Can we preach the Good News without the bad news?

Seadish said:

Totally agree I would rather share all of God's word than just the happy happy joy joy, for many will come and He will say depart I never knew you heavens I wouldnt want to be responsible for leading anyone down that path !!

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Ezekiel 33:7-9
thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Roidecoeur78 said:

It's true that hatefulness is not an attribute that accurately represents Jesus the Son or God the Father, since it is entirely an aspect of the fallen natural mindset (rooted in pride, insecurity, fear, territorialism, tribalism, etc).

But it's not hard to see that Christ's Earthly mission included a great deal of comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable.

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I am thinking more of those types who are happy to wave dead pigs heads covered in flies in Muslims childrens faces while screaming at them they are evil and going to hell.

That type of behavior doesnt lead anyone to knowledge of salvation, rather, it reinforces the belief that "Christians" (yes I used quotes..) are the enemy, when that's not true.

I had questions about salvation but knew of no one could answer them. I had no one I could ask what Jesus was saving people from, and why God couldn't just forgive people since He was, after all, a God. I knew the Islamic explanation, but it seemed empty to me, not right somehow.

So anyway, it took meeting my husband and somehow knowing inside of me he was Christian and knowing I could ask him these types of questions and have answers.

So I asked. And we debated, (sometimes a lot), we discussed and in time I came to understand more and more. I began to see a different God who was worthy of worship, truly worthy.

It was still time, it was still people praying for me and over me, and it was still revelation from God too. But I finally got it. I finally understood..

I just never ever would have gotten there being screamed at by someone waving a dead pigs head at me.. That's not sharing the Gospel of Christ with anyone.

Now that I am saved, I am more offended by that type of behavior than when I was Muslim.

redleghunter said:

So why do some who claim they are preaching the Gospel omit the bad news of condemnation?

Can we preach the Good News without the bad news?

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You call them the Radical Reformers.

Hazelelponi said:

That type of behavior doesnt lead anyone to knowledge of salvation, rather, it reinforces the belief that "Christians" (yes I used quotes..) are the enemy, when that's not true.

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In some instances they are. Some people are utterly unbothered by the methods they use to evangelize. In their mind it's for the greater good. We'll see if their methods pay off in time. I'm not holding my breath that they'll be wearing a crown for winning souls.

I had questions about salvation but knew of no one could answer them. I had no one I could ask what Jesus was saving people from, and why God couldn't just forgive people since He was, after all, a God. I knew the Islamic explanation, but it seemed empty to me, not right somehow.

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We had a pastor on staff who grew up in Egypt. He explained the perceptions many had about America and walked us through the differences in belief. There were several people in our group who were raised in Africa and the Middle East. They provided firsthand feedback that was helpful.

Now that I am saved, I am more offended by that type of behavior than when I was Muslim.

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So am I. Jews have similar experiences. I cannot align with Messianic groups for that reason.

Hazelelponi said:

Mankind is wicked and so steeped in sin that we can't even recognise the depth of our depravity. If this isn't pointed out accurately and adequately people will be left wondering what they even need a Savior for and you will loose them.

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This is why some churches point out the need for a resurrection Savior and Redeemer. Everyone believes they will die at some point. The good message is then to live again forever with a Good Father that loves us. And that prospect might be very attractive to nearly all.

People also see that Jail is necessary for criminals to maintain the peace. That point can be applied to the spirit prison concept. And then people will understand, if they're not criminals. But I personally believe that God can save anyone he chooses. So hell is an appointment by God in my mind. Not totally sure why

The problem with the bad news is who gets to decide how to define what condemnation is?

Very early on in our Christian history we had problems as Jude points out in verse 4. The apostle Paul was aware of the potential for some to distort the truth right after he left their presence Acts 20:30.

It's been going on for a long LONG time, that's why the parable of the wheat and tares makes so much sense. God's in control even though we'd like to think we somehow can control the success of His message.

Norbert L said:

The problem with the bad news is who gets to decide how to define what condemnation is?

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We're experiencing the fallout of that practice with the gay community. There is a evident bias in certain sins and others that "aren't too bad."

I don't know what percentage of congregations are homosexual but I'm certain there's more gluttony present. I have difficulty overlooking the probability that their silence is directly tied to their coffers. The fallout for offense is greater. And I have never heard that sermon preached.

One is saved by accepting Christ not by fearing hell. It is the fear of the Lord and not the fear of hell that is the beginning of wisdom. Wanting to avoid hell fire will not save one, so what evangelical purpose would it serve to preach to unchurched people about hell? Do we think that hell is the only thing we need saving from?

redleghunter said:

So why do some Christians, even pastors and preachers avoid telling hearers of the Good News about the “bad news” which condemns us. Frankly if we don’t we are really not preaching the Gospel.

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Many preachers today have followed the lead of Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Steven Furtyk, Joel Osteen and the like, softening the Gospel to attract the lost (aka "seekers"), marginalizing or ignoring the condemning parts in order to keep the lost coming back. The full message of the Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing (1 Corinthians 1:18). It is also an affront to them, exposing their evil deeds for what they are. "He who does evil hates the light neither comes to the light lest his deeds should be reproved," the apostle John wrote (John 3:19-20). And so it is that Jesus taught that there are few who find the Narrow Way. (Matthew 7:14) The problem for the mega-church pastors, for the preachers who want massive congregations (and the notoriety, and money, and power that they produce), is that these facts run exactly contrary to achieving them. And so, a compromise has to be made. I wrote about this in my blog some time ago. Here's an excerpt:

"So, is the church supposed to be an industry? Should it be run like a secular, money-making business? Is there solid, biblical ground for the Warren or Osteen conception of what a modern, successful church is? Well, the Church has been charged with two fundamental responsibilities: sharing the Gospel and making disciples (Mk. 16:15; Matt. 28:19, 20) To the degree these responsibilities are fulfilled by a local body of believers, they succeed as the Church. Has, then, the Purpose-Driven, seeker-sensitive, business-minded church succeeded? It seems not. The Church in the West has generated countless books, videos and seminars revealing five steps to true contentment, or twelve steps to freedom from addiction, or eight steps to a happy marriage, or six strategies for effective parenting but it is generally more ignorant of the basic doctrines of the faith, more secular, more carnal, more self-absorbed, more disconnected and entertainment-mad than perhaps it has ever been. More mega-churches boasting attendance in the many tens of thousands exist today than in any time in the past but the preaching in these churches has never been more doctrinally-watery, more ear-tickling, more distant from the message of holiness (Matt. 5:16, 19, 20; Jn. 5:14; 8:11; Lu. 11:35, 36), repentance (Matt. 4:17; Mk. 1:14, 15; Lu. 13:3) and self-denial (Matt. 16:24; Jn. 12:24, 25) that Jesus preached than it is now. In the church I first mentioned in this blog, I encountered many unconverted adherents who were quite pleased at finding a church where they could feel totally comfortable as non-believers. Obviously, something is terribly wrong with a church where this is so. But this is the inevitable consequence for any church that fudges on the hard truths of Scripture in order to be "successful."

The greatest problem for these huge churches isn't how best to spread the Gospel and make disciples but how to maintain costs of infrastructure. The bottom line is that preaching on sin, and self-sacrifice, and holiness does not put people in the seats on Sunday. If the Gospel is to be preached, it must not condemn or judge the sinner; for it is the sinner who is funding the overhead of these enormous churches. Offend them and they will leave and the infrastructure of the church will become immediately unsupportable. Pastors can't retire as millionaires if what they preach and teach ruffles feathers and points the finger at wickedness. Their books won't sell if the sin of their readers is challenged. The unsaved majority will not attend seminars that emphasize their rebellion toward God, their eternal jeopardy and desperate need of forgiveness. Such teaching is guaranteed to produce for pastors today the same response from the wicked and hypocritical that it did for Christ. This is the great tension that exists between truly biblical teaching and preaching and the financial pressures of a "successful" Warren-esque mega-church: You can't preach the whole counsel of Scripture and maintain popularity with the World. The two things are anathema to each other."

redleghunter said:

In Romans chapter 1 verse 18 through chapter 3 verse 20, Paul gives a very dire picture of the sinful and unrighteous human condition that we are under the wrath of God. This after first in chapter 1 verses 1-17 showing the hope that is the Gospel. So he starts out by proclaiming the power of the Gospel (the good news) before telling his audience the very bad news and our state as sinners who do not seek God and none who are righteous before a Holy God.

Then in Romans chapter 3 verses 21 through Romans chapter 4 verse 25 he brings us back to the Good News of being justified as a gift by God's grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s epistle to the Romans shows “the bad news” of all have sinned and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

So why do some Christians, even pastors and preachers avoid telling hearers of the Good News about the “bad news” which condemns us. Frankly if we don’t we are really not preaching the Gospel.

