Justice

I was reminded of the fire and brimstone preachers today from a man that I was talking to, that is what some people called them, and the man I was talking to said basically that they scared people.  I think we have to be careful of how we use criticism.  Did they scare people or was the anointing of God on the preacher causing the conviction of the Holy Spirit on the people?

Many of these preachers told the people what their condition was before a Holy God and the consequences of un-repentant sin and where they would end up if they didn’t repent and turn to the Lord, and it is still true today as well.  Their approach may have been a little difficult to hear, but did they tell the truth?  The way I see it, the truth is hard to take no matter how you hear it at times, but the truth has a tendency to set people free if they will receive it regardless of how or who they hear it from.  The truth is that the Word of God offends many people; it is not always the speaker, it is just the message.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Did you ever stop and think that people are different and some may need to be shaken to the core before they will pay attention while other people are far more sensitive and they may need a gentler way of presenting and hearing the gospel.  Some people just need a heads up, so to speak, and others need to hit rock bottom before they will listen.  In either case, the Holy Spirit has to do the convicting and God has to do the miracle and, from my understanding, God used both kinds of preachers and preaching with tremendous results, praise the Lord!!  

I have heard Pastor David Wilkerson, who has passed away, preach and I have heard Ravi Zacharias preach; they have far different approaches and also their preaching styles are different, but God used both of them and is still using Ravi in mighty ways.  Maybe our problem is that, what we are trying to do is ‘throw the baby out with the bath water,’ so to speak, trying to get rid of the fire and brimstone preachers.  Me, I am happy to hear either one as long as the truth is being presented.  Something to think about, have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!