Pastor John MacArthur has written a good column in the Washington Post “Read the Gospels: JC is not PC”
So what would Jesus say to a pluralistic, tolerant, self-indulgent society like ours? I’m convinced his approach today would be the very same strategy we see in the New Testament. To smug, self-satisfied, arrogant sinners (including multitudes on church rolls) his words would sound harsh, shocking, provocative. But to “the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3)–those who are exhausted and spent by the ravages of sin; desperate for forgiveness and without any hope of atoning for their own sin–Jesus’ call to repentant faith remains the very gateway to eternal life.
I couldn’t agree more with MacArthur.
As the church, we don’t need to change the message or “live/do” the message, we need to share the message:
- God created us perfect
- Adam sinned, we sin
- Christ became man
- Christ lived perfect life of obedience
- Christ was punished for our sins and died upon the cross
- As reward and proof of his perfect life, He rose again on the third day
- We can have eternal life by believing in Christ and his finished work upon the cross
(Thanks @Phil_Johnson_)
