What happened to sin?

So very true!

How could there be 'mercy' there was not 'wrath' to receive mercy from?

People first of all have to see their sinfulness, their absolute hopelessness without a Savior. As you said, before they can even hear the good news they must come to grips with the bad news, that they are lost and doomed to eternity in hell!

The soft, kind, compassionate, feel good messages they hear in many churches today are only populating the dens of eternal doom!

 

If Christ came to save the lost, then the opposite is obvious, and we ought to make that plain. We should never say, "Jesus saves" without saying "sinners are lost".

Cheers,

Jim

 

Wow Jim! How dare you make such a politically incorrect statement. :tongue3:

It is true though. Jesus came to save that which is lost. When we are lost, we are dying and going to hell.

 

Thank you Wayne! As I tell my students, I am only here to entertain you with a bit of algebra (ummm biblical truth) thrown in :laugh:

 

Oh, bitsy, bitsy, bitsybitsybitsybitsy----B-I-T-S-Y!!!

Entertain with a BIT of algebra??? Biblical truth??? The two just don't mix in Blackbird's vocabulary!!

Heard about the ole farm boy who was accepted up at MIT!!!?? He made it home for Spring Break---and sittin' at the breakfast table---his daddy asks

Boy!! What'cha learnin' in school??

Daddy!! I'm learnin' a foreign language!!

Yeh??? What language ya learnin' to speak??

Algebra!!!

Algebra, huh?? Say somethin' in Algebra!!!

OK!!! Pie R Square!!

The daddy pulls his belt off there at the kitchen table---and commences to whoopin' his boy

What'cha whoopin' me for, Daddy???

Son!!! Everybody knows that pie'e aren't square-----they're ROUND!!!!:laugh: :laugh:

 

Think of it this way

Sin is always accountable. We must be more accountable to be more Christ like in our lives than sin is in our life. I don't know if that makes since but to me it does. And I think I said it right. The more Christ like our existance, the more sin is prevelant to distroy us in our walk with Christ. Read what Paul said in Romans 7:14-25. Very good illustration of sin in this physical world.:type:

 

Or, to put it another way, we should never say, "Jesus saves" without saying what it is He saves sinners from. A hymn we sing at my church from time to time puts it like this:

Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my portion and my living bread;
In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction and despair.

2 He is my refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,
And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

3 My every need He richly will supply;
Nor will His mercy ever let me die;
In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.


Every blessing,

 

I once knew a man who told me "You don't have to give up anything to be a Christian".


I'm thinking he heard the wrong gospel. One which didn't require repentance.

Preaching agianst sin is fine but if we leave it there, folks will have no idea that God is holy and requires us to repent of our sin. Then He is just to forgive us of all unrighteousness.

We must call sin what it is. An affront to our Thrice Holy God. Most folks will admit they have sinned. I have even heard many say, "Doesn't everybody"? But when we tell them what that means to God and to them presonally, THEN we may see them repent and beg God to save them.

The same is true in our churches. We hear, "I'm saved by the blood", but we see no fruit emenating from that reality. If folks truly had a grasp of God's holiness and what He expects of His children, I think we might see a completely different climate in our churches, AND our communities.

At one time in this nation, this was true. But now..........

 

When I'm witnessing and someone tells me they won't become a Christian because they wouldn't be able to do anything they want to, I tell them, "Yes, you can!".

You CAN do anything you want to when you get saved, but once you get into the Word - God will change your 'want to's. :applause:

 

It continues to amaze me how the simple message of Grace through faith apart from works continues to just get absolutely butchered these days. Terribly sad

 

We live in a time of Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.
When I try to counter this attitude with scripture, it usually isn't received well. I'm called judgemental, a know it all. Being a Christian is hard. Calling yourself one is easy.

 

Perhaps you feel that the brethren here are advocating some sort of works-based salvation. Salvation is not in the picture here, the subject is specifically sin. Certainly, we are saved from the eternal penalties for sin; also, we have gone from being alienated, without God in the world, to being the sons of God. Our situation with God is changed, and is secure. But-sin is still sin and is detestable to God. Our children are safe in our love for them, but we cannot (and should not!) tolerate unacceptable behavior from them. And what is unacceptable to God? Sin. It should be that our attitude is that "He loves me, cares for me, gave His Son for me, how can I do this to Him?

 

Sometimes the message seems to be that "sinners are lost" except if they are members of the church then they are alright. Sorry if I offend anyone but that is what I have read over and over.

 

This reminds me of the old song, "Please be patient with me, God's not through with me yet". I agree with Sue and tell people to come to Christ as you are. Bring him your habbits, addictions, hidden and secret sins and he'll make a new creature out of you.