Preaching the Gospel to the World

[mhykx]

Hi all!

Most churches of this world are gone 'mad' preaching the (their own) 'gospel' to the world.  Some rich churches even go to expensive TV channel just to air 'their gospel'.

I understand that BT has a considerable impact on the internet.  But assuming we have the funds and resources, shall we also go on radio and TV?

Just what does the "preaching the gospel to the world" mean?  Is it a command to every christian?  Did Ray already answer this?

Thanks everyone!

Mike

[aqrinc]

Hi Mike,

Here is something That Ray has written about you question. Actually he has quite a lot to say about it.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6142.msg49583.html#msg49583

Excerpt from: What Is The Gospel Of The Kingdom?


                                  The Image Of God

He is creating, not created - finished - done.
If God created (ed - past tense) man in His image, why oh why did he sin?  Think about it, are we saying that the image of God is a sinning image?  How could the very image of God, sin?  Well that's what they say, they say he (Adam) was perfect.

One day Copeland said, Adam was so glorified, so majestic, so spiritual that you couldn't see his body.  That he glowed like a white star.  He was so glorious you couldn't even see his body, that's how glorious he was before he sinned.  Well why did he sin?  How could anything so God-like sin?  Because he wasn't God-like at all!  He was as carnal as any slob who has ever drawn breath.  That's why he sinned. 

So this is the plan of God, He is making children in His very own image.  We are going to be like God. We are going to be God's children.  You know what children are like.  So we'll be like God, if we're going to be the children of God.  We're going to be like Christ.  Christ is called God and we are going to be brothers and sisters.  We're going to be sons of God.


                               UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK

If we don't understand that God never intended for the masses of humanity to understand this Bible, then we won't understand this book.  This is not a book written to be understood.  Human intellect will not allow you to understand this book.  You can learn a lot about it, where and how it was written, the culture, the history and you can memorize it. 
You can be like Jack Van Impe and I don't know he says he's memorize 25,000 verses or whatever.  But he has not a clue as to what the gospel is, not a clue.  I don't mean to pick on people.  James Kennedy speaks Greek and Hebrew fluently and has not a clue as to what the gospel is.  I'm serious, not a clue.  You say, 'oh well he doesn't have it quite down yet.'  No, not a clue, he has not a clue. 

If you think God is going to torture most of humanity for all eternity, then you have not a clue as to what the gospel is... you have not a clue as to what Jesus Christ is... you have not a clue as to what God the Father is.  Not a clue.  You can not say in the same breath that God is love and God tortures most of humanity for all of eternity.  You can't say that!  That is as opposite as God and Satan, to say that.  Yet this is fundamental Christianity... God is love... God will torture most of humanity in real fire for all eternity.  It's insane!  If you can't see that that is insane, if you just sit there and say, 'well I don't know Ray, it makes sense to me.'  Then you will never understand this book.  You just will never understand this book. 

This book was written so that nobody could understand it, until God picks somebody out and says I want you to understand this book and I'll show you how to understand it.  That's the only way.  He's got to pick you out and open up your mind or you will never understand this book.  This book is written in all kinds of symbolism, figurative language, types, figures, images, examples, analogies, parables, metaphors and people think all those things are literal.  That is confusion.  That's why the church is confused.  That's why there are supposedly 3000 Christian denominations in the world, because they don't understand any of this stuff.

Jesus Christ said to His Apostles, to you it is given to understand, but to them it is not given to understand.

Mark 4:11  And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12  that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand;

To you it is given, to them it's not given.  There's you and there's them and that's just the way it is and the way it will be until the close of the age.

They are talking about worldwide revival.  Ron Parsley was saying at the rate they are converting people, 250,000 a day, that in 12-14 more years the whole world will be Christianized, in just a matter of not too many years.  But Christ says when He returns will He find faith?  Well that's all He'll find is faith, everywhere, in every human being.  NO!  No, He ask the question because He won't find faith.  There is not faith among millions, no, billions, we have to say billions now, there are 2 billion professing Christians.

george.

[Beloved]

Mike
Here is another paper to read, Winning souls for Jesus.

http://bible-truths.com/souls.htm

We are to proclaim it but not with the intent of persuading or convincing  look at the scriptures

(Isa 61:1)  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings  unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty  to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
(Isa 61:2)  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

If you compare this to Luke you will see that He did not include this last line

H1319  בּשׂר   bâśar  baw-sar'  A primitive root; properly to be fresh, that is, full (rosy, figuratively cheerful); to announce (glad news): - messenger, preach, publish, shew forth, (bear, bring, carry, preach, good, tell good) tidings.   Now isn't this wonderful


Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberty to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

(Mat 4:17)  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Luk 9:2  And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Luk 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

Here are two greek words used,

G2097  εὐαγγελίζω  euaggelizō   yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo    From G2095 and G32; to announce good news ("evangelize") especially the gospel: - declare, bring (declare, show) glad (good) tidings, preach (the gospel).

