Goshen360: Oh, Josh,

I'm afraid, do you know the gospel that was commited to us in the new testament? Gospel had been preached from genesis and at different dispensation but what gospel is committed to us in the new testament? If you don't mind.

That we're justified and saved from sin by faith through grace in Christ Jesus?

Hebrews 4[i]2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.[/i]

?

Joshthefirst:

That we're justified and saved from sin by faith through grace in Christ Jesus?

Hebrews 4[i]2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.[/i]

?

Why then are you preaching gospel of John to the church? Don't you see the difference between how repentance of John was preached to the sadducces and Pharisees? We can't be preaching such gospel to sinners and thinking we will win sinners to Christ. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, that's the gospel of repentance given to us, the church not the repent or go to hell that John was preaching.

Goshen360:

Why then are you preaching gospel of John to the church? Don't you see the difference between how repentance of John was preached to the sadducces and Pharisees? We can't be preaching such gospel to sinners and thinking we will win sinners to Christ. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, that's the gospel of repentance given to us, the church not the repent or go to hell that John was preaching.

Oga..stop having a narrow perspective about God's kingdom.The gospel is ALL encompassing. Can you kindly answer the following?

1. What is the significance of the scripture?

2. Why do we have the accounts of Noah,the patriarchs Abraham,Isaac and Jacob,and the story of the nation of Israel?

3. What was the purpose of all the blood sacrifices?

4. Why is there a record of priests,prophets, and the lineage of kings?

OLAADEGBU: "I don’t feel guilty"

People often don’t feel guilty when they sin because they have "seared" their conscience. They have removed the batteries from the smoke detector of their conscience, so that they can sin without interruption. The way to resurrect a deadened conscience is to go through each of the Ten Commandments, reminding the person that they know that it’s wrong to lie, steal, commit adultery, etc. [b]Always preach the Law along with future punishment, then pray that the Holy Spirit will come upon them and cause them to be convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment to come.

Great work bro. I just seems not to get d target audience of d preacher. Ar u referring to Christians or unbelievers. I think the bolded above wont change anyman. A seared conscience wont b moved by ringing d Law bell because he already kno d consequence and most times for unbelievers, he s held in bondage of such sin. Only d gospel of Christ and deeper revelation of Christ grace can lift a man out of such mess.

IF U KNOW HIM, U WILL LOVE HIM.

Goshen360:

Why would I go learn from them? Do they have 2 heads that I cannot learn on my own by the Spirit? Keep following men.

The above is your actual problem... The above bold is what I call pride. If we all can learn on our own by the Spirit, the Bible wouldn't have said these


Hebrews 6:12 NLT
New Living Translation
Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and patience.

Hebrews 6:12 KJV
King James Version
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the promises.


This is actually where your problems emanate from!

Paul told timothy to copy the things he (paul) did
What about Apollos ?
What about Titus?
What about Polycarp?
What about Ignatius?

Etc

If not for Pastor Chris, Kenneth Hagin, T. D. Jakes and Bishop Idahosa, I would have been Spiritually dull. I would probably have not have known anything meat in the Word!

If not for T.L Osborne, Idahosa, Hagin, Copeland..where would Pastor Chris have been?

If not for Idahosa, where would Oyedepo, Ibiyome, Oritsejafor etc be?

Etc etc

They are not following men as you think... They received stuffz out of the Spirit of God who was in them they imitated. Numbers 11:16-17


Numbers 11
English Standard Version
17And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.


Notice that the word Spirit is a capital 'S'.

Also note these


1Corinth 3v6
King James Bible
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the
increase.


God is the one who makes you grow in spirit...but someone gotta do the planting...someone else might have to water...but God definitely gives the growth.

I'm afraid Bidam was right when he said you are trying to find fault where there is none!


God Bless you

Ubenedictus: where on the thread did he say d 10 commandment is a cure for sin?

Almost wanted to ask same question o!

Gombs:


If not for Pastor Chris, Kenneth Hagin, T. D. Jakes and Bishop Idahosa, I would have been Spiritually dull. I would probably have not have known anything meat in the Word!

