I like the emphasis that God reaches out to the people society rejects. But it seems to me that Jesus hung out with prostitutes and "sinners" who were willing to listen to him. In regards to the message that Jesus loves everybody no matter what they do: Why wasn't he more congenial with the Pharisees? The Apostle Paul had some rough words for false teachers as well, hardly what I would call "loving".
Craig Gross (The Porn Pastor): "The Jesus of scripture reached out and loved people regardless of where they were. It is essential to show people that they can belong in your world even if they don’t act, think, behave, or believe like you." ======================= No, the porn star does not belong in “my world” if s/he doesn’t believe like I do. They can’t be in my world.
Craig Gross: "We're going to communicate that Jesus loves people right where they are," Harper said on XXXChurch.tv. "It gives us the opportunity to say 'I'm sorry ... for the way that we've punished people in the gay community by being judgmental, condemning or even dogmatic about their approach to life.'" ===================== He is mistaken about the gospel and the call of God to sinners. It is not a call that says “Jesus Loves You!” but is a call to repentance and belief. He seeks to make the sinner comfortable in their sin with the knowledge that they can continue in their sin and God will still love them. What a devilish doctrine. Again, it is Satan wrapping his lies around one piece of truth.
He forgets the story of the rich young ruler who inquired of Jesus about eternal life. Jesus told him, in essence, to repent of his love of riches, something the young ruler was unwilling to do. The Scriptures say the young man went away from Jesus. And guess what? JESUS DID NOT CHASE HIM DOWN. Nor did Jesus say to him: “You can fit in my world even if you don’t believe what I said.” Jesus was very judgmental about that young man’s love for riches.
In reading the comments above, I am so saddened by Christians who forget the grace they have received and the fact that they are sinners...no different than the prostitute, homosexual, idolators, gossipers, etc. How arrogant are we to say that those people don't fit in our world or criticize these people who actually GET Christ's love for sharing it? It is our job to love them, not to condemn them! We plant the seed, we do not reap the harvest! We can do nothing to save anyone and nothing was expected of us to be saved! While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...He reached out to us, where we are. He did not expect us to achieve some level of righteousness set by his followers first. He saved us from condemnation! Are we saying that we are so much better than God that He can forgive all of us but we can condemn whomever we choose? Or pick the sin that bugs us the most and that one has to clean up first? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!
The Bible lends itself to both sides of the argument. Jesus did allow people into his world who did not believe like Him, in order to get the opportunity to minister to them so that, perhaps if the Father allowed, they would believe like Him.
Yes, it is true that homosexuals, idolaters, gossips, etc., won't inherit the kingdom of God, but it is also true that "God so loved the world and gave His only begotten Son to die for it."
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When we hated Him, He loved us. And because He loved us, He called us to repentance. He didn't call us to repentance in order to be loved. I think we might be good to emulate!
Some very good points brought out here. It seems that we are in an age where everything that "feels good" wants to be called gospel. When I came to Christ, initially it didn't "feel good" I was suddenly aware that my life had been spent in sin. I felt like Mary weeping and washing the feet of Christ with my tear! I felt LOW! My eyes were not opened because someone came to me and said "it's okay, you can just stay where you are, because Jesus Loves you!" I see people today who call themselves Christian an still live in and attempt to justify the homosexual lifestyle. Hebrews 10: 26 says (of the saved) "Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins."Romans 6:1 "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not!"
I realize that this article is not referring to the saved, but the lost. I do think that we must be careful of the message that we project to the lost. "Jesus loves you" is a great message. "Jesus says it's okay for you to live a life of sin (and we are sorry we judged you!)" Is not a good message.
I am a husband to Eva, father of 4, pastor, and most of all passionate follower of Jesus Christ.
The focus of my life is to make the most of every opportunity God gives me to bring glory to Him.
Outside of the time spent in my role as a pastor, I spend most of my time with my family -- a good deal of that coaching various sports teams that my children are involved with.
