Tuesday 28 October 2014

Love. Everyone

I'm 100% convinced that if everyone met Jesus, everyone would follow Him. Who wouldn't want a King like Jesus? The reason why people don't follow is because they've never met Him. People should never have to say to a Christian "Show us God." The Christian should reply "If you've seen me, you've seen God."

It's God's goodness thats supposed to lead people to repentance. When people see what God is doing in you and through you, it will cause them to turn to Him also. That's New Covenant 101. The Church is Jesus' body. We are his hands, feet and mouth. And heart. The Church needs to stop trying to be God to the world with all her judgements and picketing. The Church just needs to rest in who she is and freely give the love she has received. 

For instance, When will the day come when the Church isn't "evangelizing" to hookers on the street because they fulfilling their duty of "evangelizing"? The truth is that Jesus accepts hookers as they are, he loves them as they are, his heart breaks as they are and continues to love them as they are even if they don't change their profession. Even if they accept Him and follow Him. In their profession. He will save them and they might even be your next door neighbor in Heaven one day. THAT intimidates you doesn't it, and that's probably why you haven't reached out to any hookers lately. 

Jesus has died for all people. He is passionate and in love with all people, right now. The Muslim across the road whose stingy and rude and never greets you. Jesus is passionate about Him. The guy at work that's cheating on his wife with the secretary and treats you like an ass. Jesus is in love with Him. God has dealt with their sins. He wants to display His kindness in their lives in extraordinary ways. He is not angry with them or disappointed in them. He wants to lavish the riches of Heaven all over them. No strings attached. Without the premis that if He does, then they must obey Him. Jesus ain't into blackmail. It's a "no strings attached" love He has.

So how exactly is God wanting to show His kindness to these people who haven't the foggiest idea about Him or even care He's around? Simple. You.

1 comment:

  1. Bro, I'm a little confused by this post. Hear me out.

    If I was a hooker (yeah, not a pretty picture), and I had just read this, I would feel perfectly justified in my profession and feel free to continue what I'm doing because, as you say, "Jesus accepts hookers as they are" and "loves them as they are", "even if they don't change their profession", and "even if they accept Him and follow Him. In their profession."

    "No strings attached"? Awesome! So I can accept Jesus and follow Him, and still sell my body to bring in the bucks and pay the bills. He will even "bless my business" according to your last post.

    Who doesn't want a Saviour like that? I'll take two of them!

    So tell me, how does this view differ from Universalism? If God has already dealt with everyone's sins (which includes unbelief), and loves everybody the same way regardless of whether they repent or not, then it would certainly be cruel for God to send anybody to hell, according to such belief.

    Dude, this is Jeremiah 6:14, 8:11 and Ezekiel 13:10 --> "They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they shall be overthrown, says the LORD."

    What about 1 Corinthians 6:9 and Galatians 5:21? Romans 1:28-32? Verse 32 ought to be a warning to us all. To be quiet about something is the same as approval.

    What about Psalm 5? "For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man."

    What about Psalm 7? "If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow; he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts."

    Ah! But then we have Psalm 6 - "O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long? Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love."

    By all means, preach the love of Christ and the undeserved grace and mercy He offers! But preach the WHOLE counsel of God - He also hates sin. The one who truly desires forgiveness, also desires to be saved, delivered and healed from his old sinful ways.

    Nobody has truly "accepted" and followed Christ unless they have also turned from their sin and have begun walking in obedience to Christ. This is what God has said - "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules." (Ezekiel 36:27). If He is not causing you to forsake your old sinful ways and to walk in obedience, then He has not put His Spirit in you, and you are not saved. You abide still in His wrath (John 3:36).

    Now having said that, everybody that God saves, He saves while we are still lost in our sin and sinners. No doubt. Saved by grace, not works. But the evidence that He has saved us is that He has regenerated us and given us a new nature that turns from sin. No doubt.

    God is loving and kind and good to all - and so should we be, regardless of whether they are unbelievers. I don't argue that. There's common grace for all - He causes the rain to fall on all, good and evil. But God has also made it clear that He is holy and hates sin. And just as much as we should be sharing God's kindness and goodness with all, so should we also be honest with them (in a loving, humble, gracious way) about their current state before our holy God.

    Not telling them they have peace with God, when they don't.

    That's just lying, and it does them no favours.

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