Barriers to the Gospel

CNG radio for today's culture and timeless truths come together is reasoned, relevant content, apologetics, worldview and answers to the questions that you need to know need to know from Alex McFarlane ministries. This is true for a new generation radio and now the man who preached in 50 states and 50 days beaker writer, and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarlane in Matthew 622 through 23 the word of God says the eye is the lamp of body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness hi Alex McFarlane, you're welcome to another edition of truth for a new generation, and I want to unpack that Scripture from Matthew six in a moment, and I want to talk about five and nearly insurmountable barriers to the gospel in someone's heart and life.

Five almost insurmountable barriers to the gospel.

But let me give you a little bit of a new story as I record this is in the news that the Lutheran Church that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, the ELCA is ordaining their first ever transgender bishop now. In justifying this and trying to point this is being a great historical achievement. One of the things that the press office of the Lutheran Church said was that at the Council of Nicaea in 325.

Part of the purpose of the Council of Nicaea was to quote obstruct the rights of transgender's in ministry and now here in 2021. Ostensibly they are correcting this centuries long wrong perpetrated against transgender swamped.

This reminds me of 20 years ago when I was being interviewed and I was on a new show opposite someone from the North Carolina Department of Education and they were introducing pro-gay curriculum into the public schools, and I was giving a counterpoint, a critique of that and the person with whom I was debating in the news said at that time 20 years ago. Quote the nature of marriage has always been fluid. They said the. The idea that marriage was always between a man and a woman that the nature of marriage was fixed has never been the case and I said at the time and I'll say again, show me a culture anywhere in history where the nature of marriage. The fundamental understanding of marriage and procreation was homosexual or transsexual. That's false and the cultures being lied to, were being lied to and back to the apostate Lutherans. The idea that the Council of Nicaea had anything to do with transgender is him that is patently false, but the vulnerable victims in this are the public that are for one thing, historically illiterate, largely and also biblically illiterate.

Many people they don't know the word of God. They certainly don't know history and so when they're told that the false narrative and the fake history that's being constructed to try to legitimize homosexuality and other sexual deviance sees it so sad because we're truly living in a time of darkness and lies. Now back to the Scripture that I read the Matthew six and I want to talk about five nearly insurmountable barriers to the gospel in the hearts and minds of people. Matthew six the Lord said this, the eye is the lamp of the body know the word in the original languages ophthalmoscope from which we get ophthalmology I'm sure you know about going to the eye doctor and the eye is the lamp or the light of the body. If your eyes are healthy said the Lord, your body will be full of life.

It's interesting the I hear the lamp in the eye. It's a euphemism for your perspective, what you think is true how you see, just as your your I your your vision comes from your eyes and then all of the photons in the light are picked up by those rods and cones in your eyeballs in the brain interprets them as reality. Perhaps you're taking a walk and you see the tree and you walk around it rather than running straight into it because your eyes see and your brain perceives and you're able to live but yet Jesus says if your eye is wrong. How great is that darkness because look is as if your eyes are healthy and the word interestingly is really unfolded. The word there in the original language of your eyes are healthy or sound or functioning properly and the word is really unfolded. Your body will be full of light. Now, a perspective that is worked or folded or flawed, somehow just as poor vision endangers your life a bad worldview endangers your soul. Verse 23 of Matthew chapter 6 Jesus said if your eyes are unhealthy and were there for unhealthy is evil or malicious. And interestingly, one variant of that word.

If your eyes are quote painful.

The implication is a disease just as you. If you have a terminal illness. You are physically at risk. Well, if you have a bad worldview, a worldview that doesn't recognize God doesn't recognize Scripture doesn't know truth here endangers Jesus that if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness and and what that means is not only darkness but the result of darkness is then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness, in other words, if what you think is truth is really lies you're in a bad place and so were going to talk about five things that the culture has believed with utter commitment five nearly insurmountable barriers to the gospel in the lives of people going to talk about a response to them. But we're living in a time of great unreality. People believing things that are false, just like the idea that Nicaea was about the transgender narrative of my Oma goodness may God help us. We are in such a dire place and if you're Christian.

