Will You Silence the Alarm or Heed the Warning?

 

Earlier this week, I returned from an Open-Air Mission team event in Oxford. It was a short 2 day mission speaking to people attending St Giles Fair.

One of the preachers, based in London, began a talk that I don’t remember having heard before. He had the heading “Ignored Warnings” on the board. As people started to stop, he put up some pictures of the Titanic, a failed NASA mission and Grenfell Tower.

Then he asked people what happens when a fire alarm goes off in the middle of the night in a hotel. He suggested that everyone would come to their doors and look out into the corridor. If there didn’t seem to be any problem and the noise had stopped, people would go back to bed. The assumption is always that it’s a false alarm.

He explained each of the pictures and the warnings that had been ignored. With the Titanic it was the fact that there were icebergs, engineers had warned the 1986 NASA launch team about mechanical problems and with Grenfell Tower there was a campaign group warning about fire risks in the building.

In fact, with most accidents of this nature, there have been multiple warnings prior to the tragedy.

By this point, a small crowd had gathered and were listening intently. The preacher then placed the word JUDGEMENT on the board and explained that God is warning us of a coming judgement. He has sent prophets and messengers and they have recorded these warnings in the Bible.

At the judgement, people’s lives will be examined and each person will be found guilty because of sin. They will be sentenced to eternity in a horrible place called Hell.

He asked the listeners how people had survived the Titanic. Someone said they had clung on to pieces of wood. The preacher pointed out that whilst that was true it was only a temporary solution as those objects would sink or the person would die of hypothermia. Someone else then said that they were rescued by lifeboats.

The preacher explained that through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, He is the lifeboat, and can save us from the coming judgement.

By this point every person, including the team members, were gripped by this message. The preacher challenged people to respond by getting into the lifeboat and being rescued before it was too late.

With the help of God’s Holy Spirit, he conveyed a sense of solemnity and urgency that isn’t always present during these talks and encouraged people to be brave and step forward to take Gospels from his hand. After an initial pause, multiple people went forward and the team had conversations with them afterwards.

I spoke to a girl who thought she was a Christian. When I asked if she was sure of Heaven she said that she wasn’t and that this was why she had gone forward to take the Gospel. She wanted to be sure and to avoid the judgement to come. We had a good conversation.

I don’t think any of those present will forget that warning of the judgement to come.

Afterwards, I realised that we all ignore warnings constantly about all manner of things: 

• we silence alarm clocks or put them on snooze
• we remove batteries from the beeping fire alarm rather than replacing them immediately
• we put pieces of tape over flashing lights on our car dashboard or just hope the light will go off
• we fail to investigate burglar or car alarms when they are sounding
• we drive past signs saying the road is closed or move the cones out of the way
• we sack or demote whistle-blowers aiming to permanently silence them
• we ignore red flags in relationships

I’ve twice heard and seen security vans with loud speakers shouting that they are being attacked and for the police to be called only for people to just carry on as normal.

Why do we do this when as a society we are supposedly more safety conscious and risk averse than ever before? Why do we do this when most people are afraid of dying?

I think it’s because we don’t really believe bad things will happen to us. We don’t really believe the warnings and we don’t want the inconvenience or cost of having to change the way we do things.

Even after the accident happens and the tragedy occurs, a few years down the line, have we not reverted back to the same patterns that caused the problem in the first place. We don’t seem to learn from our mistakes no matter how many times we are warned.

God’s warning of judgement is the most serious warning of all because it applies to all humanity and how we respond determines where we will spend eternity.

Don’t silence the alarm or put it on snooze as there’s no guarantee you will wake up. The wise thing to do is to heed the warnings in the Bible and to flee from the wrath to come.

Ask God to forgive you for the things you’ve done wrong in your life. Believe that Jesus died for you on the cross. Turn away from those wrong things (repent) and commit your life to Him.

Do it today, you might not have tomorrow.

 

10 Reasons People Will be Refused Entry to Heaven (and End Up in Hell....)

A friend of mine who is associated with the Open-Air Mission has a short talk entitled "Are you sure you aren't going to Hell?" It's not a popular subject but if there are only two destinations after this life then surely we must make sure we're heading for the right place!

During evangelism, I speak to lots of people from all walks of life and the number one answer when I ask them whether they are sure they are going to get into Heaven is, "I hope so" or "hopefully." Sadly, professing Christians often say this too.

When I explain the Gospel to these people sometimes it's like a light goes on as they understand for the first time. Others walk away stating that they will continue trying their best. A few are offended by the suggestion that they are on the wrong path. 

So, what are the things that will cause us to be turned away from Heaven on Judgement Day?

1. Unforgiven sin. If we stand before the God of the Universe on Judgement Day carrying the huge burden of the sins we have all committed during our lives, we can't really expect anything other than to be condemned. If we entered Heaven with our sin it would be spoiled. Remember that this is how the Garden of Eden was ruined in the first place. Adam and Eve were given a perfect life in a perfect Creation and would have lived forever with God but their rebellion led to destruction and death. God cannot have anything to do with sin because of His holiness and perfection.

