WAKISO, NANSANA – Pastor Brian Abaho has called on Christians to remain firmly grounded in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, warning that counterfeit gospels and false teachings are increasingly misleading believers and threatening their spiritual lives.
Pastor Abaho delivered the message during the Sunday worship service at Watoto Church Nansana Branch, held at Kavumba Recreation Grounds in Wakiso District. Accompanied by his wife, Violah Abaho, the guest preacher ministered as part of the church’s ongoing “Spirit-Empowered Discernment ” teaching series.
Speaking to the congregation, Pastor Abaho emphasized that believers need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to distinguish truth from error in a generation filled with competing voices and doctrines.
He said God is calling His people to be Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered, stressing that Christians cannot fulfil God’s purpose through human effort alone.
“Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, the assignment upon this church, your family and your life is impossible,” Pastor Abaho said.
He noted that modern society is saturated with podcasts, conferences, books, social media platforms and churches where countless people claim to teach God’s Word, making spiritual discernment more important than ever.
“The question every believer must ask is: Who is speaking the truth? What should I allow into my heart? The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth. Without Him, we can easily drift from truth into error,” he said.
Pastor Abaho warned that Jesus and the Apostle Paul both foretold a time when many believers would abandon sound doctrine and embrace false teachings.
He said Satan’s strategy is to infiltrate the Church through false teachers who distort the Gospel and lead believers away from Christ.
“The enemy wants believers to stumble before they finish the race God has marked out for them. That is why discernment is essential,” he said.
The preacher also cautioned Christians against judging ministries by spectacular miracles, signs and wonders alone, urging them instead to examine whether the teachings align with Scripture.
He further warned against mixed spirituality, where Christian faith is blended with rituals and objects such as so-called holy water, holy salt, holy rice, charms and other items promoted as sources of favour, protection or financial breakthrough.
According to Pastor Abaho, such practices shift believers’ trust away from Jesus Christ and place it in objects that have no biblical foundation.
Legalism
Pastor Abaho identified Legalism as the first counterfeit gospel, citing James 2, Galatians 1:6-7 and Galatians 2:18-21.
He explained that legalism teaches that people earn God’s acceptance through obedience to religious rules and personal performance rather than through God’s grace.
Referring to Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians, Pastor Abaho said Paul strongly opposed any teaching that suggested believers could be justified by observing the law after receiving salvation through Christ.
He noted that returning to legalism amounts to rejecting God’s grace and undermining Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
According to him, legalism causes Christians to believe that God loves them more when they perform well spiritually and less when they fail.
“If you have fasted, prayed and avoided sin, you feel God is pleased with you. But when you fail, you assume God has rejected you. That is not the Gospel. We are accepted because of Christ’s finished work, not because of our performance,” he said.
Hyper-Grace
The pastor described Hyper-Grace as the second counterfeit gospel, warning that it distorts the biblical teaching on God’s grace.
Drawing from Romans 6:1-2, he explained that while salvation is entirely by grace, God’s grace does not give believers permission to continue living in sin.
He said hyper-grace teaches that repentance, confession of sin and obedience are unnecessary because Christ has already paid for all sins.
Pastor Abaho warned that such teaching causes many Christians to ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit and continue living sinful lifestyles without repentance.
“The grace of God is not an excuse for sin. The grace of God is the power to live a holy life,” he emphasized.
He expressed concern that many young believers have embraced teachings that encourage worldly living while falsely assuring them that there are no spiritual consequences.
Prosperity Gospel
Pastor Abaho also challenged the Prosperity Gospel, describing it as a counterfeit gospel centred on personal gain instead of Christ.
Referring to 2 Corinthians Chapters 8 and 9 and Ephesians 2:8-10, he said prosperity teaching often claims that believers can obtain wealth and success simply by giving money, making positive declarations or exercising enough faith.
He cautioned Christians against believing that God is obligated to grant material riches because of financial giving or repeated confessions.
Pointing to the life of Apostle Paul, Pastor Abaho noted that despite enduring imprisonment, beatings, hunger, sleepless nights and persecution, Paul remained one of Christ’s greatest servants.
“If prosperity were the measure of faith, then Paul’s life would not make sense. Yet he faithfully served Christ despite suffering,” he said.
He reminded believers that the Gospel is first and foremost about reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, not the pursuit of wealth or material possessions.
Christ Must Remain the Centre
Concluding his sermon, Pastor Abaho urged Christians to carefully examine every teaching against the Word of God and remain anchored in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
He warned that embracing counterfeit gospels carries eternal consequences, affecting individuals, families, communities and future generations.
“The greatest threat to our faith is not persecution or culture. It is believing the wrong gospel while thinking it is the truth,” he said.
Pastor Abaho called upon believers to rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment, reject false teachings and ensure that Jesus Christ remains at the centre of their faith.
