The Gospel of Inclusion – by Kay Taiwo

Recently, the well-known pastor, Bishop Carlton Pearson, passed away. For many years, he raised questions about whether it is necessary to communicate the need for salvation to an unbeliever. However, over time, he not only questioned the Bible’s position on salvation but also began to demean, dismiss, and even blasphemously assault the God of the Bible.

The passing of Bishop Pearson stirred a rallying effect among many of his former associates and friends. Their heartfelt emotional responses affirmed his significant impact on the Christian community. Some chose to overlook Bishop Pearson’s departure from the faith, while others found ways to defend him despite his heretical stance that characterized him before his death.

Bishop Carlton Pearson stated on one occasion, 

“It takes a lot of guts for me to say the God of the Bible is made up as a sociopathic, 
sadistic, angry, manic depressive, and maybe even psychologically demented…”

On another occasion, Bishop Pearson remarked about the God of the Bible, 

“My next level consciousness I FIRED that God….I begin to study metaphysics….
religion insists that you believe, consciousness insists that you know.”

If you truly believe in the Bible, you are utterly and totally at odds with the late Bishop Carlton Pearson. There can be no gray areas. He can’t be right if the Bible is the inspired word of God.

In fact, Bishop Pearson addressed that too: “…so we call it the inspired word of God; I call it the inspired word of man about God…”

This statement is in direct contradiction to the Apostle Paul’s statement in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

So obviously, in a battle between the Scriptures and Bishop Carlton Pearson, the Scriptures are to be believed, not Bishop Carlton Pearson.

The premise of the gospel of inclusion suggests that all are saved in God’s scheme of things, whether or not an individual accepts and confesses the lordship of Jesus. This implies that we need not preach the gospel. Hence, those who have traveled far and wide, were persecuted, or even martyred for preaching the good news of Jesus were wasting time and money.

If everyone will be saved without accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior:

1. Did Jesus make a mistake when He told us in Mark 16:15 to ‘Go into ALL the WORLD and preach the gospel to ALL CREATION’? 
2. Was Paul’s ministry a total waste of time in reaching the Gentile world? 
3. Were most of the Apostles martyred for nothing? 
4. Did Billy Graham, T.L. Osborn, Reinhard Bonnke all waste their time, energy, and resources, preaching all over the world at mass crusades? 
5. Did missionaries waste their time establishing mission centers and planting churches around the world? 
6. Did Bible translators waste their time making the word of God accessible to the masses in their native languages? 
7. Why does the Church exist if every path leads to God?

Obviously, the view supporting universalism (the gospel of inclusion) is antithetical to sound doctrine. Its underlying implication qualifies it as damnable heresy.

Let’s delve into a simple study that will aid in clarifying the confusion.

Ephesians 4:11-15 NIV:

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
12 to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

The head of the Church specifically set a structure that has been in place for over two thousand years. He set in His Church five ministry gifts (also known as five-fold gifts): apostle, prophet, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

The following, though an oversimplification of the ministry gifts, represents a general synopsis of the roles and functions of the Church governing structure.

The prophet, pastors, and teachers have the primary responsibility to build up the body of believers.

The evangelist and apostle’s primary roles are to proclaim the Gospel and plant churches, respectively.

For the purpose of this study, let us zero in on the evangelist.

The word “evangelist” comes from the Greek word “euaggelistes,” which means a preacher of the gospel. Euaggelistes comes from the root word “euaggelizo,” which means to announce good news (“evangelize”)… declare, bring, preach (the gospel). — Strong’s Comprehensive Concordance of the Bible.

This being the case, John 3:16 must be one of the evangelist’s favorite passages of scripture. What does John 3:16 say?

It reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Let’s dissect this verse.

1. God loves the world so much… This means all are included, and none is excluded from God’s love. His love does not discriminate. His love shows no partiality regarding social class, race, culture, or creed. His love embraces the world with value that equates to His only Son. That action to give up Jesus for us is the clearest demonstration of the love He has for the world.

2. Whoever believes in his son will not perish… The operative word here is “believe.“

This means someone has to let the world know, so they can believe, hence preventing them from perishing. The word “perish” comes from a Greek word, ap-ol’-loo-mee, which means to destroy fully (literally or figuratively, to destroy, die, lose, mar, perish). — Strong’s Comprehensive Concordance of the Bible.

So the role of the evangelist is to proclaim the good news of God’s love which will not only avert the eternal destruction of an individual but also cause him to have everlasting life.

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 
15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” — Romans 10:14-15

So we see the need for the gospel to be proclaimed since there is “no claim” on salvation unless the individual decides to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. And, must confess Jesus as Lord!