Posted: 8/05/05
Blackaby warns that 'seeker-friendly'
may leave out nature of sin
By James White
Virginia Religious Herald
BIRMINGHAM, England—Baptists need renewed emphasis on repentance, Henry Blackaby told participants at the Baptist World Congress.
“I am disturbed in many circles that preaching is leaving out the radical nature of sin,” said Blackaby, author of Experiencing God. “God dealt radically with sin on the cross. We never again need to serve sin. We are immersed in the Holy Spirit.”
Using the image of Jesus’ baptism in water and the promise of baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire, Blackaby challenged his hearers to take sin—particularly their own—seriously.
“I believe Baptists need a fresh immersion in fire. I’m watching with a great deal of anguish our efforts at evangelism,” he said.
Church leaders bear special responsibility to repent and be cleansed of their sins, he said. Only then will they be able to hear from God, and only after they hear can they obey, he insisted.
“The refiner’s fire is designed to expose all the impurities so that when God looks into the silver and gold he sees the perfect reflection of his Son.”
By emphasizing a seeker-friendly approach to worship, pastors have diminished the message that sin separates people from a holy God, he asserted.
“The issue is not whether you accept Jesus, but whether he accepts you,” Blackaby said. “I’m afraid there will be people in hell who prayed to receive Christ, but who never allowed him to deal with their sin.”
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