First the Bad Then the Good!

First, we need the bad news, then we need good news. Both are necessary for a solution to be reached.

The bad news informs us of the problem, the good news gives us the solution to the problem.

When someone preaches only the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ to the lost it sounds foolish to them because they don't think they are sinners. They like their life just fine even thinking they are a good person.

We must show people they are bad before we can tell them how they can be made good through Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:23-24 "…22 And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

If they don't know they are bad they will see no need for change by Christ. It will sound useless and silly to them.

Perhaps those who only like to share the good are fearful of being rejected themselves. Therefore their gospel is self-centered with the hope of making a friend when all it does is make them a friend as the sinner remains an enemy of God.

If anyone is more interested in making people like them than they are in the eternal soul of the person to whom they preach, then they have no business preaching at all. These are the ways that produce false happy converts who join with churches only to bring chaos, rebellion, and division.

The sinner needs both the bad news first, that they are sinners on their way to hell and then we can share the good news that Christ paid their debt for that sin on the cross and all they have to do is admit their sinfulness and trust in Him. Then He will change them into a new creation.

Acts 17:30
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,"

Acts 2:38
"And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Matthew 3:8
"Bear fruit in keeping with repentance."

Once Christ has changed us into a new creation we begin to bear His fruit in our lives. We love His commandments and become conviction for others because the Law Giver (Christ) lives in us.

2 Corinthians 5:16-18 "…16 So from now on we regard no one according to the flesh. Although we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…"

What is the fruit of the Spirit of God that is now in us?

Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law."

The fruit is character qualities that lead us to obey His principles and worship Him.

Do not think for one minute that you can develop these qualities in your own effort, you cannot. These are gifts from the Holy Spirit Who lives in those who have been changed into a new creation by Him.

Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Sadly there are far too many people who try to be Christian in their own effort, or they try to pretend they are without any desire to obey Christ. They love their sin but go to church, these are the pretenders who want to be included but were never changed by Christ. Do not be one of these people, they are going to hell.

Matthew 7:21-23
I Never Knew You
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"