Who Cares Anymore?

[Coconut]

Do we have a passion for lost souls? Do we identify with the selfless, self-condemning burden of the Apostle Paul for others to know the Lord when he powerfully says, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh... to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises" -Romans 9:3-4.
Or has apathy about the things for eternity numbed our calloused hearts to the cries of those dying without Jesus Christ? "Hell is burning while the church sleeps" beloved. When will we wake up from the slumber of our souls, loosen our tongues and proclaim the cross of Christ without apology, without hesitation, without fear?

Amidst Christian TV scandals again and with all the confusion these days in evangelicalism about what the genuine gospel even is, we have also been dramatically lax in not sharing our faith. Even on the remote chance that a call to follow Christ has been made, it usually is something as benign as "just say this prayer, 'Jesus I believe you; Jesus I receive you' - then quietly slip up your hand and come down front because we want to welcome you into the kingdom of God."

There is little talk about sin; repentance; justification by faith; the Law; Lordship; propitiation; loving Him more than all other loves; deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him, etc. One might legitimately wonder what did they actually respond to and are they truly saved at all?

As one who believes passionately in the doctrines of grace; the five solas; historic orthodox biblical Christianity; and God's sovereign election of His own; I fear that "correct sound theology" has made some of us silent, proud, content rather than bold, passionate, and completely abandoned to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, where are the Whitefields, the Edwards, the Baxters, the Watsons; where are the sovereign-grace evangelists of our day willing to do "all things for the sake of the elect?" (2 Tim. 2:10)

This article is a wake up call to come out from under the safety of our evangelical sub-cultural bubble--out from our comfort zone, to step away from the ease of our carefully, crafted, cultivated Christian world and go "where Christ is not yet named" (Roms. 15:20). Whether it's across the street or around the world we all need to be effective witnesses for Christ Jesus our Lord.

Evangelism is not just for a few professionals in the body of Christ--we are all to be faithful witnesses of His transforming grace. And as you go, dont' charge--dont' demand penny for it is His gospel and we have no right to make money a prerequisite for ministry!

This is good news we have to share: how can a sinful man or woman have peach with God for eternity? You must come to the cross where the perfect "righteousness of God was put on display as a propitiation for our sins." Let's live it, defend it, proclaim it, and share it; taking no thought of our lives or our own personal comfort. Amen?

-audience one

 

[Coconut]

What must one do to be saved? Man cannot do anything to be saved--he is hopelessly dead in trespass and sin. Man is completely impotent to save himself--there is no hope for him apart from Christ. Salvation is all of grace; all of faith; all of Christ; all of the kindness of God; all of the sanctifying and regenerative work of the Holy Spirit; and all based upon the Word of God--the gospel. However, in saying that, the visible fruit of repentance by the internal work of grace will bear the following:

1. Conviction, contrition and confession of sin

2. Forsaking of all idols, loves, and all others--even self to follow Christ

3. Forsaking of all other means of salvation except through Christ alone - Jesus Christ plus or minus nothing

4. Forsaking of all religious practices, ceremonies, sacraments, and/or works righteousness

5. To repent of sin

6. To deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him

7. Confession of Christ as Lord and belief in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead

8. To trust solely in the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved: that He is Lord-Sovereign over all; the only Savior; and the complete, once for all sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin

9. In short, Turn to God; Trust in Christ; Take the Gift of the Holy Spirit

Nothing is more important than the preservation and proclamation of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We live in a very pragmatic time where what works has taken precedence over what is true and holy. May we never water-down the life giving truth of the gospel of grace for the sake of numbers, comfort of the sinner over conviction of sin, or to pave a more smoother path for ourselves, rather than preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

How I thank the Lord for the faithful men and women that shared the whole gospel and not a watered-down substitute when I was young. How thankful I am the Lord in His sovereignty saved this wretched man from his sin and brought me into eternal life by grace alone, through faith alone, because of Christ alone, on the Word alone, to the glory of God alone. In the words of A.W. Tozer, "The cross is a radical thing."

