What's Wrong With Contemporary Evangelicalism?

My intent is not to single any denomination out but to discuss evangelism today, in my experience over the yrs, I fond that a lot of the preaching is more about moral right and wrong with in the Law of God, as christians I understand we strive to do that which Christ calls for , but striving is not perfection, and thus we fail. But I rarely hear the message of Grace, except for Good Friday, once a yr, and then back too the law 364 days of the remaining yrs.



Then we have Catholicism, with there institutional rules, but ever mass ends with the last supper and Gods Grace. So what am i getting at ? With all this preaching focusing more on Gods law , the spirtuial and less and less on the Natural. Is evangelism become more legalistic?



Why is it that , that is how I feel it is becoming

Is Christ de Light ... or another kind of illumination that is hidden pediatrics?

Taught through the media of myth as powerful people cannot be got to directly with intelligence as awareness ... tis just an aspiration buried on the other end of longstaff ... the dirty end?

Life is a peculiar learning ground of spirituality isn't it ... with nothing the way it appears ... an abstract hue?

The deeper portion of the story ... William Tell 'd ... with the flash of Eros ... and someone was stuck! The power of the buried point ...

blackbelt1961 ----Your Quote ----But I rarely hear the message of Grace, except for Good Friday, once a yr, and then back too the law 364 days of the remaining yrs.

unsafe says ----First off the meaning of the word for Religion is important to understand -----you won't be surprised as to why the Churches Preach ---do good get Good ---do Bad get bad ------still under the law of control -----Religion breeds control ------ Grace breeds Freedom


This is a 2 min 30second video -----worth the listen to -------

Religion = To Tie Back; To Hold Back; To Thwart From Forward Progress; To Bind


Reversing The Spell
Published on Apr 28, 2014


Mark Passio breaks down the true definition and Latin origin of the notorious term 'Religion' which comes from the Latin verb religare: "to tie back; to hold back; to thwart from forward progress; to bind." A system of CONTROL based in unchallenged, dogmatic BELIEF which holds back the progress of Consciousness.

blackbelt1961 said:

Is evangelism become more legalistic?

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I'm not sure that's a new thing. The whole Moral Majority thing in the eighties (which I guess has kind of been overtaken by Focus on the Family now) and I suspect they weren't even the start of it. I actually kind of get legalism, too. It would be nice to think that you can get Divine favour just by following some rules and it also makes it easy to exclude anything that makes you uncomfortable; just interpret the Bible to say it's against the rules. Grace is much harder to deal with. It means God deals with us, not through rules but through Love, and expects us to do the same, which makes it hard to justify "shunning" people or things that we want to avoid. We might actually have to work at being what God wants of us and can't exclude people so easily. Islam seems to be having much the same struggle, with the legalists (e.g. the Sunni wahabi sect that dominates in Saudi Arabia or the shiite clerics who run Iran) who want to apply their strict version of sharia to everything vs. less rigid sects that focus more on God as a loving, caring force in life.

Churches tend to attract "the broken" and suffering....rules and structure may appear more comforting than grace while in a chaotic state.

Can love be cut out of the situation with some applied anathema? Then the will runs free ... but only as essence of the former ...

The thinking essence is tough ... hard to dig?

Religion and politics is a dirty game ... and you can't dirty the monarchist ... that's immorally critical!

blackbelt1961 ----Your Quote ---- . But I rarely hear the message of Grace, except for Good Friday

unsafe says -----Grace is so wide --so deep --so high and so powerful that Ministers themselves don't know how to Preach on Grace ----that is my view ----Grace begins with the free provisions that Jesus accomplished on the cross for all who want to receive Him as Lord and Saviour and ends with the task of His Children by and through Adoption receiving by and through Faith what Grace has provided --Grace entails a lot and has to be believed and received by and through Faith ------ Grace comes through Faith -----

Many Ministers don't believe that God's word is God's word ---many believe they are a bunch of stories passed down from generation to generation and not to be taken seriously ----Many Ministers believe some parts of the Bible but not others ----- Many Ministers don't accept the Blood Theology -----Many Ministers have been influence by what Scholars say and believe what the Scholars believe not what the Bible says -----Many Ministers believe that you can't take the Word as it is cause men translated many times over the word ------Many Ministers believe Jesus was not God -----


unsafe asks ----How can one Preach on Grace when the Person Preaching doesn't believe all the word is truth and God inspirited as it says it is ?????-----


unsafe says ------This word Sozo is the Greek word for Salvation ----it encompasses everything Jesus purchased back for us through the shedding of His Blood -----if you don't Preach on the Blood that was shed --How can one preach on Grace ------Every place Jesus Shed His Blood has significant meaning ---and No one Preaches on that ------I brought this up now a 2 Bible Studies about the 7 places Jesus shed Blood and neither Minister had heard of it -----both did research it and say they will be preaching on it at Easter ----One Minister said in all her years at Divinity School no one ever mentioned this ------



unsafe says -----and posted meaning below -----understanding Sozo is very important and believing in the meaning is important ----

Strongs's #4982: sozo - Greek/Hebrew Definitions - Bible Tools

#4982: sozo (pronounced sode'-zo)
from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saos, "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (literally or figuratively):--heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.


