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What are YOU Preaching?
by Tonda Canterbury The majority of people today have very little knowledge of Godof His character and nature. Oh, most have heard that He is love. That He is kind and gracious and merciful. But, sadly, they've heard very little - if anything of His Holiness, Righteousness, Justice, and Wrath. He is a holy, jealous God and a consuming fire (Jos 24:19; Heb 12:29, KJV). He is "angry with the wicked every day (Ps 7:11)" and He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. "If I sin, then You mark me, And will not acquit me of my iniquity (Job 10:14, NKJV)." "he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him (John 3:36, KJV)." "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18, KJV)." "Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. Anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to his people. For we know the one who said, "I will take vengeance. I will repay those who deserve it." He also said, "The Lord will judge his own people." It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb 10:26-31, NLT)." God is known by the judgment that He executes and He actually HATES the wicked (Ps 9:16; Ps 11:5, KJV). These scriptures reveal something of the nature and characteristics of God that many so called "Christians" and so called "ministers" fail to teach and preach. They present a superficial, "feel good" gospeland a kind of "drive-through Christianity," which can never bring sinners to true repentance. They speak "peace" when there is no peace. Some do it in ignorance with good intentions, while others do it with full knowledge that what they are presenting to the lost will NEVER save sinners from the wrath to come. " `How can you say, "We are wise because we have the law of the Lord," when your teachers have twisted it so badly? These wise teachers will be shamed by exile for their sin, for they have rejected the word of the Lord. Are they so wise after all?They offer superficial treatments for my people's mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when all is war (Jer 8:8-9 & 11, NLT)." They do it for the sake of numbers. Because many will receive a "gospel" that doesn't reprove them of their sin, that doesn't require anything of them, and that won't alter the course of their life in any way. The wicked will accept a "gospel" that will only give them the peace and satisfaction of believing (however falsely) that they will enter Heaven when they die and that, since they prayed a little prayer after the preacher, the Lord is now obligated to watch over them, protect them, and basically sit upon His throne in Heaven just waiting for their unending selfish requests so that He can grant them and they can "Have their best life now!" ManyMANY will accept such a "gospel." "for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat (Mt 7:13, KJV)." But, there are only few who will accept the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That declares "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Lk 13:3, KJV)." That calls them to deny themselves, pick up their crosses and follow Christ. That commands them to be HOLY as He is Holy. That commands them to Crucify their flesh, to bring their flesh into subjection to the word and will of Godto present their bodies as living sacrifices, wholly and acceptable unto God as their reasonable service. To be "in" the world, but not "of" the world. FewFEW will cling to the True Gospel. "Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Mt 7:14, KJV)." After presenting the Holy nature and Righteous character of God, we must present the Sinful nature and Vile character of man. "The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict (Gal 5:17, NLT)." We must deal with SIN directly. Most people in today's society don't believe they are "really all that bad." They don't really see themselves as sinners because we have failed to truly address and identify SIN in our witnessing and preaching. We've in affect, offered them a cure for a disease that they don't believe themselves to have. We've offered food to those who are not hungry. We've offered drink to those who are not thirsty. And we've offered salvation to those who do not understand that they are lost. "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mk 2:17, KJV)." We've offered clothes to those who do not see their nakedness. We've tried to meet needs that sinners don't even realize they have. "thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (Rev 3:17, KJV)." We've side-stepped and watered it down and been too afraid to offend people. We've feared man more than we've feared the Almighty! May we repent and may You, oh Lord "grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word (Acts 4:29, NKJV)." So now we see the importance of bringing forth scriptures that identify sin. Because once they understand what sin is, they are accountable. "Don't you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers-none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God (I Cor 6:9-10, NLT)." Use the Law to bring knowledge of sin. "I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet (Rom 7:7)." Paul said that the law was "for people who are disobedient and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who murder their father or mother or other people. These laws are for people who are sexually immoral, for homosexuals and slave traders, for liars and oath breakers, and for those who do anything else that contradicts the right teaching that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God (I Tim 1:9-11)." "When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21, NLT)." "Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God's people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes-these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world. Don't be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. Don't participate in the things these people do (Eph 5:3-7, NLT)." "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death (Rev 21:8, NKJV)." Now that the lost man sees something of the Holiness of God and something of the Sinfulness of man and has been brought to the understanding that He is a SINNERthat he is wicked and vile and depraved -that he drinks in iniquity as though it were water and that the Wrath of God abides upon himnow that he can see the blackness of his own heart, it's time to share the atoning work of Christ through His death, burial, and resurrection. Paul Washer said of Mary Magdelene "She loved much because she had been forgiven much. And she knew how much she had been forgiven because she KNEW how wicked she was." Conclusion Without preaching and witnessing that boldly reveals and targets sin, there will be no conviction....and therefore, no repentance. No revival. No outpouring of the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. No souls snatched, as it were, from the very fires of eternal torments! The absolute HOLINESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS of God must be exalted once again so that "sin might become exceedingly sinful" to those who walk in it. That they might see their sin for the abomination that it is. That they might recognize their own vileness, wickedness, and depravity before the all seeing eyes of the Omnipotent Creator! And so that they may know that they are "without excuse!" And that, seeing these things, they might fall on Him in brokenness and humility with godly sorrow. Otherwise, they will be ground into powder under the full force of His wrath. "whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder (Matt 21:44, KJV)." "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7, KJV)." . . . Author Info: My ambition is to exalt the name of Christ. To develop a deeper relationship with Him through prayer and study of HIS word. I just want to honor Him in my every thought, word, and deed. http://www.mychristiansite.com/personal/glorifychrist/index.html Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |