Tag: gospel

Stingrays and Evangelism

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stingrayLast month, while vacationing in Orange Beach, I saw more stingrays than I’ve ever seen. One evening, just before dark, my son had one swim right beside him. Aaron didn’t like being that close to one so he got out. The next evening when we went back to the beach, he had no desire to get back in the water.

“Come on Aaron, the chances of seeing another stingray is slim,” I told him as I waded out into the water.

It wasn’t five minutes later when another one came along and swam between us. This time I got out of the water before he could. I know for the most part that stingrays are not that dangerous, but I did not want to take a chance of accidently stepping on one half-buried in the sand. Many people have been hurt by doing just that. (And in some rare incidences, stingrays can cause an even worse fate such as in the case of Steve Irwin.)

There were not a lot of people out, but there was one little boy playing in the water next to us. His parents were on the beach watching him. I decided to tell them about the stingray so they could decide if they wanted him to stay in the water. It turned out that they didn’t.  That evening before going in, we counted nearly a dozen stingrays.

So what does that have to do with evangelism?  Glad you asked! Let me explain.

I knew there was a potential danger in the water. So, not only did my family get out, but when I looked around and saw another person around I gave a warning. It was just a few stingrays and not that big of a deal, but I still took the time to warn them. Of course, the parents could have chosen to ignore my warning, but they didn’t.  My warning was just a polite and caring thing to do. Wouldn’t you do the same?

A few days after we get home from our vacation I’m reading in 2 Corinthians about Paul’s explanation of why he labors for the Lord.

“Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men,” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a.

Did you catch the reasons that Paul shares the gospel? There were three of them.

  • We want to be pleasing to the Father.
  • We will stand before God and answer for the things we have done.
  • We know about the coming judgment.

Let’s talk about the last one. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” I found it very easy to warn a family about a potential danger in the gulf shore waters. I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t worry that they might be offended. And I probably wouldn’t have taken it personal if they had ignored me. I simply warned them. And it only involved a few swimming creatures. But even the thought of potential harm coming to someone was enough to motivate me.

Why then do I find it so hard to warn people about the coming judgment of the Lord? Why does fear threaten me every time I want to share the gospel? We are not talking about potential harm coming to someone, but eternal death.

“It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” Hebrews 9:27.

Every man, woman, and child will face death one day. All will stand before God. If they die in their sins, they will go to hell, a very real place. In fact, Jesus talked about hell more than He talked about heaven. And while most people live for the moment, the truth is that our lives are just a vapor.

The other day Ray Comfort, from the Way of the Master, posted on his Facebook page a sobering and truthful statement.

“I am both a coward and a hypocrite if I believe that the world is going to Hell, but fail to verbally warn them.”

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.”

If I knew a young boy was playing in dangerous waters, would I warn him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew a blind man was about to walk off a steep cliff, would I warn him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew someone was about to drink mislabeled poison, would I warn him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew a child was playing on a busy highway, would I warm him?

Only if I knew….and only if I cared……

If I knew that the world was dying in their sins and going to hell, would I warn them? If I knew that all would stand before the Lord who comes to judge the earth and the entire world with righteousness, would I warn them? If I knew the bad news, would I share the good news? Would I be motivated to share the truth…

Only if I knew….only if I cared…..only if I had a filial fear of the Lord…..only if I was not a coward or a hypocrite…..only if I truly loved others…..

Lord, my prayer is that I will always love others enough to warn them. Let me be one who cares enough about people to persuade them to come to You. Let me be moved with compassion toward lost souls enough to share the gospel. Help me to remember that love is not passive, nor is it in word alone, but in deed and in truth! For Your glory!

Biblical Discernment in a World of False Teaching – Part Two

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The Gospel Message without Repentance

Last summer I heard a man preach on 4 separate nights.  Each night the gospel was reduced to “Believe and Receive.”  Not once was the notion of repenting proclaimed.  I was shocked and saddened.  Why would a man of God leave out such an important element to the gospel?

Didn’t the forerunner of Christ have a message of repentance?  “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Matthew 3:1-2.

When Christ began to preach didn’t He preach repentance?  “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Matthew 4:17.

Wasn’t the Apostles sent out by Christ with the message of repentance?  “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two…And they went out, and preached that men should repent,” Mark 6:7,12.

Does not God command all men to repent?  “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent,” Act 17:30.

Why then would we leave such an important element out?   Some would say it’s too offensive.  Others would say it’s not a big deal.  And some would state it just doesn’t matter.  But let me ask, do we have a better gospel than Christ?  Do we know more than the Apostles?  Is God’s command to repent not relevant for today?  Perhaps the reason repentance is left out is because it makes no sense to preach repentance unless you preach about the wrath of God.  “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:” (Col 3:6) And many simply refuse to preach this.  But sadly, it is equivalent to refusing to warn a blind that he is about to walk off a cliff.  Or, you could compare it to a doctor refusing to tell a dying patient just how serious his condition is.  Some will claim that they do not want to preach in a negative light due to the offense it causes.  But, we must ask ourselves, how much more offended will man be when it is too late.

