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THE WELL HAS ITS FIRST MEETING IN A NEW BUILDING

Sunday, August 29, 2010

HELL YEAH, GRACE IS BETTER!

If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed. – Albert Einstein.


I was hesitant to repost this video...but I feel it should be looked at- Not for the message it contains. But for how truth exposes it for what it is...This is not the gospel of Jesus!



My heart is stirred! if I may be so bold..

This video, though it may have been made with good intentions...screams hype of religion and nothing of the gospel.

I actually felt sad for those who would be guilted into sharing Jesus with their friends. I feel this would have several effects on people.

1) guilt them into sharing Jesus.
2) shame them for not sharing enough about Jesus.
3) scare the into loving jesus.

all of which are completely against the character of God.

This is the kind of Christian regurgitated hype we are taught in church that actually turns the world away from a loving God and Father that desires all men to be saved. It makes them think he is a torturous dictator God. (its also not scriptural)

"Serve me or you are going to hell where I will punish you forever! but I am a God of love so don't try to make a claim against it...what I do is just because I am God!"

If we claim to be people of the word and of the Gospel then lets examine the following for the child of God.

This is now therefore NO condemnation for those who are in christ Jesus! Rom. 8:1

This removes any guilt,condemnation and shame we would put on people for not doing "enough" for the kingdom. service to god has nothing to do with righteousness. Christ work on my behalf is all that counts for my righteousness. Praise God he did it all.

for the unbeliever:
Scaring people out of HELL?!

It is the loving kindness of God that leads men to repentance. Rom. 2

You can't scare someone into love.

would you scare your spouse into loving you? no. that would be emotional abuse. Those that believe this have been spiritually abused and guilted...and now are doing it to others.

Perfect love casts out all fear!

God is love.

This video tries to scare people into a relationship with God and to scare people into sharing about him.

That is called behavior modification...not heart transformation.

Objection!, you scream... I know people that were saved by things like this! from church dramas showing the reality of hell.

no. you know people who serve God out of Fear and not love...it could even be you...time will tell when the heart grows cold.

Behavior modification is not the Gospel!

Do we have such a small understanding of the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ that we must scare men into obedience?!

It is the grace of God that teaches men obedience! not fear...not works...not even the ten commandments...(the power of sin is the law I Cor. 15:56)

Titus

2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in(H) the present age,

and again in chapter 3

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

We as christians know there is eternal separation from God for the unbeliever...Jesus spoke of hell. But preaching Hell is not Preaching the Gospel.

What if this video showed all of the lovely characteristics of our loving father...of His sons selfless act of love...the spirits work in our hearts?! that would draw men! that would give the right portrayal of God.

Jesus took all of the wrath of God that His love could be poured out on you! unconditionally! (that really means unconditionally...without conditions!) God judges no one! he has entrusted All judgment to the son! He has not come to condemn the world but to save it!

If you are a christian struggling with guilt and condemnation know this: You are 100% loved by God...not based on your actions but based on his heart and grace towards you!

It is unjust, for a just God, to punish you for what he already punished Jesus for! (your sin)

Jesus sends no one to Hell! we were already destined for it...he simply saves us from it....apart from what we do or do not do. It is his right standing before God that saves me.

but most importantly its not about the after-life...as it is about life right now! Jesus has come to give you life...and to give it to the full!

I don't serve God out of fear. I serve him out of love. The heart forgiven much with be the heart that loves as much! I don't share with friends to convert them- to save them from hell. I share so that they may have his life now! That they could be restored, healed, and set free!

To me, videos like this, and sermons that are preached from sunday morning pulpits are very poor representations of the God of the bible. this kind of message is not going to save men from Hell...

I am sorry If I have offended anyone. my hope is to wake you up to the realization of Gods love towards all of mankind. the saved and the lost.

In love,
Aaron

5 comments:

  1. This would be effective if it was all about 'getting out of hell free'.... what we have failed to tell people is that it is SOOOO much more than that! It is the KINDNESS of God that leads to repentance! This video simply SCARES THE HELL OUT OF PEOPLE, but it does nothing to transform you.....

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  2. oh....... GREAT WORD Aaron! Good job!

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  3. Amen and amen and AMEN and it is about TIME we started hearing voices proclaiming the TRUTH you have proclaimed. Repeat after me: BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS NOT THE GOSPEL. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS NOT THE GOSPEL. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS NOT THE GOSPEL. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS NOT THE GOSPEL. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS NOT THE GOSPEL. BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION IS NOT THE GOSPEL.

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  4. i liked your post. i really did. however, i would add that even if a person was genuinely reborn after a scary presentation of hell, like i was, that doesn't mean they're not christians. if you might not understand the fullness of the gospel doesn't mean you're not saved. right? i mean, i already have a hard time not doubting my salvation and struggle with the whole guilt and condemnation thing that i don't need another jab that because i don't fully understand all the grace, that i'm not okay. and i know you would probably say that i am okay. i would just like not feel that i am a fake-ster since i don't walk in the freedom i know is mine all the time. do you know what i mean?

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