I want to call on you to pray for this, the Holy Spirit. The Bible calls the third member of the Trinity quote the spirit of truth how much we need the spirit of truth to pierce through the lies people of believe in a hopefully people from the quicksand of unreality sin and darkness of the solid rock of God's eternal truth stating we come back again and help more. About five nearly insurmountable barriers to the gospel that many people nowadays believe America today is like a patient struggling to live yet is being forcibly euthanized by her quote doctors. The life force within the patient fighting for survival is the honest citizens like yourself team of quote caregivers are the local and national leaders actually contributing to the demise of the patient. The economy is crashing crime is exploding. The Constitution is being abolished the assault on America how to defend our nation before it's too late by Alex Farland has one single purpose to get you prepared the real source of America's current problems that no one else is talking about and what you can do now to face tomorrow. Regardless of what tomorrow brings. The assault on America how to defend our nation before it's too late. Available now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and local Christian bookstore welcome to the podcasts I hear you. We are so excited that you joined us, and this is just going to be a great new podcast dealing with issues around race issues around friendship and how do we deal with the tough issues and also excited to be here with my good friend Alex to do with you Adele in on the I hear you podcast we talk about race.

We talk about culture. We talk about politics, and sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we find resolution and common ground near what's really cool. Not only do we learn new things.

We make friends would grow and that's good for all of us with just two friends why why why black and we just invite everyone to come and join to share with us is a big difference between hearing and listening and show love and look forward to it.

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When Alex and Odell every get you podcast for apologetics, resources, books by Alex McFarland and to find out where Alex is speaking to visit Alex McFarland.com welcome back to three new generation Alex McFarland here were talking about five nearly insurmountable barriers to the gospel and we read from Matthew six 2223 were Jesus says if the light is darkness, how great is that darkness, in other words, if if what you believed is true is really false.

You're in a place of darkness while on the number one nearly insurmountable barrier that hinders people from coming to Jesus's self-righteousness, because to be saved. You have to understand that your inner state of guilt and sin and many people have more faith in their deserved witness rather than in God's holiness. Jesus said that we have to admit that were center and an once we realize that then we repent and turn to him and if we don't believe that were guilty sinners. We are at enmity with God, we are sinners and we must repent, if you believe in your own deserved witness. He said yeah I'm a pretty good person.

I'm not that bad of a guy that self-righteousness. It will prevent you from coming to the one who can make you righteous, who is Jesus, Charles Spurgeon, a great preacher for more than 100 years ago.

I love Charles Spurgeon. He said the greatest enemy to human souls is the self righteous spirit which makes men look to themselves for salvation.

A self-righteous spirit. In other words, if there is a heaven I should get in.

I have been a good person.

I'm not a bad person. I've achieved things. I've built a family or or whatever but if you point to your own merits as alleged proof of your goodness that self-righteousness. There was a great Anglican bishop in Liverpool, England, in the most famous thing from Liverpool. Many think is the Beatles, but at one time JC Ryall he lived 1816 to 1900, the Bishop of Liverpool was such a notable figure and wonderful Christian leader he was.

But JC Ryall said, quote, beware of self-righteousness in every possible shape and form. Some people get as much harm from their virtues as others do from their sin.

What did Rao mean by that. Well the thing like in Hosea 8 the freedoms altars are to him as sin. If your virtues are what you're trusting to make you right before God that that's his as toxic as some heinous unconfessed sin because your self-righteousness might be a barrier separating you from Christ's righteousness, and so we have to realize that we really have no righteousness of our own. Secondly, is pride Jack Wertz and the leader of word of life. Many years ago works and was a great Christian leader of the 20th century. He would often say before you can get someone saved. Very often you have to get them lost. In other words people have to understand that there without Jesus, they are spiritually dead, and many people are prideful. My family name the church. I'm a member of the things I've accomplished either. I've done meritorious works and many people are prideful and to humble ourselves before God and to say you know I am a sinner I am helpless and hopeless without the Savior and to trust what the word of God says many people are too prideful to believe and to acquiesce and to humble themselves before what Scripture says and let me say, regardless of the yacht the fad or the cultural trend of the moment. In our case very much.

