Fig-leaf Gospel

Fig-leaves in Biblical typology represents mankind’s self effort or good works. Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden, revealed their rebellion against God’s authority. Their desire was for autonomy, self determination and independence from God, rather than accepting the Lordship of their Creator and living in harmony with Him.
They knew they had offended the Creator, so they tried to cover themselves. They sewed fig-leaves together to cover their nakedness and they also tried to take cover and hide from God. But no one can hide from the powerful Creator and God was merciful in that He provided a way of atonement for them—to restore relationship.

A blood sacrifice
God’s response was to kill an animal, (probably a lamb) shedding it’s blood and using the skin to make coverings for the couple. Thus Adam and Eve were physically and symbolically clothed by God.
This action of blood sacrifice, demonstrated God’s plan of salvation for mankind and symbolized Jesus’ great sacrifice of Himself on the cross. Christ’s death/resurrection once and for all, atoned for mankind’s sin, and only through repentance and faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour, can relationship to God be restored. This is the good news which Christians are commanded to go into all the world and preach, but today another gospel is being emphasized.

A Gospel of self interest
Today we are witnessing another gospel and the falling away that Scripture speaks of. Many leaders are redefining what it means to be a Christian. A self motivational gospel is presented as opposed to preaching the true blood gospel. I call it the fig-leaf gospel because it’s a watered down gospel of works, which enhances mans’ interests and not God’s. Fig leaves in Scripture represents man's works or human efforts to reach goodness. However the Bible says all man's efforts towards righteousness is as filthy rags in God's sight. God only accepts Christ's sacrifice on our behalf for mankind to gain acceptance with Himself.

The humanistic gospel that ‘New Agers’ happily accept incorporates whatever you want. People use God’s principles for their own selfish benefit rather than for living for God and His Kingdom.

Those who preach the inclusive/tolerence fig-leaf, man centered gospel, do not present the whole gospel which involves faith and dying to carnal self interests by taking up our cross daily. Prosperity, purpose in life, a social gospel and the life enhancement Gospel passes as Christianity these days. But Christ’s gospel is not appealing to the flesh—it’s not the ‘life you always wanted.’ God’s way is a narrow way. God desire is to have a relationship with us and asks for obedience to His Word for our benifit. The rewards are assurance of salvation, peace of mind and great joy.

The fig-leaf gospel which tickles the ear is about how man can benefit in this life by applying principles. It’s a seductive serpentine gospel of works to benefit ones self—to make one more effective/prosperous/powerful. It’s a gospel to suit individual agendas—giving man control of his/her own life and the end result fosters idolatry - making themselves like a little god. It’s magnifying self interests above God’s ways.

The true gospel is not the selfish fig-leaf works gospel. The true gospel is about the precious shed blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin. It’s about dying daily to the flesh with Christ and taking up our cross. Those who preach this other gospel, supress the truth in unrighteousness. They know the truth about the cross, but refuse to preach the whole gospel lest they offend people and lose their adoring fans.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and to die on the cross in our place. He died to give us abundant life in Him which is the joy of becoming more like Christ - not as selfish little gods, but clothed in Christ's righteousness, it is not the kind of selfish life you always wanted, because we are to be changed daily in Christ's image. Jesus said we should expect to be persecuted in this life just as He was persecuted, but His rewards are eternal and life giving.

Recently I watched a Christian TV show but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with the way the message was presented. As I turned off the TV a Scripture popped into my mind about the gospel of Christ being the power of God unto salvation. It struck me that there was little power of conviction in the message. There was no gospel preached, no repentance, no urging to turn from sin, no blood of Jesus mentioned and no explanation that mankind has offended God. I looked up the reference of the verse that had popped into my heart and discovered to my amazement that I had only memorized part of the verse. The apostle Paul said "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ."

Ashamed of the Gospel
Romans 1:18. - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who has faith..."
Are modern preachers ashamed to preach the true gospel I wondered? Many do not want to offend their audience for fear of losing their followers and so they compromise their preaching accordingly. How sad is that?

Suppress the Gospel
Then I read further in the passage where it says in - Romans 1:18.
"For the wrath of god is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness..."
It struck me that those who preach this popular fig-leaf gospel (which is at best only half the gospel) are actually suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. Now I had always taken the verse to be speaking about unbelievers, but now I see that is not always the case. It can also refer to unrighteous/ungodly backsliders who repress the truth. Those who are preaching the modern popular psychology/tolerance gospel have only the wrath of God to look forward to unless they repent for repressing the gospel message to tickle peoples ears.

Idolatry/Preacher worship.
Not only does the modern gospel suppress the truth but it leads to idolatry. See further in the same chapter -
Romans 1:25. "...who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the creator..."
How sad to see this very thing happen with all the preacher worship that goes along with the trendy self serving fig-leaf gospel that the false leaders love so much. They love it because it is the easy but false way to receive self validation and they glory in all the praise heaped upon them. Instead of being willing to be broken by the Lord in order to be more Christ-like, their heads swell with pride and arrogance comes forth from their lips whenever challenged.

