Hellfire and Brimstone Preacher
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” (NKJV)
A key reason many people have either left the Church or live a defeated lifestyle is because we are preaching/teaching a Gospel of law not grace.Paul (Scripture above) teaches us that it’s the law that exposes our sin. But we are no longer under law, we’re under grace, Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. (NKJV)
Under the O.C. (Old Covenant), the law (based on God’s righteousness) had blessing and curses attached to it. Blessings if it was obeyed, curses if it was disobeyed (Ex 20:1-6). Under the N.C. (New Covenant), Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf (1 Jn 2:1) and because we are now In Christ, we too are righteous. Therefore we have died to sin that we might live in righteousness. (Rom 6:17,18)
Preaching O.C. law means that wherever people fail, they will be judged, condemned and made to feel guilty until they confess their sin to God and receive His forgiveness. This makes people ‘sin conscious’ forcing them to always search their hearts, making them feel even more judged, condemned and guilty (Heb 10:1-4).
This kind of preaching traps people in their sin, always reminding them of their wrongdoing, without showing them a way of escape (Rom 7:24).
Whereas N.C. preaching, points to the work of Christ on the cross where He fulfilled the law and was accepted as righteous by God the Father; because we are now ‘In Christ’, we have been forgiven of our sin, delivered from law and share His righteousness.
Instead of pinpointing people’s sin, we now point them to the cross to show them where Christ has set them free from sin: past, present and future. Therefore, we’re not here to preach what’s wrong with people – we’re here to preach what’s right with them.
People now become ‘righteous conscious’. They know that when they sin, by looking to the cross, they see their sin judged in Jesus Christ; they no longer have to confess and ask forgiveness of their sin, they simply receive forgiveness with thankfulness.
People will be attracted to a Church where the preaching/teaching of grace, sets them free!
Meditation Point: Do I have a revelation of grace that sets me free. Or do I have a ‘law’ mentality that keeps me trapped in sin and defeat.
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