Originally Posted by Try2BFaithful
We should want to show mercy to those who are guilty of these things. Our attitude towards those on the outside of the Church should be one of love and where and when appropriate we might do well to point out that living in those ways is not living God's way. But that is only part of the Gospel as I understand it. Some people need to be told the bad news that they are sinners in need of salvation before they will begin to entertain the idea of turning to Christ and serving Him instead of themselves.
Your view on this is probably what the majority of modern professing Christians espouse. So, your view is most definitely the 'popular' one. But, is it biblically based? If the Gospel preached by the Lord Christ and the Apostles is one which we should model, which it certainly is, then it is inescapable that the core of the truth of the Gospel is that every man, woman and child born into this world is a sinner and under the just wrath and condemnation of God. (Gen 6:5, 8:21; Ps 5:5, 7:11; Job 15:16; Eccl 9:3; Jer 17:9; Ezek 8:9-18; Matt 15:19; Mk 7:21-23; Jh 3:18-20; Eph 2:1-3, 4:17-19; Titus 3:3) It isn't simply that people aren't living "God's way", but rather the awful truth is that they are haters of God, rebels who desire to do what is evil. The truth is that there is not one person who has ever lived who has walked in "God's way" in thought, word and deed, i.e., there is only ONE person who has ever done good and who was pleasing to God.

The very first thing the Holy Spirit does when He regenerates a sinner is to "convict of sin, of righteousness and of judgment" (Jn 16:8). Was Paul unmerciful and unloving when he wrote Romans 1 to 3? Was Peter insensitive to the feelings of his hearers when he preached his first sermon on Pentecost?

The #1 error, among many in our day committed by the majority of professing Christians is that they dumb down the truth and distort the Gospel in order to make it "more palatable". Rarely will you find a church website state clearly, truthfully and boldly the truth about man's fallen condition. What you will find is some 'fluff' about man being separated from God, or men have 'fallen short' of living perfectly; they haven't done all that they might do in a better way, etc., etc., ad nauseam. They are bold in asserting the lie that God loves everyone and desires their love back.

The issue always boils down to, "What is the Gospel?". That question historically has been dealt with again and again with the same answer, which is most always rejected by the majority of professing Christians who think there is a 'better way' to 'win souls for Jesus'. That question has been answered by myriad men of God and in myriad ways, some of which can be found HERE and again HERE. And among them, one which I personally find most stirring to my soul is J.I. Packer's The old Gospel and the new.

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simul iustus et peccator

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