“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. For in it is the righteousness is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Rom. 1:16,17)

There is but one gospel for all men. It is not magic. There is nothing in the world that can confer grace and righteousness upon men, and there is nothing in the world that any man can do that will bring salvation. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, not the power of man. 

Any teaching that leads men to trust in any object, whether it be an image, a picture, or anything else, or to trust for salvation in any work or effort of their own, even though that effort be directed toward the most praiseworthy object, is a perversion of the truth of the gospel-a false gospel.

There are in the church no “ sacraments” that by some sort of magical working confer special grace on the receiver. But there are deeds that a man who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and who is thereby justified and saved, may do as an expression of his faith. “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph.2:8-10). This is the “truth of the gospel” for all time.

There is no man or body of men on earth that has a monopoly of truth, a corner so to speak, so that whoever wishes it must come to them. Truth is independent of men. Truth is of God. Whoever gets the truth must get it from God, and not from any man, just as Paul received the gospel.

God may use as instruments or channels, but He alone is the Giver.

Waggoner, The Glad Tidings, pp. 33,34.