Have a taste of a good word from my friend Jeff Miller. It was a great reminder to me of the power of Christ in salvation.
“but God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”.
“Nor is there salvation given in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”
“for we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God”.
My friend Mark is an evangelist. He reminded me of such basic truth the other day. He told me that when you are talking to people about the Lord, its important that we come straight to the point. Never ask them if “they believe in God”. Too general. Ask them who Jesus is. Ask them if they have been born again.
I realized that in my desire to love people, especially those who are unaware of God’s love, that I have been so concerned with comforting them, affirming them, and demonstrating God’s love for them that I am not loving them with His love. It is not God’s love to leave His Son and His cross out of the picture. At best, I am not dividing my own soul and spirit and at worst I am giving in to the subtle spirit of Antichrist.
We must not be so concerned with offending people that we quench the Spirit of God. We all must pass through that moment of painful realization that we are lost, eternally separated from God apart from faith in Christ. For me to put my arms around a lost person, encourage them, pray for them, tell them God loves them without presenting Jesus Christ crucified on a cross, dying for their sin, raised from the dead and their only hope for fellowship with the Father then I am not loving them with God’s love.
Jesus Christ crucified IS the love of the Father. Jesus Christ crucified IS the mercy of God. Jesus Christ is the central figure of eternity and His Father demands we make a decision about Him.
I am determined then that yes, I will love people. Yes I will put my arms around them and encourage them, but it will not be open ended. It will be towards the Love of God demonstrated through the sacrifice of His Son, and the joy of His salvation!