Music

Jesus keep me near the cross.
As a young girl I lived with my two brothers and my parents (who were missionaries) in a little asbestos house, which was the Church manse in Adelaide South Australia. My Father was the Pastor of a small AOG.
My Mother, always having the work of the Lord on her heart, started a Sunday school class in our home, which meant I had to round up the neighbourhood children for a Bible lesson and chorus singing every Sunday morning. (Church was in the afternoon)
Mum had a peddle organ which was going out of fashion even then, but she made that organ and all of us sing. One day Mother asked me to play one hymn for that little Sunday school group. I had never played before in front of a group and although I was taking a few lessons, progress was slow. But I will never forget that first time (playing for the Sunday school) because somehow I managed to play the hymn almost flawlessly and I’m sure the Lord helped me. I certainly became aware of the wonderful words of that beautiful hymn by Fanny Crosby. It became one of my favourites — Near the cross.

Jesus keep me near me near the cross
There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary's mountain.

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Chorus – In the Cross, in the Cross, be my glory ever.
Till my raptured soul shall find Rest beyond the river.

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Near the Cross, a trembling soul
Love and mercy found me,
There the bright and morning Star
Shed its beams around me.

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Near the Cross! O Lamb of God
Bring its scenes before me,
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o'e.r me.

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Near the Cross I'll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand
Just beyond the river.
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A few years later (when I was in my teens) Mum, Dad and I left Australia for New Guinea. Dad was specifically asked to teach the Christian natives of New Guinea about the 'Gifts of the Spirit.’ The first meeting held inland was at Maprik. All the Missionaries and some native Christians from the surrounding area came to Maprik Mission Station to hear Dad preach. I remember that he spoke a simple message about the Holy Spirit and the need to have a clean heart.
That night the power of God fell on the group. Many were touched – shaking, weeping and praying as they received that glorious gift of tongues. The wonderful thing about it was that there were exactly two people from each of the five Mission Stations represented, who received the gift.
Next morning we woke to hear a woman crying and screaming. Apparently her husband was at the meeting – he had been living in secret sin and fell under deep conviction. He went home that night but couldn’t sleep so around midnight when he could stand it no longer he ran around the whole village confessing his sins of adultery. The Missionaries of course, then shared the Gospel with them and counselled the couple.
A few days later my parents and I travelled on to have meetings at another Mission Station. On the Sunday morning people started to arrive for church but many more came than was usual. The Church was packed to overflowing. The missionary thought that people must have heard there were new missionaries in the area. (It was a little nerve wracking to me because in those days {1959} the natives often came half naked and armed with their very long spears etc.) The chief told us that word had gotten out about the man in Maprik who fell under conviction and confessed his sins. They concluded that my Dad must be a very powerful man and they wanted to hear what he had to say. I believe that is how the move of God started in New Guinea because for the next five years or so, the Church just absolutely mushroomed. I don’t know the statistics but literally thousands of people came to Jesus for forgiveness and to get right with God. Hundreds of Churches grew up all over the place in a very short time. Later my two brothers and their wives joined the missionary team and I left for Bible College in Australia.
I witnessed those wonderful times as a young teenager but I was very lonely because there was no-one my age among the missionary children that I could relate to. I did much work in New Guinea like baby-sitting the missionaries children, teaching children/adults to read English, teaching women how to sew by hand, playing the accordion at the meetings and occasionally giving Bible lessons. During those times the Lord spoke to me about serving Him.
I had taken only a very few piano accordion lessons in Australia before arriving in New Guinea but I had grasped the basic’s. My mother didn’t have to tell me to practice in New Guinea because often there was no one to socialise with, so I occupied myself by trying to play the accordion. One day whilst practising I became aware of the powerful words to the song I was playing. It was about the love of God and as I was playing the tears flowed down my cheeks as they often do whilst in the Lord’s presence. I rededicated my life to the Lord that day and asked Him to help me play the accordion and promised to play for Him wherever I go. I have since played in countless meetings and the accordion has often come in handy at home groups. Here is the song. —
THE LOVE OF GOD
The love of God is greater far, than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest Hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win.
His erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin.
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Oh love of God how rich and pure
How measureless and strong.
It shall for evermore endure
the saints, the angels song.
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Could we with ink the ocean fill, or were the sky of parchment made.
Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade.
To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky.
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Another time my Father was asked to take care of the small work in the remote Sepik area. I saved a blind woman’s life at that time. A crocodile had attacked her and she had sustained sever gashes to her leg. She somehow came to me to get her wounds dressed every day for several weeks as there were no hospitals that she could go to, no bandages for sale and no medicine and wounds easily got infected in the hot climate.
One day my Mother asked me to give a Bible lesson at the only public school in the whole of the Sepic Area. We had to cross the deep, mile wide, crocodile infested Sepik River in a small canoe fitted with an outboard motor to get to our destination. I remember preparing the study on – ‘Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem’ about the palm waving etc. I studied much that day and read more Scriptures than was required for the study. I read about Jesus’ command to – "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." My heart was touched again and it was then that I felt the call to study at the AOG Bible School in Brisbane when I turned eighteen.