2 Tim. 2:23-26 "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of The Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will." My "Gospel Preaching" brothers I am concerned that we can often preach the Gospel with little to no true concern for those to whom we are preaching and it can often come across in an angry disposition. I have often found myself preaching the Gospel in a carnal temperament and it seemed more important, to me, to win the argument while having no love for the person's, never-dying, soul. Yes, let us always be ready to die for the truth and be armed for battle, but let us also be men of compassion. Let us have the Apostle Paul as our example; when he told the Corinthians that he ceased not to weep for them day and night for the space of 3 years or when he spoke of those unconverted Jews with such affection (in Romans 9) that he said that he would go to hell so that they could be saved, if it were possible. We ought to be concerned when a long space of time passes and tears have not crossed our cheeks. Because when we have this kind of care for those who are lost we will be patient with them and we will be known as those who care for the souls of men. Brothers, we are preaching to people and they despartly need Christ Jesus lest they end up in eternal damnation. Let us preach and plead with men as if they are but one breathe from hell and let us be gentle and kind as we boldly proclaim the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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