The Holy Spirit is the one that convicts us of our sin - through the proclamation of the truth that we are sinners. And I don't mean the overall statement that "I'm a sinner and you are too". I mean that realization that I have sinned in so many ways that it would make your head spin - and you have too! Not everyone likes to hear that. We have ALL lied a countless number of times. We have all stolen items of all different monetary worths. We've lusted after others, been angry at our brothers, coveted what others had, etc. These are all very personal sins! We shouldn't lump them all together when we proclaim the truth of the gospel to the lost by just using the Romans Road and telling them that they are sinners and asking if they understand that. THEY DON'T!!! We must make the sin in their lives look as black and deathly as it really is. The Bible states that sin is "exceedingly sinful". Most people have no possible idea as to how lost they really are.
And the problem is that this truth stings. It HURTS. It is VERY offensive, since Jesus ("The Truth") is the "Rock of Offense". It should make a lost soul cower in fear in the realization that they are headed to Hell because they have broken every commandment ever given by a Holy God and any good they have ever done was just a stab at bribing the just, holy, judge. But the GRACE and UNLIMITED LOVE and FORGIVENESS that is shown in the death of Christ is the GOOD NEWS that offers a chance to the one who has been humbled by the law of sin and death. Once the offensive truth is understood and repentance fills our heart, crying out to God for forgiveness and trusting (believing) in Jesus alone as our savior leaves us with the ASSURANCE that we have a home in Heaven with Jesus for eternity.
Now THAT will leave you rejoicing and praising God for His Love and Forgiveness extended towards you - IF you have humbled yourself to the truth. If not, well... not everyone likes to hear the truth or look in the mirror to compare themselves with God's precepts instead of comparing themselves to the people around them. If the Holy Spirit does not draw them as you speak the truth in love, they WILL be offended, and most likely will blaspheme the one who loved them enough to forsake the glory of Heaven and die in their law place. Sad, but true.
Add to that the world's view of Christianity as intolerant (which it is). People claim Jesus was a "good man", or a "good teacher", or a prophet. However, if Jesus is not who He claimed to be (The Son of God, The Messiah, The Lamb of God, etc.), then He was just a schizophrenic lunatic who lied constantly and was constantly in the right place at the right time.
But because Jesus is exactly who He says He is, and who the Bible says He is, then true Christianity and the true Church (Bride of Christ - actual saved believers and not all of those professing to be Christians - the "goats", if you will) is VERY intolerant. In Acts 5 it says that the name of Jesus is the "only name given under Heaven by which man might be saved." If that is not intolerant, I don't know what it. When I hear people say that everyone is right in whatever they believe and their god will know their heart, I just want to scream. Their god is an idol; a made-up diety that looks more like Santa Claus than the One True God. The entirety of the Bible makes it very clear that ours is a jealous God, but that He, being the most glorious and Holy and wondrous of all beings in all time and space, is the only one worth our attention and praise. For Him to point us to any other or allow us to praise any other idol would be ridiculous. Glory be to God, our Maker, Sustainer, Judge, and Saviour!
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Well done Shawn. When speaking to a new Christian who is being taken down Romans road I dont know that its possible for them to comprehend the depth of the blackness that they have underatken. I know I didnt realize exactly the scale or scope of my sins until months after I began serious study of the scriptures and being around Godly men. I knew enough that Easter day to make me hit my knees in shame crying out to Jesus for forgiveness but I didnt understand the depths of it. People have been taught this technique that I can garuntee you if you were to ask them what the term means they couldnt tell you what it is. But they use it every day. Its Moral equivalency. They use one thing to justify another and call it all the same. You are right in that Christianity is a very exclusive faith. Truth by definition is exclusive. There is but one answer to 1+1. While 3 looks close it is not the right answer. I dont know how long we have left but I know that many many people will not accept the truth because their answer is close enough they think. Jesus said you are either with Him or against Him. There is no in between. Close dont count in this game. Which is where your reference to Matthew 25 comes in. Goats, those who got close but never truly followed the lamb, on the left hand and Sheep, those who gave their lives to the lamb and followed Him, on the right. I am of the firm belief that we are almost out of time. I try to talk to all I can about Jesus every time I can. Some listen and walk away unchanged, some believe a lie (Jehovas Witness, Mormons, some dont care. I know that our Bibles teach that more people will not believe than will believe. That is so sad to me. I didnt give up anything to become a follower of Jesus. What I quit doing was harmful to me and my children and wife anyway. What I gained back was infinitely more worthwhile. What is a childs love worth? What is a womans trust worth? What is the approval of Jesus worth? I have gained all these with nothing more than honest confession, tears of repentence, and a loving heart. I didnt set out to gain these things, I just knew I needed to be put into a right relationship with Jesus. He gave all those and much more to me.
ReplyDeleteYou know the other problem people have that they dont consider unless they become believers in Christ is how uncaring a person would have to be to not warn them of judgement and its eternal cost. Johnny Hunt said it best in my opinion. He had a neighbor who was not a christian and he was a former golden gloves boxer. He had been friends for years with this guy and the guy new he was a preacher. Johnny ask one day if he could share the gospel with him and the man replied, "Johnny we have been friends for a while now dont screw it up." So Johnny then tells him let me make one statement and if you think it makes sense I will continue if not I will stop. The man agreed. Johnny said that if what he believed was true that both of them would die. Both of them would go to two very different places and once the neighbor realized that Johnny was not there with him and the neighbor knew Johnny was a preacher of the news that would have kept him from this place but never warned him. He would want to get Johnny in a boxing ring in hell and beat his brains out for all eternity. The man agreed. Johnny continued. The man did not accept Jesus but he understood that Johnny had to do what he did in order to be consistent witht he teachings of Jesus. How can you say you love and not care about people going to hell? Its not love of other Christians thats important, its loving those that dont know Jesus enough to endure their scorn so that their blood isnt on your hands if something should happen.
ReplyDelete20 Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand."
Ezek 3:20(ESV)
We have to answer at the judgement seat for things done and things not done. I believe each time we could have witnessed and didnt will be held against us. Those are tough things for a christian to accept much less a nonbeliever.