K055. What will Jesus say? Are you the sheep or the goats?

Many will say, "Of course, we are the sheep. It would be silly to tell ourselves and others from our pulpits that we are the goats. Hence, we must preach only the positive side of the gospel. Otherwise, we are cursing and condemning the people .. we don't have to worry about any separation of the sheep and the goats in our churches. Jesus' warning of it in Mat 25 is not applicable to us .."
I will tell them, Your conclusion to preach only the positive side or exclusive side of the gospel is like saying to us, "We are the righteous ones. It would be silly to tell ourselves and others that we are the sinners. Hence, we must preach only heaven; not hell. Otherwise, we are cursing and condemning the people .."

This is the same problem with the Pharisees. They thought that everyone was righteous in the temple or in their exclusive 'club house' which had exclusive favours or privileges. They won't see any sinner in their midst. They considered everyone among themselves as righteous and acceptable in the sight of God even though they knew that they still sinned and did wicked things in secret. They would only say the positive things among themselves because they thought that they were the most favored people because of the blood covenant of God through animal sacrifice. They 'sinned willfully' thinking that the blood would always make them righteous. But how much sorer the punishment would be if the believers would also think or act like them?
Heb 10:26-30 KJV  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  (27)  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  (28)  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:  (29)  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  (30)  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

Today we are still seeing the same problem in our churches. Many radical grace preachers think that the preaching of the gospel to show the need to repent from sins is negative. They think like the Pharisees and argue that they are the sheep (the righteous one), and not the sinners, and therefore, the preaching of repentance or the warning of sins is no longer needed in their churches. When they think like the Pharisees, it is like saying, "I 'scratch your back' and you 'scratch' mine, and we are all a happy group of people who can never be condemned by our sins .. We are the 'sheep' and we always do good without even knowing it ! There is no goat or sinner in our midst .. Please don't let anyone from outside teach us with their laws, principles, commandments, or repentance. They are not teaching or preaching the true gospel of grace; they are preaching condemnation and the dead works of repentance  .."
I will tell them, Do you know that God wants you to be holy; not happy? He instructed you to pursuit holiness; not happiness?  (If I have time, I will talk about this again next time. See http://www.christianpost.com/news/god-wants-you-to-be-happy-god-never-said-that-sermon-series-highlights-deceiving-yet-popular-words-of-wisdom-134081/)

I will tell them, Yes, you can preach your own 'gospel' like the Pharisee's in closed doors when there is no sinner in your church. But, if you want to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, you must go out and preach to the sinners in the streets who need to hear the repentance message, not the 'sheep' message.
Act 26:19-21 KJV  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:  (20)  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.  (21)  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
I will tell them, If you do not preach like Paul and still find that many people 'persecuting' you, you are not persecuted by the Pharisees or the sinners of the world; you are judged or reproved by God's people and those who know Paul's doctrine. Just repent and be humble.

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