If not for T.L Osborne, Idahosa, Hagin, Copeland..where would Pastor Chris have been?

If not for Idahosa, where would Oyedepo, Ibiyome, Oritsejafor etc be?

Etc etc

God Bless you

If I had seen this post long before now I would not have wasted my time with you on that BARRISTER thread. The only hope I have is that others can read and get something from all the effort. The confessions of men's mouth certainly reveals who they are and the [size=16pt]spirit[/size] instructing them

Bidam: Yeah...we can see where it had gotten you to..Atleast they had tremendous results..Yours is ZERO.

John 10v38
King James Bible
But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the
works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.


Very true Bidam

If he doesn't believe them, he sould at least believe them for the results they got that he might know and believe that the Father was/is in them and they in him.

DrummaBoy:

If I had seen this post long before now I would not have wasted my time with you on that BARRISTER thread. The only hope I have is that others can read and get something from all the effort. The confessions of men's mouth certainly reveals who they are and the [size=16pt]spirit[/size] instructing them

Hello DrummaBoy!



Don't be sore, the truth ALWAYS prevails...no matter how bitter they may seem.

Now, have yourself a wonderful morning

Gombs:

The above is your actual problem... The above bold is what I call pride. If we all can learn on our own by the Spirit, the Bible wouldn't have said these


Hebrews 6:12 NLT
New Living Translation
Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and patience.

Hebrews 6:12 KJV
King James Version
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who
through faith and patience inherit the promises.


This is actually where your problems emanate from!

Paul told timothy to copy the things he (paul) did
What about Apollos ?
What about Titus?
What about Polycarp?
What about Ignatius?

Etc

If not for Pastor Chris, Kenneth Hagin, T. D. Jakes and Bishop Idahosa, I would have been Spiritually dull. I would probably have not have known anything meat in the Word!

If not for T.L Osborne, Idahosa, Hagin, Copeland..where would Pastor Chris have been?

If not for Idahosa, where would Oyedepo, Ibiyome, Oritsejafor etc be?

Etc etc

They are not following men as you think... They received stuffz out of the Spirit of God who was in them they imitated. Numbers 11:16-17


Numbers 11
English Standard Version
17And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.


Notice that the word Spirit is a capital 'S'.

Also note these


1Corinth 3v6
King James Bible
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the
increase.


God is the one who makes you grow in spirit...but someone gotta do the planting...someone else might have to water...but God definitely gives the growth.

I'm afraid Bidam was right when he said you are trying to find fault where there is none!


God Bless you

Now I know the sources that's diluting the Spirit of God in you. Hence, you on your own. And please don't ask me questions about that, It's my choice.

Gombs:

Hello DrummaBoy!



Don't be sore, the truth ALWAYS prevails...no matter how bitter they may seem.

Now, have yourself a wonderful morning

So much for all the truth we hear in the name of Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel!

DrummaBoy:

So much for all the truth we hear in the name of Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel!

You forgot to add, diluting grace with the law...ONLY WHEN IT SUITS.

Good morning bro.

Bidam:

Oga..stop having a narrow perspective about God's kingdom.The gospel is ALL encompassing. Can you kindly answer the following?

1. What is the significance of the scripture?

2. Why do we have the accounts of Noah,the patriarchs Abraham,Isaac and Jacob,and the story of the nation of Israel?

3. What was the purpose of all the blood sacrifices?

4. Why is there a record of priests,prophets, and the lineage of kings?

I know of a sure, one day, you will understand as you keep studying. This is not narrow view concept. Josh quoted, the scripture that the gospel was preached to them as well as to us, IS IT THE SAME THING COMMITTED TO THEM THEN THAT'S COMMITTED TO US NOW?

Think about the question VERY WELL before you answer if you not sure, let fly or go and surely, we can talk about it some other times.

Goshen360:

You cannot make remedy to sin & sin consciousness by recommending ten commandments instead of recommending the righteousness of God in our new status in Christ.

The 10 commandments cannot save you but it can drive you to the Saviour. It is like looking into a mirror and it is by looking into the perfect law of liberty that will expose your sin and drive you to the cross where you can receive grace to go and sin no more. The law reveals our sin and our helplessness to deal with this sin in our own strength but then drives us to the cross where we receive grace and pardon.

