Words That Should Not Be Allowed To Vanish Continued

   Second on the list for words we need to keep using are “sinner” and “sin.”  The lost or unsaved need to know, in love, just exactly that—that they are lost and unsaved. Vague generalities like mankind and things God does not like us to do might make people feel more at ease when they hear these words, but they also mislead them. God’s Word calls those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior “sinners” and any act displeasing to God “sin.”  All people identify with terms such as “mankind.” All people feel that they have done things they should not have done at times.

   There is an eternity of difference between this and the truth of the gospel. They need to know they are not a part of God’s family just because they possess some ambivalent notion of Him. If they have not repented of their sins and professed Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Son of God, as their Savior, and have not gone on to lead lives pleasing to God, they are lost and unsaved.  To leave them with the impression that they are OK or just part of mankind, when their lost souls are bound for hell, is unloving, uncaring and irresponsible. They need to know that they are sinners who need to accept the Lord as their Savior and who need to have a real relationship with Him. They need to know there are things they do that are pleasing to God and there are things they do which are abhorrent to Him. These abhorrent things are sins and sins separate us from God. They need to be told that “...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NKJV). We are failing them if we do not get this message of the gospel across to them.    Likewise, the unsaved need to know they are in need of “repentance,”--another word that is less often heard these days. Dictionary.com defines “repentance” as “deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like.” Unless Christians lovingly tell the unsaved of their need for repentance, how will they ever know? These messages need to be conveyed in our sermons, conversations and in our songs. Luke 15: 10 tells us “...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (NKJV) These concepts are Biblical and should not be minimized or glossed over to help people feel better about themselves.

   It is also beneficial for Christians to be reminded that they were sinners saved only by God’s grace and that they must keep a close eye on that sinful human nature. Sins for which we do not repent separate us from God, and if allowed to accumulate, harden our hearts to His will in our lives.    In our efforts to gentrify the gospel, concepts like the blood and hell are being spoken of and incorporated into gospel songs less in some genres. This should not be the case. People need to know that Christ died for them on a Roman cross. It was not pretty. It was bloody and torturous and gory but His shed blood, His sacrifice is what cleanses and saves us. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7, NKJV).    The thought of an eternal hell is a terrifying one, but hell is very real and people need to know that—whether it makes them uncomfortable or not. Discomfort in our hearts and souls is the beginning of conviction.  Here is another word we need to keep in our vocabulary. When a person is under conviction by the Holy Spirit, they are made to feel guilt for the wrongs or sins they have committed against God. Conviction leads to repentance, which leads to salvation. Our God is a God of love, but He is also a God to fear. Luke tells us in the 12th chapter of his writing, verse 5, “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”