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Is This Theologian Another UOJ Confused Enthusiast?
Evangelicals Should Be
Gospel Centered, Not Salvation Centered, Theologian Says
Pastor emeritus Nathan
Bickel says:
According, to this
theologian, the new norm should be:
"The fundamental job of
the evangelist is not to get people to feel guilty about sins, or to feel
terrorized by an angry God. The central question of evangelism is, 'who do you
think Jesus is?'" [His description]
As well intentioned as this
theologian may be, to offer what he is recommending; I think that his advice is
not Scriptural. The Triune God expects that His whole counsel be preached and
taught. Did not Christ Himself say before He ascended on high, that His
disciples should disseminate everything that He passed on to them?
"......Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you..... - Matthew 28:20
Also, I find that this
theologian's advice is rather naive. It's not what people think who Jesus is,
but rather, if they can come to terms with what the divine revelation says
Christ, is. Hence the crucial need for faithful Christian disciples to
disseminate the whole counsel of God to the decadent culture, - not, to
disseminate a sociological approach which focuses on the narcissistic.
Priceless human souls need to know the consequences for their sins against God,
His Commandments and sins against their neighbor. The psychological “church
growth” approach doesn't cut the mustard but only confuses the sinner in need
of the whole Gospel, in both its wide and narrow sense. [Law and Gospel]
Furthermore, if you will
examine this theologian’s advice, it is obvious that he doesn’t understand the
Holy Spirit’s role in convicting the sinner of his sin. He thinks that the job
of Christian pastors is to present something culturally palatable to the
culture, as if those who disseminate the Gospel can tweak this and that for
intended “successful” results.
According to the
recommending theologian, I wonder if the following would pass his skewed
scrutiny:
The Paradox of the Flesh and
Blood Religion –
Pastor emeritus Nathan
Bickel
