Hellfire, Love or a mix?

[JTTNMinistries]

What do you think is more effective in reaching people- hellfire preaching or mercy/love preaching? Jesus preached on hell more than he did on heaven. The book of Acts primarily has preaching about Jesus as the "judge of the earth."

What are your perceptions about hellfire vs. mercy/love preaching? What kind of preaching were you saved under?

[Shawn]

Love and the Cross.

[rava61]

Jesus can talk about 'hell' because He knew what He was talking about; however, I think we have much to learn before we say anything about it.

The Church's mission is to get the message to the lost....not point out what they think is sin or not sin - leave that to the One who knows for sure.

[A.W. Bowman]

Ready for another long-winded message? If not, just skip over the next few posts, you will not be missing very much.

[A.W. Bowman]

Doesn’t what one preach depend a lot on who you are preaching to?

Personally, after almost 40 years of walking with Jesus, I get a little tired of being told that if I do not repent and live a life as defined and required by the pastor, I will go to hell.

On the other hand, I also get tired of hearing of a gushy love-sick god who simply can’t wait to shower me with everything I want, desire, need, and even add more stuff than that upon my growing heap of goodies.

It seems like we have two different Gods that we claim to follow. One is a fire and brimstone breathing judge, just waiting for a person to stumble just so he can smite the offender down and crush him – something like Job’s initial experience. The other god is a supper Wal-Mart owner, where one is given a free, unlimited credit card and told the heavenly store is open 24/7/365/forever, if you don’t see what you want, just ask and we’ll order it for you..

The results are predictable. We have some “coming to Christ” so they won’t get their tails singed – buying heavenly fire insurance. The other result is a growing number of health and wealth, name it and claim it heavenly welfare country club members.

In both of these extremes, we have become a religion of “mental assent” believers. That is, we accept a god that is currently preached from the pulpit this Sunday, but without a heart-felt convection rooted in a personal encounter with the creator of the universe. We are guilty of substituting religious performance for spiritual substance. Ask Christians around the “third-world” what their experience of God is. Most of them share Job’s visitation of Satan, and are denied the use of the heavenly credit card that the western church seems to enjoy.

The question then becomes twofold. What does one preach to “sinners” and what does one preach to “believers”? A third question would be, “What do you preach to a congregation filled with both believers and unbelievers?” Of course, according to 1 Corinthians 14:26-33, a passage not often preached in church, we can get a rather good summation of what is to be taught within an assembly – regardless of who is in attendance. More specific instruction can be gleamed from 1 Corinthians 14:22, concerning speaking in tongues and prophesying. But, we have a problem with teaching and applying that passage as well.

[A.W. Bowman]

When an unbeliever walks down most any big city street (especially in my town), he is met with literally churches on every corner. At least one church in my area owns and occupies an entire former shopping mall), In some places there are literally a number of churches next door to each other. Each of these churches claim to have and to teach “the truth”. So, come join with us and forsake all of those other “false churches”. Confusing? Well, what about those churches with the same organizational name over the door, that denounces the other churches in the same town for not preaching the “truth”? And, we still pray for revival?

I tell you the truth. No one is going to biblically repent of anything, to anyone, until they become aware of, and become crushed under the enormity of their sin before the holy majesty of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is only then that the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ becomes apparent in its full scope and expression of absolute love. I have heard the question asked, “Are you saved? Saved from what? Hell? Are you saved from lying? Are you saved form stealing, from adultery? Just what you saved from?” Implied is the question, “What are you saved to?” Acts 2:38 is not the gospel of the kingdom of God; it’s the expected response to the gospel. Most of us really do not know what Jesus and His apostils taught concerning the kingdom!

Many people have been preached into the kingdom through fear and intimidation. Many of these folks have become so fearful that they can’t do enough in their own eyes (or in the opinion of others) to justify their God provided forgiveness. When we preach hellfire to these folks, they redouble their effort to get everything just “right”. We call such believers, “legalists”. But, there are two sides of that coin. We also have those who “know” that they have everything just “right”. Both of these types of individuals generally become hypercritical of others, in order to maintain their belief (self-justification) that they are acceptable unto God. “See, God, I am being good and I got it right!” We call these people, “Self-righteous” or, “holier than thou” saints. (Luke 18:10-14).

