Preaching About Sin.

Ritajanice said:

I would like to debate this, in the hope that God will speak to my heart regarding the preaching of sin, that some of us do on this forum.

Apologies if my questions sound silly...as I’m pretty confused not only on the teaching of sin, also does God hate those who live in sin?

The enemy is in my head , so I need to get this off my chest.

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?.....condemn those who do sin, who are still in sin, when they too were once a sinner....I’m just trying to understand .

I was once a sinner....should I preach to my children regarding their sin....wouldn’t that be hypocritical?

Praying that you will be in this discussion Lord, that you will help and guide us...in Jesus Name...Amen!..

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I think we should be led by the Holy Spirit in what we say. Sometimes a person may be in a place to receive admonition or other counseling.... perhaps the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts and they receive it gladly.

Whatever we say we should do it in a humble spirit.

Ritajanice said:

I would like to debate this, in the hope that God will speak to my heart regarding the preaching of sin, that some of us do on this forum.

Apologies if my questions sound silly...as I’m pretty confused not only on the teaching of sin, also does God hate those who live in sin?

The enemy is in my head , so I need to get this off my chest.

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?.....condemn those who do sin, who are still in sin, when they too were once a sinner....I’m just trying to understand .

I was once a sinner....should I preach to my children regarding their sin....wouldn’t that be hypocritical?

Praying that you will be in this discussion Lord, that you will help and guide us...in Jesus Name...Amen!..

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Believers in Jesus Rita, are commissioned to share good news to lost, hurting and flawed humanity on a death trajectory. They are not commissioned to reinforce guilt and condemnation by telling folk how worthless and wrong they are.

People are burdened with shame and guilt. Nobody needs to tell them that. They know it instinctively; others tell them and the Devil reinforces it.

Yet how can one share the good news of Jesus if one doesn't know Jesus? How can one give people hope if they have no hope themselves?

Ritajanice said:

I would like to debate this, in the hope that God will speak to my heart regarding the preaching of sin, that some of us do on this forum.

Apologies if my questions sound silly...as I’m pretty confused not only on the teaching of sin, also does God hate those who live in sin?

The enemy is in my head , so I need to get this off my chest.

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?.....condemn those who do sin, who are still in sin, when they too were once a sinner....I’m just trying to understand .

I was once a sinner....should I preach to my children regarding their sin....wouldn’t that be hypocritical?

Praying that you will be in this discussion Lord, that you will help and guide us...in Jesus Name...Amen!..

Click to expand...

We are all sinners.

Ritajanice said:

I would like to debate this, in the hope that God will speak to my heart regarding the preaching of sin, that some of us do on this forum.

Apologies if my questions sound silly...as I’m pretty confused not only on the teaching of sin, also does God hate those who live in sin?

The enemy is in my head , so I need to get this off my chest.

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?.....condemn those who do sin, who are still in sin, when they too were once a sinner....I’m just trying to understand .

I was once a sinner....should I preach to my children regarding their sin....wouldn’t that be hypocritical?

Praying that you will be in this discussion Lord, that you will help and guide us...in Jesus Name...Amen!..

Click to expand...

Can a sinner preach about sin ? Yes.

Condemn those who sin? Never! ONly God condemns.

We preach against sin not the sinner. We exhort, encourage and warn, but never condemn.

Ritajanice said:

Thank you Sis..

Most definitely ,whatever we say we should do it in a humble heart....xxx

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Personally I think this is the heart of the matter. If we think of ourselves as better than others we will be one way, but if we think of ourselves as just as poor as others we will be another way. We are not to be highminded.

Much love!

Ritajanice said:

Yes, I ask God to humble me daily....

Thank you,xx

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Until we have the right perspectives I don't think we will have the right things to say, or the right way to say them.

I don't think we can act with a humility we don't yet possess.

Does this mean we cannot serve until we are mature? I don't think so. But there are some things we won't do in a godly way until we are matured to that place.

Much love!

Ronald Nolette said:

Can a sinner preach about sin ? Yes.

Condemn those who sin? Never! ONly God condemns.

We preach against sin not the sinner. We exhort, encourage and warn, but never condemn.

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I think a key factor is, do we actually see ourselves as beggars too?

Or are we the gracious benefactor helping those lesser than us? I think I see a lot of that around, and it shows.