Goshen360:

When people know who they are in Christ, as God righteous people, they will live RIGHT from the righteous position not the sin revival message you preaching here. Please try sit down on your own and study the word, leave these men alone for once because, their teachings are always contradictory one to another.

The proud man who is not conscious of his sin will not know who he is in Christ. It is only when the Law brings him to his knees and he is convicted of his wretchedness will he then realise his need of the gospel.

Goshen360:

I was alive, Paul said, without the law BUT WHEN THE COMMANDMENTS CAME, SIN REVIVED IN ME AND I DIE.

When a man isn't conscious of his wounds that is decaying away it is the Law that opens this wound so that the gospel can heal it.

Goshen360:

Christ is the cure to sin, not the ten commandments.

Yes. But why will the sinner go to Christ when he doesn't think that he needs a Saviour?

DrummaBoy:

1. The bolded is a false gospel.

2. The enlarged is the ingredient of a false gospel.

3. The whole post is the reason OLAADEGBU and those who preach his kind of theology are false prophets!

This is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not the good news!!

A word of advise from the late Adrian Rogers for the wise:

"It is better to be divided by truth than united in error; it is better to speak that hurts and then heals than to speak a lie; it is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie; it is better to stand alone with truth than to be wrong with the multitude....The religion of today is 'get-along-ism." It is time for men and women of God to stand, [even] if they have to stand alone"

If you are wise you will take good heed to this godly advise and not join yourself in error.

OLAADEGBU:

A word of advise from the late Adrian Rogers for the wise:

"It is better to be divided by truth than united in error; it is better to speak that hurts and then heals than to speak a lie; it is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie; it is better to stand alone with truth than to be wrong with the multitude....The religion of today is 'get-along-ism." It is time for men and women of God to stand, [even] if they have to stand alone"

If you are wise you will take good heed to this godly advise and not join yourself in error.

Your own words will begin to make sense to others the day you begin to apply them to yourself first.

My Position on the Holiness Movement which the likes of OLAADEGBU represent: culled from http://www.yesufu..com/2013/10/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-part-5.html

Next to the faith movement is the holiness movement. While the former is a more recent occurrence, the latter dates back to the 18th and 19th century under the Puritans, Quakers and some of John Wesley’s followers. The holiness movement is a sharp reaction to extreme grace preaching and living. There are those who believe that God’s grace permits them to live without laws or boundaries and in reaction to this, the holiness movement went the other extreme to say that God is still the God that enacted the Ten Commandments and his commandments are not for decoration in the bible. They also take scriptures like Hebrew 12:14 to give the impression that we are saved by our holiness. Their doctrines on holiness become so based on man and his efforts, that the grace of God in Christ Jesus is gradually edged out of the life of their churches. The mark of many of these churches is a pre-occupation with rules and regulations. The church dictates the mode of dressing especially for the female folks, insisting that they must wear head coverings. Many of the people in these churches become very hypocritical as they see the practice of religion more in external things than in inner purity. Salvation by works is their central doctrine. They are constantly in pursuit of making heaven – and consider any doctrine that suggests a Christian’s security in grace as utter heresy. These people live in constant fear of one’s sin making them miss heaven and can be a very poor representation of what the Christian life is and thus put off many people who have at some point or the other considered Christianity.

My greatest concern about the messages preached today in the name of the gospel is that these messages lack the power to save. It is through gospel preaching that the power of God that saves sinners is manifested. Peter went to minister in Cornelius’ house. The people there listened to the gospel with a prepared heart and received it with faith. Without making an altar call and without hands laid on anyone and without saying any sinner’s prayers, these people were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, literally (Acts 10:44). God has ordained that salvation will come to men via gospel preaching and this is the reason Satan attacks the gospel. If he can succeed in ensuring that the gospel lacks its true ingredients, then it looses the power to save and all we will have in the local church is religion, entertainment, showbiz and a sheer waste of time. All of these will be happening while hordes of souls are lost to hell moment by moment.

There are no new tricks in the Devil’s bag. We must understand that Satan’s means of making the gospel loose its potency has not changed since the time of the apostles of Jesus. In the days when Peter, James and Paul led the church, Satan’s primary means against the gospel was by confusing the grace that was preached in the gospel of Jesus with the laws of Moses. He is still doing the same today but in a subtle manner. This matter was what led to the Jerusalem Council meeting in Acts 15. The conclusion of that meeting was not the fact that four laws were enumerated for the Gentiles to keep but this: “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:11). The conclusion reached in that meeting is the belief that it is the grace of God that saves sinners and that the Christian life must be lived by this grace and not by any system of laws.

Today, the church is again weighed down by laws but not necessarily the laws of Moses but our inability to distinguish the Old Testament from the New. The church today takes much of it examples for Christian doctrine and practice from the Old Testament rather than the New. Thus, the priestly order of Aaron has been conveniently converted to a league of Men of God. Rather than submit to the admonition of Jesus that says we are all brethren (Matthew 23:, we find it easier to have ordained Pastors and Bishops, who hold such authority in the church and cannot be questioned but must be revered. Any tendency to question these men, we are referred quickly to the Old Testament again were God placed a curse on those who dared challenge Moses: “touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm”. We forget quickly that the people of God in the New Testament have been made priests and kings unto God (Revelation 1:6). This fascination with the Old Testament extends to the church’s preoccupation with buildings. The temple in Jerusalem was the symbol of the Jewish religion. Today, the church building occupies an equal place of relevance. And regardless of the cost of building and maintaining it, the church building has become our symbol of religion too. It is this Old Testament mentality that informs tithes and offerings collected in church services; thanksgiving; child and property dedication; Sabbath observance; full time ministry; mass choir; anniversary celebrations, a queer belief that God dwells in church buildings and a host of other similar practices. None of these can be traced to the New Testament churches led by the apostles of the lamb.

Bidam:

You are trying toooo hard at finding faults where there is none..Go learn from spurgeon,wesely and graham how they preach the gospel.

He is only being captious. He should read from the generals of faith as you have mentioned above and see how he has sold himself short.

Let's see what Charles Spurgeon said:

"I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law."

J. I. Packer wrote:

"Unless we see our shortcomings in the light of the Law and holiness of God, we do not see them as sin at all."

"The absence of God's holy Law from modern preaching is perhaps as responsible as any other factor for the evangelistic impotence of our churches and missions. Only by the light of the Law can the vermin of sin in the heart be exposed. Satan has effectively used a very clever device to silence the Law, which is needed as an instrument to bring perishing men to Christ.

It is imperative that preachers of today learn how to declare the spiritual Law of God; for, until we learn how to wound the consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with gospel bandages." Walter Chantry, Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?

DrummaBoy:

So much for all the truth we hear in the name of Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel!

A little overview of the "gospel" Gombs' teaches and advocates:

I’m not an African, but in 2008 some Nigerian friends gave me a Yoruba name (“Akinwale”) because I have been to that country so often. My visits there, along with trips to Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Egypt, planted a deep love for Africa in my heart. My first grandson’s arrival this year from Ethiopia made the connection even stronger.

I’m often asked to describe how God is moving in Africa today. Since I’m an optimist, I usually tell of the large churches, the passionate praise and the intense spiritual hunger that characterizes African Christianity. But there is also a dark side, and I think it’s time we addressed one of the most serious threats to faith on the continent.

I’m talking about the prosperity gospel. Of course, I know a slick version of this message is preached in the United States—and I know we are the ones who exported it overseas. I am not minimizing the damage that prosperity preaching has done in my own country. But I have witnessed how some African Christians are taking this money-focused message to new and even more dangerous extremes.

Here are five reasons the prosperity message is damaging the continent of Africa today:

1. It is mixed with occultism. Before Christianity came to Nigeria, people visited witch doctors and sacrificed goats or cows to get prosperity. They poured libations on the ground so the gods would hear their prayers. Today similar practices continue, only the juju priest has been replaced by a pastor who drives a Mercedes-Benz. I am aware of a pastor who buried a live animal under the floor of his church to win God’s favor. Another pastor asked his congregants to bring bottles of sand to church so he could anoint them; he then told the people to sprinkle the sand in their houses to bring blessings. The people who follow these charlatans are reminded that their promised windfall won’t materialize unless they give large donations.

2. It fuels greed. Any person who knows Christ will learn the joy of giving to others. But the prosperity gospel teaches people to focus on getting, not giving. At its core it is a selfish and materialistic faith with a thin Christian veneer. Church members are continually urged to sow financial seeds to reap bigger and bigger rewards. In Africa, entire conferences are dedicated to collecting offerings in order to achieve wealth. Preachers boast about how much they paid for suits, shoes, necklaces and watches. They tell their followers that spirituality is measured by whether they have a big house or a first-class ticket. When greed is preached from the pulpit, it spreads like a cancer in God’s house.

3. It feeds pride. This greedy atmosphere in prosperity churches has produced a warped style of leadership. My Kenyan friend Gideon Thuranira, editor of Christian Professional magazine, calls these men “churchpreneurs.” They plant churches not because they have a burden to reach lost souls but because they see dollar signs when they fill an auditorium with chairs. A selfish message produces bigheaded opportunists who need position, applause and plenty of perks to keep them happy. The most successful prosperity preacher is the most dangerous because he can convince a crowd that Jesus died to give you and me a Lexus.

4. It works against the formation of Christian character. The prosperity message is a poor imitation of the gospel because it leaves no room for brokenness, suffering, humility or delay. It offers an illegal shortcut. Prosperity preachers promise instant results and overnight success; if you don’t get your breakthrough, it’s because you didn’t give enough money in the offering. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him; prosperity preaching calls us to deny Jesus and follow our materialistic lusts. There is a leadership crisis in the African church because many pastors are so set on getting rich, they can’t go through the process of discipleship that requires self-denial.

5. It actually keeps people in poverty. The government of Malawi is currently under international scrutiny because of fraud carried out by top leaders. The saddest thing about the so-called “Cashgate” scandal is that professing Christians in the administration of President Joyce Banda have been implicated. One of these people stole millions of kwacha from the government and hid the cash in a teddy bear! Most people today in Malawi live on less than $1 a day, yet their leaders have been known to buy fleets of cars and huge plots of land with money that was not theirs. Sadly, the prosperity gospel preached in Malawi has encouraged pastors and leaders to follow the same corrupt pattern. As a result, God’s people have been financially exploited.

When Jesus described false prophets as wolves in sheep’s clothing, He warned us to examine their fruit. Matthew 7:17 says, “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit” (NASB). What is the fruit of prosperity preaching?

Churches have been growing rapidly in many parts of Africa today, yet sub-Saharan Africa is the only region in the world where poverty has increased in the past 25 years. So according to the statistics, the prosperity gospel is not bringing prosperity! It is a flawed message, but I believe God will use selfless, broken African leaders to correct it.

- http://nigeriaworld.com/articles/2013/nov/141.html

Ubenedictus:

where on the thread did he say d 10 commandment is a cure for sin?

I beg help me ask am again. Maybe he's seeing what 'am not seeing.

Bidam:

Goshen falsehoods has been exposed.

The wind has blown....

Bidam:

Yeah...we can see where it had gotten you to..Atleast they had tremendous results..Yours is ZERO.

That is what pride does. It has taken him from hero to zero.

OLAADEGBU:

That is what pride does. It has taken him from hero to zero.

That's exactly what I told him yesterday on another thread.

PRIDE. It goes before a fall. All he need is humility. Truly from hero to zero. Let's keep them in our prayers tho.

Goshen360:

Ola and the law advocates are confused. You will always see contractions everytime he lifts article from his PhD teacher. Check his profile.

Even in this same article here, he teaches conviction of the holy spirit and other the other hand, he teaches law as a means of future judgment and recommends ten commandments

Always trying to find middle ground for the law and grace through faith.

If the articles of my PhD teachers are threatening to you why don't you pick up your bible and read how Paul did it?

"And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come Felix trembled, and answered, Go your way, for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for you" (Acts 24:25).