I invite everyone to read Romans chapters 1-5 to get a good picture of how Paul presents the Power of the Gospel to save, then the bad news of how we are all condemned before a Holy God and then takes us on a long discussion about how we are reconciled—Justification.

Romans 1 NASB

Romans 2 NASB

Romans 3 NASB

Romans 4 NASB

Romans 5 NASB

So why do some who claim they are preaching the Gospel omit the bad news of condemnation?

Can we preach the Good News without the bad news?

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the bad news is implicit and where it can be spoken explicitly it doesn't have to be in order for the gospel to be productive. Of course, it gets exposed eventually but we shouldn't feel the need to preach it at every encounter. Christ tells us to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves... we need to be careful not to confuse these roles.

Paul is writing a letter that he knows will be read by many and to a believing audience. I don't think it would be wise to use it as a blanket model of evangelism, however. Certainly, with large audiences, the good news contrasted with the bad news is effective and responsible but one on one is different.

What if your neighbour doesn't accept the same terminology that you do and not only rejects the bad news but is offended by it. Should we continue evangelizing to them with the good news and the bad news? I get it, the truth hurts, but it's not our victory so we shouldn't have such a tight grip on its method so long as we are true to Christ in it.

aiki said:

Many preachers today have followed the lead of Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Steven Furtyk, Joel Osteen and the like, softening the Gospel to attract the lost (aka "seekers"), marginalizing or ignoring the condemning parts in order to keep the lost coming back.

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Have you ever attended their churches? Do you have firsthand knowledge of the Spirit's presence or absence in those settings? I just wondered if your remarks were the result of previous experiences or things you've gleaned from afar.

SkyWriting said:

It's better for the Hospitals finances if they don't post your prognosis on the outside of the building though.

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I don't think all artists, vegetarians, and musicians are going to hell. There are Christians who are artists, and Christians who are musicians and Christians who are vegetarians.

Some of the other things like surfers, and skateboarders is debatable. I would say that in time, a Christian will put away those kind of sports because they are glory seeking type activities among men and not seeking glory for God. I would not say these activities may be a grievous sin in all cases; But I will say that they will put away such things as they follow Jesus more and more.

Occupiers can either be legal occupiers or illegal ones. They are assuming all occupiers of a property are illegal ones (Which is not how the word is defined according to the dictionary). Just because a person occupies (lives) at a certain place, does not mean they are going to hell. A believer named Jason owned his own home and he was not said to be a condemned believer or a false teacher.

As for Activists: In a way, street preachers are sort of like activists seeking to bring about a social change in people having the fruits of the Spirit. They should clarify and say "worldly activists" instead. Christians do not speak against just one sin and then never mention the gospel.

The sign also does not clarify what the word "repent" means, either.
Most today have a wrong idea about repentance.

A Biblical Case For Repentance:

At the heart, I believe the Bible teaches that repentance means, "Asking God for forgiveness" (Which of course naturally then leads to the "fruits of repentance", i.e. obedience to the Lord):

Important Note: While I may believe "Repentance" does involve to a certain degree a "change of mind" (like a person changing their mind about their old life of sin), I do not think "Repentance" exclusively means a “change of mind.”

Anyways, here are my ten points using Scripture showing that "repentance" means "asking God for forgiveness of sin."

#1. Acts 2:38,
The New Living Translation says in Acts 2:38 to "repent of your sins."
Douay Reheims says in Acts 2:38 to "Do penance."
New Life Version says in Acts 2:38 to "Be sorry for your sins"

#2. Luke 17:3 says, "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him." This doesn't make any sense if "repent" means believe in Jesus (as some teach) or to have a change of mind about sin (as others teach) or to exclusively forsake sin. Yes, we are to forsake sin as a part of repentance but that comes later after repentance (Which is to ask God for forgiveness of our sin). For how can we reconcile with a brother if we do not say we are sorry vs. just going on about life as if we did nothing wrong?

#3. Jesus said in Matthew 12:41 that the Ninevites will rise up in Judgment against this generation because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. If you were to turn to Jonah chapter 3, you would be able to see in Jonah 3:6-10 that the King of the Ninevites had told his people to:


#4. Matthew 3:6 (which then lines up with Matthew 3:8). Also, in Mark 1:4-5, it says John preached the "baptism of repentance" for the remission of sins (verse 4), and it then defines this "baptism of repentance" by saying they confessed their sins when they were baptized (verse 5).

