Human nature being what it is, unregenerate man has an inclination to reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Gospel, or “good news,” teaches that salvation comes to man as a free gift.
This gift is made possible by Jesus Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross. Instead of repenting of their sins and accepting God’s free gift of salvation by grace, unregenerate man attempts to obtain salvation by ways and means of his own choosing.
Adam and Eve and the Attempt to Establish Human Righteousness
This tendency towards religiosity was first exhibited by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It is the attempt “to make oneself righteous.
Scripture makes a special point of this sinful inclination of mankind. It is the first sin mentioned in Scripture after the Fall.
Most people would say that the first sin recorded after mankind’s Fall was Cain killing Able. However, the first recorded sin was Adam and Eve attempting to make themselves righteous before God through their own efforts. This “sin of religion” was exhibited by their covering themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7).
The 2nd Person of the Trinity, Jehovah or “Yahweh,” whom we now know as Jesus Christ, then stepped in. He demonstrated to Adam and Eve the principle that “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin.” He did this by providing them with coverings made from an innocent sacrificial lamb (Genesis 3:21, Hebrews 9:22).
God’s Word reveals that man’s attempts to attain his own righteousness are like presenting God with “filthy rags.” Such attempts are themselves sinful acts (Isaiah 64:6).
The Gospel of Jesus Christ: Salvation as a Free Gift
The “Good News,” or “Gospel of Jesus Christ,” is that mankind does not have to work for salvation.
Rather, salvation is a free gift offered by God to mankind. It is attained by grace through faith.
Man’s responsibility is to admit that he is a sinner: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). He is then to receive Jesus into his heart as his personal Savior by calling upon His name: “For whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Once man has done this, he is said to have been “born again” (John 3:3). He is now a new creature in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).
As part of the “Gospel of Jesus Christ,” man is to learn all things concerning Jesus. He is thereafter to follow Him (Matthew 11:29).
Human Religion Versus Salvation by Grace
Numerous “non-Gospel of Jesus Christ” belief systems still exist in the world today. This is presented as a testament to mankind’s stubbornness in seeking salvation from his sinful condition through his own efforts.
So, we see that with the Fall, mankind acquired a “sinful nature.” This gave him a propensity for religiosity and a desire for salvation on his own terms. He also acquired a proclivity to be pigheaded about doing things his own way rather than God’s.
The “Gospel of Paul Simon”
This propensity for stubbornness against the ways of God could lead one to say that unregenerate man lives according to the “Gospel of Paul Simon.” In his hit song “The Boxer,” Paul Simon wrote the now famous truism, “Still a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest.”
Unfortunately, this tendency to resist the ways of God is not confined to unregenerate man. All too often, those who have responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and have been “born again” revert back to this same “Gospel according to Paul Simon.” They stubbornly disregard many of the edicts of Scripture that they do not care to listen to or follow in their walk with the Lord.
From the Old Sinful Nature to a New Creature in Christ
May all who are called by the name of Jesus learn to recognize this tendency to live according to their old sinful nature. This nature is exemplified by the idea that “a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.” Instead, believers should live according to the new life that has been planted in them by God Himself through the Holy Spirit:
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed
away; behold, all things are become new.”
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ…”
(II Corinthians 5:17)
Read Rob’s book “PARADIGMS TOSSED”, Debunking Faulty Christian Beliefs and learn how best to hear “Well Done” after your life is over and you’re face to face with Jesus someday!
