Christian Living

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So many pastors and ministers say they preach the gospel – but usually much is missing. Especially Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned…” It’s not easy to tell those first-time-here, respectable-looking strangers they are sinners. So it isn’t done. Are we on this earth to make friends, or to do as God says?

Hell? That’s used even less. A word that will really upset them! Hell is spoken of by so few nowadays that most people don’t take it seriously. Yet hell is a reality in the Bible.

Repentance is another disappearing word from church vocabulary. When there is no mention of it, hence no repentance, then a person is not truly born again, has no solid foundation. John the Baptist preached nothing else but repentance. Jesus told everyone unless they repented they would all likewise perish. Pretty serious, don’t you think?

The lake of fire. Well, that’s another no-no. Yet it’s right there in Revelation 20:15. Clear as a blue sky, that anyone who isn’t written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. There are other verses too that describe the fearsome fate of those who reject Jesus’ great salvation.

So we hear much preaching on the goodies of the Bible – the love of God, joy, peace, blessings, prosperity – though not necessarily financial. Oh they are all in the Good Book – but topics such as hardship, suffering, persecution never get a mention. The result of that policy is a lukewarm church.

Even “getting saved” has given way to “come to Jesus.” The result: many “Christians” will fall away when the good life doesn’t materialize; when following Jesus isn’t the piece of cake they were told it would be. When the going gets tough, the weak vamoose!

The gospel that many hear today (if they hear it at all) is a spineless, watered-down version that omits the basic truths outlined above. People are asked to come to Jesus when they don’t really understand what they’re responding to. Before being requested to walk forward to an altar call they should - must - be told the true, basic gospel so they really grasp it. John 3:16 has most of it. Then of course we must spell out what perish means, and tell them about repentance. Add the necessity for full-immersion baptism.

OK dear Pastor, so you’ve decided to tell them the truth, no holds barred. The awful truth, as Michael Moore likes to say. It hits them like a tidal wave at first, but one day – maybe in the hereafter - people will thank you for it.

Then preach that gospel at the end of every meeting, be it morning or evening. Yes, even though the main message is on Job, Isaiah or whatever. Even if there is only one unfamiliar face among the listeners. Don’t let anyone walk out of there ignorant of Jesus’ salvation. Spell it out, tell them what they have to do. If they don’t do it, you’ve done your job. Your conscience is clear.

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