It's been homosexuality and transgender is some sexual deviancy justice. Militant moral relativism that I can do what I want to do and God can't tell me otherwise friend that's pride and in the Scriptures where it talks about the nations assembling before God and being judged the pride of human history will be vanquished before the holy decrees of Almighty God today.

I would beg of you believe what the word of God says don't rationalize, don't try to legitimize human sin and darkness and deviancy. Humble yourself before God, because pride will keep you from heaven. The third nearly insurmountable barrier is biblical illiteracy, lack of knowledge of what God's word says that what's what's ironic and's I love talking to people about Jesus. Talking with people about their soul, but I've noticed a pathology of the human perspective, the degree of biblical illiteracy is very often paralleled by a corresponding degree of human haughtiness and arrogance. It seems like the more bereft people are of biblical knowledge to an equal degree they are emboldened in their fallen hubris really a lack of Bible knowledge is is very much offset or paralleled by a confident assumption in the value of human wisdom.

I've talked to people and pull an issue about creation versus evolution moral truth versus relativism the exclusivity of Jesus's salvation versus pluralism and Universalism that the truth of God versus man's accusations. It reminds me of the very famous CS Lewis book God in the dock DOC K God in the docket into the docket in a courtroom is the witness stand where somebody is on the defensive. The accused sits in the stand and is cross-examined and CS Lewis pointed out that you know very often people put God in the docket.

In other words, God, you better explain yourself and that that hubris and that arrogance I've had atheists say to me. Well, if I die and it turns out there's a God I'm gonna say what about this and why did you do that and how come you didn't do this, listen when a fallen guilty human appears before his maker. Nobody is going to be up in God's face, pointing out and cross-examining and dressing down God Almighty.

We need to understand that right now while we have the opportunity we should follow before God and say the Lord have mercy on me a sinner. God could and probably should throw every single one of us into hell right this minute, but in his mercy, God is long-suffering God is patient. God is so compassionate when we followed sinners that the Holy Spirit of God spends years, maybe even in some people's cases, decades calling out gently nudging us, speaking to us in our conscience trying to get us to humble ourselves and turn to the Savior state entry for new generation is back after this brief break. Join Alex McFarlane for spiritual awakening in our times studying the book of acts. June 25-27 in the Billy Graham training center at the Cove near Asheville, North Carolina.

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You're listening to the truth or a new generation radio. Welcome back to trade for new generation Alex McFarlane here.

I want to thank the listing is about the final two nearly insurmountable barriers to the gospel but I want to say two things. I'm so excited truth for a new generation October 15-17.

The first post coded TMG apologetics conference and is going to be this fall and I'm so excited we've got confirmed to speak Frank turmeric you know him. He's the author of that very famous book. I don't have enough faith to be an atheist Sandy Rios, journalist, broadcaster, Christian thinker Sandy Rios will be there.

I'll be there. We got several other big surprises coming up were going to be talking about millennial's GNC and reaching the unreached. If you're the parent of a prodigal. How did my millennial that was raised in church walk away from the faith.

How do we as the church began to reach Jens E and younger. This is the conference that you want to be a part. Often it's going to be October 15-17 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, plenty of hotel rooms. This is definitely a destination point is what I want you to do.

