Are We To Make Those Who Are In Sin Comfortable with Their Condition?

Some Church Signs actually Say Something Worth the Read!

Some quotes are worth sharing. A friend brought this excellent quote to my attention recently. It is from an article by Steve Lumbley of ApostasyWatch.com, to read the full article on Jack Hayford: http://www.apostasywatch.com/wolves3/page5.html.

Make Them Comfortable

God forbid we should ever make a sinner uncomfortable in our presence. The early church leaders sure could have learned a thing or two from this guy. Stephen speaking before the Jewish Council in Jerusalem explained God's plan of salvation starting with Abraham. His sermon culminated with these words:

"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.."

Acts 7:51-52

This made them so uncomfortable these unbelievers responded like this:

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth………….Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him…… Acts 7: 54-57-58

In Acts chapter five we find an even more telling passage:

And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. And by the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all in one accord in Solomons porch). And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

Acts 5: 11-13

Does that sound like the apostles made unbelievers comfortable?
No they were so uncomfortable they were afraid to join them.
Are there any churches or preachers today that display so much power unbelievers are afraid to enter in with them?” End quote

The fact that Jesus preached against sin, is what so aggravated the religious that they ordered for him to be killed. They weren't interested in dealing with their sin, they were looking for deliverance from the opression of their government. They wanted a KING!

John 15:20-25
20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

Today in this hour it seems that many preachers do not preach against sin, lest they offend those who supply their mammon. They want to be liked, and remain popular with their followers; they want to keep their congregations their audience. Preach a soft gospel and you will have many admirers. Speak the truth about sin to people, and even your friends will flee from you.

Many preach elements of the truth but how many preach, “ Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:7-10 this saints, was a message to the saved not the unsaved.

Many times it has been revealed that the reason a preacher will not preach against sin, is that there is sin in their own lives that they do not want to deal with. Jim & Tammy Bakker were soft preachers because their lives were full of sin. At least they new enough, that unless they were willing to get the beam out of their own eye first, they certainly could not see clearly to remove the speck out of their brothers eye. So therefore they left sin alone, and concentrated on the blessings of the Gospel.

Anyone, saints of God, who doesn’t love you enough to speak the truth of the Word of God to you, doesn’t love you at all. Anyone who will not warn of the wages of sin is a wolf, not a shepherd.
Saints, Jesus did not say we would be loved for sharing the truth, He said we would be hated.