Thus says the Lord: "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.
But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'" --Jeremiah 6:16

 

8 April, 2006   comments: (0) Today's Evangelism   The Gospel Offends Because it is Intolerant of Sin There are a great many churches today where unbelievers remain unconverted, attending weekly, and never finding anything offensive about the message that's preached. Compare that to these observations from Charles Spurgeon's sermon "Unbelievers stumbling; Believers rejoicing". A pastor at a modern "innovative" church once visited OldTruth.com and had this to say: You say "the Bible is offensive, the truths of the Bible are offensive, the Cross is offensive." [But] I searched several concordances and I could not find anywhere where these things are offensive. ... God's love is not offensive, God's Word is not offensive, and the cross is not offensive. ... He loved us. If unconditional love is offensive to you...I am sorry. What offends people are those who tell me people how to live there life or they will go to hell if they don't listen to them. ... being a Christ-follower is both cool and easy. But Charles Spurgeon reminds us that . . . There are some who stumble at Christ because of his holiness. He is too strict for them; they would like to be Christians, but they cannot renounce their sensual pleasures; they would like to be washed in his blood, but they desire still to roll in the mire of sin. Willing enough the mass of men would be to receive Christ, if, after receiving him, they might continue in their drunkenness, their wantonness, and self-indulgence. But Christ lays the axe at the root of the tree; he tells them that these things must be given up, for "because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience", and "without holiness no man can see the Lord". Human nature kicks at this. "What! May I not enjoy one darling lust? May I not indulge myself at least now and then in these things? Must I altogether forsake my old habits and my old ways? Must I be made a new creature in Christ Jesus?" These are terms too hard, conditions too severe, and so the human heart goes back to the flesh pots of Egypt, and clings to the garlic and the onions of the old estate of bondage, and will not be set free even though a greater than Moses lifts up the rod to part the sea, and promises to give to them a Canaan flowing with milk and honey. Christ offends men because his gospel is intolerant of sin. Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.153   Be the first to post a comment about this article        Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism