God's Plan for Evangelism Part 6

A lot of pastors today are preaching that our problem is negative thinking! Some of the biggest churches in the country preach that. And it’s a very popular message. They say, “Your sin is no deeper then negative thinking and it’s holding you back from health, wealth and happiness. And God will help you think positively about your life and then you’ll have it all!”

People flock to this kind of message! But Jesus Christ did not die to save us from negative thoughts! Actually the Bible teaches us that we think too highly of ourselves, not too lowly! Look at the serpent in the garden. He told Adam and Eve that they needed to think more positively about themselves, reach toward their full potential, be like God!

That didn’t really work out too well, did it?

There’s also a difference between knowing you are guilty of sins and knowing you are guilty of sin! Most of us have no problem admitting we’ve lied or been selfish or mean. Even the bigger sins don’t shock us too much anymore. But the Bible teaches we have sin deep in our very natures. We can’t get rid of it on our own. Jesus said out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness and slander.

Paul says by nature we are children of wrath. We are under sin’s power. Romans 8:7 says, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Our sinful nature, left the way it is, keeps us from God. He is so perfect He makes us feel bad about ourselves. He makes us look bad in comparison and we run from Him.

In Romans 3:19 after Paul’s indictment of all humanity being under sin and utterly unrighteous before God, he said Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

This is to stand before God with no excuses, no explanation and be held accountable! Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are accountable and sentenced to death: forever separated from God unless we accept the gift of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

When we studied Revelation we saw a little of the wrath of God. Revelation 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” Seven is a compete number in the Bible. It means all. And Revelation 1:7 Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”

The Bible teaches that the final destiny for unrepentant unbelieving sinners is hell. Revelation describes it as a lake of fire and sulphur. This is serious and anyone who shares the gospel and sugar coats it is doing great disservice!

Christians, Bible believing Christians, believe in hell because that’s what the Bible teaches us. God is warning us. And when He warns us He expects us to warn others. And also share with them the way out. That in His mercy He has provided a way out.