ANOTHER GOSPEL Arthur W. Pink
Reiner Publications
Swengel, PA
Satan is not an initiator but an imitator. God has an only begotten Son–the
Lord Jesus, and so has Satan–“the son of Perdition” (2 Thess. 2:3). There is
a Holy Trinity, and there is likewise a Trinity of Evil (Rev. 20:10). Do we
read of the “children of God,” so also we read of “the children of the wicked
one” (Matt. 13:38). Does God work in the former both to will and to do of His
good pleasure, then we are told that Satan is “the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:2). Is there a “mystery of godliness (1
Tim. 3:6), so also is there a “mystery of iniquity” (2 Thess. 2:7). Are we
told that God by His angels “seals” His servants in their foreheads (Rev.
7:3), so also, we learn that Satan by his agents sets a mark in the foreheads
of his devotees (Rev. 13:16). Are we told that “the Spirit searcheth all
things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Cor. 2:10), then Satan also provides
his “deep things (see Greek of Rev. 2:24). Did Christ perform miracles, so
also can Satan (2 Thess. 2:9). Is Christ seated upon a throne, so is Satan
(Rev. 2:13–Gr.). Has Christ a Church, then Satan has his “synagogue” (Rev.
2:9). Is Christ the Light of the world, then so is Satan himself “transformed
into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). Did Christ appoint “apostles,” then
Satan has his apostles, too (2 Cor. 11:13). And this leads us to consider
“The Gospel of Satan.”
Satan is the arch-counterfeiter. The Devil is now busy at work in the same
field in which the Lord sowed the good seed. He is seeking to prevent the
growth of the wheat by another plant, the tares, which closely resembles the
wheat in appearance. In a word, by a process of imitation he is aiming to
neutralize the Work of Christ. Therefore, as Christ has a Gospel, Satan has a
gospel too; the latter being a clever counterfeit of the former. So closely
does the gospel Satan resemble that which it parodies, multitudes of the
unsaved are deceived by it.
It is to this gospel of Satan the apostle refers when he says to the Galatians,
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace
of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another, but there be some that
trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ” (1:6, 7). This false
gospel was being heralded even in the days of the apostle, and a most awful
curse was called down upon those who preached it. The apostle continues, “But
though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have prached unto you, let him be accursed.” By the help of God we
shall now endeavor to expound, or rather, expose, this false gospel.
The gospel of Satan is not a system of revolutionary principles, nor yet a
progrma of anarchy. It does not promote strife and war, but aims at peace and
unity. It seeks not to set the mother against her daughter nor the father
against his son, but fosters the fraternal spirit whereby the human race is
regarded as one great “brotherhood.” It does not seek to drag down the
natural man, but to improve and uplift him. It advocates education and
cultivation and appeals to “the best that is within us.” It aims to make this
world such a comfortable and congenial habitat that Christ’s absence from it
will not be felt and God will not be needed. It endeavors to occupy man so
much with this world that he has no time or inclination to think of the world
to come. It propagates the principles of self-sacrifice, charity and
benevolence, and teaches us to live for the good of others, and to be kind to
all. It appeals strongly to the carnal mind and is popular with the masses,
because it ignores the solemn facts that by nature man is a fallen creature,
alienated from the life of God, and dead in trespasses and sins, and that his
only hope lies in being born again.
In contradistinction to the Gospel of Christ, the gospel of Satan teaches
salvation by works. It inculcates justification before God on the ground of
human merits. Its sacramental phrase is “Be good and do good”; but it fails
to recognize that the flesh there dwelleth no good thing. It announces
salvation by character, which reverses the order of God’s Word–character by,
as the fruit of, salvation. Its various ramifications and organizations are
manifold. Temperance, Reform Movements, “Christian Socialist Leagues,”
Ethical Culture Societies, “Peace Congresses” are all employed (perhaps
unconsciously) in proclaiming this gospel of Satan–salvation by works. The
pledge-card is substituted for Christ; social purity for individual
regeneration, and politics and philosphy, for doctrine and godliness. The
cultivation of the old man is considered more “practical” than the creation of
a new man in Christ Jesus; whilst universal peace is looked for apart from the
interposition and return of the Prince of Peace.
The apostles of Satan are not saloon-keepers and white-slave traffickers, but
are for the most part ordained ministers. Thousands of those who occupy our
modern pulpits are no longer engaged in presenting the fundamentals of the
Christian Faith, but have turned aside from the Truth and have given heed unto
fables. Instead of magnifying the enormity of sin and setting forth its
eternal consequences, they minimize it by declaring that sin is merely
ignorance or the absence of good. Instead of warning the hearers to “flee
from the wrath to come” they make God a liar by declaring that He is too
loving and merciful to send any of His own creatures to eternal torment.
