1 / 14

The Power of Positive Preaching: Embracing the Balance of Positive and Negative Truths

This article explores the effectiveness of positive preaching that balances both positive and negative truths. It emphasizes the importance of warning against sin while also instructing, encouraging, and edifying believers. By preaching the whole counsel of God, positive preaching can produce positive results.

debrajanderson
Download Presentation

The Power of Positive Preaching: Embracing the Balance of Positive and Negative Truths

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Rom 5:1-2, 11 1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God……. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

  2. + + + The Power of Positive Preaching + + + + +

  3. Positive “Only” Attitude • This attitude stresses using positive ideas to overcome problems in life. It does not seek to remove the cause of problems, which would involve negative opposition and conflict. Instead, it tries to overwhelm problems with positive words and actions only.

  4. “Negaphobia” • Society: • Politically correct terminology • It’s not sin, just an alternate lifestyle. • Church: • Don’t challenge false religions or false doctrines • Don’t call one “false teacher” who teaches error. • Redefine sin and defend it using Romans 14. • Soothe emotions without addressing problems. • Preach partial truths to avoid confrontation. • Preach truth but don’t apply—don’t hurt feelings. • Don’t preach to convict sinners of sin.

  5. “More positive-less negative preaching!” • Or “Accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.” PROBLEM! Positive and negative are often “subjectively” defined. Whose concept of “positive” will we use? Yours? Mine? Or God’s?

  6. The Bible and “Positive Preaching” • Jer 8:4-12 • 2 Pet 2:1-3, 18-19 • 2 Cor 11:12-15

  7. “Negative” does what “Positive” cannot • Most understand positive statements of good. • Gal 5:23, “against such there is no law.” Have you ever read where God warns against doing good? • However, people CONSTANTLY need warning against sin, because evil CONSTANTLY tries to get people to sin. • It is in the arena of the negative where sin will be defeated!

  8. God’s idea of “positive preaching” is determined by the results, not by how it sounds.

  9. God’s idea of “Positive Preaching” • POSITIVE preaching instructs and informs. • NEGATIVE preaching warns against sin which destroys positive preaching. Protects positive preaching. • NEGATIVE preaching produces “positive” results by preventing sin. • NEGATIVE preaching helps one understand evil without experiencing it.

  10. Summary….. • POSITIVE truths instruct, encourage and edify. = POSITIVE • NEGATIVE truths warn, convict and prevent one from sinning = POSITIVE • Favoring one over the other defeats the power of both = NEGATIVE • POSITIVE ONLY neglects valuable warnings and rebukes = NEGATIVE • NEGATIVE ONLY neglects full instruction and encouragement = NEGATIVE

  11. All of God’s truth produces “positive” results when preached and obeyed.

  12. “Positive Preaching” and the Bible • Adam and Eve, Gen 2:16-17 • Israel, Deut 10:1-4, 12-14. Ex: Deut 5:7-21, 32-33 • Jesus magnified the POSITIVE with NEGATIVE statements, Matt 15:11-14, 22:34-40 • OT NEGATIVE = POSITIVE, 2 Tim 3:13-17, 4:1-5 • POSITIVE + NEGATIVE = POSITIVE, 2 Tim 4:1-5 • “Whole counsel of God”Acts 20:27, 1 Cor 4:17 • POSITIVE power of NEGATIVE instructions, Job 5:17-18, 2 Cor 7:6-11, Heb 12:3-11 • Example: Acts 2:22-24, 36-47.

  13. Heart of God’s GraceTitus 2:11-1211 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,12 teaching us that, denying(NEGATIVE) ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live(POSITIVE) soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

  14. CONCLUSION • To emphasize POSITIVE over NEGATIVE produces NEGATIVE results. • To emphasize NEGATIVE over POSITIVE produces NEGATIVE results. • To teach a balance of BOTH will produce POSITIVE results. • Preaching the WHOLE COUNSEL of God is always POSITIVE PREACHING.

More Related