Then we have those who are preached into the kingdom with the promise of piece, joy, happiness and other such benefits. We withhold from these new converts the truth of the nature of these spiritual promises. Then, when their expectations are not met, these folks leave the church and look elsewhere for their spiritual fulfillment. We call these disillusioned saints, “backsliders”. Should these love-struck saints find a reason to remain in the church, we often call them “liberals”.

[A.W. Bowman]

For the majority of us church goers, we have simply become comfortable and satisfied with our current positions, labels, and level of participation within the church organization/body, and love the experience we enjoy in corporate worship (read, crowd manipulation - cheerleader -¬ into an altered state of conscience). However, after the excitement of the moment wears off, the weekly preaching and teaching fails to touch us in our hearts, so there is little noticeable effect on our lives. Our personal relationship with Jesus remains unaltered – unimproved, as with the other members of the assembly. What changes we do see, is frequently is the result of the preacher’s power of persuasion (charisma) and not from a spiritual convection, as an act (impact) of God’s Spirit on our heart.

There is one saving grace out of all of this mess that we have created for ourselves. God is still faithful to His word (His promises and also His curses!). God still responds to the prayers of the sinners He has drawn to Himself – in spite of some of the collective efforts of the churches to control both God and the believers. God is still in the business of maturing believers through the process of continuing relationships, for those willing to travel that path with Him. God still shows up in a service, responding to the uncompromising faith of individuals. This one fact alone, should give us all hope. Even so, when the unbelief of the majorly rises up, not even Jesus Christ walking in the flesh can work miracles, save, perhaps that He can heal a few!

Conclusion: Teach sinners what sin is and why it is worthy of God’s righteous judgment. Teach sinners what their sin consists of and why they are worthy of judgment. Bring them to the point where they can see their sin and what it is – for them selves! Without this personal realization, there is no reason for repentance, except as another mental assent to the theory (idea) of sin, but not repentance of the actual sin its self. Teach sinners what God’s judgment is and why they deserve it. Then teach sinners the love of God and why He is merciful toward us. Then teach the sinners the cost (responsibilities and obligations) they must pay for the honor of becoming a child of God, what it takes and what it means to enter into a blood convenient with God. It is NOT a one-sided convenient, where He gives and we take!

Now you know what the job of an evangelist is and why it is necessary to support this ministry with offerings. It is a fulltime calling that covers the world. Of course, we are all called to share the reason for our hope to everyone who asks. We are also called upon to minister one to another (throughout the entire body of Christ). The body of our Lord Jesus is not fragmented, except in our own hearts.

What to teach believing saints of God? Teach the saints how to live an overcoming life and how to walk in the Spirit of God. Follow the assembly service outline as noted in Corinthians 14:26-33, and remember:

God is! Jesus is God’s Messiah because the reset of us do not measure up. Everything else is commentary. Now, go and study.

[A.W. Bowman]

End of missive.

[jaxfam6]

I would say to follow Peter's example. What did he preach on the day of Pentecost? How many does it say were saved that day?

Think that is who I would pattern myself after when it comes to preaching

[JTTNMinistries]

Originally Posted by HaShaliach

I tell you the truth. No one is going to biblically repent of anything, to anyone, until they become aware of, and become crushed under the enormity of their sin before the holy majesty of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is only then that the ministry and sacrifice of Jesus Christ becomes apparent in its full scope and expression of absolute love. I have heard the question asked, “Are you saved? Saved from what? Hell? Are you saved from lying? Are you saved form stealing, from adultery? Just what you saved from?” Implied is the question, “What are you saved to?” Acts 2:38 is not the gospel of the kingdom of God; it’s the expected response to the gospel. Most of us really do not know what Jesus and His apostils taught concerning the kingdom!

This is true. I agree with most of what you have posted. The real point is that we cannot box ourselves into preaching only one thing, whether it be love, mercy, hell, destruction, 2nd coming etc. We must be cautious to preach the whole council of God and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading on what we should preach or say to a person at any given time.

One time I was preaching straight hellfire and damnation at a college campus and a small group of students came up to me and said "We can tell that you care about us. We really feel the love of God coming form you." They stayed and talked with me for over an hour. I was shocked that hellfire preaching presented them with a loving feeling.

We should always preach what God would have for us at the time I suppose.