G2784  κηρύσσω kērussō  kay-roos'-so      Of uncertain affinity; to herald (as a public crier), especially divine truth (the gospel): - preach (-er), proclaim, publish.   

Greek was a wordly language so neither word captures the above hebrew meaning

The problem I see is that many of those whose eyes have been open, know that the Father is sovergn and they also know well that it is the Father who drags and opens the eyes and the ears yet some continue to believe that it is their job to go out there in the world and convince people of Gods Truth.

GET OVER IT ...why did Paul say it is through the FOOLISHNESS of preaching

We are the slaves of the Father's , we are to be His happy heralders, to all those HE brings to us. As fishermen, we sit and wait for the fish to come to us. We are not hunters who go out and seek out their prey.

Those who come to us in our lives , we rebuke their lies and give them the word. When the Word is given it will either act as a seed an convict or mark those who reject it. That is why we Study, to show ourselves approved.

beloved

[mhykx]

From http://bible-truths.com/souls.htm, Ray said..

"I'm asked why I teach the Truths of God if "All is of God," and God does all the choosing and drawing? Because that is HOW God operates. God uses the foolishness of preaching as one of His means by which He communicates with His Elect:"

My question was, IF we have enough fund and resources shall we also go on TV, radio, and publication, God willing, to use the foolishness of preaching?

Also, what IS preaching the gospel to the world mean?  What does it mean when Christ said the gospel will be preached to all nations and then the end will come?

I understand that we are fishermen and CAN ONLY catch fish as they come (God does this).  But isn't it that even fishermen do a little preparation [for Ray, it is this site bible-truths.com] to catch fish otherwise you can't call fishing, FISHING, if you just stand on the shore and wait for the fish to come?  Allow me to ask this question:  Assuming you have the ability to translate all Ray's teachings into another language, will you do that AS A PREPARATION to catch non-english speaking fish?

Mike

[mharrell08]

Matt 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Luke 18:8  ...when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Rev 13:7  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.


Marques

[Dave in Tenn]

Some answers, Mike.  

Studying to shew thyself approved IS preparation.  B-T doesn't exist without the studying that Ray has done, and we won't catch on much at all unless we continue to study.

Dennis and the others charged with maintaining the site would have to answer a 'what-if' question concerning radio and TV, but think of this:

1.  People coming to a website are the modern equivelant (though by no means the ONLY equivelant) of those 'asking'.  The website is also a witness against babylon as we are called to do.

2.  Though it costs to operate a website, in practical terms it reaches far more people for far less money than 'mass-media'.  

3.  There is nothing stopping anybody according to the rules of the site from linking to B-T from their own websites, advertising it in their own local media, or doing anything similar--except for copying the material and presenting it without attribution.  If you are led and able, then there may be something along those lines you can do locally.

4.  There may be an effort to translate the materials into other languages, but these will have to be done carefully.  

Contact Dennis if you think you can help in some way to 'spread' the Gospel.  But to 'teach' the Gospel broadly is a very heavy responsibility and one that very, very few (if any) of us are yet fit to do...me included.  Our (my) world is and should be limited to those we come in contact with, by the grace (influence) of God.

I'll leave the scriptural questions you raised to others.

[aqrinc]

To my Sisters and Brothers at BT.

We have been brought here to study and learn in a nurturing environment. The lesson plan is not
bring what you want, but to study from the available material. That is a very simple plan, but it
seems as if it's almost impossible to grasp that simple fact. We have been called out of the world
to a new calling, not anything that we already knew. So how is it that only a few actually get
down to reading, studying, discussing the material and learning.

Come on people, get with the study and discussing the study material. Most have spent their life
before BT doing all those other things. If they were so good we would have no need to come out
of any one of those worldly (churches, groups, cliques or any of that).

Sorry if this post looks heated, it is because so much foolishness is being discussed. We have a
Higher Calling to answer and daily the conversation goes downhill and back in the dung heap.

A little levity is good to take a break, but breaks need to be short, if we are to run this race to
the finish. If some get upset, so be it, when you are done with being upset see if what i write is
true or just more of what we get all day now, (ear tickling).

george.

[mhykx]

Dear Dave,

Thank you so much for you answer.  I really appreciate them.
No, I don't intend to teach.  For I don't know anything yet.  I mean, I'm still a month-old babe.  I'm helpless, so to speak.
What I do have is a desire to "spread" this good news.  I'm not that financially able but I intend to put some of BT's article into print and distribute them to my family and friends who have no internet access.  Then, if God willing, I plan to translate some of Ray's writings to our language (Tagalog) and give it to my wife (she hardly understands English) for her to read while I'm out working. 

I know God does the calling and choosing.  I just thought we are the MEANS to this FOOLISHNESS of PREACHING (or call it DISTRIBUTION OF BT's TEACHING).

