Jesus did not say, “Don’t worry about your sins because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17).
Everything Jesus did was perfect, loving, and righteous, and He spoke boldly against sin.
When people asked Jesus to explain why some people died in an accident, He didn’t comfort and assure them. He said, “Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:1-5).
In John 8:21-24
Jesus was talking to unbelievers and He told them “Unless you believe
that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”
People like to think of Christ as someone who went around affirming people, but Jesus only saves people who understand their sin and realize their need for a Savior:
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” ~Jesus, Luke 5:32
Jesus explained to His unbelieving brothers that the world hated Him because He told them they were sinners (John 7:7).
When we’re sharing Christ with others, God’s Spirit will guide us. There are times to subtly plant seeds, but we can't lead anyone to Christ without explaining their need to repent.
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Bible Love Notes
Hey Gail, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree with you that as Christians, we need to speak the truth about sin and repentance, even though it can be difficult at times. I think we do people a disservice by telling them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.
ReplyDeleteAs Spurgeon once said, "If sin be the problem, no tinkering with morality will remove it." And that's exactly what it's all about. Sin is the problem and Jesus is the only solution. We need to tell people the truth, so that they become aware of their sin and can find their salvation in Jesus Christ.
Let's be led by the Holy Spirit and speak about sin and repentance with love and grace, so that we can help others find the salvation that can only be found in Jesus.