His Unworthy Servant in His Unfailing Love,
SC
2 Cor. 4:1-7

 

[YourPastorT]

Amen, Coconut,

I agree, we see so many "Christians" today who do not have a passion for the lost! Hmmmmm? I praise God for the ones on this site and in our respective Church Fellowships, that show that passion.

For all who read this, ask yourself, "Do I have a passion for the lost? When was the last time I purposed in my Heart to tell someone about my Lord?"

Thanks for the thread Coconut!

God Bless you all,

Your Pastor T :shade:

 

[jiggyfly]

Amen Coconut and Terry! And don't forget about all of us outside the Box. I have found the best way to develope a passion for the lost is to develope an unquenchable passion for Jesus the Christ.

 

[Yeshua]

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Prov. 3

Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Prov. 31:9

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isaiah58:6-14

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Matthew 25:34-36

In of JESUS the Christ, Our LORD.
Yeshua :boy_hug:

Do we have a passion for lost souls? Do we identify with the selfless, self-condemning burden of the Apostle Paul for others to know the Lord when he powerfully says, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh... to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises" -Romans 9:3-4.
Or has apathy about the things for eternity numbed our calloused hearts to the cries of those dying without Jesus Christ? "Hell is burning while the church sleeps" beloved. When will we wake up from the slumber of our souls, loosen our tongues and proclaim the cross of Christ without apology, without hesitation, without fear?

Amidst Christian TV scandals again and with all the confusion these days in evangelicalism about what the genuine gospel even is, we have also been dramatically lax in not sharing our faith. Even on the remote chance that a call to follow Christ has been made, it usually is something as benign as "just say this prayer, 'Jesus I believe you; Jesus I receive you' - then quietly slip up your hand and come down front because we want to welcome you into the kingdom of God."

There is little talk about sin; repentance; justification by faith; the Law; Lordship; propitiation; loving Him more than all other loves; deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him, etc. One might legitimately wonder what did they actually respond to and are they truly saved at all?

As one who believes passionately in the doctrines of grace; the five solas; historic orthodox biblical Christianity; and God's sovereign election of His own; I fear that "correct sound theology" has made some of us silent, proud, content rather than bold, passionate, and completely abandoned to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, where are the Whitefields, the Edwards, the Baxters, the Watsons; where are the sovereign-grace evangelists of our day willing to do "all things for the sake of the elect?" (2 Tim. 2:10)

This article is a wake up call to come out from under the safety of our evangelical sub-cultural bubble--out from our comfort zone, to step away from the ease of our carefully, crafted, cultivated Christian world and go "where Christ is not yet named" (Roms. 15:20). Whether it's across the street or around the world we all need to be effective witnesses for Christ Jesus our Lord.

Evangelism is not just for a few professionals in the body of Christ--we are all to be faithful witnesses of His transforming grace. And as you go, dont' charge--dont' demand penny for it is His gospel and we have no right to make money a prerequisite for ministry!

This is good news we have to share: how can a sinful man or woman have peach with God for eternity? You must come to the cross where the perfect "righteousness of God was put on display as a propitiation for our sins." Let's live it, defend it, proclaim it, and share it; taking no thought of our lives or our own personal comfort. Amen?

-audience one

 

[TDS52]

The gospel is still in the death, burial, and resurrection of our LORD and Savior, JESUS CHRIST...Hallelujah!!! So many have missed the point, the PERSON of JESUS CHRIST, by mixing doctrines and personal beliefs/opinion...gotten our eyes off the main message=JESUS, some even preach a different Jesus from the TRUTH of the Word of GOD. The ONE who became "flesh", like ourselves...became "sin for us", suffered and endured our pain, suffering, and punishment, so we wouldn't have to....died on the cross for our sins, was buried in a borrowed tomb, conquered death, hell, and the grave...rose from the dead on the third day...and behold, HE IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE!!! Thank GOD, HE is now seated at the right hand of the FATHER making intercession for us...so great, yet we are so unworthy except through the BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD, who came to take "away the sin of the world.

Coconut, your post goes right along with the one posted by BellaRose...Apology to the World. Both very good...Thank you!!!