Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple
Could you please name someone whether a Preacher or Teacher who claims to be a Christian that teaches Jesus is waiting for you to mess up so he can kill you?
Its sayings like this that have dulled mens hearts to the truth. The truth is Jesus opposes SIN. Many times men blunt the force of that word by saying they "messed up".
We are so used to hearing cliches we think of them as being true. Jesus is not looking around hoping to find his people in sin so he can punish them. His teachings are given us that we may know how to PLEASE HIM.
If one sets their heart to please Jesus, doing his will they will find favor with him. If they take no heed to separate their lives to him his face will be against them.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
The Lord desires fellowship and intimacy with his sons and daughters. Yet he will stand against them if they sin.
|
You're only speaking to Christians in this post. You are not speaking to the lost and the message they hear. There are "pet sins" that some churches seem to preach hard about every. single. time. the. door. is. open. Trust me, that message gets out, loud and clear, that God hates the sin so much the sinner has no chance of approaching Him. I will absolutely NOT name preachers or churches where this kind of thing goes on. I'm afraid if I started, I'd have to type all night.
Even the verse you quoted... "but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." How do "the evil" dare approach this God?? His face is against them, He doesn't want them, He can't stand them... I know this isn't what you're trying to say, and I know even in some of these churches with the "pet sins" that they spend so much time on, it's not what they're trying to say. But it's very, very hard to hear anything else when the message of judgment is so loud. You really do not have to tell a sinner they've sinned. The presence of God is awesome and the Spirit reveals more deeply than any preacher could ever preach. But it's done in love, that draws a person to Christ, it never pushes them away. Preach the Jesus of love and compassion and mercy and grace and introduce sinners to Him and let Him change their hearts and convict of sin. He does hate sin...because it keeps us from being who we were created to be and keeps us from doing what we were created to do....worship Him.
Please do not think I "go easy" on sin. I absolutely do not. I can't. The cost is too high.
Threaded Mode
