Much of what is taught in "churches" in these modern times is effeminate. Most of modern Christianity is effeminate. Most of the teaching is geared towards the feelings and emotions of the passive sheep sitting in the pews, trying desperately to get a resolution out of them. Preachers are using the pulpit in an attempt to manipulate people's feelings so that they'll feel guilty, give a bigger offering, and make a resolution to try harder next week. They just bleed the sheep, week after week. It amazes me how people still have the motivation to keep coming back Sunday after Sunday. Granted there are some that seem to get enjoyment out of it. It is a form of self punishment that makes the hearer feel better and helps relieve some of the guilt.
In many meetings, there is only two or three passages out of scripture, and the rest is out of 1st and 2nd opinions. The goal for the preacher, is to get people to come down the aisle to the "alter", with their feelings all worked up, crying about their sorry condition and deciding to stop doing the bad and start doing the good. The more people that are crying, the more decisions, the more successful the sermon. It is sick. It's effeminate and the bible says that the effeminate shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus was not effeminate. John the Baptist was not effeminate. The men of God, in the bible were not effeminate. They were testosterone filled, manly men. No wonder most "churches" are filled mostly with women and children. The men are at home watching football, hunting or working on their pickup trucks.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is not effeminate! It is not geared to work on your emotions and feelings, like religion does. The word of God is not directed at the intellect. Modern preaching denies the power of God. Most modern preachers cannot agree with the apostle Paul that they are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation. They are ashamed of it and prove it because they don't trust that it works. They won't talk about Jesus. They won't talk about hell. They won't talk about the judgment to come. They won't talk about the blood of Jesus. They won't talk about the cross on which our Saviour died. Instead they resort to their own wisdom. The preaching of the cross, which is the wisdom of God, is spirit and it speaks to the spirit. The apostle Paul, says about the hidden mystery and wisdom of God...
1Cor 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Nowadays we do exactly the opposite. We speak the words which man's wisdom teaches, not what the Holy Ghost teaches: comparing carnal (earthy) things with carnal. (working on emotions) Notice that the natural man (unregenerate man) does not understand (or receive) the things of the Spirit of God, because they are foolishness to him.
So what do we get from this? When Paul preached the gospel to the Corinthians and the rest of the churches, is there any evidence that he tried to get them crying down the alter? Did he preach to their intellect? Did He work on their feelings? NO! He preached the true gospel to them and while he was preaching to them, they were convinced, they believed it through the supernatural work of God, and as a result, were born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit unto eternal life! Paul believed in the power of God that flows through the gospel. He trusted that if he preached this message (that was foolishness to the intellect of the natural man), that something would happen to the hearer when they believed it, and they would become new creatures. He trusted that the GOSPEL would do something supernatural to the people and they would stop living their lives of sin. He trusted that the WORD would cause men to live in righteousness and holiness. He had no faith in someones resolution to try harder. He trusted in the power of the word.
We need to get back to trusting that the word will affect the listener, not our wisdom. We need to stop manipulation people's emotions and start speaking to their spirit with the wisdom of God.
Jesus says...
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Do we believe that? If we don't, maybe we ought rather to do marriage and parenting seminars, rather then call ourselves gospel preachers. If we're gospel preachers, let's preach the gospel.
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