Instead of declaring that “without shedding of blood is no remission,” they
merely hold up Christ as the great Exemplar and exhort their hearers to
“follow in His steps.” Of them it must be said, “For they being ignorant of
God’s righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have
not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). Their
messages may sound very plausible and their aim appear very praise-worthy, yet
we read of them–“for such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves (imitating) into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan
himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great
thing (not to be wondered at) if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works” (2
Cor. 11:13-15).
In addition to the fact that today hundreds of churches are without a leader
who faithfully declares the whole counsel of God and presents His way of
salvation, we also have to face the additional fact that the majority of
people in these churches are very unlikely to learn the Truth for themselves.
The family altar, where a portion of God’s Word was wont to be read daily is
now, even in the homes of nominal Christians, largely a thing of the past.
The Bible is not expounded in the pulpit and it is not read in the pew. The
demands of this rushing age are so numerous, that the multitudes have little
time and still less inclination to make preparation for the meeting with God.
Hence the majority who are too indolent to search for themselves, are left at
the mercy of those whom they pay to search for them; many of whom betray their
trust by studying and expounding economic and social problems rather than the
Oracles of God.
In Prov. 14:12 we read, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the
end thereof are the ways of death.” This “way” which ends in “death” is the
Devil’s Delusion–the gospel of Satan–a way of salvation by human attainment.
It is a way which “seemeth right,” that is to say, it is presented in such
plausible language that it appeals to the natural man: it is set forth in such
a subtile and attractive manner, that it commends itself to the intelligence
of its hearers. By virtue of the fact that it appropriates to itself
religious terminology, sometimes appeals to the Bible for its support
(whenever this suits its purpose), holds up before men lofty ideals, and is
proclaimed by those who have graduated from our theological institutions,
countless multitudes are decoyed and deceived by it.
The success of an illegitimate coiner depends largely upon how closely the
counterfeit resembles the genuine article. Heresy is not so much the total
denial of the truth as a perversion of it. That is why half a lie is always
more dangerous than a complete repudiation. Hence when the Father of Lies
enters the pulpit it is not his custom to flatly deny the fundamental truths
of Christianity, rather does he tacitly acknowledge them, and then proceed to
give an erroneous interpretation and a false application. For example: he
would not be so foolish as to boldly announce his disbelief in a personal God;
he takes His existence for granted and then gives a false description of His
character. He announces that God is the spiritual Father of all men, when the
Scriptures plainly tell us that we are “the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus” (Gal. 3:26), and that “as many as received Him, to them gave He power
to become the sons of God” (John 1:12). Further, he declares that God is far
too merciful to ever send any member of the human race to Hell, when God
Himself has said, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast into the Lake of Fire” (Rev. 20:15). Again, Satan would not be so
foolish as to ignore the central figure of human history–the Lord Jesus
Christ; on the contrary, his gospel acknowledges Him to be the best man that
ever lived. Attention is drawn to His deeds of compassion and works of mercy,
the beauty of His character and the sublimity of His teaching. His life is
eulogized, but His vicarious Death is ignored; the all-important atoning work
of the cross is never mentioned, whilst His triumphant and bodily resurrection
from the grave is regarded as one of the credulities of a superstitious age.
It is a bloodless gospel, and presents a crossless Christ, who is received not
as God manifest in flesh, but merely as the Ideal Man.
In 2 Cor. 4:3,4 we have a scripture which sheds much light upon our present
theme. There we are told, “if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are
lost: In whom the god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God should shine unto them.” He blinds the minds of unbelievers
through hiding the light of the Gospel of Christ, and he does this by
substituting his own gospel. Appropriately is he designated “The Devil and
Satan which deceiveth the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). In merely appealing to
“the best that is within man”, and in simply exhorting him to “lead a nobler
life” there is afforded a general platform upon which those of every shade of
opinion can unite and proclaim this common message.
Again we quote Prov. 14:12–“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but
the end thereof are the ways of death.” It has been said with considerable
truth that the way to Hell is paved with good intentions. There wil be many in
the Lake of Fire who commenced life with good intentions, honest resolutions
and exalted ideals–those who were just in their dealings, fair in their
transactions and charitable in all their ways; men who prided themselves in
their integrity but who sought to justify themselves before God by their own
righteousness; men who were moral, merciful and magnanimous, but who never saw
themselves as guilty, lost, hell-deserving sinners needing a Saviour. Such is
the way which “seemeth right.” Such is the way that commends itself to the
carnal mind and recommends itself to multitudes of deluded ones today. The
Devil’s Delusion is that we can be saved by our own works, and justified
before God by our own deeds; whereas, God tells us in His Word–“By grace are
ye saved through faith… not of works lest any man should boast.” And again,
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy
He saved us.”