#5. We see in Acts of the Apostles 8:22 a clear example of Peter telling Simon to "repent" of his wickedness in trying to pay for the Holy Spirit. Peter is telling Simon to make a prayer towards God. For Peter says that he should pray that God might forgive him. In other words, Peter is telling Simon to repent of a one time event of wickedness by way of prayer to GOD. This only makes sense if "repent" means to "ask for forgiveness."

#6. Ezekiel 14:6 says,
"Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols;" Repent makes the most sense here if a person is asking God for forgiveness by way of prayer instead of a person just believing in God. Naturally a person believes in God as their Savior if they are planning on forsaking their idols.

#7. We see repentance is the topic of discussion in Luke 15 (Luke 15:6) (Luke 15:10); This is then followed up by the "Parable of the Prodigal Son" with the son desiring to be reconciled with his father. We learn the WAY the Prodigal Son desired to be reconciled with his father when he said,


In other words, the Prodigal Son was seeking forgiveness. This ties into the point of repentance in Luke 15:6 and Luke 15:10.

#8. Luke 10:13 says,
"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes." This rules out the theory that repentance is exclusively forsaking sin. Granted, forsaking sin always follow true repentance (Asking God for forgiveness of one's sins) but forsaking sin is not repentance. The word "repented" here is describing a one time event because they "repented", sitting in sackcloth and ashes. In Jonah 3:6 we learn that the King of Nineveh sat in sackcloth and ashes. In Jonah 3:8, the King of Nineveh tells people to put on sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God (i.e. repentance): and then turn from their evil way (i.e. the fruits of repentance).

#9. John the Baptist says we are to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8). Fruits are deeds (or obedience to God). How can repentance be the same thing as the fruit? Is the fruit the same thing as the tree?

#10. Jeremiah 8:6 says, "I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle." Here we see the word "repented of wickedness" tied with the words, "What have I done?" This is an acknowledgement of one's sin to God as a part of asking His forgiveness.


Notable Additional Verses that Deal with Repentance
(But They Do Not Use The Word "Repent" or "Repentance"):

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13).

13 "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:13-14).

Proverbs 28:13 says whosoever confesses and forsakes sin shall have mercy.

LaBèlla said:

Have you ever attended their churches? Do you have firsthand knowledge of the Spirit's presence or absence in those settings? I just wondered if your remarks were the result of previous experiences or things you've gleaned from afar.

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I have discipled guys from very dark and morally-vile pasts (drugs, sexual promiscuity, prison). On occasion, these guys have remarked that I can't understand their lives, the struggles they've had, the terrible grip of sin, because I have never lived in the sin in which they have. My life is too removed from the darkness for me to speak properly to them about how to deal with it. It's a peculiar sort of logic, really, but one they think is valid - until I point out that Jesus never lived in the darkness in which they have lived, either. Ought they to cast aside his teaching because he never lived a drug-addicted life of crime and sexual promiscuity? I ask them, too, if it is only the oncologist who has cancer who can properly diagnose cancer in others. Usually, they can see the faultiness of this kind of thinking.

It seems to me that implicit in your questions is the same kind of logic at work as that which prompted the guys I've discipled to question the legitimacy of my speaking to them about sin and holy living. It does not follow that because I have not attended Rick Warren's church personally that therefore anything I might say about it is mistaken. I have listened to many of Rick's sermons and interviews and read some of what he has written. The same is true of my knowledge of Bill Hybel and Joel Osteen. I also attended a fairly large church (approximately 8 - 10,000 attendees every Sunday) for over a decade. I finally left this church because it had become, in its pursuit of the "seeker," badly compromised with the World in its teaching and practices. Sunday morning worship was a deafening rock concert, performed at such a volume that even if I sang at the top of my lungs I still couldn't hear myself (or the people around me) sing. The teaching was "positive," and "inspiring," and "encouraging" but never broached the subject of holiness, or the crucified life, or separation from the World. Scripture was almost entirely absent from the content of the sermons that were preached. Prayer meetings were set aside for yoga classes, and leadership seminars, and book clubs. And I kept meeting people who had attended the church far longer than I had who openly admitted to lives full of immorality and spiritual apathy. So, while I have never been to Rick's, or Bill's, or Joel's church, I do have first-hand and prolonged experience with a "seeker-sensitive" near-mega-church.

aiki said:

It seems to me that implicit in your questions is the same kind of logic at work as that which prompted the guys I've discipled to question the legitimacy of my speaking to them about sin and holy living.

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Or maybe I wondered if you've attended their churches to explore your personal thoughts. I had no ill intentions.