I want you to email me alex@alexmcfarlane.com or go to my website which is simply Alex McFarlane.com you have the information up very quickly. I got a lot going on this year I met the Cove. June 25-27 teaching the book of acts, and they tell me it's almost full 231 people signed up and there are just one or two other slots if you want to come you can go to the website. The Cove.org I'm on the road speaking we got a lot going on and I appreciate everybody's support for the various ministries of truth for new generation. So go to my website Alex McFarland or email us and will keep you informed alex@alexmcfarlane.com will back to Matthew 622 through 23 Jesus said the eyes the light of the body. If your eyes are good. In other words, if you see and believe truth you're full of light. But if the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness so we talked about some insurmountable barriers, self-righteousness, pride, biblical illiteracy, people think well I'm I'm good as I am, or if there is a heaven. I deserve to get in and then there's biblical illiteracy and people will say things like, does the Bible say that God helps those who help themselves note, the Bible doesn't say that does not does the Bible say after death. Some people get a second chance.

No Bible does not say that anyone gets a second chance after death. In fact, Hebrews 927 the word of God says it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment, but to other barriers, sometimes nearly insurmountable. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit to tear down our nicely constructed walls of belief in our own worthiness.

One is carnality, as Spurgeon said this.

If sin isn't preached from the pulpit. It will be practiced in the pew. Nowadays, where are the preachers calling out sin and condemning unrighteousness and and many people nowadays are carnal and they are involved in pornography there involved in adultery there involved in habitual lying and gossip and sexual sin and just sins of disposition.

Some people are grumpy their unthankful, always grousing about something that's called carnality. And if you're in a state of carnality you need to repent and asked Jesus to cleanse you, but I'm going to talk. Finally, with the time we have left about what may be the most insurmountable tocsin separating people from God, and that is pluralism you that will wait a minute, that doesn't sound so that's okay.

We are in a time of radical militant pluralism for people believe that all things can all be true at the same time I was sharing the gospel to man the other day and he said he was a Christian but he said he was also Muslim is a way you can't be both.

Because they're incompatible. You could not possibly you could logically be a Christian who believes Jesus died and rose again it at the same time be a Muslim, which denies Jesus as the son of God who rose from the dead and the man he said we all have our own perspective. And of course the answer to that is, well, this is not about anybody's perspective, it's about truth, but pluralism is the idea that anybody believes anything and that makes it right that incompatible contradictory beliefs can both be true at the same time, and we somehow trump reality merely by saying what we all have our opinions friends. I honestly believe it is easier to extract a sinner from a rank immorality than it is to extract a pluralist from the blindness of believing that all things are true at the same time we are in a time of radical pluralism and the word of God.

Let me say this friend the word of God is not pluralistic to put it this way. There are 10,000 ways to go to hell. There is one way to go to heaven and that's through the new birth in Jesus Christ and were living in a time where people have an open shake both faith in the rightness of their own opinions and so we have to help people understand that. Look, you cannot be a follower of Jesus and be a pluralist. You can't give Jesus is the one and only risen Savior than all things other than Jesus are not the way of salvation, we need to pray that the Holy Spirit of God would arouse us from the delusion that all things can all be true at the same time. Pluralism is lulling many into a devils hill and they think anyway is right. As long as I'm sincere and the Bible says that there's a way that seems right to a man the end thereof are the ways of death.

And so we need to be people of truth and back to the Matthew six passage. If we believe what is true. Our soul is full of light.

But if our eyes and our mind and our comprehension is believing that which is darkness, how great is that darkness may God deliver us from the darkness of unbelief and the darkness of wrong belief and may God bring us into the bright sunlight of God's word, his son, that wonderful place for salvation is found called truth and truth for new generation is here to help you know what is real and how to stand for truth. May God bless you and thank you for listening. TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland ministry, PO Box 10231 is Burrell, NC 27404. That's PO Box 10231, Greensboro, NC 27404 Collis at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God in the number one or give online@alexmcfarland.com while you're there, listen the program archives. Read Alex's blog invite Alex to speak at your event or contact Alex with a question or comment, Alex McFarland.com. Thanks for listening today and join us again next time.

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