Isn't The Gospel Enough?

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

This is scripture out of context and badly exegized. Paul was speaking in my verse of reaching those that are not saved

In yours he was speaking to the church

1Co 2:1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
1Co 2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1Co 2:3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
1Co 2:4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
1Co 2:5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

So (let me paraphrase your above comment)... you're saying that when Paul was preaching to the "sinners" or the "unsaved" that he did not use the spirit and power of God, but that he only spoke with demonstration of the spirit and of power when he was speaking to the "saved brethren" ... ???? What kind of reasoning is that????

How am I taking anything out of context?

Whether Paul reasoned with sinners or saints, did he not have the POWER OF GOD resting on his life?

Originally Posted by Praxeas

The question is what did Paul do before speaking preaching the gospel to unbelievers to GET them to HEAR that gospel message? How did he gather a crowd? What method did he use to FIND people to HEAR? Did he hide in a cave and preach to the walls hoping "the gospel would be enough" or did he use his human legs and intuition to find venues to preach the gospel where more people would hear?

That is what we are speaking of, how to get people into a location to HEAR the word and where the power and demonstration of the Spirit can be experienced.

The "us four and no more" model does not work where you hope people will just walk into your meetings by driving or walking by. You have to go out and invite them. Knock on doors. Witness to friends etc etc etc...

Prax, preaching the gospel anywhere and everywhere you go is EXACTLY the point I am trying to make. It should not be limited to four walls of a church building! It should never be limited to a preacher only. Anyone who has received the Holy Ghost into their lives are ministers of the gospel! I believe we do agree on this point... but where we disagree is using man-made, materialistic, entertainment styled methods to entice people to hear the gospel!

The gospel doesn't need cheap entertainment methods of man... it needs the power and the anointing of the Spirit to convict the souls! And how to do that... wherever and anywhere you or I go.... word of mouth is one of the best ways the gospel was spread in the NT.... "it was noised abroad" ....

To offer people some sort of materialistic reward for coming to hear the gospel was NOT a tactic the apostles used... ever. If I'm wrong, prove it to me with scripture please.

So, this is where you and I disagree. (And why you think man-made materialistic tools are better than the spirit of the Lord working in all power and wisdom... that is beyond me.)

But like I said before... each to his own. I don't like debates, I prefer discussions... it is a matter of opinion... and my opinion is this:

The gospel with demonstration of the spirit, and of power IS ENOUGH.

The gospel will spread of its own accord, either by word of mouth or wherever it is preached. But if man-made efforts are used to woo people in to hear the gospel, chances are they are coming for the "loaves and fishes" and will leave unchanged, save a few.

Look at the major revivals that have taken place throughout history. These revivals came about by people falling on their faces, praying, and seeking Jesus, and the power of the Holy Ghost was poured out in miraculous ways, and people came of their own accord to see what was happening, because of the demonstration of the spirit in great power!

That is the power of the gospel.

Would you rather see manmade efforts to get a crowd in a building just to entertain them, and have them leave feeling good?

Or would you rather see a person who has so committed and sold out his life to Jesus, preaching the gospel, as Paul and the apostles did, with demonstration of the spirit and of power?

Which method do you think will have greater results?