Isn't The Gospel Enough?

[Praxeas]

By ALL MEANS...I will...Yes by ALL means the rest of us will....

You can count on it! Because saving the Lost is the most important mission of the church.

1Co 9:22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

[KeptByTheWord]

Originally Posted by Praxeas

By ALL MEANS...I will...Yes by ALL means the rest of us will....

You can count on it! Because saving the Lost is the most important mission of the church.

1Co 9:22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

Just realized you had responded to this post. I will address your "by all means" response... with scripture:

1 Cor. 2:4 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. "

Yes, Paul used all the means available at his disposal, but it was NOT the means of man's materialistic thought process. He used all the available means and disposal available to him through the demonstration of the spirit, and of power, in order that one's faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

This is where you are wrong Prax.

It is in demonstration of the power of the spirit of Christ that we truly reach the lost souls, not enticing words and vehicles of man's wisdom.

Peter and John did NOT offer the lame man silver or gold, but they offered him Jesus.

Offering people a materialistic human object in order to "entice" them to hear the gospel, is NOT what the apostles used. They demonstrated the POWER of the spirit in order that "your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

I reject any attempt of man that tries to woo souls to the gospel with materialistic things such as giving away pricey electronic items, or raffles, or some kind of flashy entertainment in order to "entice" people to the gospel. You may get a few results, here and there... but does the Word of God really find a deep place in their heart, or are they merely coming for the loaves and fishes, and leaving unchanged?

This was NOT the way of the apostles...

The only way to completely and truly transform the hearts and lives of mankind is to demonstrate the spirit and power of God, not with enticing words, or man's wisdom, or materialistic efforts, but we are to demonstrate the power of the Spirit of God.

Spreading the gospel in this way is much more difficult to come by. It involves one being ready to surrender completely to the will and plan of Jesus, to be ready to love those who are unlovable, and to carry the gospel in full demonstration of the spirit and power.

The gospel spreads best by word of mouth:

Mark 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

Acts 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

Luke 1:65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

What is "noised abroad"? It means word of mouth. Someone heard something, and told someone else, and that someone else told someone else and so on.

(Perhaps in our modern day things might be "noised abroad" via twitter or facebook, or email, using the Internet.) But what were they saying? They were talking about the power and the demonstration of the spirit!

No better way to spread the gospel and to find people to share it with then to do it in demonstration of the SPIRIT and of POWER.

Why don't you try this avenue and see if it works? Begin sharing with each and every soul you meet demonstrating the power and the spirit of the gospel! See what happens! See if lives aren't transformed. If you get no results, maybe you need to spend some time at the feet of the Master renewing your relationship with HIM, but I guarantee that if you take the time at the feet of JESUS and then begin to proclaim the gospel message to anyone around you who will listen, demonstrating the gospel not in the wisdom, or words of men, but in demonstration of the SPIRIT and of POWER, you will see results.... results that man-made material efforts will never be able to touch!

I challenge all of us.... INCLUDING MYSELF.... to do this.... I believe a revival like never before could break out across our land if more of us were willing to spread the gospel like the apostles did!

[Praxeas]

1 Cor. 2:4[/URL] "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit, and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. "

Yes, Paul used all the means available at his disposal, but it was NOT the means of man's materialistic thought process. He used all the available means and disposal available to him through the demonstration of the spirit, and of power, in order that one's faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

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.

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...

[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?