According to the News reports, thousands of people are rallying in Jena, Lousiana, because of their heart-felt belief that they are needed to prevent a miscarriage of justice. They seem to be mostly led by "preachers." Perhaps they should be there, perhaps not, that is certainly not my call.
What I am wondering is why those "preachers" can't rally thousands of people to go somewhere, even the next street over, to share the Gospel with all those who have yet to believe and are facing separation from God forever. Many are somehow convinced that demonstrating for justice is more important than demonstrating our witness to the Truth of the Gospel.
I understand justice. Thank God I got none from Him.
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6 comments:
I submit it's because it comes natural to gripe, but evangelism is a work of God's grace.
Justice among evangelicals is beginning to look more and more like the social gospel of the liberals.
John,
As always, thanks for your comments. I wonder why "evangelizing" does not come naturally to the new creation. Didn't Christ say we would be witnesses to the message? Whatever happened to that?
As to your second comment, you're going to have to enlighten me a little. What exactly does that mean?
For more on how hard it is to evangelize, even as a new creature, see Romans 7.
For more on the liberalization of evagelicalism, take Rick Warren's emphasis on "deeds not creeds," for example.
Thanks, John.
I've read Romans 7 (more than once, actually) and I'm looking for Warren's work on "deeds and creeds." Since I'm not a fan, it may take a while.
So, on romans 7, you get my point that it's hard to evangelize because sin dwells with us, even though we have a mind to obey. As Jesus also said, "The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak." Here, as you know, Christ does not mean sarx in the sense of sinful nature, but in the sense of the physical body. And it gells well with Paul's words in Romans 7 to demonstrate that we find it hard to do the things of God, even as regenerate people, because war generally makes it hard to function normally until the enemy is dead. Living the life of a Christian is not natural, as you well know, but is supernatural. That's why most find it hard. Hey, that reminds me of a song by Rich Mullins, called . . .
Hard
by Rich Mullins
Well I am a good Midwestern boy
I give an honest day's work
if I can get it
I don't cheat on my taxes
I don't cheat on my girl
I've got values that would make the White House jealous
Well I do get a little much
over-impressed
'Til I think of Peter and Paul
and the apostles
I don't stack up too well
against them I guess
But by the standards 'round here
I ain't doing that awful
Lord it's hard
to turn the other cheek
Hard to bless
when others curse you
Oh Lord it's hard to be
a man of peace
Lord it's hard ~ oh it's hard
You know it's hard
to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard ~
oh it's hard
Oh Lord it's hard to be like Jesus
And it's hard to
step out on them waves
Hard to walk beyond your vision
Oh Lord it's hard to be
a man of faith
Lord it's hard (hard)
Lord it's hard (so hard)
Oh Lord it's hard to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard (hard)
oh it's hard (yeah hard)
Oh Lord it's hard to be like Jesus
Well His eye's on the sparrow
And the lilies of the field
I've heard
And He will watch over you
and He will watch over me
So we can dress like flowers
and eat like birds
And it's hard when your soul
had been stripped bare
Hard to lift your eyes
toward Heaven
Oh Lord it's hard to be
a man of prayer
Lord it's hard ~ oh it's hard
You know it's hard
to be like Jesus
Lord it's hard to be
a man of peace
But it's hard (so hard) ~
ain't it hard (hard)
You know it's hard
to be like Jesus
Don't you know it's hard (hard) and it's hard (yeah hard)
To be a man of peace
(hard so hard)
But it's hard to be like Jesus
And I'm trying, trying, try
Oh Lord I try so hard
Don't you know it's hard
Oh glory oh gracious
But ain't it hard to be like Jesus
Well I am a good Midwestern boy
I give an honest day's work
if I can get it
I don't cheat on my taxes
I don't cheat on my girl
I've got values that would make the White House jealous.
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