|
Compassion, or Hell Fire? |
Yesterday, we learned that we know we love the brethren, if we love God, and follow the Word of God:
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments." -1 John 5:2
A logical next question could therefore be - how do we tell others the Gospel, or about God's warnings and judgments? How do we share the truth of God's Words with others? Do we first try to form a close relationship, get them to trust us, then we tell them? Do we tell them in a very loving, gentle way? What if they die before you get a chance to tell them, or what if they just don't "get it" when you repeatedly try to gently, and lovingly tell them?
I'm one of those people who wouldn't get it. Frankly, it can take over a decade to have much of any close friendship with me. I have noticed it takes a long time to get close to me. My speed is slow in that regard, and that is fine with me. If someone were to try to tell me truth from God's Word carefully, compassionately and gently, and perhaps would dance around the topic a bit, trying to get me to figure it out, it would probably fall flat for me. I would just think you're a bit wacky and nonsensical. This tactic works for many people, certainly many people have gotten saved this way, but there are people out there like me, where the compassion route doesn't necessarily work.
How did I hear the Gospel? I didn't receive it through compassion, I received it through learning about hell, and that that is a place I do not wish to spend eternity at. THAT got my attention. Fluffy-wuffy-lovey-dovies make me want to RUN, so that is not a way to get through to me, LOL. Perhaps this is part of my Autism, but I do not like being around much emotion. When people are crying in church, for example, that's their thing. Don't expect me to join, I may even move further away from them, because, for lack of a better term, I can feel the "energy field" that accompanies strong emotion, and I don't like it. I tend to keep my feelings to myself. I rarely outwardly emote, other than joy - I like joyfulness. :-) As for other emotions, I don't tend to know how to emote "properly," anyhow, and that's probably why I don't much bother trying. If I think a person needs to know how I feel, I will just tell them.
I was saved not by compassion, but by being pulled out of the fire.
Which way are we supposed to approach people about Christ? Is it wrong to preach hell-fire and brimstone to get people saved? Or, on the flip-side, is it considered manipulative to first create a relationship, and reach them with compassion, but not get a lot into the hell-fire side? I could ask you what you think. I could even create a poll, but let's just get right to what God's Word says on the subject. Here's the clear answer straight from the Scriptures:
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." -Jude 1:21-23
Bingo! Some Christians have the gift of compassion, and that's how they bring people to Christ. Others, like myself, are straight forward and to the point - you're going to hell if you don't put your faith in Christ. Hell was not created for you, it was created for the devil and the angels that sinned, but your spirit was created eternal. Therefore, if you reject heaven, hell is the only eternal place left. No New Jerusalem or heaven for you. To learn how to be heaven bound, click here.
I jokingly call myself an "elbow" in the Body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12). I know I poke and jab, and it can bruise others, but I never do it from malice, hate, or ill intent. I just don't. I do it, because I am driven to. I have Christian friends who are the opposite. They are driven to form close relationships with many people, and they reach people through love and compassion.
I can't claim my compassionate friends drive people away from Christ, just because that tactic would not work on me, just like it's not right for my compassionate friends to claim that I drive people away from Christ with my hell-fire-ness. I can be compassionate, and when the Spirit leads me to, I am. Because of this, I'm certain a compassionate person can also be hell-fire straight forward, when the Spirit moves them to, as well. There is nothing wrong with either.
The next time someone tells you the way you reach others for Christ is wrong, point them to this Scripture:
"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." -Jude 1:21-23
"It’s like a person building a house by digging deep and laying the foundation on bedrock. When the flood came, the rising water smashed against that house, but the water couldn’t shake the house because it was well built. 49 But those who don’t put into practice what they hear are like a person who built a house without a foundation. The floodwater smashed against it and it collapsed instantly. It was completely destroyed." -Luke 6:48-49 CEB
"The Lord lives! Bless God, my rock! Let my God, the rock of my salvation, be lifted high!" -2 Samuel 22:47 CEB
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32 CEB
"Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6 CEB |
The terms "Christian" and "personal relationship with Jesus Christ" have been thrown around so much, that for many people, they have lost their original savor. What is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Is it going to church? Is it being a "good person?" Is it via doing certain rituals, or following certain traditions? No, it is so much simpler than that.
