A False Gospel Is Like American Cheese

by Perry Hall

Let’s begin with a question you may have never considered. Is American Cheese real cheese?

Personally, I joke that American cheese is both an insult to cheese and an insult to being an American. But am I right? Is American cheese real cheese? According to the FDA, American cheese is a processed cheese product and is not considered "real cheese". The FDA categorizes it as “pasteurized processed American cheese food”.

While, by definition, it contains real cheese, such as cheddar and Colby, it's combined with emulsifying agents, milk fats, and other ingredients. This mixture alters the product's composition, preventing it from meeting the legal definition of "cheese".

What is an emulsifier? Emulsifiers are substances that facilitate the mixing of two liquids that don't typically mix, such as oil and water. They achieve this by reducing the interfacial tension between the two liquids and forming stable emulsions. This is why American cheese doesn’t separate when melting.

When a preacher tells you that you don’t have to change because God is love, that preacher is mixing two things that cannot stay together. Jesus didn’t die because I don’t have to change. God’s grace enables repentance as we grow in the knowledge and understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ. A false gospel makes you comfortable "just as I am" …whether sitting in a pew or just “out there” because God is everywhere. Don’t mix truth with error. That is as old as a serpent in a garden.

There you have it. False grace and a false gospel are like American cheese. It allows the mixing of two things that cannot coexist by themselves – God’s holiness and our continued sin. And to many, they both "taste" good!