True Love
Last week a student handed me a note telling me that my method of witnessing is ineffective and actually does harm to the mission of Christians at MSU. She said Jesus declared that love is the greatest commandment and that we are called to love all, especially sinners. So is loving people in their sins really true love? Is it true love to validate people in their sinful lifestyles? Is it really loving people to tell them peace, peace when they have no peace?
In the Old Testament, false prophets were telling the Israelites peace, peace when prophets sent by God were warning the people of the judgment to come. For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:13-14).
Saying Peace, Peace When There Is No Peace
Telling people that God is all love, honing in on only one of God’s innumerable attributes is wrong. Telling people peace, peace, when they have no peace is not only the opposite of true love, it is downright deceitful. The only way to have peace with God is through Jesus Christ alone and we must come to Him His way, through repentance and faith. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).
Soothing people by any other methods is not only blatantly unloving, it is biblically wrong. Telling people is a watered-down gospel is wrong. Promising health, wealth and prosperity is unloving and wrong. Sharing the Gospel by quoting Scripture is true love. It is truly loving others as we love ourselves.
Not only did this student accuse me of being unloving, she also called me judgmental. She said that I condemned young women for wearing shorts. I don’t know who she heard actually speaking here or what she thought she heard, but she never heard me condemning women for wearing shorts. I’ve never done so and wouldn’t. It’s not a sin to wear shorts. So I can only assume the young woman that handed me the note is confusing me with another open-air preacher.
Judging Hypocrite?
But I also think it’s interesting that this well intended, but misguided student accused me of being judgmental, yet she was judging me. Doesn’t that make her a hypocrite? I think it does. How can you judge someone when you are doing the same thing?
Furthermore, since when is pointing out sin being judgmental? I don’t call students “drunkards” or “whores” like a lot of the street preachers do. No, instead I quote the Bible. If you feel judged by the Bible verses that I quote when I come over here, then it’s not me making you feel judged; God is making you feel judged by the truth of His word.
If this wasn’t enough, this same well intended, but misguided student said that Jesus never told people they are going to Hell. This really gets me when people claim Jesus didn’t talk about Hell. He actually talked about Hell more than anyone else in the Bible. In fact, most of the time when I’m quoting Scripture about Hell and judgment to come, I’m actually quoting Jesus.
Jesus Talking About Hell
Here are some examples of Jesus talking about Hell. You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). So when I ask you if you look at pornography or ask if you are having sexual relations outside of biblical marriage, it’s because Jesus preached against adultery and lusting.
And if your hand offends you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:43-44). Ouch. Does that sound harsh to you? Again, this is Jesus speaking. He said if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off instead of dying in your sins and going to Hell. It sounds to me like Jesus takes sin very seriously and He warned people about Hell.
If Your Foot Offends You
Jesus didn’t stop there. He also said: And if your foot offends you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9: 45-46).
He continued: And if your eye offends you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:47-48). Here are three verses in a row where Jesus talked about the reality of Hell and please notice that he kept pointing out that their worm dies not.
In other words, He was warning that Hell is eternal. Once you go there, you can’t escape. Jesus warned about Hell because of true love. It is truly loving to warn others of danger. What could be more loving than warning of eternal damnation? It’s not out of anger or hatred that I warn you to flee from the wrath to come. No, its out of love. True love.
The Wheat And The Weeds
Listen to a parable Jesus taught about unbelievers and the meaning of the parable in Matthew 13:24-30 and Matthew 13:36-43 – Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the weeds also.
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from where does it have weeds? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Is it your will then that we go and gather them up?
But he said, No; lest while you gather up the weeds, you root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Explanation Of The Parable
Now the explanation of the parable: Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the weeds of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that sowed the good seed is the Son of man;
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the weeds are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Unrepentant Sinners Will Be Cast Into Hell
Jesus very much talks about Hell in these verses and He clearly says that His angels will gather ALL that offend, and those who commit iniquity. Iniquity is sin. Jesus is saying that unrepentant sinners will be cast into Hell where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth. Do you hear this? Jesus Christ the Lord didn’t say invite me into your heart because I have a wonderful plan for your life. No, He said unrepentant sinners will suffer eternal damnation where there is real pain and suffering – weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Is it really loving to not warn you to flee from the wrath to come? Or is the most loving thing to do is to tell you exactly what Jesus said? I’m not telling you my opinion. I derive no pleasure in telling you that unbelievers face eternal torment if they die in their sins. But Jesus said these things and I believe Him. He cannot lie. So true love, real love, is telling you what Jesus said.
I come here to MSU to plead with you to repent from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus. You see, I don’t want you to die in your sins and go to Hell. I want to see you in Heaven. This is Good News that I’m bringing you today. You need to hear the truth, the reality of your current predicament if Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior. But you don’t have to continue blindly racing down the broad road to destruction.
Desperately Wicked Hearts
You can be saved. You can be saved today, if you repent and put your faith in Jesus. Jeremiah 17:9 says that all of our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. It starts with God convicting you through the power of the Holy Spirit over your wickedness and revealing God’s righteousness to you. When you have a proper understanding about your sinfulness and God’s Holiness and Jesus Christ being the only Savior, then you can cry out “what must I do to be saved?”
We have all sinned against God. None of us are righteous. Recognize that you are a sinner. That you’ve lied, stolen, lusted, coveted, dishonored your parents, followed false gods. The Bible says if you break one commandment that you’ve broken them all (James 2:10). The problem is students that I don’t run into many professing sinners on campus.
Are You A Good Person?
Most people think they are good. This makes sense because you do what you do because you think it’s right. But we are not good, no not one of us. We’ve all rebelled against God. We’ve all said no to God and yes to our own way. The problem is our own way is the broad road to destruction. Your own way leads to Hell.
Don’t die in your sins and go to Hell. Repent and believe the Gospel. Jesus, the sinless Son of God suffered, bled and died for guilty sinners like you and me. He rose again from the dead three days later. God offers eternal life to each and every person that repents from their sins and puts their trust in Jesus.
Oh do this today. Confess to God that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to have mercy on you. Repent and trust Jesus Christ the Lord. Surrender your life fully and completely to Him. Jesus said if you are going to be one of His disciples, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him.
Die To Self
You must die to your selfish thoughts, desires and ways. Submit your life to Jesus. He carried His cross to the place of the skull (Golgotha) where He took on the sins of the world. He suffered, bled and died for the sins of others. Talk about true love! This is true love. Jesus died for sins that He did not commit. Jesus never sinned, not one time. Yet He was bruised for our transgressions. By His stripes we are healed. If you repent and put your faith in Him.
Trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Repent from your sins and surrender your life utterly and completely to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Don’t put it off. Today is the day of salvation. Repent and believe the Gospel.
Call upon the precious name of Jesus and be saved. Then you will know true love like you’ve never known before. Telling you peace, peace when you have no peace with God is not true love. True love is warning you to flee from God’s wrath and point you to the only Savior – Jesus Christ the Lord. Come to Jesus today and be saved.
(This message was proclaimed at Missouri State University on April 25, 2018)