Manipulative Christians.

Sunday night I was listening to my youth leader, and not paying near enough attention as I should have been. However, beside the lesson, he brought up and we briefly discussed, manipulative Christians. The gist of it, was some of the ways Christians use to persuade others to the faith.
One such manipulative method stuck in my head, because I have used it. Hell.

I thought it over and talked to people about using hell as a means to convert others. I guess it's our duty to inform others about hell, but what's wrong is when we try to outright scare them. Like, "If you don't accept Christ you'll go to hell and be tormented forever with burning sulfur and smoke will come out of you and it'll really hurt and you'll never die!" That's all true, but it's like bullying someone. Wrong.
I mean, do you really think someone came to the faith just because they said a prayer so they wouldn't go to hell? Hell is scary. Hell is downright freaky and horrible. But the method isn't quite right there.

There's a difference between someone realizing they need Christ because of their sin to stay away from hell, and realizing they need Christ to save them from their sin and hell.

There is a fine line here I'm trying to broaden so you can tell what I'm getting at.
(in other words, I don't think I'm doing to good at explaining this)

I'll try a different tack.

John 3:16 says,
"For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life."

People come to Christ, first after they've understood that they're sinners. Then because they understand the truth that He alone, can take away their sin. People are saved when they ask Christ and understand that He loved them enough, to come down amidst their sin, even in His perfect holiness, and died just for them as the only sacrifice possible for their sin. And that he did it so that they would have eternal life with Him.
Once Christ has been accepted, you can witness the repentance and change. Their whole life is different, pain is felt at sin, bad addictions are fought with. They pray and read their bible and go to church. Not because they want to look good, but because they want to know more about their savior and God.

Do you see this happening after someone says some words because they don't want to go to a lake of burning fire?

Yeah, they need to know about hell, but we gotta remember that it's just not the center focus. Christ is.

I don't want to be manipulative. I want to be real about the truth of Christ.
I hope you do to. He loves ya, and that's the truth.

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