The Church has the same doctine on hell it has for the last 2,000 years,. Nothing has changed. its very difficult to hold discussion with a person that rejects the clear teachings of the church and who’s only explanation is “I know better”.
Then tell me, when did you ever hear the word “hell” in a sermon?
Did you know that Matthew 7:13-14 is not part of the liturgical year?
Matthew 6:24-35 is the reading for the 8th Sunday in year A
Matthew 7:21-27 is the reading for the 9th Sunday in year A
(that was last year… this year is year B and both Sundays are in the time after Easter anyways… 7th Sunday of Easter and Pentecost)
Strange, huh?
Many Protestant churches have a free choice what to pick out of Scripture and still hell is not mentioned. I listened to some really good and powerful preachers in a military chapel in Germany and even in one of their greatest sermons the word “hell” was not mentioned (even though one came close to thinking about it listening to the sermon).
Preachers do not want to preach about it anymore… some for fear they might scare parishoners away or draw their dislike upon themselves, some maybe because they don’t want to be known as hellfire preachers and others maybe even because they think that all of their listeners are saved, so why bother? Where are the ones that were not scared of telling people the truth even though it might be uncomfortable? The true Gospel is scandalous! It was for the longest time and it still is… The worst thing that can happen to a preacher is that they are getting civilized. Preachers need to be dangerous about truth! They need to proclaim it, not caring about the reaction of the people. Why is it that the greatest preachers of all times would not be welcome in most modern churches if they were showing up? Most of today’s sermons amount to little more than “Positive Mental Attitude,” feel-good drivel: “How to think better about yourself,” “How to squander more money on yourself,” “How to ‘find yourself,’” “How to pamper yourself,” ad nauseum, ad infinitum.
For example, can you imagine how the average church in America today would react to the decisions of Daniel and the three Hebrew children? All four of them were unashamed and unhesitant to practice civil disobedience. All four of them were charged with capital crimes by their government and sentenced to death. In Daniel’s case, all he had to do was not pray out loud to God for thirty days. Thirty days! I can just hear today’s Christian pragmatists screaming, “It’s only for thirty days. You can still pray in your heart. We must obey the government.” Can you imagine Daniel being asked to preach a message on “How And When To Defy Your Government” to the vast majority of churches in America today? Forget it!
It wasn’t much better for the Apostles and disciples in the New Testament. John the Baptist was beheaded for “meddling in politics.” The Apostles were beaten, stoned, and jailed. The Apostle Paul was especially hated. He was hated by Jews; he was hated by Romans; he was hated by businessmen; he was hated by politicians; he was even hated by fellow ministers.
Can you imagine the Apostle Paul preaching a message on “Conquering Low Self-Esteem”? Get real! Give Paul an opportunity today to preach to a church of one thousand members one Sunday morning, and by Sunday night (if they even had a Sunday night service), there might be fifty people back to hear him.
No wonder our people today have become self-centered, sensitive, and shallow. They seldom, if ever, hear honest, straight-forward, fearless preaching.
Carlan
