Revmitchell said:
"How do you discuss Hell and Heaven and ‘counting the cost’ of discipleship in bold, honest, loving truth...yet not use Heaven as a draw card or reward...and not use Hell as a scare tactic. I don't want to have people leaping to Jesus just so they don't get burned, it's not really any different then leaping to Jesus so they'll have a better life is it (humanism -- or the end of being is the happiness of man)? Wouldn't that more than likely create as many false converts?”
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Think of story Jesus told of the Prodigal Son (see Luke 15:11-32). The father had great pleasure when the son came into a right relationship with him. He cried, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, and am no more worthy to be called your son.” Obviously, his father would not have rejoiced in the same way if a happy and impenitent son had returned with a prostitute on each arm. It was his humble turning from his sinful lifestyle that pleased the father (see verse 22). The son’s happiness was irrelevant at that point of time. Righteousness was the issue.
Methinks that this writer ommitted a critical part of the story; referenced, yes, but not quoted & therefore misleading.
Luk 15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
Luk 15:17 But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!
A very strong motivation for this young man was his painful growling belly, since as long as he had spendable sheckels he was content.
So his initial motivation to "straighten up & fly right" was purely selfish, tho' it did lead to an acknowledgement of his needed value change.
So, to answer the question: "How do you discuss Hell and Heaven ----", you don't. You tell the truth concerning both Heaven & Hell, and let the Holy Spirit deal with the recipient of your message as He sees fit. You don't "TRY" to decide whether to "love" him into salvation, or "scare" him into submission.
Either way, if he comes to Christ the mission is successful.
Loved into, OR scared into, both are "
INTO"; same end product!