What would be wrong with you hearing a few more of his sermons, before you decide that he doesn't expound properly on Soteriology?
I didn't say that he
doesn't expound properly. But I noticed that in that important context, he didn't.
He went to a revival meeting, presumably to preach to lost sinners. But none heard the good news that night.
My comments about his ?sermon? came from the perspective of someone who sat in church week in and week out as a kid, asking so many questions that I got in trouble for always questioning. I needed for someone to get down to brass tacks concerning eternal life, and nobody ever did.
The message was always two parts - crystal clear on God's judgment toward sinners with fire and brimstone and hell that's hotter than hell, and ambiguity concerning how to get out of it. Nothing but confusion.
Ask an unbeliever coming out of that service - what must you do to have eternal life? - and their answer would probably be like mine was for so long. If I do this, and I do that, and I commit this, and confess that. If I straighten up, or at least be willing to turn over a new leaf....
As an adult, the messages I loved to hear the most were the ones where a preacher told a sinner of all the works he had to do to "get right with God". In my mind, it was all man's work to get himself right
I was steeped in self righteousness and never heard the gospel until I was 28. And when I did, I rejected it flatly.
I kept rejecting until my self righteous notions of reaching God were dispelled. And that should have been his thrust if this guy honestly went there to preach to lost sinners.
He preached just enough to solidify in one's mind whatever was already believed. Laden with human responsibility at the expense of the cross.
45 minutes to preach to sinners, and nary a mention of the cross? That guy ought to be ashamed of himself. Even if it only happened once, he ought to be embarrassed enough to shred the evidence that it ever happened
Pick one on The Blood. You may find yourself shouting like the men in the audience. Unless you are a Yankee..We don't do a lot of that.
I've heard several, and they dealt with your complaint list.
If he does, that's awesome. I might give a listen to another of his, and see if I get what you're talking about.
I hope you believe me, that I'm not shooting him down as a false teacher, or someone who knows nothing but condemnation
But in that one little church, when he spent 45 minutes preaching on hell and not one mention of how Christ has come in our stead and bore our sins, that we might escape the fires if we only trust in Him.
That was the ultimate fail.
I've heard many who do frame an invitation to seem like the onus is on sinners to work their way to God.
Too many.
And many believers have a hard time seeing what I talk about because they've never been that little 6 year old kid who never got solid answers.
Or that 12 year old kid who had been asking for 6 years, and had tried every works formula imaginable
Or that 16 year old kid, who after 10 years of never finding answer, determined to never set foot in another church.
Or that 28 year old man who was reduced to agonizing torment, still not sure what one must do to reach God. Desiring so badly to know, and never assured of anything but God's wrath.
I knew all too well the fate that awaited me. What I didn't know was the grace of God. That is, until someone preached the cross, embraced through faith alone. But all those self righteous notions had to be stripped away first. 22 years of works righteousness had to be unraveled, and it wasn't easy.
Some teeter on the edge of Lordship Salvation Heresy, always adding grace, as an after thought, as if they are afraid they will be accused if they don't.
I agree.
So, I know what you are saying, and have witnessed the same, and do agree with your points, for the most part.
But you don't preach the same sermon every time.
You're right. I agree that the same message doesn't have to be preached every time - if he's preaching to and for believers
I just can't help remembering all those revival services I was in, hearing that same message. And walking out the door every bit the same sinner I was before
Because I never heard the good news, only that...
"hell is hot, brother. And if you walk out of here without getting yourself right with God..."