2. Not believing in God (Atheism). Perhaps this is obvious but it's worth saying that a person who doesn't believe in or acknowledge God cannot enter Heaven. The Bible says that for someone to come to God they "must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (Hebrews 11 vs 6) Part of this reward is eternal life in Heaven which is not for an unbeliever. There will be no Atheists on Judgement Day. The Bible actually says that there are none now, in Romans 1, it refers to Creation and evidences of God all around us leaving people without excuse if they deny Him.

3. Sitting on the fence (Agnosticism). A label that I'm hearing more and more frequently these days. There comes a time when we need to make up our minds and decide what we believe. We begin on the broad road that leads to destruction so really there is no sitting on the fence. We are either children of God or of the devil. We have either passed from darkness to light or we are still in darkness. This is why the Gospel message is urgent. If people fail to respond to Jesus before they die, there is no hope for them. There is no purgatory or crossing over from Hell to Heaven. If we die as Christians we go to Heaven, if not, it's Hell, forever. What a terrible thought.

4. Rejecting Jesus. I meet people who say that they believe in God but they aren't into Jesus. Some believe He was just a good man or a prophet. Others don't understand His significance at all. This despite the fact that our calendar is dated from His time on Earth. People who reject Jesus as both God and God's Son won't enter Heaven. They have rejected the only Person through Whom they can be saved. "Jesus answered, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me". (John 14 vs 6)

5. Trusting in good works/trying to earn salvation. As mentioned above, this is probably the biggest reason people will be refused entry to Heaven. One small sin (a lie, thinking a bad thought, not loving God fully all of the time) is enough to keep someone out of Heaven no matter what good things they have tried to do. The Bible says that all have sinned therefore all die. There are no scales on Judgement Day weighing up our good and our bad deeds. The standard to reach Heaven is perfection all of the time for our whole lives....clearly this isn't the way to get there as it's impossible for us who are born in sin.

6. Failing to repent. There are people who carry the Christian label but who don't see the need to repent. Repentance is a complete change of mind and direction. We should stop going our way and doing what we want to do and should instead go God's way and do what He wants us to do. This doesn't mean we will be able to obey Him perfectly, but our lives should change when we become Christians and we should be recognised by the way that we behave afterwards. A lack of repentance is usually to do with pride and a failure to accept that we are sinners in the first place. Jesus' instructions were clear; we must repent and believe to get to Heaven. 

7. Choosing a sinful lifestyle/living for this life. Although similar to the previous point, this is more deliberate and isn't usually found in professing Christians. There are people who know what they are doing and choose the pleasures of this life over the life to come. They make a conscious choice to revel in sin and often the excesses of it. They aren't concerned about the consequences and their consciences become dull over time. This is not the same as a person who changes when they become a Christian (like the prodigal son,) this is someone who arrives at Judgement Day having chased after sin and worldly things their whole lives. They cannot enter Heaven.

8. Following a false religion/prophet. Many Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and others are sincere in what they believe but they are on the wrong path. Their prophets and leaders are false as are the books that they follow. The Bible warns us to be on guard against these traps of the enemy. It also says that "even if an angel or anyone else proclaims something contrary to the Gospel that has been received, they should be under a curse" (Galatians 1 vs 8) How many people have been led astray by these false visions and appearances? People who are following a false religion cannot enter Heaven as they are still carrying their sin.

9. Refusing to be rescued. The Bible makes it clear that God desires all to come to repentance and be saved. It says that people are without excuse if they reject Him. It states that "all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved". There's an illustration of a drowning man waiting for God to save him. He rejects the various rescues that are attempted failing to recognise that God is behind them. Some people for reasons of their own won't accept the hand that God is holding out to them. These people won't reach Heaven as they have stubbornly refused to be helped into the lifeboat.

10. Doing nothing/feigning ignorance. Because we begin on the broad path heading for Hell, doing nothing just means that we continue on that path and reach the final destination. Exercising faith in Jesus is a conscious decision that takes us off the path to destruction and places us on the path to eternal life in Heaven. Likewise pretending there is no decision to be made or claiming ignorance about spiritual things doesn't give a person a free pass as God sees everything and He knows our hearts. He has put eternity in our hearts so we know that there is a life to come. We won't enter Heaven if we do nothing or claim to be ignorant.

It's been quite depressing writing this list but I do so in the hope that some reading this might recognise themselves within it and change course before it's too late. 

As an aside, all the time you are still living and breathing it's never too late to change direction, no matter what you have done. God promises to forgive us and place us on a path to eternity in Heaven if we turn away from our sin (repent) and believe Jesus died for us on the cross. Then, we need to commit our lives to following Him as Saviour and Lord.

Let's make sure we won't be refused entry to Heaven on Judgement Day but will instead be welcomed in because of Jesus' perfect life, death and resurrection for us.

