With Compassion Or Not At All
| Posted On: 12/31/09 12:15:38 PM |
Age 47, PA |
The point, my effusive friend in NJ, is that we must NOT preach on the street from anger, spite or a warped sense of guilt. And we must surely not use means that are sinful. Paul had no issue associating himself with WHO the lost were but never with their sinful acts.
For instance, Paul never said, "I have become a drunk to reach some drunks." But he did say he had become a jew to reach some Jews.
Neither does Paul recommend going into Pagan temples to "rescue" some. No. What he does say is to use wisdom and have compassion on the lost as one who has been barely saved yourself. You can be tempted just like anyone else.
When I see profesing ministers of the Gospel subjecting themselves to barely dressed women under the guise of preaching the gospel to them I am reminded man deceives himself first.
Just recently my Pastor and I came to the conclusion that no man who desires to reach the lost may drink. Ever.
It's not about legalism it's about testimony.
I am NOT saying right living is the Gospel. But what is true is that what you do REFLECTS upon the truth of the Gospel; A saved person is a changed person.
Does this mean we may subject ourselves to sin to reach some sinners? No. Just the opposite is true! We know better than they what we may become so we avoid it.
As Paul said, when we preach the Gospel we must look to ourselves to be sure we are not evidencing personally our disqualification from the very requirements we proclaim.
Just because this message is perceived to be "negative" does not mean it isn't needed, or correct.
Patrick J. Burwell, OnlyJesusSaves.com
Response@OnlyJesusSaves.com
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The church is fine
| Posted On: 04/19/09 06:39:11 AM |
Age 46, PA |
What you call the "church" is actually a large group of unregenerate people with a form of godliness. We in the West have changed the process of conversion from God to man. We chose who's going to be saved not God. Our children, spouses, friends and just the nice people are accepted into "God's" family, so we fill the buildings with the unregenerate and wonder why it's so messed up.
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Go part 3
| Posted On: 04/14/09 06:53:23 AM |
Age 57, NJ |
Before you write things, please pray for heavenly wisdom. We are not God and we don't know what His reasons are for doing things. People could read blogs like this and not go witnessing when the Spirit has led them. Few go witnessing today and are looking for any reason not to. Don’t help them out.
Proverbs 3:6 "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Please take that to heart. And don't forget to take the gospel to the lost. Sometimes we just take legalism to the readers of blogs. My fear is that bloggers only have negative things to say on these sites and have forgotten the message where Jesus came to the most ungodly of all places.
Earth and our place on the cross
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go part 2
| Posted On: 04/14/09 06:52:44 AM |
Age 57, NJ |
Even Jesus went out to temptation "And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season." Luke 4:13
But Jesus did it for a just cause. Us.
Luke 7:34 said "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" They called Him names because they were using their earthly logic instead of the spiritual.
It sounds good to not go into bars, but what if a person clothed in prayer and led by the Spirit to seek the lost goes. Remember the old Salvation Army and the early Methodist. They went where they were led and avoided sin. If I am free from alcoholism, then why would I even want it? What I want is to see others saved from sin and in a right relationship with God.
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Bind the strongman
| Posted On: 04/14/09 06:50:05 AM |
Age 57, NJ |
Mark 13:18 tells us "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Luke 22:40 "And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation"
We are to avoid sin. I also realize that "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" John 8:36. If Jesus has freed me, then I am able to resist the devil "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. “James 4:7 "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph 6:11.
Even Jesus went out to temptation "And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season." Luke 4:13
But Jesus did it for a just cause. Us.
Luke 7:34 said "The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" They called Him names because they were using their earthly logic instead of the spiritual.
It sounds good to not go into bars, but what if a person clothed in prayer and led by the Spirit to seek the lost goes. Remember the old Salvation Army and the early Methodist. They went where they were led and avoided sin. If I am free from alcoholism, then why would I even want it? What I want is to see others saved from sin and in a right relationship with God.
Before you write things, please pray for heavenly wisdom. We are not God and we don't know what His reasons are for doing things. People could read blogs like this and not go witnessing when the Spirit has led them. Few go witnessing today and are looking for any reason not to. Don’t help them out.
Proverbs 3:6 "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Please take that to heart. And don't forget to take the gospel to the lost. Sometimes we just take legalism to the readers of blogs. My fear is that bloggers only have negative things to say on these sites and have forgotten the message where Jesus came to the most ungodly of all places.
Earth and our place on the cross.
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