A sinner cannot conceive of the thought that God's standard of righteousness is the same as his. Paul, as is quoted above, "reasoned" with Felix regarding righteousness, temperance and judgment to come. This is the righteousness that is of the Law and judgment by the Law. You can see that Felix "trembled" because he all of a sudden understood that his intemperance made him a guilty sinner in the sight of a holy God. The reality of hell suddenly became reasonable to him when the Law was used to bring the knowledge of sin.

DrummaBoy:

It is the Holy Spirit that brings men to conviction of sin, that leads to confession and salvation, not you. It is when you believe you can do it in the energy of the flesh that you resort the the kind of "gospel" that OLAADEGBU is preaching here to win souls. God is sufficient to win souls to Christ by simple gospel preaching that teaches Matthew 1:21, that Christ Jesus was manifested to save sinners of whom all of us are chief; without the need to threaten fire and brimstones.

Preaching the reality of hell, without using the Law to bring about the knowledge of sin will more likely leave the sinner bewildered and angry. Let me give you a scenario. Imagine if the police burst into your home, arrested you and shouted,

"You are going to be locked up for a long time!"

Such conduct would probably leave you bewildered and angry. What they done seems unreasonable.

However, imagine if the law burst into your home and instead told you specifically why you were in trouble by saying:

"We have discovered 20,000 marijuana plants growing at the back of your garden. You are going to be locked up for a long time!"

At least then you will understand why you are in trouble. Knowledge of the Law you have transgressed furnished you with that understanding. It makes judgment reasonable.

#following this suld be interesting and educative

ajayikayod:

Great work bro. I just seems not to get d target audience of d preacher. Ar u referring to Christians or unbelievers. I think the bolded above wont change anyman. A seared conscience wont b moved by ringing d Law bell because he already kno d consequence and most times for unbelievers, he s held in bondage of such sin. Only d gospel of Christ and deeper revelation of Christ grace can lift a man out of such mess.

IF U KNOW HIM, U WILL LOVE HIM.

I refer you to a quote that deals with the function of the Law for your perusal.

"The absence of God's holy Law from modern preaching is perhaps as responsible as any other factor for the evangelistic impotence of our churches and missions. Only by the light of the Law can the vermin of sin in the heart be exposed. Satan has effectively used a very clever device to silence the Law, which is needed as an instrument to bring perishing men to Christ.

It is imperative that preachers of today learn how to declare the spiritual Law of God; for, until we learn how to wound the consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with gospel bandages." Walter Chantry, Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?

Goshen360:

Why then are you preaching gospel of John to the church? Don't you see the difference between how repentance of John was preached to the sadducces and Pharisees? We can't be preaching such gospel to sinners and thinking we will win sinners to Christ. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, that's the gospel of repentance given to us, the church not the repent or go to hell that John was preaching.

Our Lord Jesus preached similar message to that of John the Baptist. Jesus preached repentance because His hearers already knew the Law. They knew what sin was, and therefore understood their need for repentance. Those (Gentiles) without the knowledge of sin (which only the Law can bring) need to hear the message of the Law before they are able to repent (with the help of the Holy Spirit).

"And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel" (Mark 1:15) The Evidence Bible.

OLAADEGBU:

Preaching the reality of hell, without using the Law to bring about the knowledge of sin will more likely leave the sinner bewildered and angry. Let me give you a scenario. Imagine if the police burst into your home, arrested you and shouted,

"You are going to be locked up for a long time!"

Such conduct would probably leave you bewildered and angry. What they done seems unreasonable.

However, imagine if the law burst into your home and instead told you specifically why you were in trouble by saying:

"We have discovered 20,000 marijuana plants growing at the back of your garden. You are going to be locked up for a long time!"

At least then you will understand why you are in trouble. Knowledge of the Law you have transgressed furnished you with that understanding. It makes judgment reasonable.

God is not a police. The Holy Spirit's work in bringing men to conviction of sin and conversion is way beyond what you can describe with words, talkless of what you describe above.

OLAADEGBU:

He is only being captious. He should read from the generals of faith as you have mentioned above and see how he has sold himself short.