The Bible's Big Story: God's Plan to Rescue Humanity

Ask people on the street what Christians believe and you'll often hear the same answers: "Be a good person," "Love your neighbour," or "Treat others how you'd like to be treated." Many also believe that living a good life is enough to get into Heaven.

But that's not the Bible's main message.

The Bible tells one extraordinary story—how a holy God rescues sinful people through Jesus Christ.

God

Everything begins with God. He has always existed and is eternal. The Bible reveals one God in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

God is perfectly holy, righteous and good. He is the Creator of everything that exists and loves His creation, especially humanity.

God is not just a bigger version of us. He is outside time and space and far above us in every way.

Creation

God created the universe, the earth, and the first humans, Adam and Eve. His creation was perfect. There was no suffering, death, disease or evil. Humanity enjoyed a perfect relationship with God which would have lasted forever.

What Went Wrong?

God gave Adam and Eve freedom but also one command—not to eat from a particular tree. He warned them that disobedience would bring death.

When they chose to disobey, they were doing far more than eating fruit—they were rejecting God's rule and choosing to live life on their own terms.

This rebellion is what the Bible calls sin.

The Consequences of Sin

Sin broke humanity's relationship with God and the effects were devastating:

• Humanity became separated from God.
• Every person inherited a sinful nature.
• Suffering, disease and death entered the world.
• The whole of creation was affected.

The evidence is all around us. Every person dies because sin has brought death into God's once-perfect creation. In simple terms; we die because we sin. 

But physical death is not the end. The Bible teaches that every person will one day stand before God and give an account of their life.

Our Problem

God gave His law, including the Ten Commandments, to show us His perfect standard:

1. You shall have no other gods before Me
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honour your father and your mother. 
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8.  You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
10. You shall not covet.

None of us has kept God's law perfectly. 

Jesus went even further, teaching that hatred is the root of murder and lust is the root of adultery.

The Bible's verdict is clear:

We are not good people.

We have all sinned against a holy God and cannot save ourselves. We cannot enter Heaven with our unforgiven sin.

Because God is perfectly just, He cannot simply ignore our wrongdoing. The Bible warns that every one of us will one day stand before Him in judgement. Left to ourselves, we face God's righteous wrath and His punishment in Hell.

God's Rescue Plan

Although humanity rebelled against Him, God never stopped loving His creation.

From the very beginning, He promised to send a Saviour who would restore the relationship between God and mankind.

Throughout the Old Testament, God revealed His rescue plan through His prophets, hundreds of years before it happened.

Jesus

God's rescue plan was not simply to send a prophet or a good teacher.

God the Son entered His own creation and became a man.

Jesus lived the perfect life that Adam, Eve and every one of us failed to live. He never sinned—not once. He always obeyed His Father completely.

This is crucial.

The penalty for sin is death, but Jesus had no sin of His own to pay for. He was the only person who did not deserve God's judgement.

The Cross

Thousands of people have been crucified throughout history.

Jesus' death was different.

Because He was completely innocent, He could take the place of guilty people.

On the cross, God placed upon Jesus the punishment that our sins deserved. Jesus willingly bore God's righteous wrath in our place, satisfying His justice completely.

This is sometimes called the great exchange.

Our past, present and future sin was placed on Jesus.

His perfect righteousness is credited to everyone who repents and trusts in Him.

God now treats the believer as though they had lived Jesus' perfect life because Jesus has already borne the punishment they deserved.

Justice is satisfied.

Mercy is offered.

That is why the cross is the centre of the Christian message.

The Resurrection

Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead.

Death could not hold Him because He had committed no sin of His own.

By rising again, Jesus defeated death itself, overthrowing the curse given to Adam and Eve and proving that His sacrifice had been accepted by God. 

The Choice

Jesus has made a way back to God.

Anyone who repents—turns from living their own way—and trusts in Jesus Christ can be completely forgiven.

Our sin is placed on Jesus, and His perfect righteousness is credited to us.

God no longer sees our guilt but Jesus' perfect obedience.

Those who trust in Jesus receive eternal life and will live with Him forever in Heaven.

Those who reject Him remain under God's judgement and will face eternity in Hell. The Bible calls us to "flee from the wrath to come" by turning to Jesus while there is still time.

The Most Important Question

The Bible is not simply a collection of moral lessons.

Its big story is that:

Through the cross of Jesus Christ,

God

Offers

Sinful

People

Eternal 

Life

His invitation is open today, but it will not remain open forever.

The big question is:

How will YOU respond?

People Won't Respond to Irrelevant News

A few decades ago there was a British sitcom called The Office. In one of the episodes, the office manager, David Brent, gathers all his employees and announces that he has good news and bad news. They ask for the bad news first and he tells them that some of them will be losing their jobs. Then, they hopefully ask for the good news and he tells them that he is being promoted. The classic response from one of the by now very annoyed employees is “that’s not good news, that’s bad news and irrelevant news!”