Thayer's Greek Lexicon:
sōzō

1) to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

1a) one (from injury or peril)

1a1) to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health


1b1) to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue

1b) to save in the technical biblical sense

1b1) negatively

1b1a) to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment

1b1b) to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance

Part of Speech: verb

Relation: from a primary sos (contraction for obsolete saoz, "safe" )

Citing in TDNT: 7:965, 1132

Usage:

This word is used 110 times:

unsafe says ----
A Minister who fully understands and believes in Grace could preach on it for a whole year to their Church and not come close to the power and provisions it provides for us ------

unsafe says and posted scripture ------It could be to that many still preach the law because of misunderstanding this scripture -----

Matthew 5:17 (ESV)
Christ Came to Fulfill the Law
17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

unsafe says ------This again comes back to rightly dividing the word ---and not wrongly dividing it ----

The Law was given because the Israelites said they would keep whatever laws God gave them ------so they were given on their merit to keep them ---- God's Blessings to Abraham Isaac and Jacob were given by God's Promise -----The Laws were people driven who thought they were all that and could obey anything God ask of them -----

unsafe says and posted scripture ----The Laws were never given by God's promise -------and I believe why the laws were given is so misunderstood in the Church today -----and many do not want to rid themselves of this Ministry of Death ---as the Word calls it -----Why would Ministers today want to Preach a Ministry of Death to their Church is beyond me ------The only Law the Laws brought was Death and the Curse


2 Corinthians 3:7-10 (ESV)
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory B)'>that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in C)'>the ministry of condemnation, D)'>the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.

Is understanding script ... a passing fantasy ... or something ... just imagine what could go on beyond what appears ...

Here is a question -----Should Born Again Christ--ians approve of ----that is Encourage ----Assist or Cooperate with Church Leaders /Ministers /Preachers who are not sound in their Faith walk with Christ ----- that is -- they sugar coat the word to make it people friendly ----they preach a different Doctrine than what the Bible presents ------ They only preach half truths ----etc ----

Should People who actually Follow Christ just walk away and ignore or condone what the Leaders say to their church that goes against the word ------

unsafe says ------What say you

unsafe said:

Here is a question -----Should Born Again Christ--ians approve of ----that is Encourage ----Assist or Cooperate with Church Leaders /Ministers /Preachers who are not sound in their Faith walk with Christ ----- that is -- they sugar coat the word to make it people friendly ----they preach a different Doctrine than what the Bible presents ------ They only preach half truths ----etc ----

Should People who actually Follow Christ just walk away and ignore or condone what the Leaders say to their church that goes against the word ------

unsafe says ------What say you

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I think those born again Christ-ians, especially the hyphenated ones should get together with the true Stone - Cutters. These guys are the real deal!

blackbelt1961 said:

But I rarely hear the message of Grace, except for Good Friday, once a yr, and then back too the law 364 days of the remaining yrs.

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I've said it before and I will say it again.

Grace is scandalous and few in the church look up at a scandal.

Grace, properly understood, undermines every foundation rooted in our selves. It hears scripture say clearly, that all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God and in the end that is a bitter word in our mouths. We either chew on it forever or spit it out quickly.

If we chew on it then we have to acknowledge that we who read that scripture are one of the ones who has sinned and we are one of the ones who have fallen short of the glory of God and the only way to rectify that is by God acting graciously. We have to admit that we are weak and powerless and dependent upon God.

If that stings, and it likely does, then that is good for us to sit with.

If we spit it out then we have two basic paths open to us. One is to reject that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God the other is to ignore that the scripture was addressed to us. And so we distract ourselves with the wrath of God and in particular how it will never come near us but it is going to grab those we dislike and disagree with by the throat and shake them without mercy.

I'm reminded of a cliched poster I saw many years ago.

It read like this:

I considered the world and I prayed to God for justice, then I considered myself and prayed to God for mercy. Most are content never getting so far as to consider themselves and they invest an inordinate amount of time considering the world and delighting that God is going to find it wanting and shake it to pieces.

blackbelt1961 said:

Why is it that , that is how I feel it is becoming

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Part of that is, no doubt, the result of Churches sacrificing their Christian heritage in order to claim a political identity that is closer to power. The last tortured gasps of Christendom perhaps. Christian Phariseeism which places more emphasis on what people need to do correctly as if we can ever escape the fact that we have sinned and fallen short rather than how God is going to have to act graciously if salvation is going to come to any.

It is a corporate tendency towards unmerciful servanthood.

revjohn said:

I've said it before and I will say it again.

Grace is scandalous and few in the church look up at a scandal.

Grace, properly understood, undermines every foundation rooted in our selves. It hears scripture say clearly, that all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God and in the end that is a bitter word in our mouths. We either chew on it forever or spit it out quickly.

If we chew on it then we have to acknowledge that we who read that scripture are one of the ones who has sinned and we are one of the ones who have fallen short of the glory of God and the only way to rectify that is by God acting graciously. We have to admit that we are weak and powerless and dependent upon God.

