We’ve all experienced this scenario before: A professed Christian, on fire with holy zeal, walks up to you and says, “Excuse me, but do you know that you’re going to hell?”
The person usually means well enough, of course. Many Christians might even see this as an act of love. But most people interpret it as a scare-tactic meant to terrify the weak-minded into converting. And it has been my own experience that the very mention of hell and God’s judgment of sin is usually more than enough to put even the best conversationalist on the defensive.
That being said, I do believe that there is a right way of presenting the truth about hell and God's judgment, and that is to bookend God's righteous judgment of sin with His offer of salvation by grace through Jesus Christ. To offer any other means of salvation aside from God's undeserved grace is to preach a gospel other than the gospel of Jesus Christ. (I cover this in greater detail in the article entitled: The Call to Repent)
That being said, I do believe that there is a right way of presenting the truth about hell and God's judgment, and that is to bookend God's righteous judgment of sin with His offer of salvation by grace through Jesus Christ. To offer any other means of salvation aside from God's undeserved grace is to preach a gospel other than the gospel of Jesus Christ. (I cover this in greater detail in the article entitled: The Call to Repent)
Now I realize that you may have a different opinion about this than I do, but I personally believe that we who profess to follow Christ should avoid condemning the world of sin in the public arena on the grounds that it generally pushes people away from Jesus and paints Christians in a negative light. No one likes to be told that what they believe is wrong, that they’re a sinner, and that they’re going to hell. I don’t like it when people I’ve never met condemn me, and I’m sure you don’t either. Even though it is true that everyone has sinned and is guilty before God, the Bible tells us to win people over through our actions and life testimony, and to be respectful of others when answering their objections to the truth. (1 Peter 2:12, 3:15-16, 1 John 3:18-20)
Furthermore, the Bible teaches us that it is not our job to convict the world. That responsibility belongs to God and God alone.
“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate (The Holy Spirit) won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.”
~ John 16:5-11 New Living Translation (NLT)
When we force ourselves into someone’s personal space—whether that is going door-to-door or preaching at them from the street corner—we are, in essence, trying to do God’s job for Him. But it is not our place to play judge, jury, and executioner. God will judge the world. Not us. (Acts 17:20-31, Psalms 9, etc.) And when we go around pointing out the sins of strangers without first recognizing and repenting from the sins in our own lives, we make ourselves hypocrites before both God and men. (Matthew 7:1-5)
God will convict the world. Not us. He is already doing it. People are looking for answers and meaning in their lives. Most turn to religion; whether that is Buddhism, Atheism, Humanism, or any other religion from among the plethora of religions out there—people will always seek to fill the void they feel in their souls with something.
They are asking questions.
They want to know why they’re here, where they came from, and where they’re going.
Is there life after death?
Is there any meaning to our existence?
God is moving in their hearts, revealing Himself to them through all that He has made, and convicting them of their own sinful condition. (Romans 1:20, John 16:5-11)
It is not our job to condemn the world.
It is not our job to convict the world of sin.
Our job is to answer these questions when asked—to tell people the good news about Jesus and show them that there is life, liberty, and hope through him.
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My (Jesus) purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
~ John 10:10 New Living Translation (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
~ John 3:16-17 New Living Translation (NLT)
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