The Gospel of Accommodation
The Gospel of Accommodation
(The Gospel of Accommodation)
David Wilkerson
The gospel of accommodation - To accommodate means to adapt, make suitable or acceptable. It also means to adjust, to make something very convenient. It means to yield to the desires of others to placate them.
You put that together. I’m talking about a gospel that’s been invented in hell now being propagated all over United States.
It’s a suitable, acceptable, convenient gospel that yields to the desires of the weakness of a sinful man.
I call it the gospel of accommodation because it’s adapting and adjusting the gospel to appease and attract sinners.
This gospel of accommodation is primarily an American cultural invention to ease our life style. It appeals primarily to white Americans rich and prosperous. It was invented out of hell itself.
The accommodating of men’s offense of the cross Behold I lay in Zion stumbling stone, a rock of offense
(Rome 9:33)
Paul spoke of the offense of the cross
(Galatians 5:11)
We’re coming now to the heart of why God hates this new doctrine, this new movement in America. This is why God hates it and rejects it why He cursed it, why God would put anathema on any preacher who embraces it.
God demands more than coming to the cross. He demands going through the cross. That’s the offense that it takes everything a man has and owns and trusts in.
The sinner is most willing to come to the cross and kneel before it.
He is willing to take the claims by a single confession of faith and just say “Yes, Lord. I believe.”
He wants all of the benefits of the cross. He wants to believe that Christ sacrificed. Yes, it covered all of sins.
That’s been preached. The cross that all the phraseology is there.
It's sweetly talked about the cross. “Come to the cross of Jesus and be forgiven.”
There’s not one word about saying going on with Christ into the tomb and to die. There’s not a word about going down into the grave and coming out resurrected in newness of life.
It’s coming to the cross kneel, say a prayer, and go back to your sins go back.
No one say,
“Were you to take it by faith, you are not of righteousness of Christ,
no dying to sin, no being resurrected in newness of life.”
That’s the offense of the cross that you go all the way when you come. He demands full obedience. He demands everything we have.
I’m afraid a majority of people who claim to be Christians, and saved in these last days, have been to the cross but they have never been through the cross they have never been buried with Christ.
Paul said, “I died with Christ. I was raised with Christ. I was crucified with Christ.”
“I not only came to His cross. I picked up my cross, I went through with Him.”
We have another gospel now. It tells a man what the cross did for him, but not what it wants to take him too.
The gospel, it’s not just forgiveness.
It’s not simply “believe and get heaven some day.”
God says,
“I want your flesh. I want your body as a living sacrifice.”
(Rome 12:1)
And that’s the preaching of the cross.
If the preaching of grace doesn’t have as its goal righteousness,
it’s another gospel.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts,
we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age,
Titus 2:11-12
I came to New York City when AIDS was plaguing Broadway. People were dying left and right. Black muslims, Times square spewing out hate, Young blacks feeling the world has left them behind and angry, Intellectuals cursing Christ.
Liberal minds say there’s no hope.
You tell me I’m going to come in with the 15 minutes skit, I’m going to have a cute little worship teams giving little dee dee body songs to a dying world.
God, help our blindness!
And from the fist time I stood in the pulpit. I preached repentance.
I preached the cross.
I said,
“We’re not here to comfort you and your sins.
We’re here to convert you and your sins.
and to believe that there’s a Savior who deliver you.”
You think for one moment. We’ve drug-crazy people come to visit, people half-dead, people crying and yearning for just one word of hope.
You think for one minute. I’m going to give 20 minute sermon natty to ease their mind? No. I’ve been so glad He laid hold of my heart one day. I’m so glad He revealed His heart to me.
Lord, I want clean hands.
I want a pure heart.
I don’t want my eyes to be looking at filth.
I don’t want to hear anything unlike you, Jesus.
I don’t want my hands to touch anything that’s abominable.
Oh, God
Take my body, my mind, my soul.
Take everything.
Lord, I’m going all the way with you.