If that stings, and it likely does, then that is good for us to sit with.

If we spit it out then we have two basic paths open to us. One is to reject that we have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God the other is to ignore that the scripture was addressed to us. And so we distract ourselves with the wrath of God and in particular how it will never come near us but it is going to grab those we dislike and disagree with by the throat and shake them without mercy.

I'm reminded of a cliched poster I saw many years ago.

It read like this:

I considered the world and I prayed to God for justice, then I considered myself and prayed to God for mercy. Most are content never getting so far as to consider themselves and they invest an inordinate amount of time considering the world and delighting that God is going to find it wanting and shake it to pieces.



Part of that is, no doubt, the result of Churches sacrificing their Christian heritage in order to claim a political identity that is closer to power. The last tortured gasps of Christendom perhaps. Christian Phariseeism which places more emphasis on what people need to do correctly as if we can ever escape the fact that we have sinned and fallen short rather than how God is going to have to act graciously if salvation is going to come to any.

It is a corporate tendency towards unmerciful servanthood.

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Thank you I can never get enough of hearing that message.

When I speak and look at spiritual truth it has a tendency to take me over to legalism so this message brings me back to place that reminds me I'm just like anyone else

Could this be ... we are all the same ... struggling to be different and claiming to conform?

How odd ... or queer if you wish!

blackbelt1961 said:

Thank you I can never get enough of hearing that message.

When I speak and look at spiritual truth it has a tendency to take me over to legalism so this message brings me back to place that reminds me I'm just like anyone else

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You are welcome.

It is something of a relief to know that so many lament the very same problem.

It is very cold comfort to realize just as many continue to be at a loss for explaining why it continues to be a problem.

God ultimately deals with God's own servants and that might be all the comfort we get in times of distress.

The distress of lost greatness ... in fear aori complex ... just can't put out thus put'n as ide ...

Some say there's nothing to it but the surroundings ... environmental tuit? In another expression somewhat twitty as they cannot take what is out there as spatial ...

Are spatial psyches kind've beyond us given what we know?

revjohn ----Your Quote worth repeating ------

Grace is scandalous and few in the church look up at a scandal.

Grace, properly understood, undermines every foundation rooted in our selves. It hears scripture say clearly, that all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God and in the end that is a bitter word in our mouths. We either chew on it forever or spit it out quickly.

unsafe says ----Amen to that -----


unsafe Posting Article -----read all

Outrageous Scandalous Grace - the only kind there is

Outrageous Scandalous Grace – the only kind there is

By Jeremy Myers
49 Comments

Grace is the key to everything.


unsafe says ------So what is the Motive for not Preaching it ------Fear of loss of congregation by offence --- ---Jesus didn't hold back ---He did what His Father told Him to do -----did he sacrifice His Fathers Message out of Fear of losing Followers ? ----I don't think so -----


unsafe posting two sentence from this article ------

The grace of God is so outlandish and foreign to every human way of thinking and living, I believe that it is absolutely impossible for any human being to place too much emphasis on grace.

unsafe said:

revjohn ----Your Quote worth repeating ------

Grace is scandalous and few in the church look up at a scandal.

Grace, properly understood, undermines every foundation rooted in our selves. It hears scripture say clearly, that all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God and in the end that is a bitter word in our mouths. We either chew on it forever or spit it out quickly.

unsafe says ----Amen to that -----


unsafe Posting Article -----read all

Outrageous Scandalous Grace - the only kind there is

Outrageous Scandalous Grace – the only kind there is

By Jeremy Myers
49 Comments

Grace is the key to everything.


unsafe says ------So what is the Motive for not Preaching it ------Fear of loss of congregation by offence --- ---Jesus didn't hold back ---He did what His Father told Him to do -----did he sacrifice His Fathers Message out of Fear of losing Followers ? ----I don't think so -----


unsafe posting two sentence from this article ------

The grace of God is so outlandish and foreign to every human way of thinking and living, I believe that it is absolutely impossible for any human being to place too much emphasis on grace.

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So outrageously beyond us as to leave us with the Gnostic solution that God didn't create reality but reality is a dream of a flawed creature ... a divine mind that is apart from love & word!

In Gnosticism we were created by flawed gods ... kind of a demo nishing statement creating understanding partisans ... subtle & means? Tis deep in a wide swath of words as myth, zero, logos ... mythologic? The imagination of mind ... domain beyond reality ...

I could go on ... but let us rest there a bit ... like essence in bongs! Real people can absorb too quickly ... tres vite ... thus trepanning ... boring and augering the head mon ... prescience is denied ... they don't wish to see con sequence ... future is an ogre?

Result! Fixation, eunuch institutionalization in the strain ...

revjohn said:

You are welcome.

It is something of a relief to know that so many lament the very same problem.

It is very cold comfort to realize just as many continue to be at a loss for explaining why it continues to be a problem.

God ultimately deals with God's own servants and that might be all the comfort we get in times of distress.

Click to expand...

worth repeating :

I considered the world and I prayed to God for justice, then I considered myself and prayed to God for mercy.