I was a member of one of the churches mentioned. My experiences were very positive. Prayer meetings have been on the decline for some time. Only one church in my vicinity has them. The pastor said they were one of the few that remain.

LaBèlla said:

Or maybe I wondered if you've attended their churches to explore your personal thoughts. I had no ill intentions.

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I didn't think you held any ill intentions toward me. My apologies if I came across as though I did think this of you. I can be a bit like a bull in a china shop at times.

LaBèlla said:

I was a member of one of the churches mentioned. My experiences were very positive.

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I see. Did you notice in the church you attended any of the things I did in the large seeker-sensitive church I attended?

LaBèlla said:

Prayer meetings have been on the decline for some time.

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Yes, I've observed that in many of the churches in the city where I live, too. The churches have all sorts of programs but little or no prayer. Makes me think, of course, of Christ's words about God's house being one of prayer.

redleghunter said:

In Romans chapter 1 verse 18 through chapter 3 verse 20, Paul gives a very dire picture of the sinful and unrighteous human condition that we are under the wrath of God. This after first in chapter 1 verses 1-17 showing the hope that is the Gospel. So he starts out by proclaiming the power of the Gospel (the good news) before telling his audience the very bad news and our state as sinners who do not seek God and none who are righteous before a Holy God.

Then in Romans chapter 3 verses 21 through Romans chapter 4 verse 25 he brings us back to the Good News of being justified as a gift by God's grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s epistle to the Romans shows “the bad news” of all have sinned and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

So why do some Christians, even pastors and preachers avoid telling hearers of the Good News about the “bad news” which condemns us. Frankly if we don’t we are really not preaching the Gospel.

I invite everyone to read Romans chapters 1-5 to get a good picture of how Paul presents the Power of the Gospel to save, then the bad news of how we are all condemned before a Holy God and then takes us on a long discussion about how we are reconciled—Justification.

Romans 1 NASB

Romans 2 NASB

Romans 3 NASB

Romans 4 NASB

Romans 5 NASB

So why do some who claim they are preaching the Gospel omit the bad news of condemnation?

Can we preach the Good News without the bad news?

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The bad news started with Adam and Eve. The bad news ended with the Good News through Jesus Christ of Nazareth. What is left is judgment day when the Good News is revealed to all the living and the dead. Christ ,our propitiation for sin, will stand by all those who believe in Him. That is Good News!

aiki said:

I didn't think you held any ill intentions toward me. My apologies if I came across as though I did think this of you. I can be a bit like a bull in a china shop at times.

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Apology accepted.

I see. Did you notice in the church you attended any of the things I did in the large seeker-sensitive church I attended?

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I attend a monastic weekend a few years ago. I had been ministering to a homeless gentleman in my neighborhood for several months. Few people knew this and I moved to a different church. One of the three you mentioned.

The vocation director provided an exercise on lectio divina. I was not aware that's what I'd been doing in my quiet time with the Holy Spirit. We were given a scripture and she directed us to be still and see what insight the Lord would bring. I started writing feverishly because that's what I did at home.

When we shared our responses she stared at me and began to rock quietly in her chair. They remarked on how the message was tied together and the various scripture references. I was seated beside the novitiate director and never opened a bible. I just wrote the entire time.

The director asked if I was teaching. I told her I wasn't. She said I should do so. When I returned home the next month an opportunity came up to participate in the Alpha group. It was a great fit for me because my salvation story was very involved and my reliance on the Holy Spirit shaped me tremendously.

During the meeting the pastor gave out group assignments. When he got to me he said he wanted me to work with their homeless group and provided a co-leader since the group was composed of men. There is no way he could have known about my ministry to the gentleman in my neighborhood. I'd never told a soul there and we hadn't been in the church very long. Just a few weeks.

He smiled and said the Holy Spirit knew and that was the truth. The partnership was ideal. I was able to come in earlier and provided a lot of TLC and desserts each week. My partner and I prayed at the end of every session. That was my idea.

At the end of the program we had miraculous results. Jobs, deliverance from alcohol and gambling addictions, homes for everyone, healing, and turning away from the occult. The entire group gave their life to the Lord and grew deeper in their connection to Him. Some were bible study attendees but this altered their lives.

During that time I was laboring for someone else spiritually. It was a burden the Lord had given me. And I did the same for them. The extra warfare didn't bother me. They were worth it.

No church is perfect. I'm sure you know that. But this was beyond the norm. Then again, I found God and Christ in a Jewish synagogue. Maybe their situation required something different. I don't know. But I can say the Holy Spirit was moving in that place. And I saw lives changed.

