The Gospel Plus Plan

“Come on, you know you want to do it.”

“Um… I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Looks dangerous!” 

“No way. It’s easy!” 

“I really don’t think I should. I just don’t see the purpose in it.”

“Really? Everyone is doing it! It’s the most.  You can get a lot of friends by doing this!”

“Guaranteed acceptance.”

“Hmmm. I’m not sure… I guess I could do it. You know, just one time to get me into the group. Right?”

“Yeah, this will surely do it!” 

“Well, okay… Here goes…” 

I watched as the skeptic joined the others by placing a large plastic bucket over his head. It covered his entire face and neck, blocking his view of anything in the conference room. The skit team, otherwise known as “The Bucket Heads,” then spent the next few minutes wandering around the room, bumping into the furnishings, the audience, and each other as they tried to make it out of the cluttered room with minimal injury.  Throughout the room, the audience’s laughter rippled as they watched these “desperate to belong” people fight against such unnecessary obstacles. While highly entertaining, it is an accurate picture of what happens when we allow wrong influences to sway us from the truth of what it means to be truly accepted. Giving in to watered-down or diluted truth out of desperation for the approval or acceptance of others will leave us in much the same condition as the Bucket Heads. The persuasion of those with a message of untruth, if accepted, will leave us with cluttered minds bumping around in life and battling obstacles that are not necessary. Over time, continually seeking approval will only lead to increased feelings of isolation rather than acceptance.

In much the same way, watering down or diluting the truth of God’s word in our lives regarding finding his approval leaves us with a cluttered perspective, a sense of no absolutes, and, like those Bucket Heads, a lot of roadblocks and works that are not necessary for finding His acceptance. His condition for our acceptance by Him is simply faith in Him and in what He has done for us on the cross. That is it. Yet we make it so complicated by trying to add on to what he requires of us.

In the book of Galatians, Paul wrote rather urgently to the Christian churches of Galatia after he received word that they were being encouraged to accept a gospel other than the one he had preached to them concerning how to receive God’s full acceptance into His family. These “new way of thinking” teachers, skilled in persuading others, accepted the Gospel that Paul was preaching. Instead, they planted the idea in the minds of this new church with immature faith that something was missing in the message Paul shared. Something extra that needed to be added to the Gospel. These “misguided” teachers, better known as Judaizers, presented a “Jesus Plus” plan for God’s acceptance. It included faith in Jesus and the keeping of the Mosaic Law and all its requirements.  This was a case of diluting the Gospel and, in today’s terms, real “Bucket Head Theology!” 

Paul reminded the Gentiles throughout his letter that his calling was to bring the message of salvation to them. He affirmed again that salvation comes only through faith in Christ, nothing more, nothing less.  He reminded them to beware of others who would go and try to weaken the truth of the Gospel, and he cautioned them to challenge anyone trying to add anything to the good news he had shared with them. Paul closed his letter with a reminder that Christ has called us to live in freedom, that is, freedom in Christ Jesus. As believers, we are saved by faith in Christ alone and not burdened by a list of things to do or rules to follow to receive salvation. Discernment of truth was theirs and is also ours today through the Spirit of God revealed in His word, with a direct line to our hearts. No add-ons, no extra work, no Judaizers needed. 

 Have you ever been influenced by “Bucket Head theology?” Has someone tempted you with the idea that you need faith in Jesus plus something easy to be accepted by Him? If so, the scripture reminds us to test the teachings that others bring into our lives by comparing them to the word of God.  Distinguishing between the “Bucket Heads” of this world bumbling around preaching an add-on Gospel and those teaching the truth of how to receive God’s eternal acceptance should not be difficult, but rather the beginning of freedom that is found in Christ alone through faith in Jesus. No buckets needed! 

Father,

Guard my heart. People have come and will continue to come into my life with a message other than your Gospel. Please help me to discern truth through your word and the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. May my acceptance by you always and forever be received only by faith in what your word says and by grace because of your perfect work on the cross done on my behalf.

Amen

“...If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” 

Galatians 1:9-10

Christ alone is the Savior of our very souls. Nothing we can do, say or become will be enough to fill the gap between our sin and the Savior. We needed a plan and here is the plan: 

"God made him who had no sin (Jesus) to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

2 Corinthians 5:21

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. - Jesus

John 5:24