When Christians Like Motivational Messages Than The Gospel

We Church people confess Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. We say He is our shepherd and we are His sheep.

We also know that the Church and Christianity could not have existed without Christ Jesus. Almost everything about Christians is centered on Christ Jesus. Without Him, we are meaningless.

It is, therefore, surprising when many Church folks appear to dislike teachings about Christ Jesus these days.

I have been involved in ministry for over 20 years, and I can boldly state that many Christians including pastors today cannot bear to hear teachings about the Lord.

For instance, a few years ago, a pastor remarked that “if you preach about Jesus your church will not grow.”

At another meeting, he mockingly quizzed, “does the Holy Spirit give chop money.” You wonder if a pastor really said that.

But yes, a pastor in Ghana said that when he was delivering a prosperity message to his congregation.

If you are honest, you will agree with me that many Christians cheerfully respond to prosperity and motivational messages these days than teachings about Jesus Christ, the gospel.

But the Lord Jesus Christ is unique and He stands tall amongst all kings, prophets, priests, and apostles and teachers.

Thus, His words are weighty, superior and inerrant. That was why He could correct the erroneous teachings of Moses, the Pharisees and Sadducees.

So during the transfiguration of Jesus, the Father spoke from the cloud saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).

Yes, God the Father commanded that words from Christ Jesus and about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, must be heard.

Peter who was with Jesus when the Father spoke those words cherished the teachings of Christ Jesus above everyone else’s teachings.

He did so with clear reason and understanding that Christ Jesus alone has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).

Clearly, those who have the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, making them one with the Lord, love to hear teachings from and about Christ Jesus.

They gladly hear and respond to messages about the Lord, the gospel of salvation because they are Christ’s sheep.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

Thus, it calls for concern when many Christians in our generation tend to prefer prosperity and motivational messages to Christo-centric and gospel-focused messages.

There are reasons for this situation. First, the cares of this world have, perhaps, influenced many to become worldly, materialistic or lovers of money instead of Christ.

Moreover, it may be that they have not been genuinely helped to understand the gospel so as to encounter Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit.

It is no wonder Scripture states boldly that people who do not sincerely believe in Jesus and cannot bear to hear His voice and teachings about Him are not part of His sheep.

“Jesus answered them, ‘I told you…but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep” (John 10:25-26).

You see, Jesus points out that people who do not accept or trust His teachings or messages about Him are not among His sheep,

And if they are not part of the chosen ones, then, they are of the world. And if they are of the world, then, they are of the devil,

Consequently, it is impossible for them to cheerfully respond to messages about Jesus. In fact, they do not understand the doctrines of Christ.

“Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:43).

Finally, the Lord explained that people who do not belong to Him hate Him because He testifies about them that their works are evil.

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil” (John 7:7).

By James Quansah