Beware of the Sugar Coated and Watered Down Gospel! Really?

by Ed Elliott

I often hear preachers warn people about the dangers of a “sugar coated” or a “watered down” gospel. They believe this is a false or perverted gospel that people need to shun, rebuke, and expose as heresy. The basic idea is if “getting right” with God is too easy and simplistic or doesn’t come with personal sacrifice and a hatred of sin then it isn’t the true gospel. Is this true?

I have never understood why they use the terms “sugar coated” or “watered down” gospel as a derogatory and negative connotation of a message they have deemed false and theologically heretical. God uses those same terms to describe His Word. Why would a message that is sweet be bad or something to stay away from? Why use water in such a negative way when life as we know it cannot exist or flourish without water?

The Apostle Paul describes accurately what a false gospel looks like

Paul used carefully crafted words to paint a picture of what a false gospel actually looks like. He called it “dung,” which identified any message that promoted works and self-righteousness. He told the Galatians they had been bewitched. In fact, most of Paul’s warnings in his epistles are about staying free from a performance-based religious system that…