I believe ministering to the affluent and wealthy can be challenging. I am called to the same flock and perhaps that's why I was sent there. I don't know. But I know Hell's assignment against Hollywood and the related industries is deep. I feel it every time I pray for them.

But when I look at my life and all the I've experienced. And I consider what I would have been told in other circles. I realize the depth of Isaiah's words. I imagine I'll be accused of the same when I'm where God is leading me. I am certain that the loving approach that won me to Him will be called otherwise.

And to tell you the truth. You're fighting on both fronts. You're fighting members of the faith and hell's forces too. That will take a toll over time. But I will not forsake my purpose for anything. Or anyone. I will lay down one and labor wholly for the other if I must.

I don't know what happened in all those cases. But I believe our pastor was sincere. His spirit testified to mine and I grew a great deal while I was there. The prayer meetings have ceased because people cry out when they're hurting. Comfort has dulled their voice and spirit.

I did not come to faith through a prayer. Or hear a sermon that compelled me to give my life to God. I suffered horribly for a year under spiritual torment. I faced demonic horrors everyday. Until they were finally broken and Lord freed me from their clutches.

I know how to stand and I know who stands with me. Whether I'm in the midst of something good or bad I know my Redeemer lives. I didn't lose a thing from going there. He added more to my blessing.

It is easy to blame people. And we may be under the wrong leadership or teaching. But I never placed my faith in a pastor or any man for that fact. I know better. And if we kept our eyes pointed heavenward we could weather whatever we faced. Good churches and bad ones. Because we're focusing on Him. Not our condition. That's been my experience thus far.

Hazelelponi said:

I am thinking more of those types who are happy to wave dead pigs heads covered in flies in Muslims childrens faces while screaming at them they are evil and going to hell.

That type of behavior doesnt lead anyone to knowledge of salvation, rather, it reinforces the belief that "Christians" (yes I used quotes..) are the enemy, when that's not true.

I had questions about salvation but knew of no one could answer them. I had no one I could ask what Jesus was saving people from, and why God couldn't just forgive people since He was, after all, a God. I knew the Islamic explanation, but it seemed empty to me, not right somehow.

So anyway, it took meeting my husband and somehow knowing inside of me he was Christian and knowing I could ask him these types of questions and have answers.

So I asked. And we debated, (sometimes a lot), we discussed and in time I came to understand more and more. I began to see a different God who was worthy of worship, truly worthy.

It was still time, it was still people praying for me and over me, and it was still revelation from God too. But I finally got it. I finally understood..

I just never ever would have gotten there being screamed at by someone waving a dead pigs head at me.. That's not sharing the Gospel of Christ with anyone.

Now that I am saved, I am more offended by that type of behavior than when I was Muslim.

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Your testimony is such an encouragement

grasping the after wind said:

One is saved by accepting Christ not by fearing hell. It is the fear of the Lord and not the fear of hell that is the beginning of wisdom. Wanting to avoid hell fire will not save one, so what evangelical purpose would it serve to preach to unchurched people about hell? Do we think that hell is the only thing we need saving from?

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The primary threat we need to be saved from is God, Himself. Hell would not pose a danger if it we're not for God's determination to punish us. No one is saved from God unless faith in Jesus is exercised in the context of confessing sin against that God and striving to live for Him.
Many make the mistake of telling sinner's they need to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Everyone has a relationship to Him whether they realize it or not. Salvation is a change in the nature of that relationship from one of enmity to love.

If you want an example Christ is it. Have His heart His mind. See them through His eyes. Some list other preachers...what lol YOUR preaching the real Gospel? Like them or not they have fruits.. what do you have? What does the GOSPEL mean? GOOD NEWS.. where do you get BAD NEWS in that?

So.. if your not judging them not condemning them...we can't they have been judged already. See them through HIS eyes. Thats the murder the man/women that does things to kids, those that steal.. on and on. Do you have a LOVE for them as you do for Christ? They are already lost.. no place to go.. no hope and yo want to toss in MORE bad news? There looking for hope a way out..and so far NO ONE on this planet so far has given them a way out....until YESHUA!

The preacher... hard easy soft what ever.. Gods WORD can not come back to the Father void. We keep thinking ONE OF US can do it all has it all..but were ONE BODY! That means.. some are STRONG In faith..some are strong in compassion love... put ALL the parts together you get ONE BODY. Christs USES each one of us...for HIS glory..not what WE want... we say.. Father.. what are YOU DOING.... use me..not my will not what want.. but what are YOU DOING!