I’ve been thinking about whether we are doing the same thing in evangelism when we start with the Good News of the Gospel or tell people that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives.

Christians often comment that “people just don’t seem to see their need.”

Does our Good News become irrelevant news in the minds of the people because we haven’t started with the sin problem and shown them they need rescuing?

I’ve noticed a trend in Gospel preaching both in the open air and in churches, to major on Jesus and the cross (a good thing) but not to give much context. Sometimes, preachers miss out essential truths like what we need saving from (sin, death, judgement, Hell) and even what we are being saved to (Heaven).

The Message is often, “Come to Jesus, come as you are, especially if you are weary and heavy laden, He will give you peace and rest.” or “Make Jesus king of your life, you won’t regret it.” Many of these preachers make Jesus Himself the end goal rather than Heaven. Does this make any sense to a non-believer, or even a believer?

These messages are often focused on the here and now rather than the eternity that awaits. Listening to some Christians, it’s not clear that there is anything to look forward to in Heaven as they are so invested in the things of the world. But the world is passing away and we are only here for a short time, then we will be in Heaven or Hell, forever.

Ray Comfort (an evangelist) has written a lot about this subject and how we share the Gospel. He favours the Good Person Test where God’s moral law (the 10 commandments) are used to show people their sinfulness. He asks them if they’ve ever told a lie, stolen anything or looked at someone with lust etc….

When they have admitted guilt, he asks them if they were to die would they go to Heaven or Hell. Only when they are well and truly humbled and aware of their dangerous position does he offer the Good News of God’s rescue plan for sinners in Jesus.

I was reading in Nehemiah 8 last week about what happened when Ezra read from the book of the Law. It says he was “making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.” Their response was to weep in repentance as they listened to the words.

Jesus and John the Baptist began their ministries by declaring “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

In Acts 2, Peter confronts the Pentecost crowd with their sin of crucifying Jesus. They were cut to the heart and asked, “What shall we do?”

When Stephen speaks about the prophets having been killed and the law not being kept in Acts 7, the religious leaders are cut to the heart but they gnash their teeth and stone him to death.

Later in Acts, Paul explains the historical context and his own story to the governor, Felix, resulting in him becoming afraid when Paul deals with righteousness, self-control and the judgement to come.

It’s clear from these passages that confronting sin produces a reaction one way or the other. Some people will be afraid and respond in repentance and faith. Others may get angry and reject the message or simply just stop their ears and walk away. There is a division between those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  

Last week in Cambridge in the sweltering heat we met an extremely proud man who was unfortunately acting as a hospital chaplain for the area. He told us that he would never talk to people who were dying about sin or judgement because it was cruel and that instead he would seek to offer them peace and comfort in their final moments. There was no reasoning with him as he thought he knew better than Jesus. What a tragedy that this man, who is in a position to help people find eternal security, is more concerned with earthly provision and being culturally appropriate.

When I share the Gospel, I usually start with Heaven and ask people how they think God decides who gets in. This leads on to something similar to the Good Person Test. Having established that the person isn’t good in God’s eyes. I usually go back to Creation and the Fall of man. Only then does God’s redemption plan for humanity (Jesus on the cross) really make sense. Towards the end of the discussion, I urge the person not to stand before God on Judgement Day with all their unforgiven sin because God will send them to Hell. Then I return to the Good News of Jesus.

In Cambridge last week, after I’d shared the Gospel, three different people in three separate conversations, told me they would go away and read books that I had given them that very night! This doesn’t always happen and it’s not a reflection of my skill as an evangelist. But these individuals had obviously sensed the urgency of their situation and realised that this was something they needed to look into immediately.

We can’t convert people, only God can change a person’s heart, but we can certainly ensure they understand their situation and try to convey the importance of these matters. It’s almost impossible to do this without talking about sin, judgement, death and Hell.

In the parables of the pearl of great price and the hidden treasure, when the characters find what they are seeking, they sell all they have to buy it. In John 6, when Jesus asks his disciples whether they are going to leave as everyone else has done, Peter responds, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

I asked Ray Comfort recently through a Zoom Q and A if we should be including counting the cost in our Gospel presentations. His answer was no for an interesting reason. He said that if we are sharing the Gospel properly and biblically, we shouldn’t need to.

He was right. None of the people in the Bible stories above needed to be advised to count the cost. They understood what was on offer and they were all in.

If people are made aware of their perilous situation, then we can offer true hope in the Gospel as a remedy for their alarm. Instead, we are often putting the cart before the horse, offering comfort and peace or other life enhancements when the person is teetering on a cliff edge. We must warn people of the judgement that is coming and urge them to repent before it’s too late.

We need to remember that Jesus came into the world on a rescue mission. He came to die on a cross for the sins of the world. He bridged the gap between God and man making a way for us to be saved from the wrath to come, and enter Heaven.

