Using Fear for Salvation

I’ve heard it said that the way to reach people in these days of the 21^st Century is to teach “Fire and Brimstone” so as to instill fear. If you make people fear the last days enough they will turn to God and be saved. I understand the desire to see people receive the salvation that God would have them to but I’m not so certain that it would be by manipulation. Our responsibility as son’s and daughters of God is to simply testify of God’s goodness and grace, to love and show kindness. Certainly they need to hear the reality of being separated from God and the dangers of falling into the temptations of sin, though it should be of a willful decision, not something because of fear.

I once read a book that spoke of how manipulative some churches had become to increase giving, to see souls saved, and to make children behave. Let’s look at the difference between influence and manipulation.

We’ll first define the two:

Influence: ability to make change or have an effect on others.

Manipulate: to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one’s purpose.

As you can see these are very different. But as you can also see, to influence someone is certainly a more positive means not by unfair or artful means. When influencing you are gaining the ability by gaining trust and you gain trust by, telling the truth as it is, not embellishing. Embellishing the truth is turning the truth into a lie. You begin the process of manipulation when you begin forcing the change by means of fear, not allowing them to willfully make up there own mind based on the truth, based on the facts. In one book the writer said manipulation is no more than witchcraft since it is basically an illegitimate means of authority or self imposed power.

See, people have freewill. I believe to use scare tactics as a means to have someone receive Jesus is simply undermining the power of the Holy Spirit to draw people to Himself. If fear is the means then obviously in this context love is not. Jesus said in Luke 12:5; 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!  NKJV (please keep in context)

 1 John 4:18-1918 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. NKJV

As you should know, in the teachings of Jesus, He never attempted to scare people into believing but simply stated the facts. He befriended those that the religious group stayed away from and condemned. It was because of His compassion and ability to have relationships with those those others would not, but did not compromise principle. The people that heard His teaching either followed or they did not. That’s the way it should be in these days of the 21^st Century as well. A problem I see in our Christian society and churches today is you have to be the biggest, the best, the most holy, and the more spiritual than any of the others. It is actually those very attitudes in and among the church that discredit it in the community. The fact of the matter is none of that count for anything.

It’s typically those very churches that scream we’re not a “traditional (whatever denomination) church”, they brag about how they’re not legalistic and then they lead you right back under the law of bondage, the very thing Jesus died to keep us from. Jesus not one time led a Gentile to the law so He could explain grace.

But see it’s this mentality of trying to be good enough or thinking that we’ve arrived that brings about the use of manipulation. It works hand-n-hand you see. If you don’t sing like we do, if you don’t’ dress like we do, or use hymnals as we do then your not a true Christian. And nothing could be further from the truth!

You simply cannot control the decisions that others make and if you are controlling them or even trying, then you are operating with manipulative means and not out of love and compassion.Keep in mind; it is not our responsibility to save others, that’s Gods. Ours is to simply testify about God.

1 Cor 3:6-8

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. NKJV