Let's see what Charles Spurgeon said:

"I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law."

J. I. Packer wrote:

"Unless we see our shortcomings in the light of the Law and holiness of God, we do not see them as sin at all."

"The absence of God's holy Law from modern preaching is perhaps as responsible as any other factor for the evangelistic impotence of our churches and missions. Only by the light of the Law can the vermin of sin in the heart be exposed. Satan has effectively used a very clever device to silence the Law, which is needed as an instrument to bring perishing men to Christ.

It is imperative that preachers of today learn how to declare the spiritual Law of God; for, until we learn how to wound the consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with gospel bandages." Walter Chantry, Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic?

J I Packer and Charles Haddon Spurgeon are foremost Grace Preachers. That is all that C H Spurgeon preached in his over 40 years ministration at the The London Metropolitan Terbanacle. I have read J I Packer's works before and I can assure you that he is a Grace Preacher.

It is from a firm foundation of what the Grace of God can do in the hearts of men that they made the statements they made above. If you cannot explain to us what the grace of God can do, why lay a demand of the law on men who naturally cannot do anything to help themselves as far keeping the law is concerned.

The error of the Holiness Movement, for which these two men were known antagonists, is that it sets the cart before the horse. God's grace must do a work in the hearts of men before they can keep the law. And the law that must be kept is not the ten commandments but the law of the Spirit of life, written expressely in the epistle and the teachings of Christ.

DrummaBoy:

God is not a police. The Holy Spirit's work in bringing men to conviction of sin and conversion is way beyond what you can describe with words, talkless of what you describe above.

The role of the Holy Spirit in the salvation of sinners is clear in Scriptures. We are drawn by, convicted by, born by and kept by the Holy Spirit. Why then do we need to use the Law during evangelism? Why don't we just leave the salvation of sinners up to the Holy Spirit? The reason is because, just as God has condescended to choose the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe, so He has chosen the Moral Law to bring the knowledge of sin.

Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself tells us how the Holy Spirit works in the salvation of sinners. He said that when the Holy Spirit comes "He will reprove the world of of sin [which is transgression of the Law], and of righteousness [which is of the Law], and of judgment [which is by the Law].

So when we use the Law to bring the knowledge of sin to the sinners, we simply become instruments which the Holy Spirit uses to lead the lost to our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

"And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment. Of sin because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged." (John 16:8-11) The Evidence Bible.

DrummaBoy:

J I Packer and Charles Haddon Spurgeon are foremost Grace Preachers. That is all that C H Spurgeon preached in his over 40 years ministration at the The London Metropolitan Terbanacle. I have read J I Packer's works before and I can assure you that he is a Grace Preacher.

It is from a firm foundation of what the Grace of God can do in the hearts of men that they made the statements they made above. If you cannot explain to us what the grace of God can do, why lay a demand of the law on men who naturally cannot do anything to help themselves as far keeping the law is concerned.

The error of the Holiness Movement, for which these two men were known antagonists, is that it sets the cart before the horse. God's grace must do a work in the hearts of men before they can keep the law. And the law that must be kept is not the ten commandments but the law of the Spirit of life, written expressely in the epistle and the teachings of Christ.

The reason why you will not be able to see the truth in what any man of God says is because in your mind you have already put them in a box. That is what I call stereotypes. You group them as grace preachers, holiness preachers and in the process you miss the message altogether and give them a label. You need to have an open mind and have your senses exercised to discern good and evil. Once again I'll be quoting another general of God by the name John C. Ryle.

"People will never set their faces decidedly toward heaven and live like pilgrims, until they really feel that they are in danger of hell.

Let us expound and beat out the Ten Commandments, and show the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of their requirements. This is the way of our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount. We cannot do better than follow His plan. We may depend on it, men will never come to Jesus, and stay with Jesus, and live for Jesus, unless they really know why they are to come, and what is their need. Those whom the Spirit draws to Jesus are those whom the Spirit has convinced of sin. Without thorough conviction of sin, men may seem to come to Jesus and follow Him for a season, but they will soon fall away and return to the world"