How do you like your gospel?
When Jesus told the 12 to “be as shrewd as serpents but innocent as doves”, He was revealing the goal for our temperament in speaking eternal truth both to the lost and the saved. I have never in my life heard a sermon concerning the fruit of “gentleness” that the Spirit of God is supposed to produce in us and what this is to look like. Being married has revealed (harshly at times) that I lack it, and I am seeing now, in the context of evangelism, that it is essential to bear much of this fruit while conversing with those who are in bondage to “the enemy who is seeking to devour us.” The enemy that would love to take the manner in which we say something and turn someone away from hearing the priceless message we have.
From my conversion, I have known that the gospel message was not an easy message to swallow. I’ve known the tough commands of Christ and His requirements of those who desire to follow Him. It’s a really hard gospel. The error in my ways occurred when I believed that this hard gospel was to be presented in a hard, harsh way. After all, we’re talking about hell here and it’s a serious subject. I would count all “persecution” as glory points, but little did I see that I was putting unnecessary stumbling blocks between my hearers and belief in the gospel. By some grace from God, some people didn’t mind coming over these barriers to belief, and, pridefully, I would use this fruit as justification of my continued abrupt method of sharing the gospel. Sadly, in comparison to some other brothers I have seen out preaching the Word, I never fell too deep into this ditch.
Let me define quickly a soft gospel message (though they may come in other forms). They normally come to the tune of Jesus died to enhance your happiness in life. He desires to bless you in every way, especially financially. His death was all about you and He just loves you a whole, whole lot. Notice this message completely omits all references to repentance, obedience, hell, and the cost of following the Lord – which are all absolutely essential when speaking to those who are “by their very nature children of wrath.” (Eph. 2:3)
Here’s a breakdown. We will hardly ever hear a soft gospel message preached in a harsh manner. Let me know if you’ve ever heard one. A soft gospel message in a soft tone “tickles the ears of its hearers” and still leads people to hell. A hard message delivered in a hard way creates unnecessary barriers to belief because of the lack of joy, peace and gentleness demonstrated by those who are preaching. I mean, why would anyone want to come to Jesus to end up acting like one of these guys? The true method of preaching the gospel the way Jesus did must be in the soft, innocent Spirit that gently reaches the ears, but hits the heart with the hard conviction necessary to produce the fearfully loving repentance that Jesus died to bring about through the gospel.
posted by WayoftheSon @ 9:51 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Even though people typically see me as a quiet kind of guy, I've had my share of attempts to save the lost by harshly sharing the gospel as you talked about. In my experience, I think it was because I was trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit. When God was to change their hearts, I was trying to do it myself. As a former debater, I believed the lie that my oratory skills would hold the power to convince people to receive Jesus's forgiveness.
I know you are familiar with what Jesus said in John 6, that "It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing."
Although I might have quoted it to support my theology, I am now finding that I scarcely believe it, as I have proved by my actions.
So in summary, it my experience that we are accustomed to giving "authority" if you will, to those who talk the loudest, the most confidently, and with the most convincing arguments. This is however, not the spirit of what the apostle Paul said when he told of how he "did not come with persuasive words of wisdom." I guess I could keep going, but you get the point. Jesus help us to learn to trust you by faith, rather than rely on the flesh.
Byron
oh snap. that's right on B. I've been there and I pray that those coming behind us can learn that and NOT FORGET IT. I used to thrive in my weakness before God, receiving His grace as a baby believer...somehow I lost that focus. As my next post talks about, we ought not ever leave our baby state before the Lord...
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