Let’s make sure our news isn’t irrelevant by starting with the bad news which ensures people understand their situation and can joyfully respond to the Good News!

Why We Shouldn't Worry About Climate Change

Global warming and the drive to net zero seem to be the big issue of the day, at least in the West.

The reasons for this are debatable; some would say there is evidence things are heating up, whilst others might point to the attractiveness of a common purpose in the face of increasing helplessness in other areas of life. I’m sure there are other reasons too.

Environmentalism and taking care of the planet are also being given more and more house room in Christian circles. Whether it stems from panic about the scientific warnings or an interpretation of God’s instructions to Adam and Eve, again people have different reasons for their willingness to consider these things.

So what is the right interpretation of global events in the here and now? How should Christians respond to these challenges?

Here are some reasons we shouldn’t worry about climate change:

1. God is in control

This is the most obvious point. God created and sustains the Universe. He made sure conditions on Earth were exactly right for humans to live and function, albeit things have been spoiled by sin. The Bible says in Genesis 8 vs 22 that “as long as the Earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease”. It makes sense for atheists to panic about the possibility of us all being fried as temperatures increase, but not for Christians to do likewise. We should trust the God who created us and Who loves His Creation.

2. It’s a distraction

There are a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon with this issue which can act as a distraction from the chaos in the world. It’s well known that having a common purpose or goal and being involved in something of a team effort can motivate, encourage and inspire people to action. People need to pour their energies into something and climate activism and saving the planet are the flavour of the decade. But when all is said and done, it is just a distraction that won’t help people figure out the important issues of life and eternity.

3. We are meant to use the resources

Another one for Christians. God told Adam and Eve to use the Earth’s natural resources. In the Garden of Eden they were told to work and to take care of the garden mainly to get food to eat. After the fall, Adam was told that working the land would be harder but that was still God’s instruction. Later, after the flood, God tells Noah he can now eat animals as well as plants. If preserving the planet means that we cannot use resources in the way God intended, then we need to have a rethink.

4. It’s expensive

This is linked to the previous point. The drive to reach net zero is costing a fortune and exacerbating the cost of living crisis. Making things more sustainable and avoiding fossil fuels in favour of more expensive, cleaner energy isn’t practical for most people. The EPC targets for landlords are pushing up rents and causing landlords to exit the markets in droves as they can’t afford to operate. This will lead to a lack of affordable housing and increase the number of homeless.  Is the trade off worth it?

5. There are more important issues

Even if climate change is a problem, it doesn’t have anything to do with the most important things in life. A person’s greatest need, whether they know it or not, is forgiveness of their sin and peace with God which is obtained through the cross of Jesus. Then, they will have an eternity in Heaven to look forward to if and when the Earth fails.

I was disappointed when a well-known evangelist, who died in recent years, told us he had added “the environment” to his list of priorities for the future. In contrast, a church went viral when it displayed a large banner stating "We preach Christ crucified, not climate change!"

Seeking to preserve life in the here and now is an obvious priority for an atheist who thinks this life is all there is, but why are Christians focusing on environmentalism. Our home is not here on Earth, at least it shouldn’t be. We should be laying up treasure in Heaven. Even if we manage to preserve our planet for longer, people are still dying every day and heading to a lost eternity in Hell, our priority should be to reach them with the Gospel before it is too late.

6. We are told not to worry

Another one for Christians. The Bible tells us not to worry or to be anxious about anything because God knows what we need and will provide our necessities. Our attitude towards these things which can create panic and make people feel helpless, should be different from those who aren’t trusting in an all powerful Creator God. 

We have an opportunity to show that Christians aren’t afraid that things will implode or explode outside of God’s will. A bit like during Covid when some Christians seemed to be just as anxious as their non-believing friends and neighbours, we miss a trick if we succumb to the same “doom and gloom” as the people of the world.

7. The evidence shows it has happened before

A scientist professor friend of mine has spoken extensively on this topic and suggests the world has heated up and cooled down in similar ways before. Here is his YouTube research which is far more eloquent than I could be in this area  What about Climate Change? (with Prof. Steve Taylor)

8. It’s impossible to reverse

Let’s play devil’s advocate for a minute and suggest that climate change is a real and serious threat to humanity. Can we really do anything about it? Studies have shown that even when we do our very, very best to reach our net zero targets, we fail drastically.

It may be possible to make some progress in the developed world, if we give up some creature comforts for the good of the masses, but what about those developing nations that aren’t interested in being part of the mission? What about the huge economies of China and India who can’t or aren’t playing ball?

Nations would all have to work together and history tells us that this isn’t possible and that there will be wars and rumours of wars. Imagine trying to get to net zero in the middle of a war when these things go out of the window.

9. We don’t really know what we are doing

Scientists may think they have the answer to this problem but because Earth is sustained and controlled by God, there is much that isn’t known. Look at what happens when people change one element of the eco-system or add or remove something from it. Suddenly, we see what that element was there for and how valuable it was. There are all manner of unintended consequences and side effects when we meddle.

