Hell's Best Kept Secret? Ray Comfort

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by Chan

Consider the following excerpts from Keith Green's teaching on the subject:

SOURCE

This is all good and dandy for those that love to drive from their rear view mirror...I am well aware where I came from, but my focus toward heaven is not going to take second place to my focus on hell fire and brimstone...I simply do not serve God to avoid damnation...I serve God because of my gratitude of what he has done for me and I just want to love him and bring him glory....I want to make my Dad smile and say, "That's my boy....well done, my good and faithful servant" for those words are music to my ears....SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!!!!

Philippians 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

This is all good and dandy for those that love to drive from their rear view mirror...I am well aware where I came from, but my focus toward heaven is not going to take second place to my focus on hell fire and brimstone...I simply do not serve God to avoid damnation...I serve God because of my gratitude of what he has done for me and I just want to love him and bring him glory....I want to make my Dad smile and say, "That's my boy....well done, my good and faithful servant" for those words are music to my ears....SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!!!!

Philippians 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

I don't think what you are saying and what he is saying are contradictionary, but compliment one another. The problem is coming to Jesus for the right reasons. Now after your there, the motivation for staying is his grace, love and your relationship with him.

Originally Posted by J-Roc

This is all good and dandy for those that love to drive from their rear view mirror...I am well aware where I came from, but my focus toward heaven is not going to take second place to my focus on hell fire and brimstone...I simply do not serve God to avoid damnation...I serve God because of my gratitude of what he has done for me and I just want to love him and bring him glory....I want to make my Dad smile and say, "That's my boy....well done, my good and faithful servant" for those words are music to my ears....SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!!!!

Philippians 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Driving from the rear view mirror???? We're talking about getting sinners to the cross so that they can begin the journey. We're not talking about Christians; though Christians certainly need to be reminded from time to time about denying themselves, taking up their crosses, dying to themselves, about how judgment begins at the house of God, and how the righteous are scarcely saved.

Of course, all this stuff you said about not looking behind is contradicted by your exclamation "SOMEONE PLEASE POINT ME TO THE CROSS!!!!"

I don't know the man. I have never heard of him. I'm sure he has a lot of good things to say. In fact, I will not be downloading his site. But here is a word of caution; don't go goo-goo and gaa-gaa over another preacher.

I've seen so much of it over the years beginning back in the '50 with Branham, Allen and others. I saw people go goo-goo and gaa-gaa over Terrell and other preachers too, all of whom had some great things to say and did many wonderful works.

Not saying anyone is becoming star-struck, but I see a real possibility here. Frankly speaking, I've learned to be unimpressed with anyone's preaching or teaching. I'm always impressed with Jesus.

I've seen preachers who have become impressed with their own preaching and teaching. I would not attend one of their services whether it be a conference, campmeeting or their church.

Just point me the way to the cross. I'll crawl there on my hands and knees. Hopefully, that other GREAT teacher and preacher will be there too.

Originally Posted by Brother Strange

I don't know the man. I have never heard of him. I'm sure he has a lot of good things to say. In fact, I will not be downloading his site. But here is a word of caution; don't go goo-goo and gaa-gaa over another preacher.

I've seen so much of it over the years beginning back in the '50 with Branham, Allen and others. I saw people go goo-goo and gaa-gaa over Terrell and other preachers too, all of whom had some great things to say and did many wonderful works.

Not saying anyone is becoming star-struck, but I see a real possibility here. Frankly speaking, I've learned to be unimpressed with anyone's preaching or teaching. I'm always impressed with Jesus.

I've seen preachers who have become impressed with their own preaching and teaching. I would not attend one of their services whether it be a conference, campmeeting or their church.

Just point me the way to the cross. I'll crawl there on my hands and knees. Hopefully, that other GREAT teacher and preacher will be there too.

One would hope, though, that you wouldn't stay at the cross. Even the apostles didn't stay at the cross! They went on to the empty tomb and then to Pentecost and, from there, to turn the Roman Empire upside down with the gospel before finally going home to Heaven!

[SDG]

Originally Posted by keith4him

Those things, peace, joy righteousnes, ongoing healing and deliverance from stuff are the results of salvation from sin, they shouldn't be the carrot stick.

The way is narrow and door small, REPENTANCE from sin. It gets you in the Kingdom, where you can enjoy the fruits of the relationship with the King.

Amen.

[J-Roc]

Originally Posted by keith4him

Where in scripture are all things things promised this side of heaven?

Well, I guess we'd have to come to a consensus as to what constitutes "...makes me happy, gives me purpose and fulfills my deepest longings!!!" as these are relative terms.