A few years ago the writer became acquainted with one who was a lay preacher
and an enthusiastic “Christian worker.” For over seven years this friend had
been engaged in public preaching and religious activities, but from certain
expressions and phrases he used, the writer doubted whether his friend was a
“born again” man. When we began to question him, it was found that he was
very imperfectly acquainted with the Scriptures and had only the vaguest
conception of Christ’s Work for sinners. For a time we sought to present the
way of salvation in a simple and impersonal manner and to encourage our friend
to study the Word for himself, in the hope that if he were still unsaved God
would be pleased to reveal the Saviour he needed. One night to our joy, the
one who had been preaching the Gospel (?) for seven years, confessed that he
had found Christ only the previous night. He acknowledged (to use his own
words) that he had been presenting “the Christ ideal” but not the Christ of
the Cross. The writer believes there are thousands like this preacher who,
perhaps, have been brought up in Sunday School, taught about the birth, life,
and teachings of Jesus Christ, who believe in the historicity of His person,
who spasmodically endeavor to practice His precepts, and who think that that
is all that is necessary for their salvation. Frequently, this class when
they reach manhood go out into the world, encounter the attacks of atheists
and infidels and are told that such a person as Jesus of Nazareth never lived.
But the impressions of early days cannot be easily erased, and they remain
steadfast in their declaration that they “believe in Jesus Christ.” Yet, when
their faith is examined, only too often it is found that though they believe
many things about Jesus Christ they do not really believe in Him. They believe
with the head that such a person lived (and, because they believe this imagine
that therefore they are saved), but they have never thrown down the weapons of
their warfare against Him, yielded themselves to Him, nor truly believed with
their heart in Him. The bare acceptance of an orthodox doctrine about the
person of Christ without the heart being won by Him and the life devoted to
Him, is another phrase of that way “which seemeth right unto a man” but the
end thereof are “the ways of death.” A mere intellectual assent to the
reality of Christ’s person, and which goes no further, is another phase of the
way which “seemeth right unto a man” but of which the ends thereof “are the
ways of death,” or, in other words, is another aspect of the gospel of Satan.
And now, where do you stand? Are you in the way which “seemeth right,” but
which ends in death; or, are you in the Narrow Way which leadeth unto life?
Have you truly forsaken the Broad Road which leadeth to death? Has the love
of Christ created in your heart a hatred and horror of all that is displeasing
to Him? Are you desirous that He should “reign over” you? (Luke 19:14). Are
you relying wholly on His righteousness and blood for your acceptance with
God?
Those who are trusting to an outward form of godliness, such as baptism or
“confirmation!” those who are religious because it is considered a mark of
respectability; those who attend some Church or Chapel because it is the
fashion to do so; and, those who unite with some Denomination because they
suppose that such a step will enable them to become Christians, are in the way
which “ends in death”–death spiritual and eternal. However pure our motives,
however noble our intentions, however well-meaning our purposes, however
sincere our endeavours, God will not accept us as His sons, until we accept
His Son.
A yet more specious form of Satan’s gospel is to move preachers to present the
atoning sacrifice of Christ and then tell their hearers that all God requires
from them is to “believe” in His Son. Thereby thousands of impenitent souls
are deluded into thinking they have been saved. But Christ said, “Except ye
repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). To “repent” is to hate
sin, to sorrow over, to turn from it. It is the result of the Spirit’s making
the heart contrite before God. None except a broken heart can savingly
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Again, thousands are deceived into supposing that they have “accepted Christ”
as their “personal Saviour,” who have not first received Him as their LORD.
The Son of God did not come here to save His people in their sin, but “from
their sins” (Matt. 1:21). To be saved from sins, is to be saved from ignoring
and despising the authority of God, it is to abandon the course of self-will
and self-pleasing, it is to “forsake our way” (Isa. 55:7). It is to surrender
to God’s authority, to yield to His dominion, to give ourselves over to be
ruled by Him. The one who has never taken Christ’s “yoke” upon him, who is
not truly and diligently seeking to please Him in all the details of his life,
and yet supposes that he is “resting on the Finished Work of Christ” is
deluded by the Devil.
In the seventh chapter of Matthew there are two scriptures which give us
approximate results of Christ’s Gospel and Satan’s counterfeit. First, in
verse 13 and 14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it.” Second; in verse 22 and 23, “Many
will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied (preached) in
Thy name? and in Thy name cast out demons, and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And they will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart
from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Yes, my reader, it is possible to work in
the name of Christ, and even to preach in His name, and thought the world
knows us, and the Church knows us, yet to be unknown to the Lord! How
necessary it is then to find out where we really are; to examine ourselves and
see whether we be in the faith; to measure ourselves by the Word of God and
see if we are being deceived by our subtle Enemy; to find out whether it is
erected on the Rock which is Christ Jesus. May the Holy Spirit search our
hearts, break our wills, slay our enmity against God, work in us a deep and
true repentance, and direct our gaze to the Lamb of God which taketh away the
sin of the world.