As for the radio and TV, I don't mean for us to copy the style of program of big churches.  A short advertisement / commercial pointing viewers to BT's website will do.  Again, another FOOLISHNESS of PREACHING.

As for my scriptural question, if only Ray is in good shape, I would have directed the question to him and receive a kind answer.

Regards to you and to all,
Mike

[Dave in Tenn]

Those sound like honorable ideas, Mike.

Here's some scri[pture for you.

Isa 55:6  Seek ye Jehovah, while He is found, Call ye Him, while He is near,
Isa 55:7  Forsake doth the wicked his way, And the man of iniquity his thoughts, And he returneth to Jehovah, and He pitieth him, And unto our God for He multiplieth to pardon.
Isa 55:8  For not My thoughts are your thoughts, Nor your ways My ways, --an affirmation of Jehovah,
Isa 55:9  For high have the heavens been above the earth, So high have been My ways above your ways, And My thoughts above your thoughts.
Isa 55:10  For, as come down doth the shower, And the snow from the heavens, And thither returneth not, But hath watered the earth, And hath caused it to yield, and to spring up, And hath given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,
Isa 55:11  So is My word that goeth out of My mouth, It turneth not back unto Me empty, But hath done that which I desired, And prosperously effected that for which I sent it.
Isa 55:12  For with joy ye go forth, And with peace ye are brought in, The mountains and the hills Break forth before you with singing, And all trees of the field clap the hand.
Isa 55:13  Instead of the thorn come up doth fir, Instead of the brier come up doth myrtle, And it hath been to Jehovah for a name, For a sign age-during--it is not cut off!

There's His promise.  We know it will be fulfilled, for a few 'now' and for the many later.  That's the Gospel.  It's His thoughts, and His ways.  That's what we've got to surrender to.

[Falconn003]

Try this

Ray is the bait God uses, to call us from babylon in the Spiritual fishing net that is Bible Truths.

Now we are the Bait, and Our Fellowship of like minds is the Net God uses to call out others out of babylon.

Compare Spirit to Spirit, where is the Spirit in TV and Radio that indulges listeners and watchers to the vanity/lust/material world.

"LEAD us NOT INTO TEMPTATION but DELIVER us FROM EVIL"

Should God will to call a thief, God would not LEAD him through a jewelry store.

Would God call a fornicator, God would not LEAD him through a strip joint.

God calling out his people would not LEAD them into any devices of temptations of the world. Such devices were we could not steer away from temptations, would be defeating the purpose of the calling out of.

Did we see Ray on TV or the Radio and follow, or did we Hear and See the Voice of God in the many , many writings of L. Ray Smith and Followed.

READ, READ, READ, READ, READ  and  GROW, GROW, GROW, GROW, GROW  in the Spirit.

The Harvest of the Word of God is plentiful but there are so few willing labours.

So few who harvest the Word , Cultivate the Word , Read the Word, See the Word, Hear the Word, and Live the Word. The SPIRIT is WILIING but the FLESH is WEAK.

READ and GROW in your SPIRIT and then maybe God shall will you as bait to ensnare other Spirits out of babylon, oh should God bestow upon any of us this Honor.

Study to make yourself presentable before God

Rodger

[aqrinc]

Amen Rodger,

You have served Spiritual food on the table; Now it is time for all of us to come in, sit down, and eat.

2Timothy 3:15-17 
15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

george .

[mhykx]

My brothers and sisters in Christ,

Now, I understand.
Thank you very much for all your answers.

I don't need to rush things for God.  In His time, He will accomplish everything.  What I must do for now is to study and grow in the knowledge of God.  For how long, only God knows.  For it is God's doing, not mine.

Again, thank you all!

Mike

[Ninny]

AMEN! There is MUCH to learn! God has the timing of everything right in his own plan.
Kathy

[cjwood]

well said rodger. amen and selah.

claudia

[E. Woods]

To my Sisters and Brothers at BT.

We have been brought here to study and learn in a nurturing environment. The lesson plan is not
bring what you want, but to study from the available material. That is a very simple plan, but it
seems as if it's almost impossible to grasp that simple fact. We have been called out of the world
to a new calling, not anything that we already knew. So how is it that only a few actually get
down to reading, studying, discussing the material and learning.

Come on people, get with the study and discussing the study material. Most have spent their life
before BT doing all those other things. If they were so good we would have no need to come out
of any one of those worldly (churches, groups, cliques or any of that).

Sorry if this post looks heated, it is because so much foolishness is being discussed. We have a
Higher Calling to answer and daily the conversation goes downhill and back in the dung heap.

A little levity is good to take a break, but breaks need to be short, if we are to run this race to
the finish. If some get upset, so be it, when you are done with being upset see if what i write is
true or just more of what we get all day now, (ear tickling).

george.

Very good George!  nice to see you say that.
   Earl