Fire and Brimstone

I side with Spurgeon on Fire and Brimstone's use. I see problems with physicians who do more harm than good. The best physician's make the least amount of cuts. Yet, their cuts are in the right places. They do not go into an operation to excercise their skill with the scapel by slicing the victim in two. This makes me think of the problem with most open air preaching. It also makes me think of the attitude in which it is done.

Colossians 4:2-6 "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. 5Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."

It appears that one aught to evangelize with an attitude of thanksgiving and prayer toward God. That he might open a door and that the one might speak forth the mystery of Christ. Wisdom and discernment are needed to make the most of every opportunity. In all of this one's message should be seasoned with grace, so that we know how to respond to each person.

Having paraphrased what Paul has said. It is clearer that yelling out fire and brimestone without much grace, impersonally, is not the primary means that God has instituted in conveying His word. He will not likely bless means outside of what he has put in the Bible. Such open air preaching is easily done without thanksgiving, prayer, wisdom, grace, and leaves little room for responding to others. You are no longer their friend but their enemy for the sake of the cross. You cannot hate anyone over to Christ. I pray for Sal on campus occationally, for he is such a man that would rather love people over to Christ.

One can preach the gospel with much smoke and little warmth. You have a fire alright. It is quite ablaze. Yet, every passerbye will only find it obnoxious to their eyes. Let one rather provide a fire that gives off Light and warmth for those who can't see and are in need of being clothed in Christ. Now some believe that scaring people is the way that one teaches the fear of the Lord to others. They may quote 2 Corinthians 5 but this does not help.

2 Corinth 5:11 "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience." ESV
The context is judgment before God. Some take it to be in response to his terror and wrath from judgment. But the context does not support only that assumption. It is a frightening thing to fall in the hands of an angry God. Yet, this is not the fear that Christians like Paul know about God. They know of the awe and holiness God. There is a reverence, awe, and respect (and usually distance) that God is due by his very nature. In this context, the fear of the Lord, is not scaring people. It is making him out to be as great as he is. In comparison, men are just like ants who God has called to account. This is just as scary as fire and brimstone could ever be. It is called the fear of God for a reason. Yet, it is not the same as the terror of the lord. This type of fear is seen in Psalms.

Psalms 130:3-4 "If You lord should mark iniquities, O Lord, Who would stand? But There is forgiveness with you, That you may be feared." NASB.

He is feared because he is great enough to forgive without injury to His great justice. He is a great God. He deserves His reverence, awe, and respect. At times he even deserves, His distance. Yet, he is never very far from each of us. No one is outside his power. No one is outside his Law. Yet, his arm is not to short that it cannot save. Let us drawn near to this God by the blood of Christ. Let us persuade others, knowing this fear of God. You will face opposition but this is not the purpose of evangelism. Let us tell others of the Good News. Let us not just dwell on the depravity of man.