Jesus says:
"Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. If any hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to be with them, and will have dinner with them, and they will have dinner with me." -Revelation 3:20 CEB
Let Jesus into your heart and life. Put your faith and trust in Him, and in Him alone.
Why did Jesus Christ come to this earth? He came to pay for our sins. Have you ever broken any of the Ten Commandments? Did you know that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that just looking at someone with lust in your heart is the same thing as committing adultery in your heart?
Many people will say I'm a good person. Sure, I've stolen a few paper clips in my time, and I've told some lies, but I've never killed anyone, so I'm good enough for heaven. Don't be so sure. Have you ever felt hatred toward someone? If so, then you are guilty of committing murder in your heart:
"Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that murderers don’t have eternal life residing in them." -1 John 3:15 CEB
If you have stolen, lied, lusted after someone, hated someone, loved someone or something more than God, etc., then you have broken at least 5 of the Ten Commandments. Do you really think you'd make it to heaven? Not according to God's Word:
"Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom." -1 Corinthians 6:9-10 CEB
But there is good news:
"That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:11 CEB
We are all sinners:
"All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory" -Romans 3:23 CEB
Even Mary, the woman chosen by God to be a vessel that would carry Jesus in her womb, was a sinner, and in need of a Savior:
"In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior." - Mary said this in Luke 1:47 (CEB). Only sinners need a Savior, and Mary also accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.
We are all imperfect, fallible sinners:
"This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” If we claim, “We have fellowship with him,” and live in the darkness, we are lying and do not act truthfully. But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we claim, “We don’t have any sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." -1 John 1:5-8 CEB
The blood of Jesus Christ is what cleanses us from all sins. Jesus came to this earth to die to pay for our sins. You see, Leviticus tells us that 'the life is in the blood,' and that it takes spilt blood to atone for sin.
When we choose to truly believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and to live our lives for Christ, then Christ's spilt blood cleanses us from our sins:
"Come now, and let’s settle this, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow. If they are red as crimson, they will become like wool." -Isaiah 1:18 CEB
Jesus tells us this:
"God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son." - Jesus said this, in John 3:16-18 (CEB)
Paul gives us a simple "step by step process" on how to be saved:
"Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and in your heart you have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation. The scripture says, All who have faith in him won’t be put to shame." -Romans 10:9-11 CEB
Jesus is our one and only mediator:
"There is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the human Christ Jesus" -1 Timothy 2:5 CEB
Jesus is our High Priest:
"Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin." -Hebrews 4:14-15 CEB
We are to follow the Lord and the Bible, not traditions of people:
"Jesus replied, “Why do you break the command of God by keeping the rules handed down to you?" -Matthew 15:3 CEB
Jesus is God:
"Without question, the mystery of godliness is great: he was revealed as a human, declared righteous by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached throughout the nations, believed in around the world, and taken up in glory." -1 Timothy 3:16 CEB
If Jesus isn't the Lord of your life, then I hope that you will let Him into your heart and life this very moment.
"But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8 CEB
Have you built your foundation on the Rock of Salvation?
Jesus is the way. If you would like to receive Jesus into your heart and life, then let Him know. Pray to the Lord, telling Him that you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and that you believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the death penalty for your sins. Tell this to God in your own words, from your heart.
"The wages that sin pays are death, but God’s gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23 CEB
Believe, and Receive:
"You too heard the word of truth in Christ, which is the good news of your salvation. You were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit because you believed in Christ." -Ephesians 1:13 CEB
When you believe on Jesus Christ, you receive the Holy Spirit. You are sealed as a child of God.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart and life as your Lord and Savior, and you believe that Jesus died on the cross in your place, to pay the death penalty for your sins, and that Christ rose from the dead three days later, and you are ready to let Him lead your life, and you will live for Him, then you are saved, and born again.
