Fire and Brimstone?

From the Foursquare Movement’s website we read Founder Aimee Semple McPherson sermons…”were not “fire and brimstone” messages; instead, her sermons showed the face of a loving God with continually outstretched arms. She spoke of serving Jesus as the only life that offered true fulfillment. She preached a gospel of repentance…” http://www.foursquare.org/about/aimee_semple_mcpherson/p2

As I’ve said before, movements that abuse and distort the Word of God will always be found in confusion and contradiction, for how can someone “NOT” preach fire and brimstone yet say they preach “repentance?” What did McPherson teach the people to repent of, not returning their library books on time?

Movements like these who have a very minimal view of sin may say they preach repentance but because they are more interested in pleasing man rather than God, they do it in a non-offensive way leaving the consequences of sin which is “hell, fire, brimstone, and eternal damnation” overlooked. Unfortunately, it is this very idea to “not” preach the fire and brimstone message that has many living in willful and deliberate sin, and is continually producing superficial Christians who are deceived into thinking their salvation is based on what they feel emotionally, and not sound biblical truth. Although McPherson is correct saying the face of our Lord is loving with continually outstretched arms, she falls into much error leaving the rest of His message out which is the consequences of a sinful disobedient lifestyle.

However any bible student will know to leave-out the “Fire and Brimstone” message is far from what Christ taught. In fact, it was because He preached the “Fire and Brimstone” message that the Religious hypocrites despised Him. Just look at how Jesus laid it out regarding these superficial religious counterfeits in Matthew 23:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…you will receive greater condemnation” (v.14), “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one convert; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a SON OF HELL as yourselves.” (v.15), “Woe to you, blind guides…” (v.16), “You fools and blind men!” (v.17), “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” (v.23), “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” (v.24), “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.” (v.25), “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!…you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (v.27-28), “You serpents, you brood of vipers, HOW WILL YOU ESCAPE THE SENTENCE OF  HELL?!” (v.33)

** One thing we need to note that is very significant in relaying the Lord’s message…As you notice this episode and outburst of condemnation and rebuke WAS NOT towards repentant sinners who was in need of Jesus’ forgiveness and grace, but rather towards the proud, religious, and self-righteous leaders who deliberately and willfully rejected Jesus Christ and His word. His rebuke and anger was specifically directed to these religious people who not only lived hypocritical wicked lifestyles, but approved  the lifestyles of the wicked as well (Romans 1:32)

This is why it is imperative to preach “everything” God spoke of whether it is offensive or not. When we proclaim “Jesus is Love” that “God is good, all the time” yet ignore the fact He is also Jealous (Ex. 20:5), Angry (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18; John 2:13-22) and Wrathful (John 3:36, Rom. 1:18, Rom. 13:4, Col. 3:6); that He also strongly condemned, rebuked, and preached about Hell; that He has the ability to condemn one’s soul eternally into damnation (Matt.10:28); and that in His ultimate judgment He will utterly destroy the disobedient and sinful (Romans 2:5-11, 1 John 3:8, 2 Thess. 2:8, Rev. 2:16)…we are creating a “Jesus” that suits our own selfish desires and worshiping a false Jesus and a false god.

Again, when we say God is Love and Good all the time, we are contradicting His own Words which attributes Jealousy, Anger, Wrath, Condemnation, and Destruction to the character of God Himself.

The Lord is patient with us, not wanting anyone to experience His wrath and perish, but everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9, 1 Thess. 5:9) However if we don’t preach His wrath and the consequences of sin which is hell, fire, brimstone, and eternal damnation how will anyone know of these things?

The prophet Ezekiel was instructed: “…whenever you hear a word from My mouth, WARN them from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you DO NOT WARN HIM or SPEAK OUT TO WARN THE WICKED FROM HIS WICKED WAY that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.” (Ezekiel 3:17,18). When we refuse to WARN the people around us by giving them comfortable and loving messages all the time, not only are we being disobedient, but we will be accountable for not relaying the entirety of God’s message.

And if you think this does not pertain to us, that it is an Old Testament rule, then listen to what Jesus said: “Whatever I tell you in the dark, SPEAK in the light; and what you hear in the ear, PREACH on the housetops.” (Matt.10:27), and “TEACH them to observe ALL that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:20) We are also taught that scripture should be used to “REPROOF, CORRECT, and TRAIN IN RIGHTEOUSNESS…” (2 Timothy 3:16), it does not say scripture should make people feel comfortable, relaxed, and lenient towards their sins. Jude teaches us that when we REPROOF, REBUKE, CORRECT it is to: “…SAVE OTHERS, snatching them out of the fire” he goes on to say we ought to have: “MERCY with FEAR, HATING even the garment polluted by the FLESH.” (Jude 23-24) James reminds us by literally saying: “REMEMBER THIS: Whoever TURNS a sinner from the ERROR OF HIS WAY will SAVE him from DEATH and COVER over a MULTITUDE of SINS.” (James 5:20)

In conclusion, to preach the “Fire and Brimstone” message may not be popular among the Pragmatic, Emergent, Positive Confession, and Christian Psychology movements of today, and yes, you may be labeled to have a hard heart and no love, however those who DO warn the people of the consequences of their willful, deliberate, sinful lifestyles, who speak of wrath, hell, and judgment are showing more Love and Compassion than those who don’t. As John MacArthur once stated:

“Not to rebuke sin is a form of HATRED, not love. Refusing to warn a person about his sin is just as unloving as refusing to warn him about a serious disease he may have. A person who does not warn a friend about his sin cannot claim love as his motive.“– John MacArthur

In Christ,
Marc