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"I think that the doctrine of hell is geared more towards motivating the Christian to evangelize than to scare the unbeliever into believing."
Neither works!
The unbeliever is not scared & a true believer in the Lord of Glory needs no motivation.
"A Christian should resemble a fruit tree with real fruit, not a Christmas tree with decorations tied on."
The unbeliever may come to have a semblance of faith; at which point the fear of the Lord will be produced in him, if he has not yet received the forgiveness of sins.
And the doctrine of hell is indeed a motivation for evangelism; and this because we have love in our hearts for those who are headed there; which is the true motivation, of course.
But if people weren't headed for hell I would feel no need to evangelize them. I would consider that they are going to heaven anyway, and would let nature take its course.
But those who don't believe in hell, or who don't believe that hell is permanent, evangelize their doctrine for a different reason: because they want validation for their ear-tickling doctrine.
Have you never read what it says in 2 Timothy 4?
2Ti 4:1, I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2Ti 4:2, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4, And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The unbeliever may come to have a semblance of faith; at which point the fear of the Lord will be produced in him, if he has not yet received the forgiveness of sins.
And the doctrine of hell is indeed a motivation for evangelism; and this because we have love in our hearts for those who are headed there; which is the true motivation, of course.
But if people weren't headed for hell I would feel no need to evangelize them. I would consider that they are going to heaven anyway, and would let nature take its course.
But those who don't believe in hell, or who don't believe that hell is permanent, evangelize their doctrine for a different reason: because they want validation for their ear-tickling doctrine.
Have you never read what it says in 2 Timothy 4?
2Ti 4:1, I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2Ti 4:2, Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4, And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
When I see posts like this I have to wonder how many people you feel you are reaching. I've never known anyone to come to God, as it were, with this type of preaching. In all my years as a Christian, evangelizing, I never knew anyone to be persuaded to accept my belief.
When I see posts like this I have to wonder how many people you feel you are reaching. I've never known anyone to come to God, as it were, with this type of preaching. In all my years as a Christian, evangelizing, I never knew anyone to be persuaded to accept my belief.
My answer to you is this:
Jhn 4:35, Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Jhn 4:36, And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Jhn 4:37, And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Isa 55:10, For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11, So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
"I think that the doctrine of hell is geared more towards motivating the Christian to evangelize than to scare the unbeliever into believing."
Neither works!
The unbeliever is not scared & a true believer in the Lord of Glory needs no motivation.
"A Christian should resemble a fruit tree with real fruit, not a Christmas tree with decorations tied on."
It is the one who has no logical ground to stand on who will often resort to ad hominem attacks (insulting their opponents with insults in order to divert attention away from the subject matter) since that is their only recourse. They have no logical argument to set forth; so they insult their opponent to divert attention away from the subject matter at hand and to attempt to deter others from believing their opponent's point of view.
When I see posts like this I have to wonder how many people you feel you are reaching. I've never known anyone to come to God, as it were, with this type of preaching. In all my years as a Christian, evangelizing, I never knew anyone to be persuaded to accept my belief.
The doom boys of Click & Clack exist within their own wee world.
One is not persuaded to follow the Lord of Glory. One is drawn into that union by Him, with zero contribution on their part!
When I see posts like this I have to wonder how many people you feel you are reaching. I've never known anyone to come to God, as it were, with this type of preaching. In all my years as a Christian, evangelizing, I never knew anyone to be persuaded to accept my belief.
Is it the word "hell" that offends you or the thought of judgement? You must be really offended by the preaching of Jesus!
Jhn 4:35, Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
Jhn 4:36, And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Jhn 4:37, And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
Isa 55:10, For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
Isa 55:11, So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
I used to think the same way. Never saw the evidence. But I know it keeps the narrative alive.
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