 "The grace gospel is over preached from todays churches!" I've heard this statement from many different people on social media, radio shows, blogs, and even people I know. But one thing a lot of people are forgetting is GRACE plays a major role in the Bible and salvation.
The "grace gospel", along with other "movements" like the "prosperity gospel" or even the "feel-good gospel", is being critizied and looked down upon by some many preachers, evangilist and "religious" people in the churches today. To take it a step further, there's certain pastors, churches and evangilist being accused or pointed out being apart of these "movements" in the christian world. But here one thing I don't understand, why are other pastors, evangilist and "religious" people speaking out and even preaching against the "grace gospel"? Is GRACE not an important role in salvation...the Bible? Yes I know, just like anything, people take things too far, obsses about it and take things out of context, but what makes it better to be the polar opposite and campaign against it? In the topic of the "grace gospel", does it do any good for us to talk against the "grace gospel"? Does it do any good to use other pastors or evangelists name as we judge which message or style they choose to minister with, which I'm sure is God directed if they are truly a life giving pastor or evangelist. To be honest, I know there's some pastors and evangelist that do take advantage of different "movements" to gain whatever it is that they want to gain or achieve. Do I agree with it? Absolutely not. Do I think it's wrong? Absolutely yes. Am I going to put them on blast on social media, small talk with other ministers or even during a sermon to the church body? Absolutely not! It's not my place to judge what someones doing (side note: but it is my job to pray for them if I feel they are doing that). Will I speak against the "grace gospel"? Absolutely not. In fact, I will never stop preaching GRACE. I truly believe that if it wasn't for God's grace, we'd all be destined for an eternity in hell. One thing to thing about, is grace not love? And if grace is love, that means God's grace is God's love. So to say that the grace gospel is being over preached is like saying God's love is being over preached. Since I've traveled around, my eyes have been opened to may different things. I've noticed that the difference in culture doesn't just effect the way of life but the way of ministering. One thing I've noticed is the bulk of people criticizing the grace gospel is in the southern states also known as the Bible Belt. Being born and raised in the Bible Belt by Pentecostal, Bible believing family, I understand this way of ministering. After traveling around the US and the world, God opened my eyes to the different cultures of ministering as well as the way of life. Saying all that, the culture of ministering is going to be way different in Seattle than it's going to be in Oklahoma City, Boston is going to be different than in Dallas, New York City is going to be different that Little Rock, and L.A. is going to be different than Nashville. The ways of ministering will not reflect each other if all states or countries. In saying that, we should not judge what another pastor is doing or what "movement" or method he/she used to reach the area God placed them in. Just like those criticizing about the grace gospel, we shouldn't criticize that "hell, fire and brimstone gospel" either. If someone is ministering, speaking truth through God's Word and leading people to Jesus...then who cares if it's through the grace gospel, feel good gospel or even the hell, fire and brimstone gospel...rejoice with them instead of criticize them. So the question remains, is the grace gospel over preached in todays churches? Think about it and decide for yourself. One way it was put by another person with the same stance as I have on it..."the grace gospel is over preached until you need it". Don't be quick to judge and lose your grace for others. We are all human and will always fail...we will always need God's grace so it will need to be preached ALOT from the churches today if we want to see the world changed for God.
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 One thing that most kids (if not every kid...at sometime) likes to do play in the dirt or mud. If you're a parent, you are always telling them to stop playing in the dirt or mud and always having to constantly give them an overhaul in the bath to clean every part of them because they are amazing at getting the dirt or mud in/on EVERY part of their body (at least my son does). After awhile, as a parent, you finally give up and let them play, have fun and then take them home to give them a detailed washing.
As Christians, we are told/commissioned to go to the world and tell the good news. For a few Bible references: Matthew 28:18-20 says "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Mark 16:15 & 16 says "Then He said, "Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God's good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned" (MSG) Sin is dirty. Theres no denying that. Theres two different extremes so many christians tend to sway with it come to sin. The first one is the "germaphobe" christians. They see sin as dirty, messy, germy and avoid that person like they have leprosy. The reason some of the struggles and sins christian face everyday is because we tend to avoid certain topics in church. The church talks about people having excuses on commitment and other issues...but the church tends to have their own excuses when it comes to topics we WANT to avoid. Some of the many MUDDY topics we tend to avoid from the pulpit for whatever reason are pornography, social drinking, homosexuality and gambling. The second extreme is when we come into contact with a dirty, muddy person, instead of just offering them a way to get clean, we think we have to clean them the way WE see they need to clean. And if they don't get clean enough (and stay clean forever) you don't give them the stamp of approval and throw them to the way side. We tend to try and do Jesus and the Holy Spirit's job when it comes to this extreme. We think we see where they struggle and tell them what they have to do to get better and give them a 5 steps to recovery and a checklist and if they skip a step or do the steps out of order or not check off one of the things on the checklist or they're doomed to they muddy sinful pit they came from. One example that comes to mind is when the religious people brought Jesus a women that was caught committing adultery (pretty muddy, sinful thing) and Jesus forgave her and set her on her way. Now the law said she was to be stoned (which the religious people was trying to see is Jesus would obey the law and then Jesus put them on blast and said the one that perfect and doesn't have any dirt, mud, sin cast the first stone and they all bolted) but yet Jesus said where are your accusers, I don't accuse you. GO AND SIN NOMORE! If we're suppose to be like Jesus, then why do we either avoid the sin like it's an incurable disease or try and cleanup they person with the sin before giving them the stamp of approve to be a christian? Something I've challenged myself with is to be more like Jesus everyday. Does that mean I'm acting or thinking I'm going to be like Jesus...perfect and sinless??? Are you kidding?!?! Not a chance! I know me better than that and I'm 100% human and can and will fail many times at trying to be live a life of love, grace and mercy like Jesus. But what I do know is that I will try every day to live life with consistency in living a life of love, grace and mercy. Which means when I see someone that is a hot mess, covered with mud from head to toe with sin, I will love them til they're clean...I will show them grace when they get dirt on them again and when they're getting clean...I will have mercy on them when they push away when I'm being there for them. It's time for us as JESUS FOLLOWERS to not just have the "christian" title but do as Jesus did and get down in the dirt. It does nobody any good to be a germaphobe and avoid the topics that are dividing and splitting the church. But at the same time don't try and do a job that's not in our job description...let the Holy Spirt be the one that cleans. It's not our job. But it is our job to love, show grace and have mercy on the sinner. Challenge: Don't be afraid of getting dirty ourselves. Living life down in the dirt. Not being accusers but being an advocate. |
Chad & Valerie TrinkleGod loves you more than you think he does. Archives
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