The lack of confidence

The most disturbing experience in doing church-work I find in the lack of spiritual confidence among pew sitting Christians. There is problem of confidence in assurance of salvation, in Christian walk and in telling others about their faith. If asking the question: “Where would you go if you died today?” most are hesitant to answer. Little do pew sitters realize that 1 John 5: 13 promise the believer in Jesus in Christ of perfect confidence in spending eternity with God in Heaven.

This lack of confidence stems from not understanding the simple Gospel message of Salvation in our churches. Too many pastors have been fooled by present secularism that the simple Gospel message is old fashion. Rather we are told to speak about social injustice, how to live goodly lives, to follow the Ten Commandments and living out that faith. Even though all these issues are essential for the Christian faith, they are rather results of the essential message which is that people are sinners,need to return to God and have sins forgiven. The Church has turned away from God’s simple Salvation message and must return to the basics of God's Salvation. Our responsibility is to help our audience to trust and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior. This is the message at issue. There can be no Christian growth unless we provide people with the first step of growth, which is to first become a confident child of God. What is the Gospel, anyhow? It is specifically pointed out in 1 Corinthian 15: 1-3. The very definition of the Good News is a very detailed: 

                

1. Jesus Christ died for our sins. 2. Jesus was buried for our sins. 3. and Jesus came back from death to show us that He is God who forgives sin                                           

People in our pews don’t need to just hear inspiring sermons. They don’t need to hear first about being saved from behavioral problems! We have counselors for that. Neither do we need to tell people how to live successfully and healthy lives. Bookstores are filled with literature for that. Our deep-seated dilemma is a sin-problem and people must be approached with God’s Grace, realizing that their sin needs to be rooted out from hearts and be able to experience the cleaning of sin by God’s Spirit. This is the only solution to to our listeners’ needs. If the pulpits do not present listeners with that message how will people ever know? From the very first book of the Bible man and woman were created in God’s image. However, they turned away from God and that is the dilemma! This dilemma still lives on in our spiritual genes. The Good News (the Gospel) is that God, once and for all, through Christ died, was buried and resurrected to pay for sins, so that people would be free to have a personal relationship with God. This, more than anything else will give our pew-sitter confidence. Confidence of a personal relationship with God and confidence to live out an authentic faith. A person must first understand the basic step of salvation and respond by faith. And after a person becomes a believer, by a simple faith in Jesus Christ he or she can start to confront the responsibilities how to live as a Christian believer.

Again, the power of God to salvation is found in the Gospel and we churches must be committed to that promise (Romans 1:16, 17.) Pastors, priest, preachers, or any one of us will never have any power in our witness unless we use that power of God given to us.

Please., remember to check out my website www.simplefaith.us