The un-Holy means some use to win souls must stop
Why should we have to use "VIEWER DISCRETION" to see some of the videos of preaching from the Internet?
Didn’t they believe it was "ok" with Jesus to subject themselves to such things? Jesus didn’t say "no" to them specifically to be there, right? So it’s ok for us to see it then, yes? So why shouldn’t we be able to watch the video without regard to the results? Just where in scripture can you give solid justification for not subjecting yourself to the lust of the flesh if you have "good" reasons?
That sounds pretty dumb doesn’t it? It sounds that way because it is. Scripture is clear, we don’t do such things. We don’t go into bars; we don’t go into porn shops; we don’t go to the beaches; we don’t go to biker conventions (I had to see that one myself) in order to reach the lost. God does not call anyone to place themselves in situations where they will have to work at not being tempted in order to preach the Gospel. If someone sends you a video that requires "Viewer Discretion" to watch, like because there are naked men and women in the video, then send this article to them and their Pastor.
A lot of us preachers seem to think subjecting ourselves to lust of the eyes is ok as long as what we are doing is "for" The Lord. But when you ask to prove how we aren’t sinning we can get pretty torque’d. That indication of guilt likely means I think:
1. You made me look bad.
2. You have no authority to tell me to stop sinning
3. You said something that was true and my conscience just screamed very loudly.
You would be pretty upset, and wouldn’t think too much of your wife’s witness, if she went to a Chippendale’s concert to "reach" women who might never hear the Gospel otherwise. You would ask her how she thinks she can not sin. You’d ask why she thinks she is better able to resist lust than anyone else. You would think she considered herself better than "those people" she is speaking to, wouldn’t you? "After, all, I can resist if God told me to go!" Hogwash!
What you would do is have a long talk with her; a very long and serious talk.
Consider this your talk if this is you.
You and I can agree that we shouldn’t be seen in places like a pornography convention. But the XXX Church finds ways to justify it, don’t they? Are they doing something wrong? Are they missing something? Does the sky really look blue?
The question is simple and we must all see it:
How can anyone prove disowning Jesus in front of others is ok to do?
Isn’t disregarding the warnings of God about being in places that would tempt you, places that would bring a shame to Jesus to be seen in, a turning of our backs on Jesus to go to? Does Jesus have to specifically tell us not to subject ourselves to temptation? Or has He not said so quite clearly, over and over again in the Bible?
Maybe you might think that I’m going too far. Maybe you think scantily clad women on a beach "real men" can handle? Maybe you think being seen in a bar is ok? But aren’t we supposed to not be seen at such places? Are we not giving Christ Jesus, Our LORD, a bad name even being seen where sin is flaunted? Nevermind the temptation you are being subjected to! Should one rescued from alcoholism be seen in a bar? Should a former homosexual be seen at "Gay" parades?
Why would anyone think they can resist evil? Aren’t we supposed to RUN from evil? Isn’t that what the Bible says?
The answer of the Bible is a clear "Yes! DO NOT GO THERE!" I don’t have to show you the number of Scriptures that say so implicitly or explicitly. We should all go to our Pastors and watch their incredulity at such a silly question.
We are all saved from pits. All were pits of some form of lust. But all sin is of idolatry, some manner of manifested lust. Are we now going to say God tells us to jump back into the pits to preach there? Can we really say to our Holy God it’s ok to preach to naked men and women? Can we really justify such actions and still believe we are "ok" with Jesus?
Don’t let your good be evil spoken of, is what comes to mind. And I haven’t read anywhere in scripture where Jesus went into the brothels, or any other similar dens of iniquity, to seek the lost. No, Jesus met people at the market square, in the street. There is where we must go also.
Let’s not be so foolish as to think we can resist the temptations we willingly subject ourselves to.
Brother, you can have a great ministry. Please don’t let it fail by being naïve enough to think you are some kind of super-Christian, able to resist all the sins of the flesh, so you can reach the lost "where they’re at."
Patrick James Burwell
President/Founder
OnlyJesusSaves.com
