3 Ways We 'Water Down' The Gospel
HELLO CHRISTIAN
One of the biggest challenges facing the Church today is the honest preaching of the gospel with no strings attached. Too many Churches are seeking after worldly popularity and growth by watering down the gospel. But we need to remember that the glory of the gospel is self-evident. It needs no unnecessary editing! With this in mind, JB Cachila at Christian Today highlights three ways that we keep watering down the gospel.
1. When We Remove the Terrifying Danger of God's Impending Wrath Against Our Sin
"Friends, God sent His Son to save us while we were still sinners. Our sin deserved God's wrath – and what a wrath it is! If we keep on focusing only on God's love and fail to balance it with God's righteous anger against our sin, we will dilute the very reason why Christ had to die on the cross. Our situation was so terribly dire that it took God's own Son to save us. And what a terrible way to save us: through a painful death He did not deserve. And yes, what a wonderful way to justify us – by rising from the grave."
"Friends, God sent His Son to save us while we were still sinners. Our sin deserved God's wrath – and what a wrath it is! If we keep on focusing only on God's love and fail to balance it with God's righteous anger against our sin, we will dilute the very reason why Christ had to die on the cross. Our situation was so terribly dire that it took God's own Son to save us. And what a terrible way to save us: through a painful death He did not deserve. And yes, what a wonderful way to justify us – by rising from the grave."
2. When We Make Accepting Christ More Powerful Than the Act of Repentance
"Have you heard of people leading others into a "sinner's prayer," and then stopping at that? Don't get me wrong: I prayed that prayer, too. But merely "accepting" Christ as Saviour without dying to ourselves and repenting from our sins won't cut it. Repentance is the fruit of our salvation, and a changed life is proof of that repentance. When we are made to "accept" Christ without us understanding the terrible price Christ had to pay for our sakes, we take His suffering for granted."
"Have you heard of people leading others into a "sinner's prayer," and then stopping at that? Don't get me wrong: I prayed that prayer, too. But merely "accepting" Christ as Saviour without dying to ourselves and repenting from our sins won't cut it. Repentance is the fruit of our salvation, and a changed life is proof of that repentance. When we are made to "accept" Christ without us understanding the terrible price Christ had to pay for our sakes, we take His suffering for granted."
3. When We Try to Replace the Simplicity of the Gospel With Useless Eloquence
"Many nowadays try to explain the Gospel using many words that don't actually reveal how dreadful it is to be under the law of sin, how terribly great the cost that Christ paid for our redemption, and how immensely great the amount of gratefulness we should have for God's grace and mercy for us. "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19). I've heard many try to communicate the Gospel in politically-correct and ear-tickling ways, fatally failing to communicate its tremendous power, and failing to set people free."
"Many nowadays try to explain the Gospel using many words that don't actually reveal how dreadful it is to be under the law of sin, how terribly great the cost that Christ paid for our redemption, and how immensely great the amount of gratefulness we should have for God's grace and mercy for us. "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19). I've heard many try to communicate the Gospel in politically-correct and ear-tickling ways, fatally failing to communicate its tremendous power, and failing to set people free."
https://hellochristian.com/5848-3-ways-we-water-down-the-gospel?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2017Jan12
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