As the Earth was supernaturally created in the first place, perhaps some natural laws haven’t been properly understood. The idea that billions of tiny ant like people, even working together, can reverse the decline of the Earth by changing our habits is bonkers if you think about it.

10. The earth will be destroyed

According to the Bible and as a consequence of sin, the Earth will be destroyed by fire at the end. Indeed, it says in 2 Peter that “the elements will be destroyed by fire and the Earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” This passage further instructs that “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire and the elements will melt in the heat….” It’s clear that to be focusing on preservation of the planet which is intended for destruction is folly.

Conclusion

Should we look after the planet that God has given us to the best of our ability? Yes, of course. We should love our neighbour and value the resources we have been given by God.

Should we invest huge amounts of money, time and energy seeking to preserve the Earth or reverse the decline? Even if we could change the course that God has set, we should have other priorities.

All people need to hear the Good News that Jesus came to save them from their sin. They need to be called to repentance (turn from their way and start going God’s way) and faith. This call is urgent and determines where people spend eternity which is far more important than this life on Earth which is passing away.

 

 

 

Why Packaging the Gospel in Cultural Trends is Usually a Bad Idea

I’ve been concerned for a while about the rising popularity of courses like 3-2-1 by Glen Scrivener. The course book seems to be everywhere and many churches are seeing it as a viable alternative to more traditional introductions to the Christian faith like Christianity Explored. There are positive reviews on Amazon and Christians are recommending this course and with it the theology that it represents.

I recently attended an evangelistic seminar on connecting with people using cultural trends. This was based on a survey of non-believers where they had been asked to identity what was missing in their lives. The top answers were not God or truth but purpose, freedom, security, love etc. The thinking is that because the Gospel does offer these things, we should major on them in an effort to attract people to Christ.

Why is this a problem, you might ask. Surely it’s a good thing that Christians are seeking to be culturally relevant as they evangelise. Isn’t it good if people are drawn to Christianity?

Yes it is but only if we are presenting the true Gospel message and therefore drawing them to Jesus and real salvation.

Here are some of the issues I have observed with these approaches:

1. It’s soft on sin

This is definitely the biggest problem with the 3-2-1 course as observed by the only critical Amazon reviewer who with a headline, “Had to look hard to find out that there is sin and that it’s the main problem” notes, “Direction of book tends to weave around, seeming to try to fight shy of explaining that man is in rebellion against God. If you look hard, you can eventually find something of a problem that man has, on page 70…this book seems to me to seek to soft-pedal the real problem and to make the message ‘soft’ and agreeable.”

 In case it seems I’m speaking in ignorance, a few years ago, I did volunteer to help lead a 3-2-1 course. After the first three weeks, I approached the elder running the course and asked if we were ever going to get to the core elements of the Gospel as in sin, judgement or repentance. He responded that he thought it was “eluded to” later in the course. To that point, the way it was presented was more that Jesus came into the world to identify with us in our weakness and help us with our mistakes. I informed him that I couldn’t be part of it and stopped attending.

Similarly, in the seminar, I asked the question about sin and was advised that we shouldn’t seek to skirt around or sugar-coat sin. However, I would go a step further and say that we should seek to convey the seriousness of sin from the outset.

It’s back to the obvious point which is constantly being made by the likes of Ray Comfort and Roger Carswell: we must start by getting people to understand that they have a problem and not just that this is a problem in the world but that they are contributors and personally responsible. People will not be ready or willing to hear a solution if they don’t believe they personally have a problem. You can read books like Hell’s Best Kept Secret or come to the FEW conference in January to learn more.

2. It confuses people

When I took part in the 3-2-1 course, I was surprised that some of the faithful Christians at the church weren’t involved so I asked them about it.  They said that the previous course had been a disaster as the participants ended up arguing about the course content as they couldn’t understand it and didn’t recognise themselves within it. They spent so long trying to unpick this that there wasn’t really a clear Gospel presentation. They had resolved not to be involved in future courses.

What a tragedy for the church involved, for the Christians that have been put off evangelism and for the participants who didn’t have their questions answered.

I was having a conversation with a couple in Bournemouth once and had been there for some time when a young man from a different group also doing evangelism joined the discussion and asked if he could say something. I gave him permission and he launched into this long winded analogy which I thought I’d heard somewhere before. He was relaying the various aspects of this tactic, obviously learned in training, with great enthusiasm as if it would answer all their questions, if they would wait until the end. Eventually, they basically said that they’d had enough, that they’d enjoyed talking to me but didn’t have a clue what the young guy was talking about and walked off. The guy looked devastated and sat down on the wall with a great sigh. I tried to reassure him that the couple would probably have walked off anyway as they had been talking for a while when he arrived. He just couldn’t understand why his analogy hadn’t worked as he had put so much confidence in it. It had just led to confusion.