Much love!

Ritajanice said:

We are being made into the image of Jesus, by the power of his Spirit, he works in our hearts.imo.

We can act with humility if it’s God given.we can do nothing in our strength...God humbles us...as he works within our hearts.

Only God can mature us in his Spirit..imo.

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So we need to be patient, and watchful, to allow the Holy Spirit to lead.

Much love!

Ritajanice said:

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?

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That the only kind of person who can preach about sin!

Perhaps more to the point, one with eyes to see and ears to hear the log in their own eye. Most people when confronted with their sin go to justify themselves.

Every good preacher must pray the sinners prayer. What separates them from others is akin to Socrates knowing he knows nothing. That is, people are in The Matrix if sin, it feels comfortable and familiar. They really don’t know what they are doing is evil. It feels good.

Just started reading a book, No More Christian Nice Guy. The author postulates today’s church has falsely equated being nice with being good. Preaching sin is not nice but good and necessary.

Hope this helps.

Ronald Nolette said:

Can a sinner preach about sin ? Yes.

Condemn those who sin? Never! ONly God condemns.

We preach against sin not the sinner. We exhort, encourage and warn, but never condemn.

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God does not condemn. He draws us with cords of kindness; he doesn't bludgeon us with accusations.

Ritajanice said:

.........does God hate those who live in sin?

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Apparently not, PTL .. e.g. Matthew 1:21, 5:43-48; Romans 5:8. In fact, as soon as our first parents sinned in the Garden the Lord immediately began making a way for both them (our progenitors) and for all of us (their progeny) to be redeemed (e.g. Genesis 3:21). He, in point of fact, chose to come here and die for us (sinners, one and all) so that He wouldn't have to live w/o us in the eternity to come, nor we w/o Him

Ritajanice said:

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?

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There has only been One among us who was never a sinner, so "YES", we MUST preach about sin and our great need to be saved because of it. Those who are lost need to hear the "bad news" to understand their great need for the Good News, yes? (cf Galatians 3:24)

Ritajanice said:

Should someone who was once a sinner.....condemn those who do sin, who are still in sin...........

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Not condemn, enlighten We never condemn those who are outside of Christ/still living in sin, rather, we tell them about the Remedy for their sins (and for the lost state in which they are now living), Jesus Christ and Him crucified, yes!

Ritajanice said:

I was once a sinner....should I preach to my children regarding their sin....wouldn’t that be hypocritical?

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Of course not. If someone doesn't tell them the truth about their present, fallen spiritual condition, and their great need, therefore, for the Savior and the salvation that He alone can offer them, then they will die in their sins and be lost. Why shouldn't that someone be you (Romans 10:13-15, 17)

God bless you!!

--Papa Smurf
p.s. - theologian and pastor, A. W. Pink, said something in the following quote (about evangelism/evangelists) that I believe is still extremely important for us to consider today. Since it seems relevant to this discussion, I thought that I'd post it here as part of this discussion.

Ritajanice said:

I would like to debate this, in the hope that God will speak to my heart regarding the preaching of sin, that some of us do on this forum.

Apologies if my questions sound silly...as I’m pretty confused not only on the teaching of sin, also does God hate those who live in sin?

The enemy is in my head , so I need to get this off my chest.

Should someone who was once a sinner....preach about sin?.....condemn those who do sin, who are still in sin, when they too were once a sinner....I’m just trying to understand .

I was once a sinner....should I preach to my children regarding their sin....wouldn’t that be hypocritical?

Praying that you will be in this discussion Lord, that you will help and guide us...in Jesus Name...Amen!..

Click to expand...

"Preach" is now such a harsh word. Only "some" are gifted by the Spirit to do so.

However, we all are to give our testimony regarding sin and salvation. In doing so we should preface our comments about sin with the understanding that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"; and perhaps that we only now comment as one who has confessed our sin, and been saved from it.

As for speaking to our children, it would be good to clarify with them, that even so, even though we too were once a sinner, God has entrusted us and given us authority to guide, teach, and direct our children "in the way they should go." As God has done with us, we are also to do with our own children: meaning love and grace and guidance and help, but under consequence. We all should have that talk with our children--they at least deserve to know where we're coming from, and that we have no intention of leaving them without what we have been tasked to do by God, who has done much the same for us. He is our guide in their regard.