It's been busy around here lately. We've had a few evenings below 100 degrees when people are actually out and available to talk about the absolutely most important information in the universe. Quite a few tracts have been distributed and I haven't kept track of the one-2-one conversations.
This past weekend was Wichita's very own Blacktop Nationals 3-day car show (along with other events). It went over well evangelistically, but it sure is difficult to get folks' eyes and minds off the cars. For this reason, I got away from the main car show and tried to reach people while they were less distracted by the cars of this world.
It seems the Lord is opening a new theater of operations (maybe 3 of them). There are three universities in town. One is large and state. Two are small and private. My hope is that the Lord will link me with Christian students so He can get me officially invited to share on campus. In the meantime, I'll just be casual and reach out as the Lord leads.
As I spend more time on the streets in Wichita, it has become clear that there are many, many people who have been deceived into thinking they will be in heaven because they: (1) Go to church (2) Do more good than bad (3) Don't think hell exists or that God would send anyone there
Our enemy has done a great job of blinding people to the simple truth that everyone has sinned against their Creator by breaking His Law (the Ten Commandments) and they will justly perish in hell forever unless they repent from sin and trust that Jesus Christ took their punishment on the cross and rose again. Such a simple message and so easy for the spiritually blind to miss.
God bless you! Tell someone about God's Law and Jesus' fulfillment of it today!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Missing Ingredient
There is a crucial ingredient missing from many people's understanding of the gospel and it is evident when the Lord lets me speak to people one-to-one. Around here, on the fringe of the Bible belt, almost no one denies God's existence. Very few deny the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth, His virgin birth, His death on the cross for our sins, or even His resurrection from the dead. Most people will readily agree that they must trust Jesus to save them from God's wrath. The missing ingredient is repentance.
Since evangelism is my thing, I tend to listen closely to gospel presentations and even analyze them a little. For whatever reason, it seems many people present the gospel with the crucial idea of repentance either missing from or quietly imbedded within their message. Instead of explicitly teaching that God commands all men to repent; to turn away from and forsake their sins as the Bible instructs, a seemingly repentance-less message goes out.
When we present the gospel without an explicit command to repent from sin, non-Christians who hear the message do not understand that they must repent. They don't know that God commands them to stop drinking to excess, cursing, blaspheming, lusting, etc. So, when presented with an opportunity to drink excessively, curse, blaspheme, lust, etc., the new "Christian" will do so. They are likely not true followers of Jesus Christ because no one clearly told them to repent. In fairness, many people refuse to repent out of their love for sin.
Jesus said, "I tell you no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3 If a police officer mercifully warns a driver to stop speeding, the driver needs to stop speeding or a ticket is in his future. Since the Lord commands us not to blaspheme His name (see Exodus 20:7), we had better not mis-use His name or we can expect punishment even if we attend church and profess to be Christian. For out of the abundance of our heart our mouth speaks (Luke 6:45) and if our mouth blasphemes the Lord, we have no reason to claim to be a follower of Christ and thus a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This same principle applies to the practice of all sin. (Notice that this is in reference to the practice of sin, not the accidental falling into sin followed by repentance).
Although it's sort of a dirty job to tell people to change their ways, we must take a stand and tell people that their drunkeness, lying, cursing, blasphemy, adulterous behavior, etc., must stop if they expect to be saved. We must use the backbone the Lord gave us and lovingly tell non-Christians that God commands them to repent because we don't want them to perish. The Bible backs us up by being very clear in these two verses:
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death." Revelation 21:8
One important note: I do not intend in any way to say that someone will be saved as long as they don't do the bad, immoral stuff. I am not teaching we can be righteous by doing good or by avoiding doing bad. No amount of filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6), can make up for offending our Creator by transgressing His law. We all must turn away from sin and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation He purchased for us with His blood.
If Christians persist in preaching the gospel without a strong call to repentance, we can expect many of our hearers to say to Jesus on that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" Then Jesus will declare to them, "I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Matthew 7:22-23 They will end up in hell for eternity.
Thank you for your patience and for reading. If the Lord tarries, the next post will be more encouraging. God bless you!
Since evangelism is my thing, I tend to listen closely to gospel presentations and even analyze them a little. For whatever reason, it seems many people present the gospel with the crucial idea of repentance either missing from or quietly imbedded within their message. Instead of explicitly teaching that God commands all men to repent; to turn away from and forsake their sins as the Bible instructs, a seemingly repentance-less message goes out.
When we present the gospel without an explicit command to repent from sin, non-Christians who hear the message do not understand that they must repent. They don't know that God commands them to stop drinking to excess, cursing, blaspheming, lusting, etc. So, when presented with an opportunity to drink excessively, curse, blaspheme, lust, etc., the new "Christian" will do so. They are likely not true followers of Jesus Christ because no one clearly told them to repent. In fairness, many people refuse to repent out of their love for sin.
Jesus said, "I tell you no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:3 If a police officer mercifully warns a driver to stop speeding, the driver needs to stop speeding or a ticket is in his future. Since the Lord commands us not to blaspheme His name (see Exodus 20:7), we had better not mis-use His name or we can expect punishment even if we attend church and profess to be Christian. For out of the abundance of our heart our mouth speaks (Luke 6:45) and if our mouth blasphemes the Lord, we have no reason to claim to be a follower of Christ and thus a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). This same principle applies to the practice of all sin. (Notice that this is in reference to the practice of sin, not the accidental falling into sin followed by repentance).
Although it's sort of a dirty job to tell people to change their ways, we must take a stand and tell people that their drunkeness, lying, cursing, blasphemy, adulterous behavior, etc., must stop if they expect to be saved. We must use the backbone the Lord gave us and lovingly tell non-Christians that God commands them to repent because we don't want them to perish. The Bible backs us up by being very clear in these two verses:
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death." Revelation 21:8
One important note: I do not intend in any way to say that someone will be saved as long as they don't do the bad, immoral stuff. I am not teaching we can be righteous by doing good or by avoiding doing bad. No amount of filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6), can make up for offending our Creator by transgressing His law. We all must turn away from sin and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation He purchased for us with His blood.
If Christians persist in preaching the gospel without a strong call to repentance, we can expect many of our hearers to say to Jesus on that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" Then Jesus will declare to them, "I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Matthew 7:22-23 They will end up in hell for eternity.
Thank you for your patience and for reading. If the Lord tarries, the next post will be more encouraging. God bless you!
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