The Gospel is Simply 'Believe in Jesus or Go To Hell'.
Many Christians explain the Gospel as 'believe in Jesus or go to hell', without any further explanation other than Jesus died for your sins. While, according to the Bible, hell as most Christians visualize it, does not exist, this abbreviated Gospel is a terrible over-simplification of the issue, which causes endless confusion and some very bad feelings. Perhaps, if Christians would take a little time to do their homework and a little more explaining, the message might actually make more sense to more people.
To begin with, diametrically opposed to most modern methods of preaching the Gospel, the message should begin with the wrath of God. The bad news has to come before the good news. Telling someone that they can be saved is completely ridiculous if they neither know they are lost, nor what it is they need to be saved from. Telling someone that there is a pardon available is an absolute waste of time, if the person does not know they are already condemned.
There are two points that non-believers also need to understand....
Either the vast majority of people deny that God exists at all, or deny that the God of the Bible is the Sovereign God of the universe. This in spite of the fact that there is ample evidence for both. Instead, they follow other false gods and spiritual paths that are based on unsubstantiated claims made by mere people, or they come up with ridiculous and far fetched theories for the universe and everything in it. Most people have had a long time to figure it out, but continue to willfully deny God of His rightful place. Therefore, why in the world should He allow them into His kingdom. Especially since, these people would have exactly the same nature as they did in this world. Which brings us to the second factor...
If the kingdom of heaven is going to be populated by people who are just as sinful there as they are here, it would mean that the kingdom would soon deteriorate into the same mess we now face. Instead, the kingdom of heaven will be populated by people who have chosen to be part of it and, by doing so, have been 'born again, adopted as "sons" by God and given the gift of God's Holy Spirit, which enables them to fight temptation in the here and now. Again, the point is they have chosen to live as God's children. And, as God's children, they will live in His coming kingdom.
Oh, and by the way, the "ask Jesus into your heart" is another confusing, non-Biblical expression that needs to be completely scrapped.
Many Christians explain the Gospel as 'believe in Jesus or go to hell', without any further explanation other than Jesus died for your sins. While, according to the Bible, hell as most Christians visualize it, does not exist, this abbreviated Gospel is a terrible over-simplification of the issue, which causes endless confusion and some very bad feelings. Perhaps, if Christians would take a little time to do their homework and a little more explaining, the message might actually make more sense to more people.
To begin with, diametrically opposed to most modern methods of preaching the Gospel, the message should begin with the wrath of God. The bad news has to come before the good news. Telling someone that they can be saved is completely ridiculous if they neither know they are lost, nor what it is they need to be saved from. Telling someone that there is a pardon available is an absolute waste of time, if the person does not know they are already condemned.
There are two points that non-believers also need to understand....
Either the vast majority of people deny that God exists at all, or deny that the God of the Bible is the Sovereign God of the universe. This in spite of the fact that there is ample evidence for both. Instead, they follow other false gods and spiritual paths that are based on unsubstantiated claims made by mere people, or they come up with ridiculous and far fetched theories for the universe and everything in it. Most people have had a long time to figure it out, but continue to willfully deny God of His rightful place. Therefore, why in the world should He allow them into His kingdom. Especially since, these people would have exactly the same nature as they did in this world. Which brings us to the second factor...
If the kingdom of heaven is going to be populated by people who are just as sinful there as they are here, it would mean that the kingdom would soon deteriorate into the same mess we now face. Instead, the kingdom of heaven will be populated by people who have chosen to be part of it and, by doing so, have been 'born again, adopted as "sons" by God and given the gift of God's Holy Spirit, which enables them to fight temptation in the here and now. Again, the point is they have chosen to live as God's children. And, as God's children, they will live in His coming kingdom.
Oh, and by the way, the "ask Jesus into your heart" is another confusing, non-Biblical expression that needs to be completely scrapped.
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