s theses were of course more than academic – they comprised a theological treatise that spoke to how and why we are saved by God, and set aside for heaven. Luther’s goal in this moment was not to cleave the church in two, but to reform it, to bring a sick and corrupt body back to a state of health. And while Luther’s Reformation has paid dividends for over 500 years, his work remains unfinished.

Today, the Gospel, the Good News of the Bible is still twisted and misused by false teachers and greedy, self-appointed prophets. This shouldn’t surprise us – it’s a problem that has dogged the church since day 1. Paul’s letter to his disciple Timothy, circa 58 A.D.:

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions 1 Timothy 1:5-7

The sincere faith that the Apostles learned from Christ is summed up in another of Paul’s letters, this one to Titus:

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. Titus 3:3-8

That’s the Gospel – that a gracious God is creating a people devoted to His glory and goodness, simply by granting them faith enough to trust him, helps them set aside their wrong patterns of thought and behavior, and offers them the hope of eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven. That was a controversial teaching in Jesus’s time, a controversial teaching in Luther’s time, and a controversial teaching today. Unfortunately, it remains controversial even in the churches that claim a descent from the Reformation, with new gospels that have slipped in surreptitiously, demanding a higher cost and promising poorer rewards than the Gospel of Christ.

So if the work of Reformation must continue, 500 years later, what “gospels” must we reform? There are many – but here are a few of the most common modern heresies:

The Prosperity Gospel: Even non-Christian media outlets have called this out as antithetical to the teachings of Christ. In mega-churches like Lakewood Church (run by Joel Osteen), a gospel of health and wealth is proclaimed. If you have enough faith, they say, you will live a life of financial prosperity and physical health. Jesus, the bruised and battered homeless King of Heaven, had this to say about that kind of gospel: “ Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” ( Matthew 6:19-21). The Political Gospel: The Prosperity Gospel’s cousin, The Political Gospel teaches that God’s favor is demonstrated not through salvation, but through control of government by the appointment of the chosen. We could consider Constantine, the emperor who made Christianity the religion of Rome, the founder of this belief. We also find it in false teachers like Jerry Falwell, Jr. (President of Liberty University) and Paula White (President Trump’s closest spiritual advisor) when they say things like Trump “has been raised up by God… when you fight against the plan of God, you are fighting against the hand of God.” To be perfectly clear, Romans 8 does teach Christians to submit to even unjust governments – but that passage does not mean Christians should not advocate strongly against policies that put the weak and vulnerable in danger. And just like the Assyrian Kings of old, a political leader can be both chosen by God to lead for a time, but also commit grievous sins that place him squarely under God’s judgement. When we compromise on our morals and deify political leaders, we are robbing God of his glory, and forgetting the words of Jesus in John 18:36: “My kingdom is not of this world…. But my kingdom is not from the world.” The Moral Gospel: Where the Prosperity and Political Gospels paints a picture of “living your best life now,” the Moral Gospel at least appears to be concerned about heaven. What are the laws that God would have us live by to get there? How does God demand we live? But where the Bible teaches a gospel based on grace, not works and values convictions of the hearts, not just external actions, the Moral Gospel is primarily concerned with forcing Biblical behaviors on those who hold no stock in the Bible’s authority. This can manifest in myriad ways, including laws against homosexuality or demands for adherence to a strict, monastic, lifestyle. While these laws or demands can have the appearance of godliness to the untrained eye, they operate backwards. The Gospel grants us the Kingdom of Heaven and the promise of continual repentance in this world; the Moral Gospel grants us good behavior under duress with the hope of a more peaceful world now. Those who would impose heavy burdens on unbelievers need to hear this from Jesus: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 28-30). The Purity Gospel: Many of the gospels above are most easily identified in the rich, famous, and influential. The Purity Gospel is one that might strike closer to home. In this Gospel, “pure” behavior couples with the promise of God to ensure you a mate in the here and now. Nestled in this false gospel are a pair of sacred truths: sex is a thing God created for our joy within marriage and love is a beautiful and perfect gift from above. However, the Purity Gospel twists that truth in two ones. First, it creates a category of sin that cannot be wiped clean by Christ. Second, it turns marriage (a good gift) into the ultimate promise (rather than salvation). Much like the Prosperity Gospel, it trades an eternal reward for a temporary one, and requires you to work for it. Those tempted by this promise should remember the words of Jesus, whether they are single, engaged, or already married: “ You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matthew 22:29b).

It should not surprise us that each of these Gospels are ultimately more about us than they are about God. They are about our wealth, our power, our behavior, our relationships. Where the Gospel is delivered out of grace, these Gospels are reward-centered. Where the Gospel is carried out by faith, these are carried out by effort. Where the Gospel is taught from scripture, these are taught from man-made philosophies. Where the Gospel has it’s focus on Christ, these are primarily about man. Where the Gospel is ultimately concerned with God’s glory, these are concerned with our temporal well-being.

These four false gospels are neither exhaustive nor definitive. They are a starting point for self-examination, and for clarification of where our true hope lies. These false teachings should be combated by the regular teaching of the true Gospel every day, but on this day – as we memorialize the vigor and sacrifice of the Reformers who came before us – we should especially commit to speaking truth into the lies that so often flit through our own churches.

May the Reformation continue: for 500 years, or 500 centuries – or until King Jesus calls us home.