After all, we all have our own meaning of all this, right?

[Pastor Keith]

Originally Posted by J-Roc

Well, I guess we'd have to come to a consensus as to what constitutes "...makes me happy, gives me purpose and fulfills my deepest longings!!!" as these are relative terms.

After all, we all have our own meaning of all this, right?

I think some of Ray's teaching on this is helpful.

This is from Hell's Best Kept Secret

And the tragedy of modern evangelism is because around the turn of the century when it forsook the law in its capacity to convert the soul, to drive sinners to Christ, modern evangelism had to, therefore, find another reason for sinners to respond to the gospel. And the issue that modern evangelism chose to attract sinners was the issue of “life enhancement”. The gospel degenerated into “Jesus Christ will give you peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” Now to illustrate the unscriptural nature of this very popular teaching, I’d like you to listen very carefully to this following anecdote, because the essence of what I’m saying pivots on this particular illustration; so please listen carefully.
Two men are seated in a plane. The first is given a parachute and told to put is on as it would improve his flight. He’s a little skeptical at first because he can’t see how wearing a parachute in a plane could possibly improve the flight. After a time he decides to experiment and see if the claim is true. As he puts it on he notices the weight of it upon his shoulders and he finds that he has difficulty in sitting upright. However, he consoles himself with the fact that he was told the parachute would improve the flight. So, he decides to give the thing a little time. As he waits he notices that some of the other passengers are laughing at him, because he’s wearing a parachute in a plane. He begins to feel somewhat humiliated. As they begin to point and laugh at him and he can stand it no longer, he slinks in his seat, unstraps the parachute, and throws it to the floor. Disillusionment and bitterness fill his heart, because, as far as he was concerned, he was told an outright lie.
The second man is given a parachute, but listen to what he’s told. He’s told to put it on because at any moment he’d be jumping 25,000 feet out of the plane. He gratefully puts the parachute on; he doesn’t notice the weight of it upon his shoulders, nor that he can’t sit upright. His mind is consumed with the thought of what would happen to him if he jumped without that parachute.
Let’s analyze the motive and the result of each passenger’s experience. The first man’s motive for putting the parachute on was solely to improve his flight. The result of his experience was that he was humiliated by the passengers; he was disillusioned and somewhat embittered against those who gave him the parachute. As far as he’s concerned it’ll be a long time before anyone gets one of those things on his back again. The second man put the parachute on solely to escape the jump to come, and because of his knowledge of what would happen to him without it, he has a deep-rooted joy and peace in his heart knowing that he’s saved from sure death. This knowledge gives him the ability to withstand the mockery of the other passengers. His attitude towards those who gave him the parachute is one of heart-felt gratitude.

[Pastor Keith]

Part 2

Now listen to what the modern gospel says. It says, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He’ll give you love, joy, peace, fulfillment, and lasting happiness.” In other words, “Jesus will improve your flight.” So the sinner responds, and in an experimental fashion, puts on the Savior to see if the claims are true. And what does he get? The promised temptation, tribulation, and persecution. The other passengers mock him. So what does he do? He takes off the Lord Jesus Christ, he’s offended for the word’s sake (Mark 4:17), he’s disillusioned and somewhat embittered, and quite rightly so. He was promised peace, joy, love, fulfillment, and lasting happiness, and all he got were trials and humiliation. His bitterness is directed toward those who gave him the so-called “good news”. His latter end becomes worse than the first: another inoculated and bitter backslider.
Saints, instead of preaching that Jesus improves the flight, we should be warning the passengers they’re going have to jump out of the plane. That it’s “appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27). And when a sinner understands the horrific consequences of breaking God’s law, then he will flee to the Savior solely to escape the wrath that’s to come. And if we’re true and faithful witnesses, that’s what we’ll be preaching. That there is wrath to come; that God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Why? “Because He has appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in righteousness” (vs. 31). You see, the issue isn’t one of happiness, but one of righteousness. It doesn’t matter how happy a sinner is, how much he’s enjoying “the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:25). Without the righteousness of Christ, he’ll perish on the day of wrath. “Riches profit not on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Prov. 11:4). Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but it’s not legitimate to use these fruits as a draw card for salvation. If we continue to do so, sinners will respond with an impure motive lacking repentance.

Originally Posted by Chan

One would hope, though, that you wouldn't stay at the cross. Even the apostles didn't stay at the cross! They went on to the empty tomb and then to Pentecost and, from there, to turn the Roman Empire upside down with the gospel before finally going home to Heaven!

I shall never stray from the cross. All who have left those grounds are lost.

There is no turning anything upside down apart FROM the cross and its preaching.