Not only can some of these approaches confuse non-believers, but they can also confuse Christians. There are some interesting books on evangelism but reading some of them just makes me feel tired. Tactics by Gregory Koukl is one such example. It just felt like there was a script or method for every situation. I can imagine myself getting tongue tied or forgetting my lines if there’s too much of that in our conversations with people. Learning some answers to common objections and something about different beliefs is useful but we must be ourselves. Answering “I don’t know” can be a good thing as it makes us more relatable and stops us coming across as know-it-alls. We are trying to win the person not the debate. If we end up confusing ourselves, we will definitely confuse other people.

3. It’s complicated

This point overlaps with the previous one but is worth considering. In a world where society is growing increasingly biblically ignorant should we be making our Gospel presentations less accessible in an attempt to make them culturally relevant?

We already know that we shouldn’t use Christian jargon or that when we do we need to explain it in everyday language but surely that extends to the content itself. If a little child can understand and respond to the Gospel message, why are we making adults jump through hoops to get to the core principles?

Surely clearer and more concise is better. In the past we used things like sin-judgement-Jesus, the Romans road and A: Accept you are a sinner, B: Believe Jesus died for you, C: Commit your life to Him.

More recently, we were reminded at an Open-Air Mission training weekend in relation to talks being placed on a board that “less is more”. The Gospel message is clear, straight-forward and simple: Through the cross of Jesus Christ,

God

Offers

Sinful

People

Eternal

Life

4. It’s the wrong way round

We may agree that we should ensure the Bible dictates how we engage with culture rather than allowing culture to shape our interactions with non-believers but the enemy is always seeking to undermine this principle. The problem is when we allow culture not only to dictate how we relate to and interact with non-believers, which can be a good thing, but when culture determines what we say. We mustn’t allow the Gospel message to be changed to fit or adapt to our culture.

An example would be the various ways well-meaning Christians have attempted to fit scientific theories into the Bible; theistic evolution, the gap theory, Genesis as poetic language etc etc. Someone recently said to me, “the problem is that when you’re talking to an intelligent scientist or an atheist, you can’t just say that God created everything in 6 days because it’s not credible.” This person had therefore come up with a theory that there were two creations and after the devil interfered with the first, God froze everything (the ice age) before creating things a second time?!

The problem with all of these ideas, other than that they don’t deal faithfully with Scripture, is death before the fall. The Bible is clear that sin leads to death and it can’t be any other way without undermining the Gospel message of salvation. God operates in the supernatural. Much of what He does is miraculous and He isn’t constrained by natural laws or our perceptions of scientific advances.

We must have confidence in the reliability of God’s Word.

5. It can be deceptive

I’m thinking here of the seminar I went to where we were encouraged to show people that the Gospel meets the needs that they perceive they have in their lives. It’s worth considering whether people who said they were missing purpose, security, freedom and love were even thinking of a spiritual purpose, spiritual/eternal security, freedom from sin and God’s love. It sounds silly when stated like this because of course they weren’t.

Likewise, Jesus didn’t die to give us purpose, security, freedom or love. He died to deal with our sin to open the way for us to be forgiven and reconciled to God. The things people are seeking may be a by-product of His sacrifice but they are not the main purpose. Shouldn’t we instead focus on getting people to see that they have a sin problem so they will then be ready for the solution?

In the seminar, someone asked whether this wasn’t just another version of the prosperity gospel. I was thinking that it sounded a bit like “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” or “Easy Believism/Decisionism” where hands are raised in a meeting but not a lot is said about repentance and the need for a changed life.

I don’t think it’s quite as dangerous as the prosperity gospel with promises of health, wealth and happiness. But it can lead to the same place and it’s much more subtle. It’s similar to John Piper’s Christian hedonism, that we must seek satisfaction for ourselves and it’s okay because it’s in God. I just don’t think God wants us to be seeking satisfaction for ourselves, He wants us to serve Him, to take up our cross daily and live lives of self sacrifice to help others see their need of Him. If a by-product of this life of self sacrifice is satisfaction then that’s great but it shouldn’t be our main goal.

What happens to the person who is promised purpose but still can’t get a job, or the person promised freedom who continues to struggle with addiction, or the one who is riddled with anxiety and continues feeling insecure, or someone promised love who is rejected by their church. 

If people are drawn to Christianity for the wrong reasons they won’t stick around when the things they are promised don’t work out as they had hoped. They are then inoculated against it because they think they’ve tried it and it doesn’t work. This is a serious issue.

A preacher that I sometimes work with was having a chat with someone who wanted to join us in the open air. He asked what they thought was a person’s greatest need. She said, “peace” and then added “love”. He said, “What about forgiveness?” Our greatest need is forgiveness of sin and peace with God. We need to keep this at the heart of our evangelism.