Every fall and winter you will find me rushing to the woods of Indiana and West Virginia in search of a monster whitetail buck.
I like the emphasis that God reaches out to the people society rejects. But it seems to me that Jesus hung out with prostitutes and "sinners" who were willing to listen to him. In regards to the message that Jesus loves everybody no matter what they do: Why wasn't he more congenial with the Pharisees? The Apostle Paul had some rough words for false teachers as well, hardly what I would call "loving".
ReplyDeleteCraig Gross (The Porn Pastor): "The Jesus of scripture reached out and loved people regardless of where they were. It is essential to show people that they can belong in your world even if they don’t act, think, behave, or believe like you."
ReplyDelete=======================
No, the porn star does not belong in “my world” if s/he doesn’t believe like I do. They can’t be in my world.
Craig Gross: "We're going to communicate that Jesus loves people right where they are," Harper said on XXXChurch.tv. "It gives us the opportunity to say 'I'm sorry ... for the way that we've punished people in the gay community by being judgmental, condemning or even dogmatic about their approach to life.'"
=====================
He is mistaken about the gospel and the call of God to sinners. It is not a call that says “Jesus Loves You!” but is a call to repentance and belief. He seeks to make the sinner comfortable in their sin with the knowledge that they can continue in their sin and God will still love them. What a devilish doctrine. Again, it is Satan wrapping his lies around one piece of truth.
He forgets the story of the rich young ruler who inquired of Jesus about eternal life. Jesus told him, in essence, to repent of his love of riches, something the young ruler was unwilling to do. The Scriptures say the young man went away from Jesus. And guess what? JESUS DID NOT CHASE HIM DOWN. Nor did Jesus say to him: “You can fit in my world even if you don’t believe what I said.” Jesus was very judgmental about that young man’s love for riches.
In reading the comments above, I am so saddened by Christians who forget the grace they have received and the fact that they are sinners...no different than the prostitute, homosexual, idolators, gossipers, etc. How arrogant are we to say that those people don't fit in our world or criticize these people who actually GET Christ's love for sharing it? It is our job to love them, not to condemn them! We plant the seed, we do not reap the harvest! We can do nothing to save anyone and nothing was expected of us to be saved! While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...He reached out to us, where we are. He did not expect us to achieve some level of righteousness set by his followers first. He saved us from condemnation! Are we saying that we are so much better than God that He can forgive all of us but we can condemn whomever we choose? Or pick the sin that bugs us the most and that one has to clean up first? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!
ReplyDeleteGood post, Chris!
ReplyDeleteThe Bible lends itself to both sides of the argument. Jesus did allow people into his world who did not believe like Him, in order to get the opportunity to minister to them so that, perhaps if the Father allowed, they would believe like Him.
Yes, it is true that homosexuals, idolaters, gossips, etc., won't inherit the kingdom of God, but it is also true that "God so loved the world and gave His only begotten Son to die for it."
"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." When we hated Him, He loved us. And because He loved us, He called us to repentance. He didn't call us to repentance in order to be loved. I think we might be good to emulate!
Some very good points brought out here. It seems that we are in an age where everything that "feels good" wants to be called gospel. When I came to Christ, initially it didn't "feel good" I was suddenly aware that my life had been spent in sin. I felt like Mary weeping and washing the feet of Christ with my tear! I felt LOW! My eyes were not opened because someone came to me and said "it's okay, you can just stay where you are, because Jesus Loves you!" I see people today who call themselves Christian an still live in and attempt to justify the homosexual lifestyle. Hebrews 10: 26 says (of the saved) "Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins."Romans 6:1 "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not!"
ReplyDeleteI realize that this article is not referring to the saved, but the lost. I do think that we must be careful of the message that we project to the lost. "Jesus loves you" is a great message. "Jesus says it's okay for you to live a life of sin (and we are sorry we judged you!)" Is not a good message.