I cannot read this verse without being shocked out of my socks. The “gospel” that is described here is absolutely nothing like the gospel that is being preached in the vast majority of churches today.

So if the gospel presented is not the gospel declared and taught in Scripture, then what is it? I have no answer for this.

Paul describes something that is powerful and life altering. What currently exists in most churches cannot be described this way. At least it can’t be described that way if you want to avoid being a liar.

There are some powerful descriptors here that every church can look at to determine if they are declaring the true and entire gospel. There is nothing arbitrary or shifting here. The standard of the genuine article is clear and not cloudy.

There are five clear standards of the genuine article. When these five standards are attained, we can know that we are REALLY declaring the Good News of the completed work of Jesus on the cross that we describe with the word, “gospel.”

But if our message does not have the five standards that are the litmus test of the true gospel, then our message fails the test of being declared the genuine article. And we end up with a counterfeit that is trying to pose as the real thing.

What are these five tests of the genuine?

The first, I think, is the most shocking for most modern churches. Paul tells us that the gospel doesn’t come in “word only.” In other words, the sermon alone can never be the gospel all by itself.

And yet most churches operate with the premise that the gospel is all about the message that is presented from the pulpit. But this is only one out of five elements that must be present before the church can truly say it is presenting the gospel.

Sadly, most churches stop here. And 80% of the true gospel ends up missing in action. So what happens in the lives of people who are only presented with 20% of the gospel? They end up walking in 20% victory.

Twenty percent victory is actually 80% defeat. It doesn’t take a math scholar to figure this one out. Most Christians are ready for heaven but are little different from a non-Christian in the here and now. But 80% defeat is exactly what I would expect if 80% of the formula for victory is withheld from them.

I am running out of space and still have four of the five points of the true gospel that I haven’t mentioned yet, so I am not going to be able to give them adequate explanation. I recommend that you spend some time meditating on this verse and the Holy Spirit will reveal it all to you.

The other four elements of the true gospel are:

2. Power. The true gospel has the cure for ALL sickness, poverty, anxiety, fear, depression, and any situation that requires a miracle. And yet, modern churches tell sick people to stay home because they might make other people sick.

Poor people stay poor. Depressed people stay depressed and are encouraged to take medication. Christians are just as fearful and anxious as anybody else. Why? Because they aren’t being presented the gospel. Instead they are presented with powerlessness.

3. The Holy Spirit. Any church that teaches against the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues is not preaching the gospel. Any church that doesn’t have the nine miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation is not preaching the gospel.

There are entire denominations that teach against this. They have left the gospel behind.

4. In much assurance. There are churches that think you haven’t truly been to church if you don’t feel worse about yourself going out than when you came in. This is a lie. It is not the gospel.
5. Know the kind of men (leaders) among you. Few Christians are able to interact intimately with their pastors and leaders and so they have no way to learn by example. That’s a travesty. And it’s not the gospel

There you have it. Five characteristics of the true gospel. And most Christians have never experienced all five.

It’s why most Christians are so defeated by so many things. They have never actually experienced the gospel.