There has been in me a growing concern with those who refuse to preach and teach the wrath of God. The gospel among evangelicals has become increasingly palatable. Making the gospel more appealing to the unregenerate was never, and I do mean never, the goal of Christ or the Apostles. We are continually trying to find ways to make “church” more appealing and thus trying to slide the gospel in while the unregenerate is not looking. This, my friend, is doing a disservice to these individuals and my brother Tyris and I are experiencing the backlash first hand. So below are a few LIES we tell people or ways we STEALTHY present the gospel.
Bypassing the Wrath of God
You would have a better chance of convincing a pastor to preach “butt naked” to a crow of thousands than to have him preach about God’s wrath. In turn God becomes a “Cosmic Santa”. Better yet God becomes a desperate senior 2 days before prom with no date. I have heard things like “you know Jesus longs for you to accept him” or better yet, “heaven is missing one person, you”, or “God wants a love relationship with you”. So once again God becomes the dude on Young and the Restless or the last guy at the club on Valentines Day. This is blasphemous folks. God was, is and will always be self sufficient. God doesn’t need you any more than you need three extra fingers or toes. God has always been fully satisfied in Himself. God didn’t create man, like a kid who creates imaginary friends for affection. He created men for his praise and glory, our very existence is not due to a lack of self esteem but to show forth His glory. Here are a few verses on wrath
John 3:34-36
34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Ephesians 2:1-3
2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Romans 1:18-19
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
Preaching Self Esteem versus Hopelessness Apart from Christ
In most churches the sermons that come across the pulpit is more about building a person up and encouraging them. I think that is a good thing, but only if they understand that their worth comes from Christ alone. The lie that people are fundamentally good and not utterly wicked does the receiver much harm. The lie that people are pretty good and that they just lack Jesus is as dangerous as a eating 20 activated grenades. You know what I mean I have heard “man you got a nice house, family, job and things are looking good for you, just accept Jesus and you would have it all”. This man is about as hopeless as a legless man in the middle of the ocean with a 2 ton weight strapped around his neck, with 100 sharks circling beneath him. He is utterly hopeless and his goods are useless. I remember watching the movie the Titanic. These individuals were wealthy and their wealth was display by their jewelry and clothing. Man, when that boat started to sink what was valuable became worthless in an instance. The worth of a priceless diamond ring on the Titanic when it began to sink is the worth you and I have apart from Christ. We are as ants in the ocean. No hope of anything.
But this isn’t taught today. Christian Counselors, Joel Olsteen, TD Jakes, Dr. Phil, and Oprah, all say that “you are important” regardless of your standing before a Holy God who is going to cast you in to hell upon death. Regardless of the constant rebellion against the creator. Good has become a subjective term while Christ says in Matthew 19 “only God is good” I will add and those who God makes good through Christ. That is why David said ‘blessed is the man who sins are not counted against him”. Romans 3 is a popular verse summing up my statement:
Romans 3:9-18
9 No One Is Righteous What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;16 in their paths are ruin and misery,17 and the way of peace they have not known."18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Making Sin a Non-issue
I have twice heard from two separate mega church pastors “I don’t really preach about sin”. Now I will make something very clear. Christ died for the SINS of those being saved! To make sin a non-issue is to make Christ death on the cross irrelevant. Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Gods wrath is a response to man’s wickedness (sin). This is so wrong. A man who will not preach sin is a man who cares less about the eternal state of those who visit his congregation. It would be like a man with a terminal illness and the doctor continually reaffirms his great health. This man will be furious when he is on his death bed, especially after frequent doctor visits. The bible is clear about God’s position on Sin. Check out the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah and other such outpouring of God’s wrath. He didn’t flood the entire earth because He was having a bad day. Sin is the reason why the wrath of God is going to be poured out on the world. Look what Paul says here:
Colossians 3:5-8
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Sin is not a small thing in the eyes of God; it is utter rebellion and disrespect to sin against him. Just think if you were raised in a great and loving family, your parents gave you everything you and your siblings wanted. Just say mom cooked the family’s favorite meal after a long and hard day and once dinner is served your brother stands up on the table, kick the food off, curses and then slaps your mom and dad. What would be running through your mind at that time? What do you think would happen to that brother (I am black and I tell you it would have been slow singing and flower bringing, everyone would have on black suits). Sin is infinitely worse than the scenario above. To not preach sin would be the equivalent of everyone going to watch a movie on the couch with a bucket of popcorn after your brother committed these foul acts against your parents. The problem is the consequences are temporal as it relates to your brother, while not understanding the gravity of sin and forthcoming punishment is eternal.
Nursery Rhyme Christianity is a slap in the face of a crucified savior. To ignore the wrath of God, the hopelessness of man and the gravity of sin is as standing in front of the gates and preventing others from entering in. Paul says in Acts 20 that “I am free of the blood of all man”. Why? Because he says “I did not refrain from preaching the WHOLE counsel of God to you”. The whole counsel includes wrath, hopelessness, sin, and the punishment to follow. The gospel is not palatable. It hurts to hear that you are a sinner, and that you are God’s enemy, but it is the truth and the only way we can understand our depravity and the death that is imminent if left in a state of rebellion.
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