8 Reasons

I think that the number one reason that Christians do not share the "Gospel" (Good News) is because deep down inside they recognize that the traditional presentation of the "Gospel" (Turn or Burn) is not really "Good News" at all for most of humanity. Traditional "Gospel" - "God loves you, but if you don't turn to Him in obedient faith you're going to burn in Hell forever." That's simply not Good News and no one likes to be the bearer of Bad News.

The traditional "Gospel" is also very exclusionary and filled with rejection. And if one considers that most of Christendom believes that there will on be a few saved, and that most of humanity will be forever lost, it seems then that there is far more faith in the certainty of damnation for others, than there is in salvation for others. I mean, why share the "gospel" if you are sure that most people are going to reject the message and you.

Maybe we need to rethink our understanding of the "Gospel" and find a really "Good News" message?
 
Sherman said:
I think that the number one reason that Christians do not share the "Gospel" (Good News) is because deep down inside they recognize that the traditional presentation of the "Gospel" (Turn or Burn) is not really "Good News" at all for most of humanity. Traditional "Gospel" - "God loves you, but if you don't turn to Him in obedient faith you're going to burn in Hell forever." That's simply not Good News and no one likes to be the bearer of Bad News.

The traditional "Gospel" is also very exclusionary and filled with rejection. And if one considers that most of Christendom believes that there will on be a few saved, and that most of humanity will be forever lost, it seems then that there is far more faith in the certainty of damnation for others, than there is in salvation for others. I mean, why share the "gospel" if you are sure that most people are going to reject the message and you.

Maybe we need to rethink our understanding of the "Gospel" and find a really "Good News" message?
Click to expand...

That is doubt whispering in your ear. Quit doubting. We want to share the gospel. It's built into our hearts. We ourselves don't want anyone to go there and we will do all we can to get people out of there. They need help. Don't let doubt take control of you. The devil doesn't want you spreading the message because he knows that you will plant that seed. Even one lost soul being found makes your entire life feel like it has purpose.It makes you feel so good inside. If you bring one lost soul to be saved and ninety-nine reject you, that is one soul that was saved that will not go to hell. It doesn't matter if you are able to save one or save one thousand. You still saved somebody from that place of eternal regret. Don't doubt and preach the word! Somebody will hear it. If you can save even one person, that gives your whole life meaning and purpose.

And it is good news. The good news is that you don't have to go to hell. God made a way so you don't have to go there. Think about it... If you come to the realization of your many sins and how lost you really are, but finding out that you don't have to go there because of what Jesus did and that you can be loved and that you don't have to sink further into sin. Someone died for you... If that's not good news then I don't know what is.
 
Hi Phil, I am actually very bold about sharing and often share my faith in and love for Jesus, my faith in his DBR for my salvation and the salvation of others. I believe that the atonement truly is Good News for all humanity, not just a few of us. We are truly saved by grace, the undeserved favor of God. And God really does have a good plan for us all and loves us all. And I believe the Jesus does not fail to save anyone He loves. Love never fails. Jesus really is the savior of all humanity, especially we who believe.

My previous post was simply meant to highlight that the traditional "gospel" of "turn or burn" is not really good news. And it usually comes across as prideful and exclusionary like "if you don't believe what I do then God's going to burn you in Hell forever." To the unbeliever this is how the traditional gospel sounds. It comes across as prideful, judgmental, and exclusionary. "You're going to hell if you don't...." is bad news, not good news no matter how one spins it.
 
Sherman said:
Hi Phil, I am actually very bold about sharing and often share my faith in and love for Jesus, my faith in his DBR for my salvation and the salvation of others. I believe that the atonement truly is Good News for all humanity, not just a few of us. We are truly saved by grace, the undeserved favor of God. And God really does have a good plan for us all and loves us all. And I believe the Jesus does not fail to save anyone He loves. Love never fails. Jesus really is the savior of all humanity, especially we who believe.

My previous post was simply meant to highlight that the traditional "gospel" of "turn or burn" is not really good news. And it usually comes across as prideful and exclusionary like "if you don't believe what I do then God's going to burn you in Hell forever." To the unbeliever this is how the traditional gospel sounds. It comes across as prideful, judgmental, and exclusionary. "You're going to hell if you don't...." is bad news, not good news no matter how one spins it.
Click to expand...

Its not good to worry about how others tell the gospel. God will give them the words they need.
 
Oh, I'm not "worried about how others tell the gospel", I'm simply pointing out that the traditional "gospel" is not really "good news" for people who do not already trust in Christ, those who are not already Christians.
 
Phil said:
That is doubt whispering in your ear. Quit doubting. We want to share the gospel. It's built into our hearts. We ourselves don't want anyone to go there and we will do all we can to get people out of there. They need help. Don't let doubt take control of you. The devil doesn't want you spreading the message because he knows that you will plant that seed. Even one lost soul being found makes your entire life feel like it has purpose.It makes you feel so good inside. If you bring one lost soul to be saved and ninety-nine reject you, that is one soul that was saved that will not go to hell. It doesn't matter if you are able to save one or save one thousand. You still saved somebody from that place of eternal regret. Don't doubt and preach the word! Somebody will hear it. If you can save even one person, that gives your whole life meaning and purpose.

And it is good news. The good news is that you don't have to go to hell. God made a way so you don't have to go there. Think about it... If you come to the realization of your many sins and how lost you really are, but finding out that you don't have to go there because of what Jesus did and that you can be loved and that you don't have to sink further into sin. Someone died for you... If that's not good news then I don't know what is.
Click to expand...

Preach it Phil!
I think I'll give you a 'like' for this one :D
 
The Bible pretty much tells us straight out in Jesus' own words that relatively few will be saved, but this does not make the Gospel less good news. The good news is that God has made a way by which any can be saved. It is exclusive in that Jesus is the only way to get to God, but that is the only way necessary. ANY person who puts their trust in Jesus can rest in the assurance that they belong to God. They can experience the relief of ceasing their striving to redeem their own lives, simply stretching out their wings and rising on the thermals of Jesus' redemption. The good news is that, in addition to personal redemption, God will set everything in order. All injustices and wrongs and pain and suffering will be set right. We can look forward to an eternity, not merely of not going to Hell, but of beholding God's Glory forever. He is, after all, everything we seek: Peace, Love, Joy, Beauty, Wholeness, Truth, Stability, Security, and the list goes on.

Not having done a specific study on it, but it seems most of the preaching on Hell in the Bible was directed at the self-righteous and the rebellious - people who already thought themselves entitled to Heaven.
 
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