6. It majors on things that God does not

When thinking of evangelism, I can’t think of a stranger place to begin than with the Trinity. It’s a difficult theological truth to understand and many Christians only get a real grasp of it as they are discipled and read the Bible. When speaking with a Muslim is might be helpful to try to explain, but even then it’s difficult as all of our analogies fall short.

However, the 3-2-1 course has around 60 pages on the Trinity at the start of the course book and the 3 is obviously the Trinity. The idea is that The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have been showing love towards each other in the Trinity in eternity past and that God therefore had somewhere for His love to be directed. Some writers continue this by suggesting that this is necessary as otherwise God would have no experience of love and wouldn’t be able to love us. Clearly this is wrong as God is love and doesn’t need us to limit Him in this way.

Whilst the Trinity is a theological truth found throughout the Bible, the love shown within the Trinity isn’t a major theme and isn’t used by Christians in the Bible when evangelising. Probably, because it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to a non-believer.

I believe this over-emphasis on the love within the Trinity is another attempt to bring God down to our level and to appeal to non-believers with an over-emphasis on God’s love to the exclusion of His justice and holiness.

Mature Christians will often say that some aspects of the Trinity are a mystery and explain that the Trinity is one God in three Persons and leave it at that.

7. It focuses on man’s ideas

The Bible is all about God. From Creation, to the Fall of man, to God’s redemption plan through the Cross, the Resurrection and the Return of Christ. 

We have many examples in the Bible of how to evangelise in different settings. The early Christians may have used things that were around them to connect with different groups e.g. Paul using the statue to an unknown God or Jesus referring to living water with the Samaritan woman. However, the message is consistent. The core of the Gospel- salvation through faith in Jesus- remains the same across all audiences.

The reason sometimes given for seeking a new approach to connect to our culture is that people are not interested in hearing the truth anymore. Indeed, they may say “what’s true for you, isn’t true for me” and believe that truth is relative or that there is no truth.

This is a challenge and I do think we need to avoid answering questions that people aren’t asking. People aren’t as interested in evidence based apologetics; proving the resurrection, creation or the origins of the Bible.  

But, I don’t think we can avoid dealing with the fact that our Message is true, that’s why we believe it! It also stops people thinking there are many ways to God or that all religions are equally valid.

People are more invested in discovering the truth than they realise. We rely on truth being absolute in almost every area of life and it’s easy to prove that truth cannot be relative e.g. if someone believes they can fly and launches themselves off a cliff….

God will still judge people and send them to Hell whether they claim to believe in Him or not. We also know from Romans 1 that people suppress the truth and are without excuse because God has made His existence plain through Creation.

There’s an interesting passage in John 18 where Jesus is talking to Pilate. Pilate asks Him whether He is the King of the Jews and Jesus replies, “Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?” Later Jesus says “…the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” The dismissive retort from Pilate, “What is truth?”

People may sneer or dismiss us as Pilate did but our Message of Truth can still convict and convert them in the power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples didn’t change their Message when people were dismissive of truth, they continued as they had before telling people to “repent and believe”.

8. It’s not necessary

The intentions behind all of the Christians using these cultural trends are good; they want to see people come to faith in Jesus. Sometimes, though, they seem to be forgetting that the power is in the Message and that the cross preached is "foolishness to those who are perishing but to those who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1 vs 18) and that God chooses to use the "foolishness of what is preached to save those who believe" (1 Corinthians 1 vs 21).

We can have confidence in the simple Gospel Message knowing that God’s Word doesn’t return empty and that people will be saved through hearing it. We shouldn’t be ashamed of our Message on any level or try to obscure or hide uncomfortable truths. People are different, one person might be drawn to Christ because they are attracted to the Message of forgiveness whilst others might come because they are afraid of ending up in Hell. Both are valid responses to the Gospel Message and believing the promises and warnings in God’s Word.

What should we do instead?

Behind some of these ideas is a valid concern that we aren’t connecting with people and meeting them where they are at.  We can address some of these things by:

-using modern analogies and by keeping abreast of current affairs. One Open-Air Missioner said recently that wherever he is, flicking through a magazine, overhearing a conversation, on the bus, he’s always on the look out for new material for open-air talks. 

There is a talk which simply asks the question, “Where are they now?” and has the faces of famous dead people. It’s culturally relevant and always draws a crowd but the question cuts right to the heart of the Gospel Message as the preacher can apply it directly to those who stop and ask them, “What about you, where will you be in eternity?”

-learning from each other by attending training and discussing experiences. If we get difficult questions, others may have an answer.

-using modern language and avoiding Christian jargon. We can explain words that people may not be familiar with.

-talking about the big picture to help people see that they are part of it. Rather than it being something abstract or something only relevant to “religious” people.

-asking questions to learn where people are at

-talking to people rather than at them and by making eye contact

-sharing our own story if it’s relevant but not as a replacement for the Gospel Message

-having confidence in the Gospel Message and God’s power to use it to save people

Finally, we need to pray for a love for lost people as we reach out to them knowing that we have what they need in Jesus!