According to       Evangelical               Leaders . . . Jesus Would Be A Lousy Evangelical

Did you know that, according to today's evangelical leaders, if Jesus Christ were on earth today He'd be a lousy evangelical? In a November 15, 1993, issue of Time magazine (p. 74), Billy Graham, a prominent evangelical, stated: "The only thing I could say for sure is that hell means separation from God.   We are separated from his light, from his fellowship.   That is going to be hell.   WHEN IT COMES TO A LITERAL FIRE, I DON'T PREACH IT BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE ABOUT IT. When the Scripture uses fire concerning hell, that is POSSIBLY AN ILLUSTRATION of how terrible it's going to be - NOT FIRE but something worse, a thirst for God that cannot be quenched." Apparently, Mr. Graham would have considered Jesus to be too dogmatic.   Because when Jesus described Hell He meant a LITERAL FIRE!   He said: "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."   John 15:6 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:" Mat. 25:41. "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:" Mark 9:43. John Stott, while not as well known in the mainstream as Billy Graham, is described by Christianity Today magazine, (January 8, 1996, p. 25) as having an influence among evangelicals that is "of international proportions".   He was "The key framer of the historic Lausanne Convenant (1974), which serves almost as an evangelical apostles' creed in many Third World settings."   Some have even called him "An evangelical thought leader" and an "evangelical Solomon". Like Billy Graham, Mr. Stott would have to consider Jesus too dogmatic when it comes to the subject of Hell since in the same issue of Christianity Today (pg. 28), he stated:

"In Evangelical Essentials, I described as "tentative" my suggestion that "eternal punishment" may mean the ultimate annihilation of the wicked RATHER than their ETERNAL CONSCIOUS TORMENT.   I would prefer to call myself AGNOSTIC ON THIS ISSUE, as are a number of New Testament scholars I know.   In my view, THE BIBLICAL TEACHING IS NOT PLAIN ENOUGH TO WARRANT DOGMATISM." Webster's New Dictionary, defines an agnostic as: One who holds that we know nothing of things outside the material world.   This is a strange position for any professing Christian to take.   But then again, it's not surprising that Mr. Stott is an agnostic when, in his opinion, "THE BIBLICAL TEACHING IS NOT PLAIN ENOUGH TO WARRANT DOGMATISM."   And since evangelicals, as a whole, are not openly challenging his agnostic view, they must be agreeing with him to some extent. Therefore, according to them, Jesus Christ would be a lousy evangelical since He would insist that HIS biblical teaching IS plain enough to warrant dogmatism.   Christ clearly taught that Hell does exist and IS a place of "ETERNAL CONSCIOUS TORMENT" when He said: "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 [SIN]; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."   Matthew 13:41-42 "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.   And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."   Luke 16:23-24 "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."   Matthew 25:46 "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."   Matthew 8:12 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."   Mark 9:48 "For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment."   Luke 16:28

Friend, in all seriousness, let's stop right here and ask: Are YOU listening to the compromising statements of the evangelical movement instead of taking heed to what Jesus Christ said?   Maybe you've assumed all along that you were in the same move- ment that Christ would join if He were on earth today.   But apparently, based on the subject of Hell alone, Jesus would be too dogmatic to be considered an evangelical.   He might even be considered an embarrassment to the movement.   But Jesus said: "For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."   Luke 9:26 "...   And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?   He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."   John 8:46-47 Friend, does the possibility that you are not on Jesus' side seem far-fetched?   Does the implication that you can be an evangelical and still be lost sound absurd to you?   It shouldn't, because Jesus warned that: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.   Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied [PREACHED] in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?   And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."   Matthew 7:21-23 Please read the previous verse again and if you don't think that the group mentioned includes evangelicals, then you tell me: WHO IS JESUS REFERRING TO?   In the end, it's Jesus Christ whom you will stand before so take heed to His warning: "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."   John 12:48 Please consider everything you've just read and realize that the evangelical movement tends to compromise and "receiveth not" everything that Christ said.   Don't assume your eternity- bound soul is on the right path simply because you're an evangelical.   Jesus, in His day, confronted people who also thought they were on the right path.   And Jesus said to them: "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."   Luke 13:3 (Please take the time to read God's plan of salvation on the back [below].)

IF you were to die today, are you 100% SURE you would go to Heaven?   The Bible says YOU CAN BE SURE (1 John 5:13). BUT FIRST, you must realize that what keeps you from going to Heaven are your sins, because: "...your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God," Isa. 59:2. In fact, in God's eyes YOU ARE A SINNER: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" Rom. 3:23. And Jesus, referring to sinners, said that He: "shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity [sinners]; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."   Mat. 13:41-42 SECONDLY, you must realize that there is NOTHING you can do to save yourself and earn Heaven: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."   Eph. 2:8-9   Baptism, good deeds, church membership, self-righteousness are all examples of good works that cannot save you, because: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he [Christ] saved us," Titus 3:5. THE ONLY WAY you can get saved is through Jesus Christ.   He said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)   THAT'S WHY: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8-9)   THEREFORE: You must REPENT (change your mind); admit that you are a Hell deserving sinner and can't save yourself.   And call upon Christ, and Him alone, to save you. "if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [REPENT], and shalt believe in thine heart [TRUST] that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."   Rom. 10:9 SEND THE LIGHT P.O. Box 815   Fargo, ND 58107

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