Repentance is very important.  It fact, without it a person cannot be saved.   To repent is to turn from our sins and to God.  It is more than just being sorry.  Did you know that you can be sorry for your sins without repenting of them?  Look at Paul’s address to the Corinthian church, “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death,” 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.

The gospel without repentance is a false and dangerous gospel. Because of it there are a lot of professing Christians who have never repented or turned from their sins.  They are false converts because they heard a false gospel.  They still walk in darkness because they have never turned from their sins.  Jesus said, “I tell you…except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish,” Luke 13:3.  Those who preach a watered-down gospel without repentance will one day answer for leading many astray.

The Unbalanced Gospel

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It was an interesting conversation.  My husband and I were talking with a pastor who was sharing with us about the ministry of an evangelist he knew.  This man made the statement that the evangelist had claimed to win hundreds of thousands of people to the Lord during his ministry.  In defense of his ministry the evangelist said, “If only 50% of the conversions are true conversions, that’s still a lot of people.  And if only 25% are true conversions or even only 10% are true conversions that is still more people won to the Lord than most.”  I said to this pastor, “This may be true but my question is, What about the other 90% who live under a false sense of security?  That is a lot of people who believe that they are saved and unless they repent they will die and go to hell.” 

Judgment is a reality.  And as a child of God and a disciple of Christ who is commanded to “go into all the world…” I sure do not want to be responsible in leading people astray.  In talking with people about eternal life, I have found that it is easier to talk to ungodly people who do not claim any religion than to people who believe they are saved yet live unregenerate, unholy lives. These people are blinded because at one time they made a profession of faith, prayed a prayer, and joined a church.  Now they rest alone in that false security.

Studies show that 80% of Americans will say they are Christian.  Yet the same studies show that of those 80% only 20% believe that Jesus is the only true way to God.   What is the problem?   If we look deeper we would probably find that even less of those are living Christ-like.  Our churches are filled with people who claim salvation yet have never repented.  This fact plays out in their lives (Matthew 7:20).  Again I ask, what is the problem?  Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (or practice lawlessness),” Matthew 7:22-23.  Jesus is saying that you live as though I have never given you a law to obey.  A few statements before this one Jesus said that strait and narrow is the gate that leads to life and very few will find it (Matthew 7:14).

 It seems as though the modern evangelical movement is facing a crisis.  What makes it worse is that few are willing to acknowledge it.    Part of the problem can be attributed to the unbalanced gospel that is so often proclaimed.  What I mean by unbalanced is that only half the truth is taught.  The modern message is that God is love, Heaven is waiting, and Christ wants to bring you joy, fulfillment, and happiness in this life.  It appears as if fewer and fewer pastors, preachers, and evangelist will share the whole, unadulterated gospel anymore.  While God is love; He is also perfectly Holy and Just.  All sin must be accounted for.  And while Heaven is waiting for the redeemed; judgment is waiting for the unrepentant.  And while Christ does give peace and joy unspeakable to the saved; He also promises trials, troubles, and tribulation in this world.  The unbalanced gospel is at best a misrepresentation and thus becomes man-centered and not God-centered.

  The worse part of this out of balance gospel is that repentance is completely left out.  The gospel has been reduced down to ABC’s of accept, believe, and confess.  How many thousands have been told that if they would just believe in Jesus and repeat a sinner’s prayer that they would be saved?  The problem is that belief will not save anyone.  The devils believe (James 2:19) and they tremble before God.  In addition, you cannot find the “sinner’s prayer” in Scripture.  Interesting enough when the rich young ruler came to Christ (Luke 18) and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” Jesus did not give him the ABC’s of salvation.  Some would say, what about being sorry for your sins.  Isn’t that enough to save you?  Try that in a court of law.  “Judge, I know I robbed a bank 20 years ago but that was a very long time ago and I haven’t done it since.  Plus, I’m really, really sorry.  I believe that you are a good judge and I’m hoping you will let me go.”  God is the perfect Judge and just being sorry is not enough.  Listen to what the Apostle Paul said about being sorry.  “Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death,” 2 Corinthians 7:9-10.

 Sorrow brings repentance which leads to salvation.  A person cannot be saved without repentance.  Repentance involves a turning.  To repent of sin is to turn from it and to turn to God.  A truly repentant person will seek God, accept His grace, and strive to follow His will.  “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him,” 1John 2:3-4. 

Why is it then that so many leave repentance out of the gospel message?  John the Baptist’s sermon was, “REPENT.”  (“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Matthew 3:1-2.) Perhaps, we should not worry about the prophet’s message and focus on what Christ said.  But wait, His message was the same.  “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Matthew 4:17.   When Jesus sent out his disciples he instructed them to preach repentance.  “And they went out, and preached that men should repent,” Mark 6:12.  And after His resurrection, one of the last messages Christ gave to His disciples was how they should preach repentance.  “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem,” Luke 24:47.

 Why is it that we think man’s plan of evangelizing the world is better than God’s?  I believe the Enemy is rather satisfied when the unbalanced gospel is preached and false professions of faith are made.  When our churches become filled with the unsaved they lose their effectiveness.   They become powerless organizations that have been relegated to the corner of society.  This gospel will produce numbers, but numbers can be very deceiving.  On Judgment Day, just ask those 90%, who think they are saved, how deceiving numbers are.